Problem with DM Keiths (Wakefield)

[phillip]

Last week I got a phone call from my neighbour who owns a '53 plate Fabia 1.2 petrol with around 50k on the clock, to say that on his way to work the car had suddenly started coughing and spluttering and that the engine management light had come on. He turned it round and managed to limp it to DM Keiths in Wakefield and left it with them.

They duly plugged it into their solid-gold diagnostic machine (for which they charge the princely sum of £100), and promptly diagnosed a faulty coil pack. They phoned my neighbour and told him that it would be £133 all in but that they would have to get a coil pack in as they didn't have one. He agreed the price, and was contacted a few hours later and told that the car was ready, so went down, paid his readies, and went to the car. On starting the engine, it coughed and spluttered, and the engine management light came on !!!

He went back into the showroom and asked what they were playing at, only to be told that another coil pack had probably gone down, but that they could replace it for the price of the part only (another £33), but that they again would have to order it in, and it would be the day after before they could get it, as it was now closing time.

As we live fairly close to the dealers he limped it home and asked me to take a look (as I have looked after the car for the past 2 years since I sourced it for him from a friend).

On removing the engine cover I saw that the no.3 coil pack had been replaced and that the number 1 coil pack had had an "x" scored into the top of it with a screwdriver or suchlike. The printout from Keiths seemed to indicate that it was number 1 that was faulty. Problem solved me thought...they've replaced number 3 instead of number 1, however, when I disconnected number 1, it virtually cut out, so I reconnected number 1, and disconnected number 2, and nothing happened, hence number 2 was the faulty pack. I got a new Bosch one (for £25), fitted it and hey presto problem solved. The engine management light has now gone out and the car is running as sweet as a nut.

Suffice to say I am in the good books with the neighbour, but DM Keiths are not !!!

He got an automated follow up phone call the day after from Keiths enquiring as to whether he was satisfied with the service he received, when he pressed "2" to indicate that he wasn't, the automated voice promised him that a manager would be in touch within 48 hours to speak to him about this, but when I last spoke to him on Saturday, he was still waiting some 3 days later.

He has promised me he will be putting pen to paper.

Now whilst I have encountered the odd faulty coil pack before, I have never had 2 go at once, so am somewhat sceptical as to 2 of the 3 coil packs going down at the same time, and even if they did, why didn't Keiths pick up on this with their initial diagnosis ??

Personally I believe they have mixed up the coil packs having removed them from the car, and have then thrown away a good one and put the faulty one back in.

Anyone had any similar experiences, either with DM Keiths or the coil packs ???

[mikey vrs]

I had a coil pack fail on my mk 1 octy vrs,i replaced the faulty one & a month later another one failed so i replaced them all,if they are all the same ago/original id replace them all, Makes you wonder if no 2 coil pack was faulty & they replaced the wrong one,poor service by the dealer.

[silver1011]

DM Keith in York are equally as incompetent.

[phillip]

Cheers chaps... Mikey, I also had issues with the coil packs on my Mk 1 Octy vRS...the first one went whilst it was still under warranty so I contacted Skoda Assist who sent out the nice AA man in his big yellow van, and he replaced the faulty coil pack (no.1 I think), but the second one didn't go until a good few months later, and I then traced it and replaced it myself (no. 3 I think), but I don't recall replacing either of the other 2.

[2SkodaFamily]

DM Keith in York are equally as incompetent.

+1

Still finding bits of trim they broke when they last had it....

Edited 17 April, 2013 by 2SkodaFamily

[R8MXX]

Coil packs tend to fail all around the same time as they have all had the same amount of use.

The rule is when one goes replace them all to save breakdowns in the coming days/months.

[phillip]

Yeah...I appreciate what you're saying but for two to go in the same day....I think that's pushing it a bit !!!!!!

[R8MXX]

Yeah...I appreciate what you're saying but for two to go in the same day....I think that's pushing it a bit !!!!!!

I had mine fail within hours of each other. Replaced coil pack 1 and coil pack 3 went the following morning....

[phillip]

I guess you were just unlucky mate....however.....UPDATE - Got a text from the neighbour yesterday afternoon saying that DM KEITHS have agreed to refund him 50% of the bill as he was not happy with the service he received !!!!!