Hi,

 

My 2007, 77000 km, 2,0 tdi 4x4 Octavia , was on service last week. I got a message fro the dealer; One of the glow plugs were broken. (They should be exchanged due to a warning light.) The dealer claimed that the plug was broken and said they did not touch it and they want  £ 2500 for the removeal.

 

I don't know what  to believe.

 

My question: How likely will a glow plug go broke by itself vs. during an attempt to remove it ?

 

Sorry for bad grammar.

 

Anyone

I would say that glow plugs don't break for no reason. Probably snapped it while trying to remove it.

 

How do they know its broken if they haven't touched it?

You can bet your life the mechanic broke it due to sloppy procedure on trying to remove it and, wouldn't own up to it or worse still the garage is trying to cover it up. Check the breakage yourself it may show signs of corrosion if it has been broken for some time or, twisting evidence if they have torqued it off recently. Don't pay them this sort of money in any event, if necessary take the head of yourself, take it to a machine shop and have them drill out the ould plug and insert a helicoil if required. 

Sorry....did you *actually* type £2500 to remove a broken glow plug!?!?

Ask them to exchange all glow plugs for NGK Iridium Spark plugs, see what they say....

Unless they have "super vision" and haven't got the hang of using it properly yet? That could explain the breakage without being touched...

Suppose if they have to strip everything down to make sure nothing is where it shouldn't be, that'd explain the extortionate figure...I'd put money on them breaking it though.

But then a Head Gasket change wouldn't be anywhere near that much which would invlove removal of the same parts...

I bet they broke it, get them to sort without charge

Thank You all for the replies. . I have to make a clarification; They did not use the term "touch" but "discover". I wonder if  the workshop  could be responsible for the incident and thus also responsible for repairing the damage ? They also warned abot the possibility of damage on the cylinder head with the prospect of additional costs.

 

I live in Norway and 25 000 NOK are about £ 2500. My concern is whether a lawyer should look at this issue. I have free legal help through my union. As I read the replies I think I will.

I had a similar experience with a renault van a few years ago. Slight hesitation when starting so thought it was just because it was due a service. Put it into dealers. They came back and said an injector was faulty, and would be a few £hundred to replace. Told them to go ahead and fix it. Bear in mind the van was about 3 weeks out of warranty.

They called back and said the injector wouldnt come out and it was broken, the head would need to come off and go to a specialist to get ot taken out. All this at extra cost. With no other option, I told them to fix it.

They called back. The company that specialises in the work damaged the cylinder head in the process and couldn't get the other injectors out in one piece either. I still had to pay for them attempting it.

I now had a bill for a new cylinder head and four new injectors plus the £600 for the "specialists" to break my stuff plus all the dealers labour for taking everything to bits, breaking it and putting all the new bits back together.

When I got my renault van back, it seemed to run ok but mpg dropped from 39mpg previously to 31mpg now.

After a battle with renault uk, they agreed to pay 50% towards the costs (3 weeks out of warranty). It still cost me over £1800.

A few weeks later, the clutch master cylinder (stupidly designed inside the bell housing) seal burst and sprayed fluid over the clutch causing it to slip (a known fault seemingly).

I ditched that van and have never owned a renault since.

Sorry for the rant but dealers can be very annoying quite often.

If they warned you before they did the work, I dont think they can be held responsible but you should have the opportunity to take the vehicle elsewhere to get the work done.The dealer or Skoda HQ may be willing to give a goodwill payment towards the work. It does seem an awful lot of money for a broken glowplug.

Edited 22 March, 201412 yr by FatblokeVRS

They are lying through their teeth. On the 2.0 TDI the glow plugs are mounted at the very top of the head....ie you have to take the rocker cover (cam cover) off to even see them.  

 

What has happened is that there was a stored fault code for a failed glow plug, and the resident imbecile (all garages seem to have at least one) took the rocker cover off and attempted to remove the glow plug......and snapped it. Apparently they can snap with torque as low as 26 ft/lb.....you have to persevere with penetrating fluid and heat to get them out.   

 

I have never heard of a glow plug snapping by itself. 

They are lying through their teeth. On the 2.0 TDI the glow plugs are mounted at the very top of the head....ie you have to take the rocker cover (cam cover) off to even see them.  

 

What has happened is that there was a stored fault code for a failed glow plug, and the resident imbecile (all garages seem to have at least one) took the rocker cover off and attempted to remove the glow plug......and snapped it. Apparently they can snap with torque as low as 26 ft/lb.....you have to persevere with penetrating fluid and heat to get them out.   

 

I have never heard of a glow plug snapping by itself. 

 

 

They are lying through their teeth. On the 2.0 TDI the glow plugs are mounted at the very top of the head....ie you have to take the rocker cover (cam cover) off to even see them.  

 

What has happened is that there was a stored fault code for a failed glow plug, and the resident imbecile (all garages seem to have at least one) took the rocker cover off and attempted to remove the glow plug......and snapped it. Apparently they can snap with torque as low as 26 ft/lb.....you have to persevere with penetrating fluid and heat to get them out.   

 

I have never heard of a glow plug snapping by itself. 

They are lying through their teeth. On the 2.0 TDI the glow plugs are mounted at the very top of the head....ie you have to take the rocker cover (cam cover) off to even see them.  

 

What has happened is that there was a stored fault code for a failed glow plug, and the resident imbecile (all garages seem to have at least one) took the rocker cover off and attempted to remove the glow plug......and snapped it. Apparently they can snap with torque as low as 26 ft/lb.....you have to persevere with penetrating fluid and heat to get them out.   

 

I have never heard of a glow plug snapping by itself. 

 

 

They are lying through their teeth. On the 2.0 TDI the glow plugs are mounted at the very top of the head....ie you have to take the rocker cover (cam cover) off to even see them.  

 

What has happened is that there was a stored fault code for a failed glow plug, and the resident imbecile (all garages seem to have at least one) took the rocker cover off and attempted to remove the glow plug......and snapped it. Apparently they can snap with torque as low as 26 ft/lb.....you have to persevere with penetrating fluid and heat to get them out.   

 

I have never heard of a glow plug snapping by itself. 

Thanks for all the replies. A specialist firm on cylinder heads,solved the  problem in an hour and at a cost of £ 300
The broken glow plug was removed and replaced with a new one. The engine runs like a clock and starts easily.