Hello all... I hope someone with some expertise could give me advice please.

 

I own a 2l Diesel 140bhp Skoda Superb 58 plate with 71k miles on the clock.

 

Loved this car to bits until Saturday when in the 3rd lane of the motorway the timing belt went.

 

I had the waterpump and cambelt replaced July 2014 by the garage *not a dealership* and had it serviced only a few weeks ago.

 

When the RAC man came to collect me, there was a big diesel leak as shown in the photo and he suspected when serviced, they hadn't fitted the seal properly hence the leak and it had contaminated the drive belt causing it to go. 

 

http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/ag170/Mirtho/FullSizeRender-Version2_zps3c9f55b2.jpg

 

The receipt for the waterpump and cambelt says I've been billed for... a timing belt kit. 

 

I assume they would have replaced the drive belt with this? They claim its the one since the car was manufactured and my Dad who has seen the car since said the belt looks brand new and you can read the writing off of it - would it look this way after 71k miles? 

 

Am I just very unfortunate or does the garage have some responsibility considering I only had this work completed 2.5 months ago? They are a unipart garage and all parts come with a 12 month/12k mile guarantee. Is this relevant to my situation? They have told my Dad that it's obviously going to be a full engine rebuild depending on piston damage but we are fully responsible.

 

Just thought I'd ask on here for any advice before I spend thousands of pounds repairing it.

 

Really appreciate any feedback.

 

Tom

 

 

The garage where the service had been done would be liable I would have thought as they had not sealed the fuel filter housing/ pipes, this'll is the reason the timing belt failed but shouldn't it have been changed due to miles or age anyway ? , however the bill should land on the place you serviced it presumably

To clarify... All work has been undertaken by the same garage. 

The same garage has the car now. 

 

I assumed the timing belt was changed with the waterpump and cambelt in July this year considering I was billed for a timing belt kit.

 

They said the belt was the original one however but my dad says it looked brand brand new - I somewhat doubt it would be in such impeccable condition after 70k miles?

 

They have said its just unfortunate it has happened and aren't appearing to take any responsibility for it - any suggestions?

 

Thanks 

Timing belt kit is cambelt kit, if it is stated on invoice, they should have replaced it. What was the service "only a few weeks ago"? Inspection service with fuel filter replaced, by any chance? If yes, they caused fuel leak and are liable for any subsequent damage, regardless whether aux drivebelt was new or not.

Edited 7 October, 201411 yr by dieselV6

Timing belt kit is cambelt kit, if it is stated on invoice, they should have replaced it. What was the service "only a few weeks ago"? Inspection service with fuel filter replaced, by any chance? If yes, they caused fuel leak and are liable for any subsequent damage, regardless whether aux drivebelt was new or not.

^^^^ this and apparently the fuel filter needs to be tightened in star formation or it will not seal, if the fuel is on the top like that they pulled the pipe work away from the filter lid ? They don't need to do that do they ? Just undo the torque screws and lift and clip out of the way , trading standards visit I think ?

Edited 7 October, 201411 yr by seboni121

I have seen this before. In my opinion it's caused by levering the fuel filter cannister top or not lubricating the fuel filter housing seal and the seal gets pinched. Then it leaks onto the alternator drive belt which ruins the belt this breaks up and gets into the timing belt and bang. Do you have a receipt for the fuel filter replacement? The fact that the alternator belt looks brand new is probably because the garage has fitted it to hide there mistake.

Thanks for the responses so far! 

 

I'm very sure the fuel filter would have been changed - that's quite a standard replacement at service surely? I'll find the receipt and check though!

 

Any ideas about how to approach the garage with your comments? 

 

I've been looking at the trading standards website and motor codes but want to go through the garage directly first before I pursue that route.

 

Thanks

I have seen this before. In my opinion it's caused by levering the fuel filter cannister top or not lubricating the fuel filter housing seal and the seal gets pinched. Then it leaks onto the alternator drive belt which ruins the belt this breaks up and gets into the timing belt and bang. Do you have a receipt for the fuel filter replacement? The fact that the alternator belt looks brand new is probably because the garage has fitted it to hide there mistake.

This - I've seen it a few times now, that's why I always insist on an extended road test, followed by close scrutiny of the fuel filter after it has been changed.  The only comeback that the garage may have is why wasn't it spotted when doing the recommended in the owners handbook under bonnet checks?

 

 

Any ideas about how to approach the garage with your comments? 

 

Once you have checked that the same garage replaced the fuel filter do the following:

 

1. Send your complaint in writing and include all relevant dates and facts. Tell them how they can resolve the complaint to your satisfaction. Give them a fixed time frame to respond (say 2 weeks).

2. If they don't respond then send a letter before action (Google it) with another fixed time frame to respond.

3. If they don't respond to that then take them to small claims.

 

Before step 1 it might be worth meeting the garage owner/manager face to face to discuss it, but don't be pressured into accepting something that will leave you out of pocket if their poor workmanship is clearly to blame.

 

Good luck, hopefully you can get it resolved without getting to step 3!

If the fuel filter cannister lid hadn't sealed properly then there wouldn't be fuel inside the top of the lid.

 

To get diesel fuel in the top of the lid as pictured then one of the top hoses is leaking.

 

Regardless of this the fuel leak will most definately have perished the belt.

 

If the garage has billed you for a 'timing belt kit' then this is the same as a cam belt.

 

If they are claiming the belt is the original then they haven't done what they have billed or invoiced you for.

 

I can't see how they can wriggle out of this one...

 

1) They changed the timing / cam belt which has failed within 12 months - they are liable.

2) They did not change the timing belt but stipulated on the invoice that they had. You therefore believed it was a new belt and didn't get it replaced before it failed. Their fault.

3) They did not replace the fuel filter correctly. Fuel has contaminated either the original belt or the new belt and it has failed - their fault.

 

Have a polite word with the garage to understand how he is sitting. If he is adament he isn't paying for the fix then take legal advice.

Forgive my incredibly basic car knowledge...

 

The auxiliary belt broke causing all the subsequent damage - I assume the timing bet kit (cam belt) they would change the auxiliary belt or not?

 

The fuel leak is still, in my opinion and others to be the cause of the damage which is due to the service of the car.

 

Tom

the auxiliary belt is not part of the cam belt change but a good mechanic would of inspected it and changed it if needed.  When I did my cam belt change last year at the skoda the mechanic did advised me to put a new auxiliary belt at the same time.

A work colleague with an Audi A5 had it serviced at the main dealer in Cardiff a while back and when he came to work the next day, there was a strong smell of diesel and a small pool of it under the car.  That was the same problem in that the fuel filter had been replaced but the cover wasn't fitted correctly.  The car went straight back to the garage so they could put the cover on correctly and steam clean the engine bay as the diesel had been sprayed everywhere.

When I had my cambelt changed I was lead to believe by the garage that did it who are a VAG only specialist that a timing belt kit consists of the belt, rollers and tensioner. I may be wrong but it made sense when they told me this.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but that fuel filter housing is a VAG flaw, the top rusts and the unions leak once the cap is perforated, sit down now cos the filter housing is £140 on it's own, I'm not aware of any tightening pattern as such as the lid presses firm into the bowl and then you just hand tighten the bolts until they are in and nip em up one at a time,

 

However maybe just maybe it wasn't that that did it and I doubt they touched the filter unless you specified them to do so as fuel filters are extras on a service, it could be a roller bush as these have a habit of snapping if the owner is prudent enough to fit a new one at the same time, yep that's right it's replacing it that creates a weak spot on the circuit,

 

As you were probably doing 70mph when it went I'd say that engine is trashed and I personally wouldn't waste money repairing it, I'd look for a replacement engine myself as everything moving in that lump has taken a right good hammering at that speed I'm afraid,

 

Sorry mate.

Edited 9 October, 201411 yr by Supurbia

sorry for what's happened to you Mirtho

 

This thread terrifies me in case something similar happens to me.

 

I did have a cam belt on a diesle mondeo go on the motorway a few years ago. Replacement engine was more than the value of the car so it was scrapped.

 

Current car is a petrol superb estate. When i bought it second hand from a skoda dealer I paid for two services to be done. I've done about 30k and the second one of these is coming up soon.

 

will the dealer advise me when I need to have the cam belt changed or is it up to me?

You have to tighten in star formation to get the proper seal

sorry for what's happened to you Mirtho

 

This thread terrifies me in case something similar happens to me.

 

I did have a cam belt on a diesle mondeo go on the motorway a few years ago. Replacement engine was more than the value of the car so it was scrapped.

 

Current car is a petrol superb estate. When i bought it second hand from a skoda dealer I paid for two services to be done. I've done about 30k and the second one of these is coming up soon.

 

will the dealer advise me when I need to have the cam belt changed or is it up to me?

 

Which petrol engine do you have?

 

Don't the petrol Superb's get a timing chain rather than belt?

 

Timing chains are non-replaceable i.e. last for life, the timing belts are to a set mileage (detailed in the service book or by ringing Skoda UK) or a blanket 4 years (5 years from September 2010 registered cars).

 

There is an ongoing issue on the timing chains on both the 1.8 and 2.0 litre TSi petrol engines on the MkII Octavia, is this the same engine as in the Superb?

 

A little light reading for you here...

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/266114-18tsi-and-20tsi-engine-failures/

I have just come back from the Skoda main dealer in Girona Spain as I had received a letter from my UK dealer reminding me that the timing belt was due to be changed on my next service. As I was going to be in Spain at the time I went to Girona to make arrangements to have the service done there. They were gobsmacked that I was told to change the timing belt. In the service schedule it says to change the belt at 150,000km for petrol, and either 180,000 or 210,000km for diesel depending on engine, there is no time limit!. It also says at 60,000km or 4 years which ever comes first check the timing belt tension. It made me re-read my handbook and it is all there in black and white exactly as the Spanish service manager said.

Needless to say there will be no timing belt change on this service!

My friend has a 2001 Bora tdi it's done 202000 miles he's owned it since new. It is still running on its original timing belt. I would not recommend this lack of maintenance myself. It even has a vag genuine sticker on the front panel stating that the timing belt should be changed every 60000 km. I have told him numerous times to replace it.

"Timing chains are non-replaceable i.e. last for life"

 

they stretch, and tensioners wear and fail, 250,000 miles is a sensible change time

My friend has a 2001 Bora tdi it's done 202000 miles he's owned it since new. It is still running on its original timing belt. I would not recommend this lack of maintenance myself. It even has a vag genuine sticker on the front panel stating that the timing belt should be changed every 60000 km. I have told him numerous times to replace it.

 

He seriously needs to change it! I bought my wife a 2001 Polo 1.4 TDi with 60,000 genuine miles (checked with VCDS) last January - no timing belt change so that was the first thing we did at a VAG specialist in Dronfield. The original belt came of and was perished and cracking through to the reinforcement strip down the middle of the belt, and clearly stretched. The mechanic said we were lucky and it wouldn't have lasted much longer!!

Belts should be changed 100.000 miles or 5 years in my view

I've just changed the timing belt on my old Landcruiser at 150,000km (big price difference only £100) and it looks brand new. If the Skoda dealer follows the service schedule on checking the timing belt tension they will be able to check its condition and report accordingly. Taking the Landcruiser belt as an example I'm happy to have my belt checked at the required milage or time and hope to get to 210,000km.

I once had an Astra 1.7d (Isuzu) and ran it on taxi and ambulance work, at Liverpool  hospital on a job (80 from home) i prised off the cambelt cover inspection plate and checked the belt

 

tooth, tooth, tooth, no tooth, no tooth, tooth, tooth, no tooth, no tooth, no tooth, tooth, tooth, tooth 

 

that was a very sweaty drive home i can tell you...