Hi folks. Other than the fact that an alternator is on the way out or indeed already failed, can a main dealer ascertain HOW the alternator failed?

I think mine is on its way out (battery light on the dash) but I have recently had a leaking fuel filter and I have replaced the whole housing. The work was done at an Indy that services my car. Having spoken to the main dealer on the phone, I get the feeling they are going to try and say that fuel has gotten into the alternator and thus won't warrant the part. The car is still in warranty.

Cheers.

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First of all if the car is under warranty. Why did you not go to the dealer?

An alternator electrically is very easy to test for an auto electrician and mechanically it only has two bearings and if fuel has got into the bearing it will albeit diesel less so take the grease out of the bearings depending on obviously how much has got it. The noise will be very distinctive.

It could also if no noise be just a loose connections. So check the simple things first.

Doing the mileage I do, the car gets serviced a lot more than your average 10k per year car, so to keep costs down, I go to an Indy. Because an Indy does my servicing the main dealer is saying they damaged the part, hence they have to replace it(the fuel filter housing)

There is no noise coming from the Alternator.

I am the first to admit, I'm no mechanic and rather than mess around with these things and potentially make them worse, I take them to the people who do know.

I would assume that a main dealer wouldn't have the tools or know how to strip down an alternator to ascertain the cause of the problem, anyone know if this is indeed the case?

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You can service at an Indy, getting the book stamped, keeping invoices, but WARRANTY is always down to a dealer

alternators fail on a) brushes the diode pack c) bearings

 

what mileage is the car at?

I would assume that a main dealer wouldn't have the tools or know how to strip down an alternator to ascertain the cause of the problem, anyone know if this is indeed the case?

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why would they bother?

 

dealers give warranty bills (labour) to Skoda, Skoda supply the parts, all has to be sanction repairs first and stipulate whats to be done, why pay 2 hours labour @ £50 to strip a part when fitting a new one costs no more (to Skoda) and a new part will still be needed?

You can service at an Indy, getting the book stamped, keeping invoices, but WARRANTY is always down to a dealer

I don't understand the point you are making? The battery light is on on the dash, I believe it may be down to the alternator, so I'm taking it to the main dealer to be checked.

I asked the question due to the proximity of the alternator to the fuel filter. My fuel filter started leaking, the fuel filter housing top was damaged and replaced by the Indy I use. Having spoken to the main dealer on Saturday they have already hinted that it may not be warranted due to the issue with the leaking fuel filter.

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alternators fail on a) brushes the diode pack c) bearings

what mileage is the car at?

the car has less than 60K on the clock and is less than two year old so still under warranty.

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why would they bother?

dealers give warranty bills (labour) to Skoda, Skoda supply the parts, all has to be sanction repairs first and stipulate whats to be done, why pay 2 hours labour @ £50 to strip a part when fitting a new one costs no more (to Skoda) and a new part will still be needed?

You are missing my point. Without stripping the alternator how can they say how it is damaged? So how would they be able to say it was down to diesel ingress?

I guess I will find out on Tuesday, but I have the feeling they are going to try and blame the alternator failure (if it is the alternator) on my previously leaking fuel filter.

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Just get an exchange alternator, no garage will dismantle one to fix it, that was the olden days

Edited 30 August, 201510 yr by peterposh

Just get an exchange alternator, no garage will dismantle one to fix it, that was the olden days

Skoda stipulate what the dealer does and how they do it. Particularly with warranty work the dealer won't be paid to start stripping the alternator. It will most likely go back to be refurbished \ recycled anyway.

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I had the alternator go faulty on my viral they wanted 600 quid for a new one ,I got an exchange one for 130 from the motorfactor (out of warranty ,) but you get an idea of the profit

You are missing my point. Without stripping the alternator how can they say how it is damaged? So how would they be able to say it was down to diesel ingress?

I guess I will find out on Tuesday, but I have the feeling they are going to try and blame the alternator failure (if it is the alternator) on my previously leaking fuel filter.

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why worry whats wrong when its quicker and cheaper for Skoda to fit a new one?

 

what year/mileage is the car, IS there any warranty on it? 

the car has less than 60K on the clock and is less than two year old so still under warranty.

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Take it Skoda then, warranty is not possible at an Indy

If your Indy has caused the problem tell them to fix it

Take it Skoda then, warranty is not possible at an Indy

That's why it is booked into a main dealer on Tuesday. I've never tried to get warranty work carried out at an Indy. I just use an indy for servicing.

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That's why it is booked into a main dealer on Tuesday. I've never tried to get warranty work carried out at an Indy. I just use an indy for servicing.

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yes, I re-read your post, your worry is that the main dealer might renege on warranty and blame your indy's fuel filter change

 

well, the dealer gains nothing in fact they lose a job (if they dont touch the car) and it would be up to you to get your indy to accept responsibility for the result of their work 

yes, I re-read your post, your worry is that the main dealer might renege on warranty and blame your indy's fuel filter change

Correct

well, the dealer gains nothing in fact they lose a job (if they dont touch the car) and it would be up to you to get your indy to accept responsibility for the result of their work

This is the part that I'm trying to get clarification on. I don't believe (short of stripping the alternator down, which they won't do) that the dealer can prove that the alternator failure IS down to fuel ingress caused by a leaking fuel filter.

It will be interesting to see tomorrow.

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Edited 31 August, 201510 yr by Jaytip

trouble is....

 

to get to a diagnosis, the dealer will spend 2 hours at £60/hour labour (plus vat) to remove and inspect the item, if then its declared "not warranty" it will have to be refitted (another hour) so you will get a £200+ bill and THEN have to convince your indy it was their fault....

 

id steam clean the whole engine dry it all off, ensure the filter is not leaking, and let the dealer get on with it

That won't work because the main dealer already has photographic evidence of the fuel filter leak.

I get the sneaky feeling that I'm going to get financially shafted for someone else's mistake [emoji35]

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Does this photo show any sign of fuel having got onto the alternator? Can we see it?

Cut your losses before you start and price up an exchange one, don't tell the dealers as they'll try every trick to wriggle out of paying. They definitely won't pay if you've been to an Indy. I had mine done at Skoda until warranty was out which was only 2 services, 20 ,40k , didn't take it for 60 k as it was out of warranty by then

Edited 31 August, 201510 yr by peterposh

If the fuel filter housing lid was leaking enough to reach the alternator then it's the least of your worries.

 

If it got to the alternator then it has almost certainly reached and (possibly) contaminated the cambelt too.

 

It's quite simple, if the dealer wants to dispute the failure and claim it is not under warranty due to the ingress of diesel ask them to prove it.

 

We all know that they won't be able to or willing to.

That won't work because the main dealer already has photographic evidence of the fuel filter leak.

I get the sneaky feeling that I'm going to get financially shafted for someone else's mistake [emoji35]

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In a way you already have been had

 

What did you save on services by using an Indy, cos that saving may have to buy you an alternator

My own experience of avoiding main dealers was with Citroen, i bought a new 2004 04 plate LWB high roof 2.8hdi Relay van for work

 

It went to Citroen for its 1st service (£180 for oil/filter) and never went again apart from breakdown and warranty (once a month)

 

My "Indy" was a mates HGV garage who service Norflex (UK's largest hire fleet), BT, Transco, Coca-Cola and other major fleet vehicles, my 3.5t van was often the smallest vehicle in the workshop between Volvo/Scania  tractor units and 40ft trailers.

 

Always invoices, book always stamped, Citroen dealers never mentioned it