Slightly livid at the moment.

Picked up car last night after cambelt and water pump change .Coolant warning came on on way back home but went off.

On again this morning as I set off.Stopped and checked.Not low or minimum,NO flippin coolant in it at all :eek: !!! Dumped car and borrowed wife's.Just telephoned and waiting to see what they do.Coolant is on my bill.

They left the flippin bonnet up after the service the week before as well.It was booked in for cambelt then but they didn't have one in then despite 4 weeks notice.

Bloomin comedians are testing my patience somewhat.

Either that or all the coolant has leaked out due to a badly fitted part or hose. I cant believe they forgot to put any in, your temp guage would have gone to the red zone VERY quickly without any.

When mine went in for the same, they left the coolant header tank lid off! Luckily it had fallen into the inner wing and got stuck, if it went the other way it could have got stuck in a belt.

It was 3 days later when the light came on that I checked. Ever since then I check things like that when ever the car is back from work at a garage.

Sounds like their JD-Power results may be falling this year then!

Chris

Stories like this is why I do a lot of DIY stuff.

I know 99% of garages are very good but it's the bad stories which people remember, not the good ones. :(

With yours I suspect they put the coolant in to the level but didn't run it to let it all go through... I did this with mine on its first run, and by the time I'd driven about 6 miles, the coolant had all "gone where it should" and the reservoir was empty. :eek:

More and more I'm getting tempted to only go to garages where I am able to stand in and admire the handy work as it's taking place. Sure I won't know much about it/don't have the right tooling but at least I'll see them actually change the oil & filter.. Wouldn't be the first time a garage had the old cr*p still on the car...

Trick is to write on the filter in a place where they won't look, so you can have a right go at them if they haven't done their job... Better still, go to another garage as if they do it once it will be done at another time, not worth wasting your money on that IMHO of course

Wife tells me they have been to the house and done it.

Told her it was an air pocket :confused: and topped it up

Wife tells me they have been to the house and done it.

Told her it was an air pocket :confused: and topped it up

Thats right mate. Air just work it's way into the header tank while you were driving.

Wife tells me they have been to the house and done it.

Told her it was an air pocket :confused: and topped it up

Sounds perfectly feasable to me.

Sounds like they didn't blead it properly or run it in once they'd changed it, still shoddy work none the less.

Think yourself lucky you don't have a K series engine you'd be in a huge pile of sh** right now.

There is no way to bleed the cooling system.

What will happen is as the engine is run up the coolant is circualted. As it does this the engine gets warm and the coolant expands and the level will rise. If the car is collected before the engine has fully cooled then there is a good chance that the level will drop down on the customer as the engine cools.

Being as the reservior only holds about 1/2 litre it doesnt take much for it to appear empty. However there is still plenty of water in the system and no cause for alarm.

Shoddy workmanship is a bit harsh, usually more to do with the customer wanting their car back asap or the dealer not allowing the techie enough time to recheck his work.

It was good of them to come to the house to sort it imho. Still annoying none-the-less.

I have had bad experiences at 2 dealers now, and a 3rd made it quite clear they didn't want my business.

If it was my car I'd use a local tuner for servicing, but for warranty work, I travel that little bit further for a "quality" dealer now...

Shoddy workmanship is a bit harsh' date=' usually more to do with the customer wanting their car back asap or the dealer not allowing the techie enough time to recheck his work.[/quote']

Ross,Iwas probably a bit harsh yesterday.They did have the car though at 8.30 am.I rang at 3pm to check pick up time and was told 'nearly done'.I picked it up at 5.15pm.I never rush them or hassle them

Think I was annoyed at it being the second time booked it because they forgot to order the cambelt last time(despite 4 weeks notice) and not shutting the bonnet.Thats basic stuff.

I did have a call after with apologies.I still haven't had a go.I was very polite.

Anyway,always nice to slump back into my own car:)

There is no way to bleed the cooling system.

What will happen is as the engine is run up the coolant is circualted. As it does this the engine gets warm and the coolant expands and the level will rise. If the car is collected before the engine has fully cooled then there is a good chance that the level will drop down on the customer as the engine cools.

Being as the reservior only holds about 1/2 litre it doesnt take much for it to appear empty. However there is still plenty of water in the system and no cause for alarm.

Shoddy workmanship is a bit harsh' date=' usually more to do with the customer wanting their car back asap or the dealer not allowing the techie enough time to recheck his work.[/quote']

Agreed!

Think I was annoyed at it being the second time booked it because they forgot to order the cambelt last time(despite 4 weeks notice) and not shutting the bonnet.

Them not having a cam belt in stock is a bit off, especially when its such a common engine within the group. Surely one of the local VAG group dealers must have had one. At worst they could have got one from any number of local factors who supply Gates belts, especially given that it was there mistake.......