R.A.C. Home repair issue...

Scania

Scania

Scania

Caporegime
Joined
25 Nov 2004
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On the road....
My Fiancée's Mk7 Fiesta snapped its C.V. joint whilst visiting my parents last weekend, the local garage we use couldn't fit it in for over a week so as she is with the RAC I gave them a call, they said they could repair it on the driveway at a cost of £370(!) but as we needed the car back on the road quickly we decided to take the hit to get it done.

The job was done on Wednesday and we collected it Wednesday evening after I'd finished work, she said she could hear a knocking sound that wasn't there previously I took it for a brief drive around the block and didn't hear anything.

She arrived back at my house last night having driven it approximately 60 miles in the interim and again said there was a knocking sound.

This time I drove it a few miles and there definitely was a problem.

We had the RAC out again this morning and the guy diagnosed a failed lower ball joint, he said this should have been picked up by the guy who replaced the driveshaft (which is what the RAC mobile repair guy did, he changed the whole driveshaft) had he road tested the car, he was of the opinion the ball joint was probably worn but otherwise still doing its job, it's most likely been disturbed during the repair job hence it now making a noise where it previously didn't...

I went back to my parents house today and checked their camera footage for when the job was done and the car didn't move the whole time, he didn't road test it after the repair.

We have now been advised not to drive the car as he feels it's unsafe (considerable play in the wheel now) he's suggested buying a new lower ball joint which we have and contacting RAC mobile repairs on Monday (as they don't work weekends) to "negotiate them fitting it"

My feeling is he should have at least road tested the car after the initial repair job, identified the issue with the ball joint and we could have taken it from there as to adding that to the job perhaps.

Instead,as he didn't test the car, this problem has arisen straight after and now we have a car we are advised is unsafe to drive...

I'm wondering where we stand with regard to getting this resolved.

Any suggestions appreciated. :)
 
He could have taken it for a quick test drive and easily missed the noise, he would have been checking the CV was fitted correctly, not if the rest of the car was ok. Also for a CV joint, its either in or its not, after turning the wheel by had a couple of times thats really all the testing it needs.

The lower arm/knuckle would have to be moved about a fair bit to get the cv done, so its quite possible the ball joint was already tired and just gave up the ghost. Not really on him to make sure the rest of your car is road worthy, thats on you.
 
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I assume cv/drive shaft he did was on the same side as the ball joint .. so what's the chance he contributed to it's degradation ? incorrect jacking ... mallet use during drive shaft replace ....
 
If the BBJ is knocking then it would have already been worn (it’s a very very common on that model of car), and dropping the suspension arm to swing the hub out of the way may have just finished it off.
Not really anyone’s fault as it had to be removed anyway, but he should have test driven it afterwards, and tbh should have checked that, track rod end and wheel bearing before he replaced the shaft just to cover himself.
It’s a 20 minute job to replace the lower arm and isn’t expensive, but you probably should get at least a contribution towards it for him not checking it over properly.
 
On the other hand you took it for a drive around the block, which is all a test drive generally is and didn't hear anything in the first instance it was only noticed by you after it had been driven another 60 miles.
So even if he had test driven it would it have made any difference to the outcome?
 
My main beef is we were told the car was road tested when the CCTV from my parents house clearly shows it never moved, despite a text message saying a road test had been carried out.

Driving it a few hundred yards now yields a loud knocking sound that wasn't there previously, fair enough, the ball joint was probably worn and on its way out anyway, I accept that, what I don't accept is being told a car has been road tested and is fine when it wasn't and isn't.

After about an hour on the phone to the RAC this morning, their mobile repair service have basically washed their hands of it, claiming its a further issue (which it is, albeit one that by the words of the RAC recovery guy who inspected it on Saturday, should have easily been picked up on a test drive)

We now have an open complaint against them for this, which according to the email response I've had today will be resolved in up to 8 weeks....

So, in the meantime, we are sorting a repair at our own expense whilst awaiting whatever the RAC's "investigation" uncovers, I have told them I have CCTV footage of the car not moving so I'll be interested to see if they request it.


TLDR, don't expect decent back up by paying through the nose for a supposedly reputable company to come and do a job - and do it properly!
 
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did your cctv show the way they jacked the car and performed the repair - was it professionally done or a diy'ish job how did they support hub/car ?
 
How did you snap a CV joint? If you hit a curb or whatever no won't the ball joint is knocking, wouldn't be surprised if your tracking is out and other bits damaged.
 
jpaul said:
did your cctv show the way they jacked the car and performed the repair - was it professionally done or a diy'ish job how did they support hub/car ?
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If the hub/BBJ was supported then it'd be impossible to remove the driveshaft (you need the suspension "hanging" to do that job).
cjgardens said:
How did you snap a CV joint?
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This I'd like to know, it's extremely unlikely that it snapped unless accident damage, and even then other components would be severely damaged (wheel, arm & rack).
 
JonRGV250 said:
If the hub/BBJ was supported then it'd be impossible to remove the driveshaft (you need the suspension "hanging" to do that job).

This I'd like to know, it's extremely unlikely that it snapped unless accident damage, and even then other components would be severely damaged (wheel, arm & rack).
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.never heard of a snapped CV joint. I've snapped a track rod and damaged a steering rack but never anything to a CV joint. I would be worried about my gearbox as well. Ball joint would be the least of my worries
 
It's tricky. In a garage situation you have better access as the car would be on proper ramps, more time (RAC are constantly monitored on the clock) and if you find you need more parts you ring up ECP or whoever and move on to the next car while you wait for the part to turn up a few hours later.

As has already been said, you didn't pick it up from driving it so a quick spin around the block may have made no difference.

The only recourse really is if it is standard RAC operating procedure to test drive after that repair, in which case the guy hasn't done the full job.

Sounds like the car is now mobile, I'd run it to your usual guy and get it properly looked over.
 
JonRGV250 said:
If the hub/BBJ was supported then it'd be impossible to remove the driveshaft (you need the suspension "hanging" to do that job).
Click to expand...
teaching grandma to suck eggs but I mean this ...
personally don't have a level drive and would need two trolley jacks to do such a repair; axel stands alone aren't stable enough ... but maybe I need ones with bigger footprint,
 
jpaul said:
did your cctv show the way they jacked the car and performed the repair - was it professionally done or a diy'ish job how did they support hub/car ?
Click to expand...
Hard to say, the car is wholly obscured by the RAC van...

After speaking to them yesterday, basically, they (RAC mobile repairs) didn't want to know, I was passed on to their customer services who will investigate, and I can expect an answer "In up to 8 weeks".

Needless to say I'm far from impressed and most certainly wouldn't use nor recommend them again!
 
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