What's going on here...

Another common issue for many petrol engines or diesels to intermittently go into limp mode is a knock sensor failing or wiring to it.

Pretty cheap to replace but often overlooked.

They are only about £25, but all too often you hear about MAF's and throttle bodies being replaced before the culprit is found.
 
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Small update to this:
The bill for the ecu 'check' was £150, not £60. I paid that to get the car back a few weeks ago, but I have just been back to the garage to talk with the owner. I explained that I wasn't happy paying for the ecu charges and also that I think there is nothing wrong with the original cluster (which I still have) so I shouldn't be so far out of pocket considering the problem isn't fixed.

There was a bit of dialogue to clarify the position and actions taken from their side. I suggested that the diagnosis work should have been handled differently or passed on to an auto-electrician sooner. This was all amicable + productive.

They suggested to bring the car in to finally resolve the problem and they will take into account monies already paid. I have agreed, but first I have given the car to a trusted mech from where I used to live for a second opinion.
 
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If I hadn't have gone back today I would have been left ~£1k out of pocket with the problem still not fixed! And you feel sorry for the garage? Whatever.
 
Your question is based on a faulty premise. I shouldn't need to know how to do their job in order for them not to guess a solution and bill me for their wrong guesses.
 
*** interesting update ***
Garage took the car apart and found the crushed wires, but we couldn't agree on what was a fair price so they put the car back together... only to find a diagnostics report (looks like a receipt) made on the exact same day that we paid the deposit for the car with the dealer. The report has all the same errors that the car has now!

The dealer must have known about the problems and botched this job for the sale.
 
Amleto said:
*** interesting update ***
Garage took the car apart and found the crushed wires, but we couldn't agree on what was a fair price so they put the car back together... only to find a diagnostics report (looks like a receipt) made on the exact same day that we paid the deposit for the car with the dealer. The report has all the same errors that the car has now!

The dealer must have known about the problems and botched this job for the sale.
Click to expand...

Wow, good find! looks like the dealer owes you for all the work you've paid for then, and should have to fix the issue on top for free, I'm sure that's pretty good proof of deception during the sale/not as advertised under sale of goods act etc...
 
phoned the dealer: They say the 'report' is definitely not done by them (the report is on small receipt style paper) and that they haven't done any work on the car that would give their equivalent of that report.

They say since the car was bought in Nov 2010 and problems showed up in Feb 2013 that it's well outside of any warranty.

Here is the report. Maybe I have misread the date - please tell me what you think it says:

http://i.imgur.com/mf2sxX1.jpg


In some ways it's irrelevant what they say. The diagnostics shows the error at the date. Whether they knew or not, it's evidence of the error, and garage will verify that the wires must have been in the same crushed position at the time of sale (considering the dash hasn't been out in the mean time).

Under SoGA I think I have a good case for getting the dealer to repair it. I'm not sure if they would only have to cover partial or full repair costs.

Unfortunately that still wouldn't help me with the unnecessary console/cluster replacement that has already been paid for.

The whole thing is such a mess and so stressful !!
 
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Amleto said:
phoned the dealer: They say the 'report' is definitely not done by them (the report is on small receipt style paper) and that they haven't done any work on the car that would give their equivalent of that report.

They say since the car was bought in Nov 2010 and problems showed up in Feb 2013 that it's well outside of any warranty.

Here is the report. Maybe I have misread the date - please tell me what you think it says:

http://i.imgur.com/mf2sxX1.jpg


In some ways it's irrelevant what they say. The diagnostics shows the error at the date. Whether they knew or not, it's evidence of the error, and garage will verify that the wires must have been in the same crushed position at the time of sale (considering the dash hasn't been out in the mean time).

Under SoGA I think I have a good case for getting the dealer to repair it. I'm not sure if they would only have to cover partial or full repair costs.

Unfortunately that still wouldn't help me with the unnecessary console/cluster replacement that has already been paid for.

The whole thing is such a mess and so stressful !!
Click to expand...

What's the phone number on the slip? can you look it up?
It may be outside 'their' warranty, but if they knowingly sold the car to you with this fault and didn't mention it then it not a warranty issue, they mis-sold the car, plain and simple.
 
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Ah just checked.. its the number for the diagnostic tool manufacturer.

http://www.autobossuk.co.uk/

So looking at the date the scan was done, would it have been in the dealers possession at that time?

Theres a workshop number on the slip, look like whoever did the scan got someone to come in and do it, I wonder if this workshop number relates to the garage that commissioned the scan job... If its the same garage that sold you the car, you've got 'em by the balls.

Maybe its worth calling auto boss and asking them, as your trying to locate a garage that did some work on the car and you want to find out what was done?
 
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and it got less interesting, but more clear.

phoned the number on the report up - it's the company the sell the diagnostics equipment - The date should be in yyyy mm dd format, which means the 1 from 2013 is just missing. i.e. this is a diagnostics print out from my 'second opinion' guys, and indeed nothing to do with the dealers where I bought the car from.

Anyway, car wont start at all. Need to get it towed!

:@ :mad:


edit: sorry matty, didn't refresh and did similar sleuthing.

--------

at least this brings the 'number of parties that I need to chase for money' back down to one.
 
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latest update: dispute claim for visa 'charge back' was successful :eek: I wasn't expecting that. I received back more money than I think is fair and now feel guilty! Some people are impossible to please, it seems (:rolleyes: at me)
 
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