Work done on car but not fixed problem

Cavallino

Cavallino

Cavallino

Soldato
Joined
8 Dec 2004
Posts
14,992
Location
Hampshire
Hello folks,

Please bear with me on this one.

I have a 56 VW Passat which recently started to develop a humming noise that seemed to be coming from the front driver tyre area. At first I thought it was tyre pressures so checked that, nothing.

Took the car to a Kwik Fit and they said its the wheel bearing.

Took the car to a Halfords Autocentre, they said the same thing, so got the work done on the front right tyre.

Just a few weeks before this, the car developed a different fault (Engine light came on). Took it to VW, it was the intake manifold which needed to be replaced. Fair game, job done.

Now incidentally, the noise that I mentioned earlier was there before any of the aforementioned work was done.

At this point, the noise is still there... so took it back to Halfords and they took it out for a test and they were 99% certain its BOTH real wheel bearings.

So again asked them to do it.... but alas, the noise is still there.

Now I am lumbered with a £500 bill with Halfords for work which did not solve the problem in the first place and I am not sure if I have any leg to stand on with Halfords in that they didint fix the problem I brought the car in for ( even though they maintain that the wheel bearings needed changing but all 3 of them???)

Your input appreciated folks.
 
It's probably the one which hasn't been done :p

Easiest way to check is to jack the car up and grab the wheel at the top and the bottom then try and move it (push/pull) - any movement means the bearings need changing IIRC.

Humming noise is usually wheel bearing. Does it get worse with speed?

Edit: To your original question - I cannot help :p
 
I had the same issue with my Golf and it was the tyres causing the noise, they have worn a certain way as the wheel alignment was out. I would have sworn it was the wheel bearings as well but the noise changed slightly depending on the road surface, a particular stretch on the way to work made the noise go away completely but hitting a newly resurfaced section at exactly the same speed the noise came back.

I confirmed it by swapping the tyres round and the noise followed the pair of tyres from the back to the front. (I had already checked for play in the bearings before this)
 
As with DangerousDave, the "humm" on my Seat Leon which I was sure was a bearing was my rear tyres. I do plenty of miles, usually on my own. As a result, my rear tyre wear is minimal. Its easy to look at the tread and think they are fine.

Turns out that my rear tyres were the shape of 50 pence pieces. No massive vibration, but an annoying drone, which was more prominent the better the road surface. Mine also sounded like it was coming from the front.
 
Ok thanks folks I just had this confirmed also by VW.
But where do I stand with Halfords and the original work they did which didnt solve the problem, do I have a leg to stand on in getting some of my money back since they didnt solve the problem I originally brought the car in for?
 
i think you can put that down to cars not being an exact science.

imagine you are presented with a pc that is being a bit glitchy/unstable. is it RAM, PSU, MB etc etc

certain issues cant be diagnosed 100%
 
Matt82 said:
i think you can put that down to cars not being an exact science.

imagine you are presented with a pc that is being a bit glitchy/unstable. is it RAM, PSU, MB etc etc

certain issues cant be diagnosed 100%
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Yes but once you diagnose the problem you charge for the relevant faulty parts,
You dont replace every component typically.

Also in my situation i took the car in twice and each time the fault was not solved so surely from my perspective I am charged and yet they did not solve the issue?

SkodaMart said:
I was thinking the same! It's not often a solid cast lump of aluminium develops a fault?
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The flap on the manifold siezed and does not open, and when they replaced the fuse the fuse would just blow out.
 
Cavallino said:
Yes but once you diagnose the problem you charge for the relevant faulty parts,
You dont replace every component typically.

Also in my situation i took the car in twice and each time the fault was not solved so surely from my perspective I am charged and yet they did not solve the issue
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You agreed for the work to be done.

You could give it a try, might get a few quid knocked off out of goodwill.
 
Rybo89 said:
You agreed for the work to be done.

You could give it a try, might get a few quid knocked off out of goodwill.
Click to expand...

Well I would agree with what your saying but if the work they did does not solve the problem then surely there is some grounds regardless of whether I agreed to the work?
 
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I presume you've already paid?

I'd speak to the service manager of the halfords branch first, explain you aren't happy at their failure to diagnose the fault and spending your money randomly changing parts until they find the right one isn't acceptable business practise.

Suggest they give you a credit equal to the value of the labour and any mark-up on parts (i.e. they do it at cost).

If he refuses put your complain and offer in writing.

If it is refused or ignored then open a claim at money claim online.

I don't know if you'll win or if they'd settle - it could end up being a huge pain in the rear for a small amount of money.

Honestly I'd suck it up and as bledd says, take it to a garage you trust in future but it doesn't hurt to ask.
 
Telescopi said:
I presume you've already paid?

I'd speak to the service manager of the halfords branch first, explain you aren't happy at their failure to diagnose the fault and spending your money randomly changing parts until they find the right one isn't acceptable business practise.

Suggest they give you a credit equal to the value of the labour and any mark-up on parts (i.e. they do it at cost).

If he refuses put your complain and offer in writing.

If it is refused or ignored then open a claim at money claim online.

I don't know if you'll win or if they'd settle - it could end up being a huge pain in the rear for a small amount of money.

Honestly I'd suck it up and as bledd says, take it to a garage you trust in future but it doesn't hurt to ask.
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Thanks for your input Telescopi. Yes I have already paid (after said work was completed). Yes I did consider just sucking it up as you say.

But even if I get some money out of it its better than nothing.

My discussions are with the branch manager concerning the problem and actually he's such a nice guy which is a shame really.

But you never know, I will talk to them tomorrow about it and see what they say.

Thanks all for your inputs, greatly appreciated.
 
I'm wondering how the hell 3 wheel bearings is £500 of work!?

£70-90 a wheel max, or has the passat got one of these weird setups on the Hub?
 
Another reason as to why regulars here call them Halfrauds I'm afraid!

The 50p shaped tyre thing is common on trucks (usually on the "lift" axle) I thought I had a failed bearing on my Scania until ATS kindly changed said tyre, it certainly had me fooled! :o
I'd write to Halfrauds head office, and send a copy to "What Car" magazine, a friend had an problem with his car a good while back,and they did a similar thing of swapping this & that without resolving the fault, which turned out to be a loose exhaust causing a vibration. Krap Fit (another usually deserving of there slang name company!) eventually fixed the exhaust for free, after he'd spent about £450 on suspension components at Halfrauds!!
What car negotiated a full refund for him!
 
There was a thread on pistonheads yesterday.

Someone from tading standards took a car in good mechanical nick to a Halfords (think it was chester, but not 100%). The only problem was slightly worn pads, but certainly not in need of changing.

The manager at the branch recommended full disc/pad change. So they got the work done.

The manager ended up being sacked for trying to fill his pockets, making up jobs that didnt really need doing.

I'll try and find the thread.

Here it is:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=1208641&hw=HALFORDS&nmt=HALFORDS

Personally my local Halfords has always been quite good, though never had any mechanical work done, just buying products etc.
 
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I thought my wheel bearing was causing a similar issue.. Turns out it was my tyres.

Spoke to a tyre fitting mate who said its the v groove type tyres feathering.

I didn't believe him at first but changed them anyhow. I do a fair amount of mileage so if it didnt fix the issue I would keep the old for spares.

But the change was like night and day. I hadn't noticed how bad the ride had got until I had round tyres back on.
 
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