Audi A4 used car dealership.

[LittleElf]

I have posted about this before.

I bought a car from a used car dealership 27 weeks ago. It has been back twice for repairs. It now has a major gearbox malfunction.

The dealership stated initially that the gearbox oil was replaced. I have this in writing via email and verbally confirmed to me in front of a witness. Now they have given backword and stated that the gearbox oil has not been replaced and that they have changed an injector.

The car is at the garage and the mechanic has taken photos of the injectors and they are all rusty, he said one has not been replaced.

The dealership wont do anything about it because I am just over the 6month period. Because they are lying about what repairs have been carried out and will not give me any paperwork to state what repairs have been carried out and are changing their mind saying the gearbox oil has been replaced now they are saying it hasnt. I am wondering if they have carried out any repairs at all when it went back in twice for repairs. The fault was happening intermittently.

[des8]

Previous thread here: https://legalbeagles.info/forums/for...ox-malfunction

Amethyst any chance of merging threads please

LittleElf did you ever get that engineers's report?

[LittleElf]

No not yet. But ive had a diagnostic done on the car and the fault is the clutch has reached its maximum life and the filter in the gearbox is clogged.

The dealership is stating that the gearbox oil was changed and the injector rectified was the wording they used. But I have had two mechanics look over the car and they both stated that the injectors have not been replaced they are all rusty.

My concern is, with the dealership unwilling to give me details of any repairs carried out, with the them stating the oil was changed and now it hasn't been changed and them stating the injector was rectified and the mechanics are saying it hasnt. What, if any repairs have been done when I have took it back.

[des8]

So the problem is not a gearbox fault, but a worn out clutch.
You will struggle in court if that is the fault, as it will be down to wear and possibly driving style.

A clogged transmission filter can cause grinding noises and eventually failure to engage gears and in extreme cases cause a burning smell.
It is possible that this was the fault that was temporarily solved by changing the oil.
IF that was the problem, and IF you can prove it and they failed to solve it you might have a claim against them which will result in them having to do the work now. Not a difficult maintenance job.

[LittleElf]

Its showing gearbox malfunction on the dashboard but the diagnostic said clutch has gone and all the gearbox filter is clogged. It has got a burning smell and now requires a new gearbox because all the debris that is now in the gearbox and the filter is clogged.

My point is though the dealership are telling lies saying they have changed and injector and they haven’t. They have said they changed the gearbox oil, now they are saying they havent. They wont tell me what repairs have been carried out when its been back to them twice (if any at all).

I don’t think they have repaired the car at all and now it isnt drivable and its going to cost around £3,000 to fix.

[des8]

From what you write it seems that the dealership failed to repair the vehicle when they claimed to have changed the oil.
Probably at that time they should have replaced the filter.
This would probably have prevented the need to replace the gearbox.

You really need to get a full report from an engineer about this matter.
When that is to hand it might be possible to reject the vehicle under CRA 2015 final right to reject

Did you buy the car on finance or with a credit card?

[LittleElf]

I dont understand what replacing an injector would do either but it seems they havent even done that. My opinion is they have done nothing to the car.

I stupidly paid by bank transfer. But it’s costly because ive paid for a VAG report and for it to be looked at. The dealership wont do a thing because its been 27 weeks and the court costs etc and the engineers report.

im so upset and angry. £4,500 might not be a lot to some people but it is to me.

[des8]

If the engineer's report indicates that the fault was a clogged filter, and that clogging happened over a period of time, and you can then show this was the most probable cause of the problems you had encountered earlier which caused you to return the vehicle for repair, it is more than likely the repair was not carried out properly and therefor you can reject the vehicle under your rights as per CRA 2015.
Won't be straight forward, but it will give you a chance.
Just make sure the inspecting engineer knows the background.

[LittleElf]

They have responded stating the following now:-

Schedule of work
Date: 01/10/2019
Vehicle: Audi A4 FV59 FVH – Vehicle brough in and issue with juddering whilst driving. Inspection: Vehicle was driven to determine the fault characteristics
Result: Vehicle booked in for full diagnosis and work to be carried out.
Cost: £0
Cost to customer: N/A
Date: 07/10/2019
Vehicle: Audi A4 FV59 FVH – Rear Driver side door issue.
Inspection: Vehicle Driver side rear door failing to open or lock.
Result: Vehicle work to be carried out same day. Replaced locking mechanism. Parts: Door mechanism
Cost: £95.00
Cost to customer: N/A
Date:07/10/2019
Vehicle: Audi A4 FV59 FVH taken to One of our Contractual partners.
Inspection: ECU scan and Gearbox oil level checked and found to be no issues with gearbox. Diagnosis showed an injector fault. Car returned to North West Automobiles Parts: None
Cost: £120.00
Cost to customer: £0
Date: 07/10/2019
Vehicle: Audi A4 FV59 FVH vehicle booked in for inspection and repair.
Inspection: Diagnostic scan show issue with injector. Inspected connector on injector and found it to be loose.
Repair: Connector pushed back on firmly. Engine tested and car taken on two test drives. Issue of juddering is no longer present. Repair completed
Parts: None
Cost: £80.00
Cost to customer: £0

Would it not have been known that the gearbox oil was clogged when they checked the gearbox oil level?

[LittleElf]

The company are now backtracking and stating that the gearbox oil was not changed the oil level was checked only.

[des8]

Wait for engineers report ... can't progress your claim without that

[LittleElf]

des8* I am going to instruct the engineer tomorrow. *Can I just ask the car has been displaying the same intermittent symptoms since we got it and they have had it back twice for repairs, now does it not count that I FIRST reported this problem within the first 6 months. Another customer has just got in touch with me, they bought a car and they have had to issue court proceedings, looks like there is a pattern with this dealership.

[LittleElf]

I have the VAG report

[LittleElf]

[des8]

You need the engineer to indicate that the faults that were supposed to have been sorted were caused by the clogged filter.
Until that report is available there is no point speculating.