Car on PCP Timing belt failed

[Smasher]

Hi all, hope you're well!
I have a 2019 Vauxhall Combo Life 1.2 Turbo Petrol
I bought it used 18 months ago on PCP, it has 6 months left until the balloon payment.
Last week, I got a warning saying "Engine Fault - Repair needed" and it wouldn't start. RAC man says the timing belt has failed, apparently it's notorious on these "Puretech" engines which are actually made by Peugeot (Stellantis group).
The car had a full service history with a main dealer from the previous owner. It's had 1 service since I had it in February this year. It was done well within a year, although I had done almost 14k miles in between. So as best I can, this car has been fully serviced in accordance with manufacturer's specifications using the correct oil and correct parts, except for maybe a little excess mileage (I think the recommendation is 12,500).

Recenty, Stellantis issued a recall on all vehicles using this particular engine, although I knew nothing about that until this week, since alas I've had to learn the hard way. To do with the "wet" timing belt deteriorating prematurely, leading to clogged oilways, brake failures and timing belt failure. They have been offering a free check and replacement if you can show full service history by main dealer. Of course, my last service was by an independent garage and slightly too much mileage. I never heard anything about this recall, since I bought my car used from an independent dealer. They have now updated their recommendation to say that the timing belt should now be changed after 6 years/60k miles instead of 10 years/100k miles and they have had the belt manufacturer Dayco upgrade the spec of the belt to be used.
They have also introduced an exceptional extended warranty from 6 years/100k km to 10 years 175k km, again as long as it has a full authorised dealer service history.

The car now needs a new engine or a rebuild at the very least. So those extra miles that I did between servicing, does that disqualify me from any consumer protection?

Some info about the problems here:
https://today.rtl.lu/news/business-a...a/2208966.html

[Smasher]

Just to add, my local garage, who I've been going to for decades said I'm looking at somewhere between £1800 - £3k depending on how much damage the belt failure has caused. If I'm lucky, it can be rebuilt and in worst case, it'll need a reconditioned engine, which then means no matter what, I will have to make the balloon payment and keep it.
Either which way, I'm going to lose an awful lot of money.

[EXC]

Hey Smasher, I hope you're good.

I'll ask des8 if he has any thoughts.

[Smasher]

Hi mate. Yes all good here thanks, well apart from this. Nice to catch up with y'all, I should pop in here more often even if just to say hello.

I am actually towing the car back to my local garage tonight, it's stuck at my brother's house. I may not have much choice but to just get it fixed, so I can get back on the road. I need it for work during the week and doing my gigs on the weekends. I might actually lose more by not working than I'd save if the finance company or dealer actually do something, but have the car off the road while we argue about it.

I've known our mechanic for decades, so I got confidence in what he tells me. Since it likely happened on start up, I might be "lucky" there may not be too much damage. Altho apparently these engines are ticking time bombs. In France there's a huge group of thousands taking action against Stellantis over this issue.

[Pezza54]

Ask your mechanic to take a few photos of the belt while it is still on the engine and then in more detail when it is removed.
Just in case there is a class action in the UK in the future

[des8]

Hi Smasher
I'd certainly have my local trusted mechanic look at it.
Wet timing belts are a pain

If the belt failed on start up and there weren't repeated attempts to start the engine, you might be lucky.
On the other hand if the belt had been failing over time bits of broken of fibre could have clogged the oil filter and oil ways and may have caused accelerated wear elsewhere.

Any possible claim would be against the dealer (from whom you purchased the vehicle) or finance house, on the basis on lack of durability.
However that has been compromised by exceeding the service period, especially if total mileage is approaching the 100,000 mile mark.

See what your local man says, and take it from there.
Not much reassurance or help I'm afraid

[Smasher]

Thanks guys, appreciate it!

Yes there were a few attempts to start it unfortunately. We could see thru the oil filler that the belt wasn't moving when we turned it over. That confirmed the belt had failed.
it's only done 68k miles. Yes I expect those strainers to be clogged shut now. I've had to top up with 2 litres of oil so far since tha last service. I was going to ask him to check for an oil leak on the next service, but apparently these engines guzzle oil, it's another known issue. I only learned about this over the last few days.

Well, I guess the best I can do now is just get it fixed, pay it off and just service it it thoroughly and often and hope for the best.

Will definitely ask him to get some photo/video to document what happened. Hopefully those guys have some success in France and that has ramifications for us here too.

Appreciate your responses, thanks

[Smasher]

This is the group in France. 43k on their Facebook group. some 5000 taking part in the class action with another 3000 waiting to join. Expecting to start in Q1 of 2025. My French is as good as Del Boy Trotter's, thank god for google translate!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/974101119789655

(PSA 1.2 Puretech Problems: belt, overconsumption of oil, HS engine)

[des8]

As your engine has only done 66,000miles against a recommendation of 100,000 it wouldn't hurt starting a dialogue with the finance company (depending on what your mechanic discovers)

You won't be relying on the warranty, just the fact the belt gave out two thirds of the way through its anticipated lifetime.
if you don't ask/ push you don't get

[Smasher]

Cheers Des,

it's actually 4000 miles above the recommended lifespan now. They updated this recommendation this year and reduced it from 100k miles/10 years to 64k miles/6 years. They also changed the recommendation for the oil from 0w 30 to 0w 20 and had Dayco upgrade the spec of the belt for the 2nd time.
I had no notification about any of this of course, because I bought the car used from an independent dealer.