Death of my D5?

[Rocinante]

Originally Posted by FreshAir

The warranty from Volvo would only be valid if the car was serviced by Volvo again at the next service. So cambelt done in April 2021 would have needed a Volvo service in April 2022 to keep the warranty running on the work from what I have read.

I don't think that is true:

" If a service has been carried out by a non-authorised Volvo retailer we reserve the right to reject any claim where the cause of the defect is due to inadequate servicing or the use of inadequate, non-genuine parts."

So use of a non-authorised Volvo dealer certainly doesn't automatically rule out the warranty, and I don't see how a standard service from a non authorised dealer would be "the cause of the defect" in this instance. As I said before, certainly worth pursuing for the sums involved.

I am assuming that he has had subsequent service on time, (authorised or not). He may even had the subsequent service at a Volvo dealer, I don't think he has said either way.

https://www.volvocars.com/uk/own/mai...parts-warranty

[Rocinante]

Having read a little more:

"VOLVO LIFETIME PARTS WARRANTY – WHAT IS NOT COVERED

11. All consequential or indirect costs as a result of a component failure covered by the Lifetime Parts Warranty"

I read this as although the aux belt took out the engine, this would be a "consequential or indirect cost" ?


So they'll basically give you the cost of the aux belt back, best case scenario ?
Someone can correct me if I'm reading it incorrectly.

I'd still be trying my best to get monetary redress for the cost of the works, worst they can do is say no, and all it costs is a few emails or phone calls.

[NAD]

Volvo UK said that due to the age and mileage of the car that they would not be offering any assistance.

Also, I still haven’t got a clear answer as to why the belt frayed at 15 months and 28,000 miles. It didn’t fail, but the detritus from the frayed edge was enough to cause catastrophic damage to the timing of the engine.

[Pidgeonpost]

Originally Posted by NAD

It was touch and go as to whether to scrap it, but I’ve elected to have a reconditioned head fitted. It’s expensive, but that way I’ll get the car back with new belts etc and it should continue a while longer.
Not sure it is the correct decision, but I looked at what I could get if I spent the repair cost + scrap value and decided I’d rather have my own car back, as something else may have equivalent unknown problems.

I must have missed that it was just cylinder head damage. Expensive repair perhaps, but at least you won't have the 'unknown quantity' aspect of a whole different engine. And you get to keep the car you know.

[Rocinante]

Originally Posted by NAD

Volvo UK said that due to the age and mileage of the car that they would not be offering any assistance.

Also, I still haven’t got a clear answer as to why the belt frayed at 15 months and 28,000 miles. It didn’t fail, but the detritus from the frayed edge was enough to cause catastrophic damage to the timing of the engine.

You may well get nowhere, but I would certainly query that answer, you're not trying to claim against the original vehicle warranty, so the age and mileage of the car is irrelevant. It's the part that failed is the relevant piece of information, that was only 15 months only with 28,000 miles on it, when it should last longer, and supposedly comes with a "lifetime warranty".

The other predicament to watch out for, that I think has been mentioned, that if you don't have the cause of the failure, and the cause is still present, it could happen again. The installers of the belt may be best placed to determine what went wrong.

[NAD]

Good point.
I’ll not just leave it there and will push back steadily.

[darroch]

I am under no illusion that the Volvo aftermarket parts are not the same bits on the original built motor. Are they built to price? Contracts for parts change all the time. I have Volvo cambelt kit and aux kit here to go on my D5.
I would like to think the parts are as good as you can get?
Good luck with your head build and hopefully many more miles.

[NAD]

You’ve got me slightly worried there. I agree with everything the garage has recommended replacing: belts, tensioner, alternator pulley. The only bit I’m not sure about is that they have recommended replacing the water pump with a new genuine one. Is there a chance that the new Volvo pump will be worse than the one that is being removed?

[ferg55]

I doubt you'll have any issue with a genuine Volvo water pump. There is nothing to say it is exactly the same as originally fitted, but if it was in any way substandard it would be common knowledge by now. I don't think Volvo or any of the other established brands supply separate parts for the aftermarket - they have a reputation to maintain to justify the higher price.

Regarding the claim issue, unless it can be determined why it failed (part quality; installed incorrectly,; some other part on your car caused it to fail...) I don't think you can move forwards. But if it can be determined it is Volvo's fault, perhaps it could be argued that it's reasonable to expect the part or workmanship to fail after a year (or whatever is in the warranty) but not that it would ultimately cost you anything more than the cost of that part or workmanship, which in this case it has significantly.

[ferg55]

...or to put it another way:

Volvo:
"I'm sorry sir, we won't refund you the price of the part or the work we did, it's only warranted for a year, as per the Ts&Cs. Also your not covered under the warranty for any consequential damage."

You:
"OK, I accept that. So that's the conversation about the warranty over with. Now, about the cost of the damage, can you show me where we agreed your parts or workmanship may cost me lots of money some time down the line? Oh, we didn't ever agree that? Ok then, I want to be compensated for that please - I understand this will be outside of your warranty though, so you'll have to find anther way of raising the money, I don't really care how you do it."

So, the way I see it, although you can't claim on their warranty, fair enough, don't. But they still need to compensate you