Hello - newbie to the forum looking for advice

We have a 61 plate 500 1.2 lounge. 33,000. Was in for its major service at the dealer - along with new brake pads.

Got the car back and there was a rancid smell from the car... hard to place - rotten with a chemical / burning edge to it... but not obvious burning. gets stronger if you roll the drivers window down whilst driving.

As soon as we started to drive we noticed the clutch was fecked. Bitting point was high and slipping - revving in 2nd etc. It went in with NO clutch problems and nothing was noted by them. raptly to although i know the air inlet pipe makes a noise... it honestly felt like a different car and a million times worse.

Does anyone have any idea what might have happened? Im not mechanical but could they have spilled oil where the clutch plates are? i know they took the car out and drove it about repetitively up and down a near by street as i have an insurance black box...

Im taking it in and getting them to fix it at their cost... hopefully they don't start their nonsense... Any advice would really help!

Thanks!

Andy

Sorry to hear your problems, was it a Fiat dealer or independent? Possibly ask for photos as they take it apart, the clutch is mostly in a sealed chamber, its very hard to spill anything on it, you should be able to see any signs of spillage near/on the gearbox, first thought did they spill brake fluid? but it would require quite a bit.
Did you contact the garage straight away? Make it clear possibly in writing the problems stating there appeared to be no issues beforehand, make it clear you think they caused the issue, and that you wish them to pay for the fixing of such, just try to protect yourself as much as possible?

acebrodie said:

Hello

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Hello Andy and welcome to the forum.

Sorry to hear it's in such sad circumstances.

I can confirm that clutch failure at this mileage is not normal.

Good luck with getting this sorted. Fingers crossed that the garage will put their hands up and do the right thing.

Please let us know how you get on when you take it back.

Thanks folks.

John202020... it was an Arnold Clark Fiat Dealership. They usually do a good job. Picked the car up late saturday and the smell and the clutch was immediately apparent - the smell nearly made me throw up. Expected it to burn off... emailed them on thursday to inform in writing. fingers crossed.

jrkitching - Thanks... yeas would be early to fail at 33k. I called the garage this morning and spoke to the service manager who actually said to me that a clutch shouldn't fail at this millage and certainly not so quickly after a service...

Had a wee google and search... apparently gearbox oil is quite smelly.

Is it possible that a service could have caused a gearbox oil leak thats getting into the clutch causing the slipping and the smell?

Cheers!

Andy

acebrodie said:

Is it possible that a service could have caused a gearbox oil leak thats getting into the clutch causing the slipping and the smell?

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It's not likely. I can't see how even the most careless, hamfisted mechanic could manage to pour oil into the bellhousing.

I'd suggest it's more likely that one of the eejits took it out and drove it in a stupid way. You'd have to drive seriously badly to wear out a clutch in one short drive, but it has happened...

It's possible an oil seal may have chosen this moment to give up the ghost, but there's nothing done during a service which would make this likely and it would be a remarkable coincidence.

It's also possible that oil has been seeping into the clutch for some time, and whilst it has carried on symptomless in your normal driving, enthusiastic driving by the mechanic has pushed it over the edge.

The only way to determine the precise failure mode is to strip it down.

Your dilemma is that if you have the clutch replaced by Arnold Clark, you'll pay top money but with some possibility of reimbursement if they find (and admit) something that shows it's their fault; if you have it replaced by an independent, it'll be cheaper but you'll have less chance of getting any money back from AC, whatever they find.

I'd sum your position up like this:

1. It's probably not your fault that this has happened

and

2. You're probably going to have to foot the bill for repairing it.

I hope I'm wrong about the second point.

To be honest the smell you describe sounds just like that of burning clutch.

Arnold Clark have a past reputation for not being very forth coming, it would be very unlikely that they would pay for a new clutch when there is no reason to admit fault.

Clutches can occasionally fail at low miles so it's not out of the realms of possibility in this case so I wouldn't hold your breath for any assistance.

I've working in the motor trade and sometimes the last people you want driving your car is people in the trade. One I used to work with had no ability to handle a throttle and clutch so would let the clutch up slowly and keep revving it over and over to get it moving, that's the sort of behaviour that kills a perfectly good clutch.

I did once set out to kill a clutch once, when sent to take a car to a different dealership 60 miles away, at 4pm on a Friday riding the clutch it took me 20 miles to kill it, so they are usually pretty hardy even with severe abuse (it was a Renault Megan so no real cars were harmed)

AndyRKett said:

it was a Renault Megan so no real cars were harmed

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LOL!

I'd find it really hard to believe that they would claim innocence... when they noted no problems going in... however this is why places get bad names because they don't want to take responsibility. I do know they had it out driving... not 20 miles but clearly something has happened.

That said... they have been good in the past. will keep you updated

Arnold Shark gets his bad name precisely because of these things. Keep the black box record handy. You'd very much like to know why it was driven so much.

Which AC was it?

D

jrkitching said:

I'd suggest it's more likely that one of the eejits took it out and drove it in a stupid way. You'd have to drive seriously badly to wear out a clutch in one short drive, but it has happened...

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Not sure why they would have driven the car like this for a service and MOT? This is not around the yard or to another building... this is up and down the adjacent street with harsh acceleration and braking according to the app...

acebrodie said:

Not sure why they would have driven the car like this for a service and MOT? This is not around the yard or to another building... this is up and down the adjacent street with harsh acceleration and braking

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Young lads larking about would get my vote.

Totally unacceptable behaviour showing a complete disregard for other people's property.

hi, would be good to know what speed the car was driven by the" mechanic" during his test drive. The old fashion smell of a burnt out clutch is rotten egg smell. , I do not think there is any adjustment on the clutch pedal,
so the clutch burn out is the obvious problem.
I know it is hindsight but you should have taken it back straightaway.
To get the garage to take some responsibility I suggest you lay it on hard that you have a black box tracker with a LOT of information, if you get my drift.
Hope you get a result.

The guy driving it should not have his job at the end?
No "engineer " would ever treat any mechanical object this way unless life testing as above suggest saying you have recorded data and a solicitor on speed dial.

I'd definitely be back there, by phone, in person whatever, and raising merry hell (calmly and reasonably). I'd as mentioned, point out that you have clear undeniable evidence the car has been driven in a stupid (and bizarre manner), and speak to the manager as a first port of call. Failing that formal complaint with the threat of speaking to "your solicitor". Make it clear you're not just skimming for legal advice, you've every plan to follow through. If it means getting opinions from other reputable dealerships, so be it, and maybe the threat of a nice Facebook post or similar would help.

Good luck, keep us posted.

Sometimes going in all guns blazing won't help, best to initially take the gently gently approach.

You said it was fine and there were no problems before it came in, very low mileage well looked after car, then when they don't offer help pull out your trump card and show them the driving data that the insurance company collected off the tracked black box.... then watch them **** themselves

Any additional wear on the tyres? Someone's been out for a joy ride.

UPDATE: Sorted!

A bit of a long story here... but all sorted now.

I did have to escalate to the highest level within Arnold Clark however, when I did, the customer service was exceptional. Everything was replaced or fixed and a number of other things were added by way of customer service going above and beyond. I cannot fault them.

People make mistakes or get things wrong. As long as you deal with it appropriately, explain fairly to the right people positive outcomes can be gained. I think it also helped that I've been a long term customer of AC and that was valued in their handling of the complaint. Result!