Hi everyone

Sent my Barchetta into caledonia Fiat for a new clutch after breaking down on the M62 got the car back after 2 days and £350.00 to find no oil and no sump plug in the car - anyone have full details on removing the sump but more than that anyone know what a new sump is going to cost me - any help and advise will be greatly appreciated

have a good one !!!!

Zoe:bang:

hi,

sorry to here about your troubles.

i cant help you with rest but

a new sump is £165.12
sealer is £8.93

if required le me know and i can arrange for you

Mark

zoeh said:

Hi everyone

Sent my Barchetta into caledonia Fiat for a new clutch after breaking down on the M62 got the car back after 2 days and £350.00 to find no oil and no sump plug in the car - anyone have full details on removing the sump but more than that anyone know what a new sump is going to cost me - any help and advise will be greatly appreciated

have a good one !!!!

Zoe:bang:

Click to expand...

Hang on, the dealer let the car go out without oil or a sump plug?!!
You have a case against the dealer for negligence. Get them to sort your car out for free. If they say no, write a stern letter saying you give them 7 days to reply to the letter to repair your car, or you will take legal preceedings. Also contact the Retail Motor Industry Federation. I would imagine Caledonia are a member. As a member, there are strict rules and standards to adhere to.
http://www.rmif.co.uk/Core-Competency.aspx?ccid=2

Andy.

why would they remove sump plug to do a clutch? and why would it now need a new sump if just the plug is missing?

Hang on a minute, you got the car back meaning you drove it home?? I hope you didnt!! This is a case of severe negligence and even if you started the engine let alone drive it, I would be seeing a solicitor and making sure I was getting a brand new engine fitted courtesy of Caledonia! That is absolutely ridiculous, a fundamental error that even a YTS should not do..............

hi everyone thanks for all your messages i did drive the car home when i left the garage they said the sump plug was insecure when i asked what this meant the receptionist told me it just needs tightening up i then asked if thats the case why was it was not done she said she does not know i also asked why they did not tell me about it when she rang with the other faults they supposedly found - i went back to the dealer on thursday morning and SAW THE SERVICE MANAGER he said the technician said the sump plug was there when he took the car off the ramps but was hanging from one thread i asked them why i was not told of the severity of the problem and given an opportunity for them to fix it - and he said they are not allowed to fix it as it could strip the sump the trading standards have said as i realised the problem and the garage have not done any damage, i do not have a case or claim against fiat caledonia. A private engineer has now told me that the thread inside the sump is stripped and it will need a new sump. i believe it is about a 4 hour job just to remove the sump. I am quite amazed really as the car did not have any oil leaks or other problems apart from the clutch when it went in and now i have a major problem. the engineer cannot tell if i have done any further damage until i can get a sump plug and oil into the car as it is best not to start it up in the condition it is in. i have opened a case in the small claims court against fiat - as they have refused to do anything but they have said i am wasting my time and money as they are not responsible for what has happened I AM GUTTED

Fiat are talking Bull****
They have a duty of care. If they saw the sump plug "hanging on" by a thread, they know damn well the damage that could be caused and they have a duty of care to fix it or at least tighten it back up. You should be able to rethread the sump plug thread without a new sump but to do a proper job and to stop ant stray metal shavings entering the sump then it would be best to take the sump off to do it.Have you got a mechanic helping you?? I am not too far away from you and I will gladly come and have a look to see if I can offer any help.

hi superspotter my husband used to be a mechanic for some 20 years. apparently i have to prove that they did not take due care and were negligent. the fact that the car has no sump plug or oil is not enough i am told. but i have been told not to touch the car until i know for sure that fiat will not be held responsible. apparently if i touch or do anything to the car i cannot take it further. to be honest if i won the lottery tonight i'd just fix it and get my baby back on the road. thanks for the offer i will keep in touch and keep you updated.

I am so sorry to hear all of this and you wonder why people are so wary of garages I do hope there is a good outcome.

Did you hear the engine rattle,making a metal noise on your way home?Did you see the oil in the road how close to your home start?

The garage should never let you get on the road with such a problem since the notised it.

hi did not hear any rattles or knocking i have not started the car since there is a little drop of oil under my car now where it is parked but not much i don't know if the plug fell out after i took the car or when they test drove it after doing the clutch but it's not there now. i drove it about 10 miles. i agree they should not have let me drive the car but they said as they wrote on the job card sump plug insecure suspect cross thread and leaking, they say they have done their job and informed me. I can assure you i will not be going back to a fiat dealer again EVER.

thanks superspotter i will keep you posted.

DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT OTHER SUMPS FIT THE 1997 BARCHETTA ?

Zoeh, I would not be looking for a sump just now. You need to get a sump plug into your existing sump even if id does not fit properly, get some oil in it and start her up. If as I suspect the damage has already been done to the engine then you would be wasting money at this stage buying a sump

hi superspotter i will get that done today fiat have just quoted me £6.00 for a sump plug - NOT that I am happy paying any money to fiat but i just want her back on the road. I'll let you know what happens. fingers crossed no knocking. can i just say thanks so much for all your help. zoeh

I would drive back to Fiats the way you came home and look out for a load of oil on the street. When the sump plug comes out the car it will drop 90% of its oil in only a min or so.

Fiat should never have given you the car back and let you drive it home with that problem !! If the oil had have gone onto the back tyers while you went round a corner you could have been off into a wall or anything.

Its the garages duty to stress how dangerous a fault /problem is, as you might not know what a sump plug is or what it does. Just sticking it on a seport card is not enough.

I asked my girlfriend if she new what a sump plug was and what it does, she did not have a clue.

http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabout/claims/index.htm

Push on this if I was you.

Only way the sump plug would strip is, if it was overtightened or it was cross threaded. In both cases, if the car was serviced by a dealer from new, then they are liable. The fact they told you it was loose and all it needed was to be tightened, when infact the thread had gone, proves they are negligent. Infact, i wouldn't be surprised if they used a HELICOIL Insert because the thread was knackered, and this has fell out !! It does happen.

Andy.

UPDATE !!!!

FIAT uk HAVE SAID THAT EACH DEALER IS INDEPENDANT they cannot intefere if the dealer has told me to ....off. RMIF have e-mailed me back and said I need to find out if CALEDONIA FIAT are members of the RMIF and if they are then submit a new complaint with the membership numer (where i find this is anyones guess) Trading Standards have just not bothered getting back to me. SOooooooooooo still a case of :bang: at the moment. I had the sump looked at today and have been told it is def. cross threaded and the sump plug cannot be replaced. I have also been advised that if I take the sump off it has to be in virtually new condition as health and safety prevent anyone from working on a so called "contaminated item" MY HUBBY HAS PULLED HIS GLOVES OUT THE LOFT AAND IS LOOKING FOR A BLOKE CALLED BOB AT CALEDONIA - So if there is a plea for a solicitor on this site next week - u all know WHY. I WILL KEEP YOU ALL POSTED .

Again thanks for all the support

Health and f***ing safety regulations have ruined this bloody country
I have never heard so much bulls**t regarding working on a sump, what is to become of us all, I despair.....................

Health and f***ing safety what a joke.

Its a car sump, not a trident missile warhead !!!!!