- Joined
- Jun 19, 2005
- Messages
- 41
- Points
- 7
My Engine fell out. And No this is no joke
I am just happy to be alive to tell the story. On reaching my work place this morning I selected reverse gear to back into my parking space, there was a bang and a crunching sound and the car locked up solid. On opening the bonnet I could see the engine and gearbox at a 45 degree angle, on further investigation it was apparent what was wrong the gearbox end (below the battery box) mounting bolt was sheared off allowing the engine and gearbox to drop down to very near floor level, with the resulting drop the drive shaft dislodged from the gear box twisted and locked up the wheel.
Now can anybody envisage what might have happened at motorway speeds, it’s just to horrifying to imagine.
We looked all over the car park for the lower part of the sheared of bolt and nut it was not found, so we have to assume it broke prier to me getting to work (this means not when I put the car in reverse gear)
The Car: Fiat Panda Eleganza 2004 mileage just over 8000 one owner from new, me. This car has spent the last two winters in my garage it has never been used when there was salt on the roads. Until this morning it looked and drove like new.
I do not drive it aggressively I never spin tyres corner or brake hard the car has had a very easy life, I estimate the car has spent about nine months on the road the rest of the time locked away in my garage.
Me: I have spent most of my life in the motor trade, as a technician with over 25 years with my present employer. With a total of 40 years in the industry, I am 56 years old,
I do know what I am talking about. This was a catastrophic failure of the engine support bolt.
Car History: before I was handed the Keys to my new car, I was told the gearbox had an oil leak that needed to be fixed before I took delivery. Now I must assume the gearbox was removed to fix this (can you see where I am coming from with this I am not prepared to name the garage at this stage)
Now back to this morning: A phone call to the supplying dealership, Answer please calls the AA out. Ok so I called the AA Answer be with you in 30 mins (good service) loaded car up, off to the Fiat Garage. Question do you have a curtsey car for me. Answer sorry sir No there are none available at the moment. Next back in the AA truck off to pick up Avis hire car. Fiat will only pay 48 hours hire car fee
A phone call late this afternoon to the fiat garage. Question is my car fixed. Answer No, parts on v.o.r maybe in tomorrow Saturday.
Question do you now have a curtsey car for me. Answer No sorry sir call the AA see if they will extend the 48 hours hire car service.
A phone call to the AA. Answer sorry sir the agreement with fiat is for 48 hours only try Fiat customer services.
A phone call to fiat UK. I told them the story and they have opened an incident enquiry given me an incident number. But to the question of can you extend if need be the 48 hours avis car hire sorry sir please phone the Fiat Garage again and ask for the dealer principal.
A phone call to the Fiat garage. Question can I please speak with the Principal. Answer sorry he is not in Can any one else help.
I did get to speak with a manager who confirmed that maybe the parts might arrive with them to morrow but can’t say for sure. It might be Tuesday before we get them.
Question will you stand for the car hire charge if it goes’s above 48 hours. Answer: sorry sir I am not sure maybe Fiat will pay.
1: I feel the need to warn other people about this problem.
2: if the repair go’s over 48 hours do you think it is fair to expect me to pay Avis for the hire car.
I am just happy to be alive to tell the story. On reaching my work place this morning I selected reverse gear to back into my parking space, there was a bang and a crunching sound and the car locked up solid. On opening the bonnet I could see the engine and gearbox at a 45 degree angle, on further investigation it was apparent what was wrong the gearbox end (below the battery box) mounting bolt was sheared off allowing the engine and gearbox to drop down to very near floor level, with the resulting drop the drive shaft dislodged from the gear box twisted and locked up the wheel.
Now can anybody envisage what might have happened at motorway speeds, it’s just to horrifying to imagine.
We looked all over the car park for the lower part of the sheared of bolt and nut it was not found, so we have to assume it broke prier to me getting to work (this means not when I put the car in reverse gear)
The Car: Fiat Panda Eleganza 2004 mileage just over 8000 one owner from new, me. This car has spent the last two winters in my garage it has never been used when there was salt on the roads. Until this morning it looked and drove like new.
I do not drive it aggressively I never spin tyres corner or brake hard the car has had a very easy life, I estimate the car has spent about nine months on the road the rest of the time locked away in my garage.
Me: I have spent most of my life in the motor trade, as a technician with over 25 years with my present employer. With a total of 40 years in the industry, I am 56 years old,
I do know what I am talking about. This was a catastrophic failure of the engine support bolt.
Car History: before I was handed the Keys to my new car, I was told the gearbox had an oil leak that needed to be fixed before I took delivery. Now I must assume the gearbox was removed to fix this (can you see where I am coming from with this I am not prepared to name the garage at this stage)
Now back to this morning: A phone call to the supplying dealership, Answer please calls the AA out. Ok so I called the AA Answer be with you in 30 mins (good service) loaded car up, off to the Fiat Garage. Question do you have a curtsey car for me. Answer sorry sir No there are none available at the moment. Next back in the AA truck off to pick up Avis hire car. Fiat will only pay 48 hours hire car fee
A phone call late this afternoon to the fiat garage. Question is my car fixed. Answer No, parts on v.o.r maybe in tomorrow Saturday.
Question do you now have a curtsey car for me. Answer No sorry sir call the AA see if they will extend the 48 hours hire car service.
A phone call to the AA. Answer sorry sir the agreement with fiat is for 48 hours only try Fiat customer services.
A phone call to fiat UK. I told them the story and they have opened an incident enquiry given me an incident number. But to the question of can you extend if need be the 48 hours avis car hire sorry sir please phone the Fiat Garage again and ask for the dealer principal.
A phone call to the Fiat garage. Question can I please speak with the Principal. Answer sorry he is not in Can any one else help.
I did get to speak with a manager who confirmed that maybe the parts might arrive with them to morrow but can’t say for sure. It might be Tuesday before we get them.
Question will you stand for the car hire charge if it goes’s above 48 hours. Answer: sorry sir I am not sure maybe Fiat will pay.
1: I feel the need to warn other people about this problem.
2: if the repair go’s over 48 hours do you think it is fair to expect me to pay Avis for the hire car.