Could a car valet damage the engine coil?

byrne_baby_byrn

Hi guys,

I dropped a '05 Passat to a car valet during the week and when I picked it up afterwards it wasn't running properly. I dropped it to a garage immediately and when we popped the hood the catalytic converter was literally (no exaggeration) glowing. The garage rang me back the next day and said the engine coil needed to be replaced and they fixed the problem. I'm not sure if there might be further damage, but all looks good after a few short trips.

Could the valet have caused this or is it could just be bad timing? Any ideas?

To help rule stuff in/out:

- The car has just passed an NCT a couple of weeks ago and was recently serviced
- The car drove perfectly on the trip in to the valet
- The valet did not clean/wash the engine bay
- The car immediately wasn't running correctly when I picked it up and I brought it to their attention before heading straight to a garage

Hopefully, someone more knowledgable than me can help out here. This might end up as a "one word against another" scenario, but if it's likely their fault, I'll persevere out of principle.

Thanks, guys.

Jay

slimjimmc

I fail to see how the valet car wash, even with a pressure wash, could have any effect on it. They do tend to fail very suddenly on most cars.

mickdw

Considering that they didn't power wash the engine or anything like that, the valet did not cause the problem.

Of course, there is always the possibility that they took your car for a rather enthusiastic drive and caused the problem but tbh, if a coil pack has cured it, seeing as coils do tend to fail randomly, it is likely a coincidence.

byrne_baby_byrn

Thanks, guys. I have now reduced my rage setting to "simmer". Luckily I was very close to a garage and no damage was done. A quick fix in the grand scheme of things.

Cheers,

Jay

kyote00

Thought the catalytic converter was underneath the car so not visible from the engine bay ...

Not sure what would be glowing - exhaust manifold maybe

Either way, nothing should be "glowing"

Some cheaper valet shops run the car heater on full blast to 'quick dry' the carpets etc

byrne_baby_byrn wrote: »

Hi guys,

I dropped a '05 Passat to a car valet during the week and when I picked it up afterwards it wasn't running properly. I dropped it to a garage immediately and when we popped the hood the catalytic converter was literally (no exaggeration) glowing. The garage rang me back the next day and said the engine coil needed to be replaced and they fixed the problem. I'm not sure if there might be further damage, but all looks good after a few short trips.

Could the valet have caused this or is it could just be bad timing? Any ideas?

To help rule stuff in/out:

- The car has just passed an NCT a couple of weeks ago and was recently serviced
- The car drove perfectly on the trip in to the valet
- The valet did not clean/wash the engine bay
- The car immediately wasn't running correctly when I picked it up and I brought it to their attention before heading straight to a garage

Hopefully, someone more knowledgable than me can help out here. This might end up as a "one word against another" scenario, but if it's likely their fault, I'll persevere out of principle.

Thanks, guys.

Jay

Indricotherium

mickdw wrote: »

Considering that they didn't power wash the engine or anything like that, the valet did not cause the problem.

Of course, there is always the possibility that they took your car for a rather enthusiastic drive and caused the problem but tbh, if a coil pack has cured it, seeing as coils do tend to fail randomly, it is likely a coincidence.

Unlikely in a ten year old snooze machine.

R.O.R

It's also a pretty common issue on the 1.6fsi Passat's, you may have noticed some slight hesitation over the past few weeks while driving.

While it's a cheap and easy fix, it's likely it won't be the only one to go.

mickdw

Indricotherium wrote: »

Unlikely in a ten year old snooze machine.

One would think so but some of the not so reliable valet shop toe rags would go for a burn in anything tbh. Plus, we were not told what engine is in this apart from knowing its petrol.

porsche boy

kyote00 wrote: »

Thought the catalytic converter was underneath the car so not visible from the engine bay ...

Not sure what would be glowing - exhaust manifold maybe

Either way, nothing should be "glowing"

Some cheaper valet shops run the car heater on full blast to 'quick dry' the carpets etc

05 Passat engine is mounted transversely meaning the exhaust Manafold is located on the left of the engine as you look at it. Catalytic converter would be visable on a petrol version, diesels have the turbo gubbins fully visable.