Accord iDTEC bad diesel - fuel system destroyed

Azatadine

Damn... ...Accord iDTEC, 2008, 160,000 miles, never skipped a beat until yesterday morning. Fuel pump (and the rest of the fuel system, injectors, rail etc) fecked. Metal filings from the failed pump throughout the system.

For new Honda parts to fix would be 8000 euro. More than the value of the car.

Cause apparently is bad fuel (which contained acid) at some stage in the last couple of months? Does that sound right?

Insurance company coming to assess it early next week but apparently it's unlikely they'll pay. How the heck is that? So, if I smashed it into a ditch they'd pay up no problem even though it's my own fault but they won't pay a cent when it's nothing that I did.

Have it for 5 years and serviced in the dealer on schedule every time. Stunned. Had no intention of changing and now I'll be going in to buy something without having the normal preparation in terms of thinking about it for a few weeks or even months like I normally do.

Trying to source second hand parts to rebuild but will still cost a lot. Might do her up, drive for a while and change in spring.

Best case scenario is that the insurance may pay but seems that's 50/50 but I'd imagine at 160000 miles it's unlikely.....blame wear and tear....

galwaytt

Cortecs wrote: »

Damn... ...Accord iDTEC, 2008, 160,000 miles, never skipped a beat until yesterday morning. Fuel pump (and the rest of the fuel system, injectors, rail etc) fecked. Metal filings from the failed pump throughout the system.

For new Honda parts to fix would be 8000 euro. More than the value of the car.

Cause apparently is bad fuel (which contained acid) at some stage in the last couple of months? Does that sound right?

Insurance company coming to assess it early next week but apparently it's unlikely they'll pay. How the heck is that? So, if I smashed it into a ditch they'd pay up no problem even though it's my own fault but they won't pay a cent when it's nothing that I did.

Have it for 5 years and serviced in the dealer on schedule every time. Stunned. Had no intention of changing and now I'll be going in to buy something without having the normal preparation in terms of thinking about it for a few weeks or even months like I normally do.

Trying to source second hand parts to rebuild but will still cost a lot. Might do her up, drive for a while and change in spring.

Best case scenario is that the insurance may pay but seems that's 50/50 but I'd imagine at 160000 miles it's unlikely.....blame wear and tear....

Are you near a border county. ....ahem...... ..I'm just about to scrap my Saab for similar issue. ...

mikeecho

I thought that the washing of diesel had all but gone, with the new radioactive markers.

Although I have heard stories of fuel being washed and exported, being labelled as something other than fuel.

debabyjesus

The mother has 2009 I-dtec had the very same thing happen in 2012 at around 40k miles. Honda blamed dodgy diesel but replaced hpfp and injectors under warranty. No problems since with fuel system but constant problems with rear brakes, dpf removed, driver and pax window switch modules replaced. She only got diesel from topaz esso or maxol... She won't be buying honda again.

mikeecho

debabyjesus wrote: »

The mother has 2009 I-dtec had the very same thing happen in 2012 at around 40k miles. Honda blamed dodgy diesel but replaced hpfp and injectors under warranty. No problems since with fuel system but constant problems with rear brakes, dpf removed, driver and pax window switch modules replaced. She only got diesel from topaz esso or maxol... She won't be buying honda again.

The vast majority of Topaz /Esso stns are dealer owned/dealer operated (dodo)
The only way to be absolutely sure for fuel quality is to buy from a coco. (Comp owned, comp operated)

debabyjesus

Honda handled it pretty well to be fair, insisted it was poor fuel quality at fault. I think they even sent a sample to be tested but can't remember an outcome on that.

Azatadine

I'm based in Wexford. I've always been pretty careful where I buy diesel so I'm surprised but it is what it is.....I did hear of somebody local having the same issue with a Passat 2015 but I don't think the insurance company paid out for them.

Either way, mine is dead as a dodo right now....only hope, unless insurance does pay out is to rebuild with second hand parts which will still cost thousands. FECK.

Azatadine

OP here. Just got confirmation today that the insurance will cover the damage :-)

I got a the pump disassembled and evaluated by a diesel pump engineerengineering specialist (Bosch) and the pictures of all the rusted internals swung it for me according to FBD. That coupled with the service history.

Bad fill of diesel with high water and traces of acid caused rusting which ruined the pump. Could be due to a fill from a few weeks ago or a couple of months. No way to know. The current tank of diesel is clear.

Took along time and the engineering evaluation cost a few euro but saved me thousands and thousands...... wouldn't have paid out without that.

kyote00

wow.

Well done.

are FBD covering a repair thats more than the book value ?

I assumed you'd have a snow balls chance in hell of the car insurance covered a mechanical failure - even if its no fault of yours. For example, if you got a bad batch of oil during a service - they would hardly cover it ?

Azatadine

I thought I was screwed too....... yes, FBD will cover the entire cost of repair, which will probably be around the same as the value the book value of the car) and they'll also cover the cost of car hire.

Without the autopsy report though, I had no chance.......

adocholiday

More of a general question I suppose but how would this affect your insurance premium going forward? I imagine a claim in the region of €8k would have a significant impact on your premium price for the next 3-5 years? Although I guess it won't be an €8k bill over that time frame!

Not trying to piss on your good news OP but the reason I ask is I've always wondered about the actual value of fully comp insurance when you have to claim in a case like yours

Azatadine

I have no claims protection on my insurance so in theory it shouldn't affect me too much.

josip

Cortecs wrote: »

I have no claims protection on my insurance so in theory it shouldn't affect me too much.

Will the cost of your no claims protection increase next year now that you've had a claim against it ?

Azatadine

I have no idea to be honest. In the scheme of things though I'm not too bothered about that.

Out of curiosity, I keep hearing that I'm lucky that the insurance company will cover me. Is it that unusual - even though I have the evidence to prove it was bad fuel?

Cee-Jay-Cee

Have you priced a new engine from Honda? That would be the ideal situation rather than a repair/rebuild job which would probably work out as expensive...

9935452

Cortecs wrote: »

I have no idea to be honest. In the scheme of things though I'm not too bothered about that.

Out of curiosity, I keep hearing that I'm lucky that the insurance company will cover me. Is it that unusual - even though I have the evidence to prove it was bad fuel?

I think you are lucky. Any time i hear of bad fuel its normally in tractors and the company supplying the fuel is responsible and ends up in a lot of cases paying for the repairs. Its easier to prove as you would have a tank of fuel left to test and only one supplier unlike in cars where you will have filled in several different stations probably with no receipts to prove fuel was bought there.

You were lucky they didnt write the car off on you , pay you 8k for the car and sell it for a couple of grand for salvage.