Major issue with recovery

Bikerguy

I will make it short....

My wife had a pipe burst on our civic 06 1.8i caused the engine to overheat amd shut down.... she had no coolant in engine... she called recovery - included in our insurance. Guy came in tried to top it up..but it was leaking as one of the pipes was gone - clip broke and hose was disconnected. She was still advised to drive the car as its fine - the recovery driver said it to her... to not to drive fast but continue the jorney ..after 200m car overheated and stopped completely - it almost melted dipstick - its black heavy burned on the top. and she had to rang recovery second time. The recovery lad came in and believe or not he started the car and drove it up onto his truck...started --- i call it that way...which he did after 6 times the car refused to start.... now the mechanic from garage that they brought it in was in shock... he could not believe it... as the driver drove the car again down from his truck... with no collant at all....

I paid for the fix and garage said car is ok...but it could cause a damage that can be fatal for the engine.... that will show up later at some stage...


I filled a complaint but nobody wants to listen to me.. as the car is fine.... it is...for now...

Anyone could help me what to do?

Or i am just being to worried.... the engine runs sound as butter.. garage changed the oil as well as i asked them.when it happen as the oil was burned 2...

went there today week later to re-check the car at my own expenses... oil is clean and coolant level didnt drop.... garage said car is good.

Please lads.

Obvious Otter

The only way you'll know exactly what damage was done is to check the engine block for small/minor damage.

I'm not sure what you could really do at this point as even if you stripped the engine and you had damage to seals, piston, gasket etc. you would have to prove that it was caused by the recovery driver starting the engine with no coolant.

Have you noticed any difference in performance since?

I'd say you likely avoided any serious damage as if there was something wrong you would have seen the coolant drop when you brought it back to the garage.

Just ensure that you don't allow her to overheat again and hopefully she'll be ok! Best of luck!

Bikerguy

I was abroad with my son on our first ever boys (2 of us - he is 3) holidays.... so my wife only rang me... i told her to not to start or intent to drive the car....so she rang the recovery and when she was advised to drive she trusted the driver aka "mechanic".

Car is good.... not showing any changes. Its the same as before.. no errors on dash or any drop in performance.... its just when i checked the dip stick i was like wtf is that.... but again i went to garage again and i paid for recheck + front brake pads and the mechanic (who is genuine old irish mechanic) said car is good no issues there.

Bikerguy

Yesterday the loved honda gave up on...shuttered and went into 3 cylinder rattle.... garage said most likely damage to engine from previous experience. They are now again investigating the issue.....as it may be simple electrical issue...coils spark plugs etc....but they were not confirming either just speculating on the matter.


Just after i changed front shock and made her ready for nct.... i even purchased a fresh tax for her so i have it all legal as always....


I complained with the towing company but i am left with no respond so far.

Please note.. coolant level didnt drop and she is not eating oil..nor leaking...oil is clear and clean....

bucketybuck

Before I answer, can you clarify if the guy who called out was a recovery vehicle driver, or a roadside assistance mechanic such as you get with the AA? There is a significant difference between the two.

Bikerguy

bucketybuck wrote: »

Before I answer, can you clarify if the guy who called out was a recovery vehicle driver, or a roadside assistance mechanic such as you get with the AA? There is a significant difference between the two.

I didnt get that answer from towing company..... i asked i got reply that all the drivers are training in how to pull the car on the towing car without attempting to start the engine... its a very well known irish towing company (dont wanna say name yet) i would say that they didnt sent a random joe.... having said that i cant confirm or decline if the guy was a mechanic or just a driver... either way his decisiions may i say may again have caused further damage to engine.

One think to note engine light never came on.... up untill he sat down behind the wheel and drove the car up his truck... my wife wasnt alone she had a friend with her who witnessed all if thats any help.

But to note.. my wife said that she was told that the recovery will attemp to repair the car on the spot if possible before towing the vehicle.. thats what the insurance cimpany said to her after her first emergency call...so having said that it must have been a mechanic who attended the emergency situation.

jca

Tell them to do a compression test first, no messing around with coils or any other tricking. If compression is down on the dead cylinder you can decide your options then. Insist on it or you'll end up throwing good money at an engine that's kaput.

Bikerguy

jca wrote: »

Tell them to do a compression test first, no messing around with coils or any other tricking. If compression is down on the dead cylinder you can decide your options then. Insist on it or you'll end up throwing good money at an engine that's kaput.

I left the car there and i said that before attempting to do any change or repair that i need a call to confirm the cost first.... garage said he will need to hook it up to pc and see....what errors it will come up with.... i will pop in there again tomorrow and see whats the story there. The guy there know his bussiness. I dont think that he would drag me around. He is genuine old school irish guy - not rushing and not throwing numbers on me. So i cant say more about the current estate only that the car went into 3 cylinder mode while i was driving 90km/h from slane to colon in light uphill. Not pushing hard i was in 6th gear.

Hint: i am no mechanic i have only very basic knowledge about cars.

discodaveirl

Theres something extremely fishy here, why would the recovery driver say it was ok to drive when he saw the fluid leaking. From your first post it says it overheated and shut down began to seize i presume, the length of time it took to get the truck there the engine cooled a bit and the driver ran the engine for a half a minute or so without coolant.... Think your nit picking here if you dont mind me saying, looking for a scape goat and probably a new engine... didnt your wife notice the temperature gauge rising before this?

bucketybuck

Bikerguy wrote: »

having said that i cant confirm or decline if the guy was a mechanic or just a driver... either way his decisiions may i say may again have caused further damage to engine.

Its a question of liability, recovery drivers are not necessarily mechanics and their opinion on what is wrong with the car might hold as much weight as some lad who happened to wander by.

Bikerguy

discodaveirl wrote: »

Theres something extremely fishy here, why would the recovery driver say it was ok to drive when he saw the fluid leaking. From your first post it says it overheated and shut down began to seize i presume, the length of time it took to get the truck there the engine cooled a bit and the driver ran the engine for a half a minute or so without coolant.... Think your nit picking here if you dont mind me saying, looking for a scape goat and probably a new engine... didnt your wife notice the temperature gauge rising before this?

My wife drove the car...it overheated and stopped. She rang me and rang the recovery after my advise... i dont need new engine nor new car. The car should have been taken to the garage and not driven anymore or driven onto the tow truck... are you with me? I may be picking or getting to the point.... but again.. car overheated and stoped...she was advised to continue the jurney wihtout any coolant... i dont know what part of this sound right to you.... and the guy sat into it and attempted good few times to start the engine..even that he knew the car stopped second time for the same reason....

I am no mechanic but i know one thing...car should not be started or driven with no coolant in it.... or corect me if i am wrong please ..specialy after giving up second time.

Bikerguy

bucketybuck wrote: »

Its a question of liability, recovery drivers are not necessarily mechanics and their opinion on what is wrong with the car might hold as much weight as some lad who happened to wander by.

The insurance company must have the ohone call recorded...my wife is admamant that they told her the car will be either fixed on the spot or towed.... so it may answer the mechanic part itself

jca

What exactly are you wanting? Are you wanting help getting your car fixed or a way of getting good old Irish compensation from the seemingly bottomless pit of insurance money? Surely your wife would have known not to drive the car without coolant, anyway, it is at it is, if the compression test is good I'd go for a failed coil having suffered from the excess heat.

Bikerguy

jca wrote: »

What exactly are you wanting? Are you wanting help getting your car fixed or a way of getting good old Irish compensation from the seemingly bottomless pit of insurance money? Surely your wife would have known not to drive the car without coolant, anyway, it is at it is, if the compression test is good I'd go for a failed coil having suffered from the excess heat.

i want first apology written one and at least partial compensation for further check.... but meanwhile... i have never said i need new engine or insurance to pay for me... i was pissed how someone can send me a cowboy to help me out in emergency situation.... lads imagine if thats happen to your car...your wife...

I am in the garage now... its a coil that went 85e new. They changed them around and the car was reading missfire as they changed the coil on each cylinder it went. The mechanic said its not engine... so relief for the moment.

jca

Bikerguy wrote: »

i want first apology written one and at least partial compensation for further check.... but meanwhile... i have never said i need new engine or insurance to pay for me... i was pissed how someone can send me a cowboy to help me out in emergency situation.... lads imagine if thats happen to your car...your wife...

I am in the garage now... its a coil that went 85e new. They changed them around and the car was reading missfire as they changed the coil on each cylinder it went. The mechanic said its not engine... so relief for the moment.

Well there you go, problem solved, count your lucky stars, build a bridge and move on with your life.

BArra

Agree with you OP, plenty of clueless cowboys in a range of jobs and you got unlucky with this one.

I would follow up again with the insurance and towing company.

That lad is a liability and im sure he will do it again

jca

Plenty of clueless drivers too. Is this what Ireland has become, a nation of compo claimers? You really dodged a bullet there op but you're still not happy, I despair about this country sometimes I really do. Had she been told to drive over the side of the bridge would she have done it? Has common sense really gone out the window? Time to unfollow for me.

walus

OP these engines are really well built so hopefully nothing had happened to it I'm a bit surprised by the tone of some of the replies here. Irrespectively of how knowledgeable the drivers are nowadays surely one would expect that recovery staff know their trade and at least do not aggravate the car condition any further. I agree that drivers can be clueless but this is where the roadside assistance etc. comes in to compensate for it. What this fella did on two occasions would get him fired straight away in where I come from. I would not let this slide myself and OP is right in his actions.

BillyBobBS

Glad you got sorted OP. Don't mind some of the begrudgers on here it did sound from your account of the incident that you would have been well within your rights to claim for damage done to car. The recovery guy sounds like an absolute plank.

Bikerguy

jca wrote: »

Plenty of clueless drivers too. Is this what Ireland has become, a nation of compo claimers? You really dodged a bullet there op but you're still not happy, I despair about this country sometimes I really do. Had she been told to drive over the side of the bridge would she have done it? Has common sense really gone out the window? Time to unfollow for me.

Chief watch out cause you are crossing bridge here yourself. My wife is well educated and works in nursing home carring of elderly people with mental disabilities - she does it for minimum wage and..thats her profesion and she likes it so i dare you judge her by not knowing what to do... mechanic came and told her to continue the jurney.... i aint rising my blood presure here just note this is very sensitive area.


Again this topic is about a mechanic who was sent and gave her wrong advise ... and he drove my car not his onto his lory after trying to start it 6 times and then proceede to drove it down again... end of story i wont repeat myself.

Bikerguy

walus wrote: »

OP these engines are really well built so hopefully nothing had happened to it I'm a bit surprised by the tone of some of the replies here. Irrespectively of how knowledgeable the drivers are nowadays surely one would expect that recovery staff know their trade and at least do not aggravate the car condition any further. I agree that drivers can be clueless but this is where the roadside assistance etc. comes in to compensate for it. What this fella did on two occasions would get him fired straight away in where I come from. I would not let this slide myself and OP is right in his actions.

Kindly thank you for understanding. My wife is the best i have and i have never doubt her decision to listen to the mechanic.

pm1977x

This is simple, if you call a 'professional' car recovery company and they act in a negligent way with your car causing further damage well then you are well within your rights to file a complaint and recover any costs where applicable, the 'ah sure it's Ireland, it's grand, say nothing' approach will only lead to this 'professional' messing up many more cars and next time the results could be fatal.

The OP has done absolutely nothing wrong here and why he is being attacked is beyond me.

road_high

Did I cop this all correct? Lady calls breakdown guy. He tells her to keep driving home but go slow. She goes 100m and the car zonks? When she calls him back he still persists with driving the car up the ramp (they have tow whinchs for a good reason). All the while the engine is leaking coolant? An utter moron

discodaveirl

road_high wrote: »

whinges

The Irony. 😂

Bikerguy

road_high wrote: »

Did I cop this all correct? Lady calls breakdown guy. He tells her to keep driving home but go slow. She goes 100m and the car zonks? When she calls him back he still persists with driving the car up the ramp (they have tow whinchs for a good reason). All the while the engine is leaking coolant? An utter moron

Pregnant lady.... yes.. and yes he drove the car up the ramp and again down.... yes not really professional approach. I am stuck now with some issues.

Toyotafanboi

The thing is really and it's something we see a lot of in work, if we send a recovery truck to someone or someone rings and says they need one, it isn't the recovery truck drivers job to talk the person into driving the car again but they often feel like it is.

They are already on site, just lift the car and tow it in, you weren't sent for to give a side of the road opinion on the cars condition, you were sent to tow it.

But then it also depends on whether you requested a tow or requested roadside assistance. The like of the AA who offer roadside assistance like to advertise that they fix 80% of cars at the roadside, so they are just as keen not to tow you to keep the advertising department happy.

Bikerguy

Wife rang and was told the car would be fixed on the spot or towed to garage. Its included in my insurance. Break down assistance 24/7. Its behind my believe. She coukdnt request any fix or anything..as my wife didnt know the extend of damage and she is no mechanic. So she rang and followed the instructions she recieved.

I rang them today again demanding any explanation. They said they are investigating the matter..and will be reporting to me back with further update.


Btw my insurance company forwarded to me the towing company claim department number at this stage... i dont know why so.... as my wife contacted insurance not towing company.... it looks way too dodgy so far... but i will defo follow up. Again its a very well known company.. not an individual.

Miike

Bikerguy wrote: »

Wife rang and was told the car would be fixed on the spot or towed to garage. Its included in my insurance. Break down assistance 24/7. Its behind my believe. She coukdnt request any fix or anything..as my wife didnt know the extend of damage and she is no mechanic. So she rang and followed the instructions she recieved.

I rang them today again demanding any explanation. They said they are investigating the matter..and will be reporting to me back with further update.


Btw my insurance company forwarded to me the towing company claim department number at this stage... i dont know why so.... as my wife contacted insurance not towing company.... it looks way too dodgy so far... but i will defo follow up. Again its a very well known company.. not an individual.

The insurance company acted as your wife's agent when they contacted the recovery company, now they're wiping their hands of it? I'd be following it up via your insurance company. The decided who to get out, not your wife.

Also typical new-age boards.ie responses in this thread, ignore them. Muppets feel the need to vilify anyone who posts anything with any element of blame. "Did she not see the temperature gauge rising?" Yeah she did, but thought it was the clock. Jesus wept.

road_high

Miike wrote: »

The insurance company acted as your wife's agent when they contacted the recovery company, now they're wiping their hands of it? I'd be following it up via your insurance company. The decided who to get out, not your wife.

Also typical new-age boards.ie responses in this thread, ignore them. Muppets feel the need to vilify anyone who posts anything with any element of blame. "Did she not see the temperature gauge rising?" Yeah she did, but thought it was the clock. Jesus wept.

I thought in this case, she did do everything right- she called the "professionals" immediately and also again when he told her to drive it home. Very little else she could have done with a limited knowledge of cars, you really are relying on the recovery guy at this stage, at the very least to use common sense with an overheated engine.

Miike

road_high wrote: »

I thought in this case, she did do everything right- she called the "professionals" immediately and also again when he told her to drive it home. Very little else she could have done with a limited knowledge of cars, you really are relying on the recovery guy at this stage, at the very least to use common sense with an overheated engine.

He is partially to blame for any issues arising. Your insurance company needs to be made aware and they need to follow it up. They are the agent.

Bikerguy

As i said .. once i have update i will post it here... for now i have nothing confirmed yet. Thanks

Bikerguy

Got a call today at 5pm from towing company who want a full statement from garage and statement from witnesses as well as the mechanic/driver is clearly saying that he didnt drove my car... i am asuming only...not confirmed yet...the driver part i mean as why would they need that..but they were very concerned asking how long time was the car off road and whats the story. If i work if i miss day of work..etc. i told them truth and i told them i had to purchase a car meanwhile as i need to travel to work... i again mentioned i have not asked for any compensation for this matter..just to note..

Now the big deal is....shall i contact solicitor asi dont have any and it may be pricy....i am out of funds completely.... Any advise here? I dont want to end up like a lemon... they are taking it legal way against the driver....as i wouldnt be surprised if he is a selfemployed contractor...but again just my thoughts...


And last thing... garage told me 85e coil other day... today i went to collect the car.... mechanic showed me that all 4 coils were cracked.... the plastic got overheated and cracked -right where you insert in.. clearly visible crack along the body of each coil.... he charged me for diagnostics.... for compresion test which he end up doing based on my request +85e for each coil and then the labor.. i almost collapsed then and there.... he gave me warranty for his work and garantee that honda is defo solid as rock... but for that money i would have bought easy ep2 civic in superb condition....


I am in bits

Miike

Bikerguy wrote: »

Got a call today at 5pm from towing company who want a full statement from garage and statement from witnesses as well as the mechanic/driver is clearly saying that he didnt drove my car... i am asuming only...not confirmed yet...the driver part i mean as why would they need that..but they were very concerned asking how long time was the car off road and whats the story. If i work if i miss day of work..etc. i told them truth and i told them i had to purchase a car meanwhile as i need to travel to work... i again mentioned i have not asked for any compensation for this matter..just to note..

Now the big deal is....shall i contact solicitor asi dont have any and it may be pricy....i am out of funds completely.... Any advise here? I dont want to end up like a lemon... they are taking it legal way against the driver....as i wouldnt be surprised if he is a selfemployed contractor...but again just my thoughts...


And last thing... garage told me 85e coil other day... today i went to collect the car.... mechanic showed me that all 4 coils were cracked.... the plastic got overheated and cracked -right where you insert in.. clearly visible crack along the body of each coil.... he charged me for diagnostics.... for compresion test which he end up doing based on my request +85e for each coil and then the labor.. i almost collapsed then and there.... he gave me warranty for his work and garantee that honda is defo solid as rock... but for that money i would have bought easy ep2 civic in superb condition....


I am in bits

I don't think you need a solicitor unless you intend on taking legal action against them. I'm sure the garage will have no problem providing in writing exactly what they saw, nor should your wife or her friend. It sounds like they are investigating what happened. I'd get what they want and then play it by ear as to how it pans out

Bikerguy

Miike wrote: »

I don't think you need a solicitor unless you intend on taking legal action against them. I'm sure the garage will have no problem providing in writing exactly what they saw, nor should your wife or her friend. It sounds like they are investigating what happened. I'd get what they want and then play it by ear as to how it pans out

Yeh you right..

Miike

Bikerguy wrote: »

Yeh you right..

I hope it all goes well for you. It's a balls of a situation to be in, keep us posted

Cee-Jay-Cee

Bikerguy wrote: »

And last thing... garage told me 85e coil other day... today i went to collect the car.... mechanic showed me that all 4 coils were cracked.... the plastic got overheated and cracked -right where you insert in.. clearly visible crack along the body of each coil.... he charged me for diagnostics.... for compresion test which he end up doing based on my request +85e for each coil and then the labor.. i almost collapsed then and there.... he gave me warranty for his work and garantee that honda is defo solid as rock... but for that money i would have bought easy ep2 civic in superb condition....


I am in bits

How much was labour? €85 x 4 = €340. Labour to fit them shouldn't be more than an hours work as its a simple job and the diagnostic is usually around €40-50. So by my reckoning maybe around €500 which wouldn't have bought you anything in superb condition.

Bikerguy

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

How much was labour? €85 x 4 = €340. Labour to fit them shouldn't be more than an hours work as its a simple job and the diagnostic is usually around €40-50. So by my reckoning maybe around €500 which wouldn't have bought you anything in superb condition.

You forgot compression test and labour for all of it... i wanna see what garage will check your car and do diagnostics for 50e in ireland...but yeh it is what it is. I am not going to argue again. That ep2 part was ment on overall cost that i already paid ... cost of simple pipe burst from rad which is usually no more then 100. But in my case it extended to sky high number....in combined visits to garage... i am not blaiming for all of it anyone...but at least part of it has mark of that genuis recovery mechanic.

Miike

Any updates so far? :-)

Bikerguy

Miike wrote: »

Any updates so far? :-)

Nope..got a letter in post that they have 40 working days to respond and further 20 working to investigate. Absolutely no respond to my emails. So 60 working days.... Thats like 3 months only to respond...it doesnt say to close the case.... So i asume its going to take ages. Once i know more i will defo update you all here.

I dont feel good about it.... It seems that they know that they have made an massive error but nobody is taking responsibility for the fault. I am honest and i am not asking for compensation of any kind.... time lost or days off i have officialy requested with my employer as i travel with car... There is no bus at 5am. Ii just want this story to be over and i hope this will be a good lesson for all party's.

TallGlass

I can honestly say I don't think I have ever seen a car drove onto a recovery truck even when the car was starting! Always winched on and belted down.

The fact he drove onto it, I mean with fluid leaking out, how was he to know it was not break fluid.

Bikerguy

So got respond. Verbal over the phone.

Recovery guy said that he didnt cause any damage to my car and i have to prove it that he did - despite forcing to drive my car under overheating issue. He said to me that my car may have been domaged 6 months before or so and now i am trying to blaim them. There will be no monetary or any kind of compensation at all. I am i just repeating what i was told 5 mins a go. I have to absorb it and think about further action...if i have any left.

Its just unreal...

Can i state and blame a company name in public without consequences? I just feel that disclosing the name of the amazing towing company will make me feel better.... Temporary.

Please note i am little emotional here.... Its so sad.

Markcheese

Small claims court... It won't set Any precedent... And probably won't even bother the company much.. But...