Car garage being difficult

[carissue]

I bought a second hand car on finance earlier this year. It was new within the last 5 years however, so not old.

We have warranty for 12 months. A message has come up recently citing a fault with the engine. Google search also confirms error message means car likely needs a new engine. All SHOULD be covered within warranty.

I've called the garage and they have told me they can't book the car in to be diagnosed until NOVEMBER!

It's not like I'm trying to book a service. It's a fault. What can I do? They can't provide a courtesy car in the meantime as the car hasn't been diagnosed with any faults. I'm so stressed, with work and family nothing is close by.

Posting here for any advice

What’s the car and the warning message? Is it still running?

It's an engine fault message. When I searched on Google our car make and the message forums come up with lots of other people having the same issue this year. The problem being the car needs a new engine.

Does the car still run though? Are there any other symptoms?

Confirm your chat via email ie time rang/chatted to what you told them and what they said to you. Tell them you will still need to drive it and see what they say as some faults will make things much much worse and others are an indicator
to seek garage as soon as possible.

So have evidence should other faults follow as a result of this

What does the message say? Do you know anyone with an OBD2 scanner you can borrow? If there are any specific trouble codes, the cause of the fault will be clearer. I highly doubt your car need it's engine replaced at 5 years old.

Have you got any breakdown cover? They might recover it in and supply you with another car
I work for a garage and we are all the same at the minute, just no availability and they can't confirm it needs a new engine until they've done their own diagnostics on it
If it's amber it's generally ok to drive, red I wouldn't be driving it

The breakdown cover that we do have only recovers us to our house, which is where the car is.

When the message comes up an oil symbol comes up too, and you can't accelerate you have to stop the car turn it off and turn it back on again.

I called the garage, told them I am paying finance and have warranty and need the car to get myself to work and my children to nursery. They just basically shrugged and said they can't do anything. Can't provide courtesy car as they haven't got my car.

I will write down my conversation with them. I think I'll now basically need to go through a complaints procedure. But that doesn't change the fact that I've got no car and I will have to somehow get myself and my children to work/nursery.

No other symptoms and it does drive. But halfway through driving the message pops up and I have to stop the car and turn it off and back on again. So I can't drive on motorways.

Call the warranty company. That's what you have it for.

When the message comes up an oil symbol comes up too, and you can't accelerate you have to stop the car turn it off and turn it back on again

That does some odd though, if it’s losing oil pressure then you’d expect some other symptoms. Quite unusual for an engine with a terminal fault to continue to run without other signs, though I accept it’s not beyond the realms of possibility. As the PP suggested, get the codes read by someone other than the supplying garage - probably worth the fee just to get a second opinion in hand.

Why are you so reluctant to name the car make/model and give the engine code? Googling answers isn't always accurate.

You say the only symptom is the warning light, but you have to turn the car off and on again and won't take it on the motorway. Is it going into limp mode?

You could try contacting the warranty company and the finance company, and see if they can hurry things along or will authorise you to take it to a different garage. 2-3 week waits for garage appointments aren't unusual at the moment. Most decent garages will at least have a look for a customer they know and plug in the computer to read the fault and clear it.

They are likely short staffed. Like everywhere is

Do you expect them to down tools on everyone in front of you to put you first?

November is a few weeks away

If the warranty is with them and it is a red engine warning light then surely they should cover the cost with a garage that can fit it in sooner

When the message comes up an oil symbol comes up too, and you can't accelerate you have to stop the car turn it off and turn it back on again.

It sounds like there may be an oil leak and the car is going into 'Limp home' mode. I'm sorry to say you're best not driving it anymore until it's fixed, otherwise you risk the car giving up altogether. Can you hire a car for a week until your car can be fixed? Not ideal, but it may be the only way you can remain mobile until the issue is resolved.

I just got my dates confused. Not a week, but a month. Still painful, but if needs must.

I have now asked them this and am waiting on an answer once they speak to someone else. If there wasn't a cost of living crisis I would have been able to afford a hire car for a week or 2.
But I have zero extra pennies to spend on this.

Thanks all for listening to my rant!

Is the warranty a manufacturer's warranty or a 3rd party warranty on a 2nd hand car?
If the former, can you get it to another dealership. If the latter then ring the insurer and get them to authorise work elsewhere.

Check the oil level and try changing the spark plugs. Both things you can do relatively easily yourself

What is the fault code.?
See if anyone can plug it in and diagnose. A Mobile mechanic perhaps or a local garage.