Dodgy mechanic or crappy car?

[RebeccaCloud9]

Posting here as I didnt know where else would be better!

So, I've taken my car in for MOT. It needed new front tyres and track rod ends, then had the tracking done. I've just had a call from them saying the electric power steering has gone.

They are saying it's all a coincidence, but there was no problem with the steering before they fixed the other bits.

Because I know nothing about cars, I don't know if this IS a coincidence, but it seems so dodgy to me!

Can anyone help?

Voting:
Yes - it's a coincidence, pay to get it fixed
No - they've ballsed up and broken it themselves

How old is this car?

9 years.

Fiat punto.

Replacing tyres and track rod ends would not involve your cars electrical system or the steering column and assist at all. So it most probably is coincidence.

I'd say that you don't look after the car very well and its at the age where stuff breaks

@Pikoty why do you say that?

Coincidence

The electric power steering unit on a punto is on the steering column not the rack so unlikely they've been anywhere near it.

They're temperamental buggers so can always get the to try the old off and on again trick by unplugging the unit and clearing any codes in the bcm.

@Prozacyogurt thanks - they are currently trying that so fingers crossed!

[quote RebeccaCloud9]@Pikoty why do you say that?[/quote]
The most basic maintenance on your car will have flagged up that the tyres needed replacing, long before your mot was due. If you can't be bothered to check your tyres, what else are you not checking/having checked?

Ooh you're prickly today @pikoty. Thanks for your help

@PlanDeRaccordement thanks, that's what the mechanic said but it just seemed like such an unlikely random coincidence that I couldn't be sure!

@RebeccaCloud9 Prickly to be concerned about idiots driving round with dodgy tyres? Righto

It's a sad fact of life on old anythings that once you start touching one part, others can fail. It's not exactly "coincidence", but also it's not exactly anyones fault.

A good mechanic - with experience - should know how things tend to fail and warn that working on this part of a car might lead to other faults being uncovered or encountered.

Track rod ends link the wheel hubs to the steering rack - which in turn is connected to the steering column. It's not impossible that the work involved has disturbed something - from loosening a wire to more physical damage if a big hammer was used (some track rods really need a whack to break them free).

It's not impossible that the work involved has disturbed something - from loosening a wire to more physical damage if a big hammer was used (some track rods really need a whack to break them free).

It is in this case. The puntos power steering unit is on the column, no wires run between it and the rack. Any work to replace the track rod ends won't have put any more stress on the power steering unit than just driving around will have.

@Prozacyogurt

It's not impossible that the work involved has disturbed something - from loosening a wire to more physical damage if a big hammer was used (some track rods really need a whack to break them free).

It is in this case. The puntos power steering unit is on the column, no wires run between it and the rack. Any work to replace the track rod ends won't have put any more stress on the power steering unit than just driving around will have.

Depends how they popped the track rod ends.

Also you are crediting them with being competent. Having seen some of the bodge jobs my DF (and I) fixed over decades, I wouldn't. Especially with FIATs.

However Hanlons razor generally applies.

@Prozacyogurt

It's not impossible that the work involved has disturbed something - from loosening a wire to more physical damage if a big hammer was used (some track rods really need a whack to break them free).

It is in this case. The puntos power steering unit is on the column, no wires run between it and the rack. Any work to replace the track rod ends won't have put any more stress on the power steering unit than just driving around will have.

Thank you. I was about to post the same! There are no wires on steering rack that can be disturbed. And that a hammer bashing the rod ends would still be less than the vibrations from driving would cause.

The amazing, trustworthy place I usually go was fully booked well in advance this year due to the 6 month MOT extensions. So annoyed with myself for not booking in earlier - if this had happened with them I would have trusted them but I just don't know with someone new!

I find it quite interesting that people seem to think they can run their car into the ground with no maintenance required.

9 years is getting on a bit for a car, it is usually after 6 or 7 years of medium use that things start going wrong on a fairly regularly basis.

@tttigress it isn't that I don't think it would ever need work doing to it, it's the fact that the electric steering problem did not exist until they did other work on the steering/tyres so I was wondering if they had caused it!

The car has done quite well, with no major problems at all until now, so I get that it may need work done at some point soon.

You want to try telling a customer their turbo going on a test drive after unrelated work is just coincidence, that was an awkward conversation!!

Sometimes they do just chose that time to break. Or a new driver notices something you hadn’t. As for your car getting on, she’s a mere baby mines 19!

It’s a reasonable question OP. There are dodgy mechanics out there.

I don’t expect things to start going wrong regularly on a 9ye old car (even a fiat!). Both our cars have got years on that.

To be fair it is approaching an age where the odd electrical problem might start cropping up. The car has years in it yet but parts only last so long. Mines 11 and the fuel sensor has just packed up. Bastard. Will have to wait till I'm off furlough to be fixed. No previous issues with it though, never failed an MOT, its just one of those things. Plus Fiats are notoriously temperamental so it might even be just a blip and never happen again.