Would you say something to the garage or not?

[DingsBum]

I have a large vehicle (over 3.5t) which I took for an MOT and service a few weeks ago. This week I used it for the first time this year, driving a lot of miles most of which was on the motorway.

On arrival, someone else pointed out that there was something sticking out slightly from under my bonnet. It was the handle of a large adjustable spanner that came completely free when I took hold of it and pulled very gently - that is to say, it wasn't tightly wedged in and could have fallen out at any time. I hadn't noticed it when wandering round the vehicle before I left so presumably it had been left on top of the engine by the mechanics and slid down whilst I was driving.

I keep thinking about what could have happened if it had either fallen out, or worse, fallen in to the actual engine and damaged something or caused engine failure while I was on the motorway! Obviously it didn't and that's great, nobody is hurt, it's all fine, but it could have been literally catastrophic....

DH says I should just consider myself the new owner of what is apparently an expensive make of said spanner, and not use the MOT place again.

I think I should pop in and tell them so they can be more careful in future but not return the spanner

Just to be absolutely clear I am not expecting com-pen-SAY-shun or even an apology, but I do personally think it was a potentially very dangerous mistake for them to have made and they should take it on board and be more careful.

WWYD MNers?

I don't know if was the same person servicing or mot tested it. Generally mot testers don't service anymore that's why they are mot testers because it's easy work they they have to be sponsored for to get a mot tester's license. They have done their time on the tools generally speaking. Talk about arsey. I'd just ring the garage I'm sure they will apologise and the service tech will get a bollocking.

Loving people blaming op for an idiot mechanics fuck up. It could have fallen out on the motorway and gone through a windscreen/radiator/caused a blow out. The mechanic should check where his/her tools are, it's not down to op to return a missing one, and it's certainly not theft. Personally I would email, tell the garage what happened and depending on their response leave a bad review on trust pilot or similar. If they were careless about this, who knows what else they were careless about?

Talk about arsey.

😂 Says the person telling the OP it couldn't have come from this garage...

I said it more the likely didn't come from the mot

Did you actually read my OP? It went for a full service and MOT - at the same garage at the same time. I always have it serviced after winter.

So no, I didn't check anything other than tyres before I set off, seeing as it had just been fully serviced and had all fluids checked by us before taking it to the garage anyway. It had however had 2 new tyres so I did check those.

Anyway. I'm off to town later so will take the spanner back to the garage while I'm out. I can't exactly return the spanner without mentioning how I found it though so whilst I won't be "giving a lecture" I will say where it was and that it's lucky it didn't cause any damage.

For those saying "that's not how engines work" - if I lift the bonnet of this particular vehicle when the engine is running I can see the drive belt going round and various other moving parts. If I was to drop a spanner in then yes, yes it could get wedged into a belt or any number of other places you don't want a large lump of metal to be banging around. Maybe because it's an older vehicle? My car (much newer vehicle) has plastic covers over stuff so you can't see as many bits of engine when you pop the bonnet.

Doesn't mean it came from the mot tester. Call and have a bitch up at the garage ?

They also check the battery connections and the battery is secure, aswell as a glance over your fuel and exhaust systems for any leaks.
Final check is that the bonet remains securely latched closed when shut, so yes they WILL have been under the bonnet unless they gave it an mot from their chair in the office.
Adjustable spanner - unless they were using to pry suspention components to check ball joints/bushes its a strange tool to leave laying, its also more appropriate to use the correct sized spanner.

Take it back, make a joke of it - it wasnt left on purpose.

What? What on earth are you on about? Are you suggesting some random has come and broken into my vehicle just to leave a spanner under the bonnet and then go away leaving no trace of the break in? How do you think it got there if it wasn't there before the service and MOT, but was there after?

Batteries under drivers seat or in footwell if they can't see it they can't check it.

No I suspect it came from the service like I have said in previous replies.

Very defensive - Starting to sound like its your spanner mate 😆😆

Maybe it is 😉

I had the same except the spanner lodged itself in the gear connectors so I couldn't use 1,3 or 5. I ended up stranded on a busy road and being pushed by a lovely couple into a car park. When I realised the issue I took the car and spanner back to the garage who denied it was theirs. I wasn't looking for compensation but just wanted them to add an extra check before letting vehicles go.

Anyway I must get back to leaving my tools everywhere. While you lot argue about what cunts mechanics are lol

I don't know why you think this matters? I have not said it came from the MOT at any point. I've said, if you actually read, that I took it for an MOT and service. At the same garage. They did both in a day then returned the vehicle. Why are you so hung up on insisting it didn't come from the MOT when literally nobody is saying it did?

I think people make mistakes, that you should return the spanner and tell them about it, you might be offered a free MOT or service next time, at the very least the garage will know what happened and (hopefully) be more careful in future.

My example was actually a family member so I didn't leave any negative reviews etc. I just wanted them to know that they should be more vigilant before sending vehicles out.

I've just been to the garage. The receptionist looked at me like I was mad, told me it wasn't theirs, and said they have a checking process to ensure this can't happen. So I've still got the bloody spanner 🤣

That's terrifying, imagine that happening on the motorway

Its highly unlikely that it will be the garages own spanner. That just doesn't happen. All mechanics buy their own. They're put under such physical pressure they can cost far far more than you'd normally expect for one spanner. It might not be the mechanic who worked in your car who shut the bonnet, and he could be looking everywhere for it, thinking none of his colleagues would be so stupid as to not check before they shut it. Go mad at the garage by all means, but the poor mechanic who suffers financially might not by the one who 'deserves' is.

Return the spanner.

Yes.
Oil and water checks really should be done weekly ideally, but absolutely before a long journey.

Ok, but out here in the real world I don't know anyone who would dick around under the bonnet checking oil and water levels when the vehicle had just been serviced, no warning lights were on, and no evidence of an oil leak on the ground under the vehicle. Yes I know it's recommended but let's be honest, very very few people actually do checks that regularly. I reckon I do it monthly-ish.