Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Legal matters

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have any legal concerns we suggest you consult a solicitor.

Car engine cooked - what recourse do I have?

3 replies

Ecoboom · 06/08/2018 23:10

NC as everyone in real life knows this saga!

I have a 1.0 Ford CMax Ecoboost. The coolant degas hose cracked which led to a rapid loss of coolant and my engine cooked. Recovered to trusted local garage who recommended I take it to Ford because it's a known problem.

1st dealership diagnosed cracked coolant degas hose and Ford Customer Relations Centre offered a 'goodwill' gesture of 55%
leaving me with a bill for £2656.24. I wrote a detailed letter explaining:

Known fault which other engine VINs (but not mine) have been recalled for.
No coolant level warning light on the CMax so no prior warning (& this is on an engine with a known coolant degas hose issue)
Friend received 100% 6 months ago for exactly the same problem. My car was 12 days older and 5k miles less.
My car was serviced by my trusted local garage 5 days prior to this issue so in tip top order.

Ford will not reconsider their offer and say they will not enter into any further correspondence, including to explain why my car wasn't recalled. They directed me to a £1/minute technical line.

Non Ford dealer I bought it from refuse to pay a partial refund because I didn't get it serviced with them. They've been in touch with their local Ford dealership who say my car has the modified hose (they have not seen my car) so it's not a faulty part that was there when I bought it. And cast aspersions on my trusted local garage not being thorough on their service and requesting sight of the service check sheet which includes coolant check (mechanic is on hols till Weds but will sort me a copy when he's back). Others with a similar problem say the motor ombudsman is toothless and won't help and that's who the non Ford dealership I've bought from are pointing me towards.

I paid on debit card not credit card.

What can I do next? It's the next big car scandal (LOTS of Ecoboost engines with EXACTLY the same issue) but right now no one is taking responsibility & I'm facing a huge bill. Please help!

OP posts:
prh47bridge · 06/08/2018 23:31

How long have you had the car?

ThisMustBeMyDream · 06/08/2018 23:41

I'm following this as I had the exact same issue. I took it on the nose because I missed a service, and the finance was in my now ex husbands name. I couldn't get anyone to deal with me because even though my name was on the v5, and the direct debit for finance was from my bank, the finance was in the name of someone else.
I handed the car back to my ex husband by putting the keys and documents through his door and declaring it to DVLA. I don't know what he may have done after that as I went and fortunately took my own finance for a new car.

At the time I didn't have time to fight it. And it didn't seem worth it because of the above mentioned issues.

It was a 13 plate 4.5 years old, 38k miles. It also wasn't in the recall list. Suspiciously....

It had already had the turbo go 6 months earlier at a repair of £700. I was quoted 2k for a new engine after the cracked degas hose. I have never ever had a car with a bill of more than £200. I'll never buy an ecoboost engine again.

I hope you win this fight.

Ecoboom · 07/08/2018 07:25

@ThisMustBeMyDream sorry to hear that. Consider adding yourself to the Facebook group www.facebook.com/groups/FordEcoboostNightmare/ to get your case recorded.

It's a 13 plate. Had it since 2015. Newest car I'd ever bought. Was going to have it till it died as an all round great family car. Wasn't expecting that to happen after 3 years. No finance.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page