Car breakdown disaster - advice please!

6 replies

Caroline5 · 19/03/2004 21:32

We've got a 4 year old Ford Focus which has just had an engine disaster. Basically, the cam belt broke and this resulted in the inside of the engine being smashed up - pistons, valves etc etc all broken. The cost of repair is over £1000!!

The car has only done 45,000 miles and according to our mechanic, Ford say that the cam belt should last 100,000 miles and doesn't have to be changed until that service on the Focus! The car has been serviced regularly mainly at a Ford garage and otherwise has had nothing major wrong with it.

Does anyone think we have any chance of making a claim against Ford on the grounds that the cam belt did not last a reasonable time? If so, how do we go about this?? Thanks for any advice.

OP posts:

Janh · 19/03/2004 21:56

Caroline, there is a wonderful column in the Telegraph called Honest John that answers questions about motoring problems - I have just had a look and found this:

(This is from the column published on 03/05/03.)

It implies you could claim...you could send him an email yourself and see if he comes back to you with anything helpful:

[email protected]

Janh · 19/03/2004 21:58

Though if you have had some servicing done at a non-Ford garage they may try to wriggle out of it that way

Original poster

Caroline5 · 19/03/2004 22:04

Thanks jan, that's v helpful, will try e-mailing honest john! The last service was done at a non-Ford garage unfortunately, but still 45,000 compared to 100,000 seems a huge difference?!

OP posts:

mummytojames · 19/03/2004 22:04

if you brought it from a ford dealership then you can actualy contact them with the problem and if there no help you can contact them directly at head office and make a formal comlaint against the dealership and say that you are looking for compensation for the amount you have had to pay out to have the engine repared due to the failed cam belt

Clayhead · 19/03/2004 22:07

Caroline5, not much help on the car front but just to say, I contacted Jessica from the Saturday Telegraph's Money section with a problem and she fixed it for us, hope you're as lucky.

Janh · 19/03/2004 22:23

45,000 does seem far too soon, Caroline - I have no idea what a cambelt does or how it works, but they may suggest that something was done wrong at your previous service - you'll have to be on your toes!

Have just checked back about emails and last week's column (12/3) says:

Flip