The end of my i35
#41
I think I was mistaken to assume the shop must be liable to replace the engine. Your car isn't worth very much in today's marketplace, given it's age/make/model/condition, even with a running motor.It's unlikely the shop will find a comparable used condition serviceable motor to replace yours with. So, if they had to rebuild the motor, or install an "exchange rebuilt" motor, there could be a substantial betterment to your car which the shop isn't liable for, you are. Are you be prepared to pay that betterment amount? Even if you make a case that the car was a runner when you brought it in to the shop, and it now no longer runs through no fault of your own, the shop isn't obligated to give you something financially better than what you had.
Read more: http://www.city-data.com/forum/autom...#ixzz5Za8B7j56
Google "auto repair shop damaged my engine". Find at least 6 informative articles/forum posts on this topic and read them thoroughly. You may need to get legal advice.
You might get an engine or more likely the shop may choose to settle in cash for the value of your car. In the worst case, you will receive a refund of what you paid the shop to replace the water pump. If you choose to pursue this issue, do not go to Firestone or Pep Boys unless you happen to personally know a GREAT mechanic with EXPERIENCE. You do NOT want to have a low tech person who just changes oil all day giving you his opinion. Get a small sample of the oil (pill bottle size or at most 1/4 cup) and take it to a NISSAN DEALER. Tell the service writer you want to speak to the engine mechanical repair supervisor about your oil sample. Ask him if the oil is contaminated with coolant. If yes, then tell them this, "Another shop installed a water pump 2 weeks ago and I need an independent diagnosis of the cause of engine failure to seek compensation." From there, you'll discuss the cost of this diagnosis, etc.. If the shop mechanical repair manager says the oil is not contaminated, then you have no case against the shop that replaced your water pump.
Until then, get on your computer and Google, "auto repair shop damaged my engine" to understand what the process involved for others who had this happen to them.
Read more: http://www.city-data.com/forum/autom...#ixzz5Za8B7j56
Google "auto repair shop damaged my engine". Find at least 6 informative articles/forum posts on this topic and read them thoroughly. You may need to get legal advice.
You might get an engine or more likely the shop may choose to settle in cash for the value of your car. In the worst case, you will receive a refund of what you paid the shop to replace the water pump. If you choose to pursue this issue, do not go to Firestone or Pep Boys unless you happen to personally know a GREAT mechanic with EXPERIENCE. You do NOT want to have a low tech person who just changes oil all day giving you his opinion. Get a small sample of the oil (pill bottle size or at most 1/4 cup) and take it to a NISSAN DEALER. Tell the service writer you want to speak to the engine mechanical repair supervisor about your oil sample. Ask him if the oil is contaminated with coolant. If yes, then tell them this, "Another shop installed a water pump 2 weeks ago and I need an independent diagnosis of the cause of engine failure to seek compensation." From there, you'll discuss the cost of this diagnosis, etc.. If the shop mechanical repair manager says the oil is not contaminated, then you have no case against the shop that replaced your water pump.
Until then, get on your computer and Google, "auto repair shop damaged my engine" to understand what the process involved for others who had this happen to them.
#42
I don't know if I'd go thru all that, but I took a look at the dipstick and there was some thickness that was dark colored and the oil seemed a but runny like light brown oil but watery texture. I took off the oil cap and looks like sort of a soot color on some parts of the valve cover like sumthing got really hot in there. But what puzzles me is it still starts up.
I suggest you call the shop that installed the second water pump and tell them the symptoms in this order (or you can write down the following and take it to the shop manager). You added coolant when the level was low. While driving on a freeway, the engine made a rattling sound. Car would not accelerate. You slowed down and oil light came on. You shut off engine, opened oil cap and steam came out. Parked car and came back later to pull the dipstick. You found a dark colored thick substance on part of the dipstick and a watery light colored substance on the rest of the dipstick. The water pump has leaked coolant into the engine oil and damaged the engine. Your shop installed the water pump about 2-3 weeks ago. Report back on their response.
#43
ok i finally got the car to the shop, had to be towed about 50 miles from where it broke down. According to them yes the engine is bad, and so they say the engine is bad due to the last water pump having some type of metal shavings. Now to my knowledge they changed the water pump and gave me the old one as well as the old chain tensioner, no one said anything about any metal shavings then. And the pump was changed because it was leaking bad. Now the guy says the engine will have to be replaced which i already knew, and they were sopposed to call me today, but i havent heard from them.
#44
ok i finally got the car to the shop, had to be towed about 50 miles from where it broke down. According to them yes the engine is bad, and so they say the engine is bad due to the last water pump having some type of metal shavings. Now to my knowledge they changed the water pump and gave me the old one as well as the old chain tensioner, no one said anything about any metal shavings then. And the pump was changed because it was leaking bad. Now the guy says the engine will have to be replaced which i already knew, and they were sopposed to call me today, but i havent heard from them.
I hope you took an oil sample and recorded everything. Tell them you know coolant is in the oil, b/c they installed it wrong and you want a new ****ing engine.
Last edited by Child_uv_KoRn; 02-11-2019 at 04:18 PM.
#45
ok i finally got the car to the shop … according to them the engine is bad, and so they say the engine is bad due to the last water pump having some type of metal shavings … they changed the water pump and gave me the old one as well as the old chain tensioner … the pump was changed because it was leaking bad … they were supposed to call me today, but i havent heard from them.
The metal shavings story has to be false. The water pump consists of these parts … an exposed impeller (engine coolant side), a shaft, a sealed bearing assembly and a gear (engine oil side). A chain drives the gear, turns the shaft, spins the impeller, which pumps the coolant. I've never heard of a water pump releasing metal shavings into the engine oil (in 45+ years of experience). Child Korn is correct. Obviously, they are not owning up to what happened. I suspect they will give you the run around and deny responsibility in an effort to make you go away. This makes it difficult to determine responsibility and receive restitution.
I think you'll have to take the car to another shop for a written second opinion. Do you have a reputable shop nearby? Let's call this shop "Honest Abe Auto Repair". Before you take the car to Honest Abe, I think you should briefly tell them what has happened. Ask what it would take to determine if the other shop is at fault. The root cause has to be determined. Was the o-ring cut upon installation? (The most likely cause.) Or did something else happen that may indicate We Mess Up Auto Repair is not responsible (Much less likely but still a slight possibility). You need an expert willing to "testify" on your behalf. I would ask Honest Abe Auto Repair what assistance (if any) they can offer to help you resolve this issue with the other shop. If they don't want to get involved, you'll have to find another shop for a second opinion. The second opinion shop must be willing to follow through to resolution. I think they will want to pull out the water pump (to verify a cut o-ring) and then they must be willing to help you mediate with the We Mess Up shop and they must also be willing to offer sworn testimony or a sworn statement in the event your case ends up in small claims court.
If you can get a free 30 minute consultation with a lawyer that handles this type of claim, that would be helpful, to verify what I've suggested.
Last edited by DougR; 02-11-2019 at 05:25 PM.
#46
This is all you need at this point. Don't even bother with any mechanics anymore at this point. In fact, cease all contact with the mechanic. Just call a lawyer and he will know and instruct you exactly what to do. A call from said attorney to "We Mess Up Auto Repair" is ALWAYS enough to put their feet to the fire. You need a consumer protection attorney. Your state may even have a consumer protection department that will handle your case for you. Private counsel is always the way to go though, if you can afford it. These ma pop shops don't have the insurance or financial guns to fight claims like this and will always fold to the consumer to avoid legal process. As long as you have a legit case, you're gonna be ok. Talk to a private attorney, they may even work it out with you just to make the phone call. These kinds of calls are scripted and they make them every day and it will be less expensive than retaining counsel if the mechanic is wise and gets the clue.
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maxinout93
5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003)
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01-28-2018 04:38 PM