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PeP Boys saga continues...92 Jetta EcoDiesel

On July 12, 2004, I brought my vehicle a 1992 Volkswagen Jetta which had around

225,000 miles to my local PEP BOYS shop in Seekonk MA to have an alternator belt replaced. They replaced the belt, I paid $76.26 for the repair, they gave me the keys and I was off. As soon as I left the parking lot, it was clear that the technician had removed the power steering belt and forgot to replace it. I drove right back and had them replace the belt, which they charged me $45.14. I called the corporate office they refunded the $45.14. On August 2, 2004, I am driving and my power steering belt broke, in turn it took off my alternator belt and my water pump belt, my car over heated, and I had to make an emergency stop. I had my car towed to PEP BOYS in Raynham MA. On 8/3/04, the PEP BOYS technicians look at my car see no reason why the belt would have fallen off. They explain to me that further work will need to be done and that they will have no problem paying for a rental car. On 8/5/04, I am told that the timing belt is at issue that it was off its marks that it was put on wrong. They also stated that they are going to put it on right and if the car does not work properly they will need to have the head removed and machined etc. On 8/6/04 I am contacted by District Manager Marc Tressel. He stated the rental will be reimbursed, that it was his understanding the engine needs to be sent out to be fixed which could take a week or more. On 8/9/04, I happen to drive by Raynham PEP BOYS with my girlfriend and notice my car in the lot. I check it out open the hood the engine is still inside. I go to the service desk, I am told the car is all set. They stated all the belts were replaced, that it is a bit rough to start that I should use ether if I have a problem and that it smokes a little but is OK to drive that it was a timing belt issue all along. I pick up the keys and try to start the car. It took me about 3 minutes of cranking the engine to start, and the car blew more smoke then a semi-trailer. As I drove down the highway, my girlfriend said she was unable to stay behind me due to the smoke. I call PEP BOYS and complain. I tell them I will bring to a qualified diesel technician that has worked on my car before. On 8/10/04, my car is looked at by a service technician at Newport Autocenter in Middletown RI. The service technician stated the car has little to no compression in at least one cylinder caused by overheating, that possibly a head gasket has blown etc. and will need to either be machined or a new motor placed in the vehicle. I notified Marc Tressel on his voice mail. On 8/11/04, I tried to get in touch with both Manny Mederios and Marc Tressel however both had the day off. On 8/12/04 I called Manny Mederios explained to them what the Volkswagen technicians had stated and they said they would go to Newport Autocenter and see for themselves. Well after they left Newport Autocenter they determined that the timing belt was the cause of the low compression and not only are they not going to pay for any repairs at this point, but since the problem was with the timing belt, that they are no longer going to pay for the rental car which I have had at this point for eleven days. So now I am stuck with a car that the Volkswagen service tech said if I drive it, it will without a doubt suffer complete failure and with that I am unable to go to work, or go to kidney dialysis. Now the Volkswagen service center said they will take off the head on 8/13/04 to check if in fact it was heat or the timing belt but it is I who must pay for this. However, the service advisor for the Volkswagen service center informed me if in fact the timing belt were off a few teeth, my car would have had problems long ago, but he can not guarantee that if the head comes off he will be able to say heat was a contributing factor. I know I should never have gone to PeP Boys trust me but it was in a pinch. Anyone got any advice??
Reply to
AlanH70
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Your car threw a water pump belt. How did the car overheat? Did you keep driving when the alternator light came on? If you had stopped when the alternator light came on to see what the problem was you probably would not have overheated the engine. My water cooled VWs have water temp guages. If you had paid attention to the water temp guage rising you should have stopped before it overheated. I don't know that a car would overheat in a minute or two it might take to pull over. A friend had a water pump problem in his truck. He was on the interstate in a real rough neighborhood. He knew that if y he stopped at that time of the morning his truck would be broken into and all his equipment would be lost. He chose to drive on a few more miles to get to a better neighborhood. When he opened the hood the engine had lots of parts glowing cherry red. That engine was totally destroyed but that was cheaper than losing the equipment in the back of the truck.

It is possible that some belt was defective or was damage by the installer. I do not know that you could place the blame on anyone. If you were to try small claims court and I were a judge I suspect I would not find in your favor. You would have to prove to me that your monitoring of the water temp guage and the idiot light was proper, that the belt was damaged or know to be defective by the mechanic, and that the belt was not thrown by some debri that may have been picked up while driving.

Have you ever heard the story about the guy who had chest pa>On July 12, 2004, I brought my vehicle a 1992 Volkswagen Jetta which had around

Jim B.

Reply to
jimbehning

How the heck would the PepBoys techs know if the timing belt was installed incorrectly on your DIESEL engine if they did not pull off the valve cover to check the camshaft timing. Are they qualified to work on VW diesel engines? It really sounds like they messed up your engine. :-(

I hope they gave you invoices of what they did to it! Maybe you should talk to the manager over the phone, ask what was done exactly to the engine and tape the conversation! ;-)

You need it running again anyway! So you have to get it running well! The evidence will appear as soon as the cylinder head is removed, either the valves will be bent by a misaligned timing belt or the cylinder head gasket. Usually if the gasket is bad the engine will pressurize the coolant system very quickly and the engine will overheat quickly. I would think that the valves are bent and you need to have PepBoys PAY!!!

You might have to contact that girl who can help you out..........what is her name again....SUE? ;-)

JMHO Good Luck! later, dave Reminder........ Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them, and you have their shoes. Frieda Norris

Reply to
dave

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