HELP ASAP

I bought a 97 galant last june @ 86,000 miles and the timing belt was changed. The balance shaft belt broke in April, less than 20,000 miles later. I was told that the balance shaft belt was never changed when the timing belt was done and they go hand in hand so when the dealership changed the timing belt they should have changed the balance shaft. Does anyone know if this is true. I spent a lot of money on damages that could have been prevented and I have to go to court on 9/27 with the dealership. They have a lawyer and I don't so I need any help that anyone can offer. Please feel free to email me at snipped-for-privacy@aol.com with any help. THANKS IN ADVANCE!

Reply to
cindyb
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Absolutely correct. The dealer KNOWS (or can quite reasonably be expected to know) both belts are supposed to be changed at the same time. They will probably try to say its your fault for asking them to change the cam belt so that's all they did. Yeah right! You are not a mechanic (I assume, otherwise you would know whats required), and you expect to get professional and correct advice and service from a dealer.

Whether the dealer staff took a short cut or were simply incompetent (far too common), either way they did not do the job you paid them to do.

Nail the bastards ... but do consider getting some legal advice if not a legal representative.

Stewart DIBBS

Reply to
Stewart DIBBS

Yes they have to changed both timing belts at the same time that is normal standard

Reply to
Carsten Mogensen

OK.. first things first.. what does your invoice say? the invoice can either help or hurt you. While yes it is/should be standard practice to replace BOTH belts, as the balance belt is right behind the timing belt, you need to see if the work order says what labor is to be performed, AND also which parts you were charged for. IF you were charged for a balance shaft belt, then yeah, you'll have a great case.. part broke after it was installed, caused damage.. if they didn't charge you, then you have to see if you were charge labor for the R&R (remove and replace) of the balance shaft belt. IF you work order just says timing belt, then they didn't change the belt and you were not charged, and they aren't responsible for the balance shaft belt. What a lot of shops are doing, even dealers, is that they only perform the labor that the customer specifies, and they do nothing else, some don't even replace the water pump!

Reply to
Eric F

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