MOT Test disaster (1 Viewer)

[teensvan99]

Hi all.
Just rejoined so not posted for a long time. Took our Swift 622 2011 reg with 18200 miles on clock with Transit 2.2 engine. Took van for MOT today at a garage we have used for at 10 years and told van passed test fine. Started all good and drove slowly away as only few yards from main road. Pulled into road and a high pitched howl came from engine but had to keep going and noise just the same in 2nd so stopped turned round back to garage. Explained fault so it got put onto hoist. I had by now told wife Ann turbo has blown possible a vein on turbine broke. Fifteen minutes later MOT tester states turbo blown stating it was ok on test as passed emissions test. So as far as he is concerned not his fault or garage. I asked who pays for this, and told I do but the manager might help. He will ring tomorrow when they get their stories the same. They do know I am not stupid and used to build cars and rebuild engines and still do with the son. I can't find which turbo fits this van as it could be one of 3 main makes so need make and number. Van can't be driven and is 20 miles away. Dont know how I stand ,but looks like I'm on a looser. Advice could help.
Steve

 

[pappajohn]

If it had happened during the test then in my opinion it would be their fault, but as there are/were no witnesses to that then im afraid you will have a fight on your hands

 

[chaser]

In fact , don't think it would be down to the testers if they were only doing what the test requires unless you could prove they had done something other than what is required and as the van started ok , doesn't seem down to them.
Not defending them in any way but can't see any other outcome I'm afraid.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[treetops1]

Cannot understand why the turbo would blow on an MOT.From your thread seems like it went pop after your MOT.A disappointment but i don't see what they could have done apart from giving it a few revs for the emission test.But still disappointing hope you can sort it soon.The only consolation is it packed up at home and not abroad.Hope you can sort a good price with the garage.

 

[chatteris]

could it be turbo bearings siezing up,has it had regular oil changes

 

[pappajohn]

i don't see what they could have done apart from giving it a few revs for the emission test.

It used to be max revs then foot off pedal, now I believe it's a minimum 3000rpm for 2 seconds, 3 times in succession....plenty long enough to blow the turbo.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[ambulancekidd]

Sounds to me like the garage have turned the engine off whilst the turbo was still merrily whirring away & in doing so the bearings have been starved of oil. That'd explain why the turbo let go on the way home.

It'd be a nightmare trying to prove this though.

 

[Derbyshire wanderer]

The high revving procedure shouldn’t give any issues but if the engine was switched off the second the test machine showed pass, the turbo would be at full chat without any oil supply causing the bearings to run dry.
As you said slowly driving away would not load the turbo till it was on the road to accelerate away then the bearings would have given up.

 

[Odd job]

Years ago my daughter's car had the transmission fail while at the ford main dealer, they had driven it from the parking lot to the workshop, no more than that. The transmission could have gone at any time, as could the turbo. One of our work van had a turbo go this week low mileage and (luckily) still in warranty. Mechanical thing fail all the time, normally it's impossible to find the cause.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[TerryL]

It used to be max revs then foot off pedal, now I believe it's a minimum 3000rpm for 2 seconds, 3 times in succession....plenty long enough to blow the turbo.

But that's not really a destructive procedure. I would hazard a guess that whatever it turns out to be was just ready to happen and it was a coincidence that it happened at that particular moment. Just tough luck.

Still feel for you though.

 

[Mike800966]

We had the turbo blow on our fiat at 60,000 miles when we we 200 miles from home , had jsut pulled out of a layby on max power, came home on low loader but my expert garages opinion is that it was just one of those things and can happen at any time. Wont worry you with the bill but just glad that I was able to talk to mechanics I know and trust. Could have been a lot worse
Mike

 

[pappajohn]

But that's not really a destructive procedure

Yes, I agree fully......just pointing out it isn't just 'a few revs'
As for switching off immediately after the smoke test while turbo still spooled up.....very unlikely.
In my experience the engine spends more time running during the test than it does turned off.
When mine is being done immediately after the smoke test, which is the last item before coming off the lift platforms, the brakes are tested......why turn off the engine only to restart it 15 seconds later to put it in the brake rollers.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[teensvan99]

Hi thanks for replying quickly brain did not come up with turning engine off straight after emissions test causing lack of oil as turbo still spinning at 15000+ rpm.Plenty of oil in engine as only changed 800 miles ago along with filter. Even garage said plenty of oil.
Steve

 

[gus-lopez]

It used to be max revs then foot off pedal, now I believe it's a minimum 3000rpm for 2 seconds, 3 times in succession....plenty long enough to blow the turbo.

In an effort to improve & tighten up on emissions here we now have new machines whereby the nozzle goes in the exhaust on tickover for at least a minute whilst lights, indicators, wipers etc; are being tested then it is revved up.

Sounds to me like the garage have turned the engine off whilst the turbo was still merrily whirring away & in doing so the bearings have been starved of oil. That'd explain why the turbo let go on the way home.

It'd be a nightmare trying to prove this though.

My last car used to have large manufacturer's 4" x2" stickers on sun visor & door panel by the handle specifically stating not to turn off whilst hot/ just stopped or just revved.

 

[tacr2man]

Things mechanical break all the time, its not down to anything done during a normal mot procedure . You don't have any recourse, so if they are prepared to "help" you out of goodwill , I would count your blessings and say thanks to them .

Turbos are not that fragile that one fast switch off after an emissions test would kill it .
Modern engines get just that and worse done all the time , and still do mega mileages .

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[tonyidle]

Sounds to me like the garage have turned the engine off whilst the turbo was still merrily whirring away & in doing so the bearings have been starved of oil. That'd explain why the turbo let go on the way home.

It'd be a nightmare trying to prove this though.

Turbo has to be red hot for that to happen though. Not likely to be caused when being tested without load on the engine.

 

[Lot lover]

Probably a daft question but could an annual mileage of only 3,000 be a contributing factor?

Or that it is a Ford?

 

[Stealaway]

Dont know how I stand ,but looks like I'm on a looser. Advice could help.

It just wasn't your day- such is life

It's comforting to be able to blame someone else BUT-
Sh1t happens lets just move on.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Geo]

Just so you know MoT stations are liable for any and all damage they cause during a MoT
The problem arises when you make a claim against the garage, the Garage will carry insurance
covering such liability
If placed in the hands of it's insurance company or a claim is made through DVSA (Vosa)
The investigation is forensic in nature
High likely hood of claim being rejected either as

1. The vehicle has not been maintained in strict accordance of Manf requirements
Every service carried out in due dates every recall attended to and every T crossed and i dotted

2. it will be put down to undefinable reasons (was going to happen anyway)
Your burden of proof that it was negligence on the testers / garages part
would also have to be forensically proven to win your case

At my test station we CCTV Record all test procedures to HDD for our own protection .

 

[Xabia]

Turbo failed on my wife’s Smart Forfour at 5,000 miles, it has been carefully driven and serviced by Mercedes main dealer. Looks as though these things can just fail for no apparent reason. Only problem here is that the car has been at the dealer since 1st February and there is still no sign of a replacement as they are on ‘worldwide backorder’. Have complained to CEO of Mercedes U.K. but I don’t suppose that will result in anything moving soon.

 

[The Wino]

Probably a daft question but could an annual mileage of only 3,000 be a contributing factor?

Or that it is a Ford?

mORE LIKELY THE LOW MILEAGE IF ANYTHINGTHERE MUST BE LOADS OF TRANITS DOUNG MEGA MILES

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[davejen]

Turbo failed on my wife’s Smart Forfour at 5,000 miles, it has been carefully driven and serviced by Mercedes main dealer. Looks as though these things can just fail for no apparent reason. Only problem here is that the car has been at the dealer since 1st February and there is still no sign of a replacement as they are on ‘worldwide backorder’. Have complained to CEO of Mercedes U.K. but I don’t suppose that will result in anything moving soon.

Sounds to me that there may be a known fault if there is a worldwide backorder of them. Mercedes generally good with parts. Have you checked Smart forums?
Cheers, Dave

 

[Portland]

Sounds to me like the garage have turned the engine off whilst the turbo was still merrily whirring away & in doing so the bearings have been starved of oil. That'd explain why the turbo let go on the way home.

It'd be a nightmare trying to prove this though.

Quite agree with this, early turbo's were notorious for this problem, we had Leylands that we modified by installing a Vockes filter in oil line so it would keep oil feed to turbo when engine was stopped. official procedure was to allow engine to idle for 2 minutes before stopping, did not always work

 

[Xabia]

Sounds to me that there may be a known fault if there is a worldwide backorder of them. Mercedes generally good with parts. Have you checked Smart forums?
Cheers, Dave

Hi Dave, yes checked all the Smart forums and no general reports of failures, the conclusion was that we had been “unlucky”.

Have to wait 5 business days for a response from Mercedes, wonder what that will contain? Not good though is it, you would think it would be possible to supply one as surely they are still producing new cars from the factory.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}