workshop warranty with regard to transmission

danmhi · 31-12-2014, 03:39 PM

Hi all,

I'm after peoples thoughts on an issue that has come up after having some work done on my BA falcon.

So the short story, my auto trans failed so I had it towed to a auto trans workshop. I told them about what the trans was doing prior to failing noises limp mode etc and got a price to install a second hand trans.

So all good and done replacement trans installed, on the drive home from the workshop the replacement trans failed in a very similar manner to the original after only 84km!!!!!!

so back to the workshop it went.

This time they did some investigating and found that the cooler was blocked and not allowing much oil flow to return from the cooler and of course the replacement gearbox was now stuffed to.

So my thoughts are that any competent workshop when installing a gearbox would check the cooler for obstruction seeing as it's the only external thing that could cause damage to gearbox.

so what do people think? should these guys hand done due diligence and checked the cooler? is that considered normal practice when replacing a transmission?

Thanks!

mik · 31-12-2014, 04:35 PM

if your replacing the auto, the lines and cooler should be flushed out, no ifs or buts.

**fordomatic** · 31-12-2014, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mik

if your replacing the auto, the lines and cooler should be flushed out, no ifs or buts.

This.

**aussiblue** · 31-12-2014, 04:47 PM

Yes they're liable to meet costs of the new trans but you will need to pay for a new radiator. If they are a transmission shop they obviously hold themselves out to be transmission experts and as such should have know to take action (investigations or parts replacement) to prevent this.

If you are a NRMA member they may be able to assist you sorting it; if not try ACT Fair Trading http://www.ors.act.gov.au/community/fair_trading

devilcv8 · 31-12-2014, 08:35 PM

I'm going to go against the grain. You asked the workshop to instal a second hand transmission. You didn't ask them to diagnose what happened to the old one. Is there a problem with the work they did?

For goodwill they should offer free labour to swap transmission again, and a small charge to unblock cooler.

**aussiblue** · 31-12-2014, 11:02 PM

Quote:

You asked the workshop to instal a second hand transmission. You didn't ask them to diagnose what happened to the old one. Is there a problem with the work they did?

Even for their own protection and reputation a good trans shop with either have checked it or, as many, do insist that a new one and a new radiator also be fitted.

ratter · 01-01-2015, 08:47 AM

I'm agreeing with devilcv8 here, most trans shops would want to rebuild a trans so I'm thinking it was the customers decision to use a 2nd hand trans based on being the cheapest option and fact is if for a job to be done cheap, corners will be cut, not the right way to do things though

**MercurySilver** · 01-01-2015, 09:26 AM

sounds an awful lot like a mates ba
trans shot limp mod
milkshaked

XR Martin · 01-01-2015, 09:32 AM

Did you tell them you wanted it as cheap as possible, and dont do anything else other than put the new box in?

Itsme · 01-01-2015, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by devilcv8

I'm going to go against the grain. You asked the workshop to instal a second hand transmission. You didn't ask them to diagnose what happened to the old one. Is there a problem with the work they did?

For goodwill they should offer free labour to swap transmission again, and a small charge to unblock cooler.

Depends on how how the work shop diagnosed the fault & what options offered to the customer, the second hand tranny died from another fault not from a defect in the tranny.

If tranny was new you would expect compensation, so why having second hand be any different.

In my view work shop personal is at fault.

ratter · 01-01-2015, 12:50 PM

wreckers will normally give a warranty on their trans, but not cover labour, oil etc, but only if the trans itself was the fault, not caused by outside influences

danmhi · 01-01-2015, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Did you tell them you wanted it as cheap as possible, and dont do anything else other than put the new box in?

the company quoted $900 to supply and fit second hand box with approx 150,000km considering the age of the car and condition of the car this was what i was willing to spend.

now the car was towed to the garage as the trans was stuffed no drive at all, I explained the symptons and that it started 100km west of ceduna and I made the decision to continue to perth about 1800km.
So it was made pretty apparent that the trans was stuffed. I also mentioned on a number of occasions that the trans was grinding at low speed before it changed to third so i suspect it will have a lot of metal no doubt floating around.

When I picked up the car I expressly asked if they had opened the old trans to see what had failed, to which they replied no it was stuffed and went in the bin, I also asked was it making metal? the reply was yes lots.

From my point of view (not being trained on auto tran servicing and repair, but dealing with oil coolers on aircraft engines) surely common sense must prevail????? if something is making metal some of it will make its way into the cooler!

from the BA service manual

Quote:

When a clutch or band failure or other internal trouble has occurred in the transmission, any metal particles or clutch plate or band material that may have been carried into the cooler should be removed from the system by flushing the cooler and lines before the transmission is put back into service. In no case should an automatic transmission having a clutch or band failure or other internal trouble resulting in fluid contamination, be put back into service without first flushing the transmission oil cooler.

devilcv8 · 02-01-2015, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trublu

Depends on how how the work shop diagnosed the fault & what options offered to the customer, the second hand tranny died from another fault not from a defect in the tranny.

If tranny was new you would expect compensation, so why having second hand be any different.

In my view work shop personal is at fault.

Was the cooler blocked by the first auto or was the replacement on its last legs and it failed and caused the blockage?
Who supplied the second hand auto?

Itsme · 02-01-2015, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by devilcv8

Was the cooler blocked by the first auto or was the replacement on its last legs and it failed and caused the blockage?
Who supplied the second hand auto?

Read post 12 by the OP as it explains it quite well, incompetence of the workshop staff.

danmhi · 03-01-2015, 03:17 AM

Thanks for the replies

looks like its going to be a small claims court matter

uniacidz · 03-01-2015, 03:40 AM

So whats the repair shop saying?

What are they covering?

I got a 2yr warranty on mine, so im sure you would have at least a year warranty to longer.

lucas2 · 03-01-2015, 11:28 AM

I'm not a mechanic, but I would have checked the oil cooler given the issues the Falcon has with milkshaking. The issue is common knowledge among most mechanics/ transmission specialists I've spoken to...Except for Ford of course, doesn't happen often apparently.

danmhi · 03-01-2015, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uniacidz

So whats the repair shop saying?

What are they covering?

I got a 2yr warranty on mine, so im sure you would have at least a year warranty to longer.

Well it was a second hand trans so it came with 30 days warranty.

The shops position is that the trans cooler being blocked caused the replacement trans to fail and they will not cover it under warrentty as they

Quote:

'do not inspect clean the cooler when installing a trans & have never had a problem before'

apparently they dont like reading service manuals or applying common sense

devilcv8 · 04-01-2015, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danmhi

Well it was a second hand trans so it came with 30 days warranty.

The shops position is that the trans cooler being blocked caused the replacement trans to fail and they will not cover it under warrentty as they

apparently they dont like reading service manuals or applying common sense

Off to your local fair trading department you go. If the factory repairn manual states flushing must be done and they supplied the box with a 30 day warranty then they won't have much of a leg to stand on. Yes, my thoughts have changed as more information became available in the thread.

However, common sense and non factory repair manuals don't work in these situations. You will need to show that flushing the cooler and lines is mandated by the factory, not the Gregory or Haines book.
Good luck