Another Kwik Fit Cock Up?

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birstall
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Another Kwik Fit Cock Up?

Post by birstall »

Well I haven't used this firm for some time since the last time I used them I found that although they have the equipment to balance wheels with centreless hubs, they don't appear to have the skill to use it properly. I proved this after repeat visits that failed to do the job right and eventually I had to go somewhere else (HiQ).

However, since they have a branch just around the corner to me, I thought I'd give them another chance, this time to advise me on my A/C.

My A/C was working, but I asked them to check the charge as it's some time since I had it looked at. However, they say that they can't check the charge, they can only put it on the machine and recharge the full system, but they said that if they can't improve the temperature, they won't charge me.

When I returned to pick up my car I found that it was returned to me with NO refrigerant and with the A/C non-operable.

Furthermore, it is apparently now my problem to get it fixed!

I thought that they offered a complete service!

This hardly seems complete, particularly as they have discharged the refrigerant that was there and presumably replace it with fresh air!

They say that the problem is due to a valve having stuck in the open position.

Not sure where I go with this, but you would have thought that they should be responsible for sorting this out, particularly if they claim to offer a "complete service". Complete Con, more like!
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Post by Gammy leg »

I don't know much about Air-Con systems but I am guessing that the refill valve stuck open when they attempted to top-up the refrigerant. You could argue that they should perform checks prior to starting work to ensure that this valve was operational. They would then know whether it was safe to proceed.
Were you warned of this possibility when you left the car with them?

All companies now have to work to set systems and procedures. You could ask for a copy of their procedure re: this job. It may be that they neglected to perform all the checks that are required to do the job. You would have a good case to argue.

Too late now, but I generally go to companies who I KNOW can do the job rather than take a risk on kwik fit outfits. Leave them to fit tyres and exhausts, anything else try a specialist.

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Post by Xaccers »

Find an aircon specialist and have the faulty valve replaced.
Kwik-fit haven't broken your aircon, they could not check the valve was working in both ways without putting it in a position where it would be stuck open because it's a faulty valve.
If you'd taken it to a specialist not only would they have charged you more for the regas but they'd also charge you for replacing the valve as it wouldn't have been their fault either that it stuck open.
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Post by quintet »

This faulty valve all sounds a tad suspicious to me, surely after having removed the feed pipes for the air con machine & discovered a leaking valve (under high pressure admittedly) then the smart thing to do would be to re-fit the A/C machine feed pipe which ought to stop the leak & then call you explaining the issue. it's not to say you don't have a faulty valve but at least the should have called you and explained the situation before you picked your car up & discovered it for your self.

At the end of the day if it were my car & kwik fit wanted to start charging me for extra work I'd be tempted to take the car to an air con specialist (inc a main dealer) explain whats happened, get them to check the valve which may require them to re-gas it any way & then check the system.
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Re: Another Kwik Fit Cock Up?

Post by wheeler »

birstall wrote:My A/C was working, but I asked them to check the charge as it's some time since I had it looked at. However, they say that they can't check the charge, they can only put it on the machine and recharge the full system
Just to add thats quite correct, you can't tell if the gas is low without recovering it fully & weighing it.
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Post by MikeT »

There's always two sides of a story but going by the OP, if they came across hardball to me, I'd demand they put my gas back and if they complain about the valve making it impossible, tell them it's not my problem it was fine before they got hold of it.

Unless, of course, you were pre-warned it could happen.
Did they also warn you what can happen to an A/C system that's not sealed?
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Post by andmcit »

Judging by how things are done these days, a form of consent to proceed
with work needed signing first with tiny gnats whisker italic get out clauses in their
T&C's or mentioned smewhere on a poster in reception?

I've seen all this before which is good reason for why I'm so cynical.

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Post by Gammy leg »

andmcit wrote:Judging by how things are done these days, a form of consent to proceed
with work needed signing first with tiny gnats whisker italic get out clauses in their
T&C's or mentioned smewhere on a poster in reception?

I've seen all this before which is good reason for why I'm so cynical.

Andrew
Agreed. If you're not warned beforehand either verbally or by smallprint on a contract to which you subsequently agree to, you do have recourse to compensation of some sort. In your case getting it back up & running again.
As Adamcit say's, their T&C's may well be buried somehere obscure in the reception area covered in oily handprints. Did you check? Do any of us?

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Post by Xaccers »

So if they go to regas my car and it turns out my compressor is leaking, so they can't leave me with working A/C, they should then replace the compressor?
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Post by Gammy leg »

Don't know enough about the workings of A/C to comment, however if your compressor was leaking I would assume that your A/C wouldn't be working and therefore you would in no worse position when you collected your car than when you took it in. The OP, remember, had a fully functioning system when he dropped the car off and is now left with nothing.

When my A/C was regassed by a recommended mobile specialist, he outlined the possible pitfalls that may be encountered before starting work and did not proceed until I had agreed to take the risk ( and signed to say so ). I even paid an extra £10 to get the green dye added to easily spot any leaks if there were any. The OP did not mention whether he was given any information by Kwik fit regarding potential issues from which he could then make an informed choice, ie if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

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Post by Xaccers »

My compresser leaks slowly when in use, but not when off.
If their machine detects a leak it will not pump any gas into the system as it would be a waste.
So if my leak got worse then their machine would refuse to regas and I'd be left with no aircon.
Is that Kwik Fit's problem?
No of course not, they've not charged me as they've not regassed my system, but they've found a fault and it's cost me nothing.
So rather than blame them for cocking up and what? Breaking my compressor? They didn't it was broken already but in a way that would only show up by being serviced, just like the valve in question.
Had he not had it regassed, eventually it would run out of gas an lube and stop working, and he'd still have to get the valve replaced, and possibly even the compressor due to running with low lube levels.

Take it as a bonus that finding the fault has cost nothing, and get a aircon specialist to fix it.
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Post by Synergietom »

can i ask has anyone conssidered the fact that Quick fit may have cocked up when fitting the pipes and damaged the valve by fitting the pipes incorectly as im sure that there will be different fittings for different models and as Quickfit arent cit specialists they will carry more than a few different fittings to allow a variety of cars to be worked on this would be an easy mistake to make if the mechanic doing the job was newly trained.
Yipee i have the xant lets i hope i keep her this time
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Post by Xaccers »

They didn't have to change the connectors for either of my Xantias which have been done, and the DIY kits from Halfrauds have the same connector.
The only thing they had to change was the type of lube used and the machine told them that.
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birstall
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Post by birstall »

Thanks for all your comments.

Can I just add that Kwik Fit offer what they call a complete service.
I'm fairly sure that there is no way that they could consider this a complete service.

If the valve needed fixing even at extra cost, they could at least have offered to arrange this for me, rather than telling me to get it fixed myself. They didn't even advise me of a third party who could do the work. Whatever way you look at it, this has got to be bad and I don't see why anyone would want to justify such a poor performance by Kwik Fit.

I did not sign anything before they proceeded and they did not warn me of any possible problems, only that if they failed to reduce the temperature, they wouldn't charge me.

There are no leaks on the system, otherwise I would have used a specialist A/C firm.

I have contacted Kwik Fit customer services to complain and asked them to call me. So far I haven't heard from them. I'll let you know if I hear anything back from them, but don't hold your breath!

I may get a specialist to look at it now to see if the fault is due to anything that Kwik Fit have done. Unless I hear from them pdq offering to sort things out.
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Post by MikeT »

Synergietom wrote:can i ask has anyone conssidered the fact that Quick fit may have cocked up
Yes, that was my first suspicion.

On both my Xantia, the valves, that have dust caps, are oily and covered in road grit. This should be wiped clean before undoing the cap IMO.

I suspect KwikFit did not clean the area sufficiently, if at all and that a bit of grit got in. When pressure was applied, the valve opened, pushing in the grit where it's now keeping the valve open.

It's a guess of course but if true, it is certainly a blameworthy situation that should lay squarely with KwikFit IMHO.

Even so, an A/C system should not be left open to atmosphere as moisture is a killer to various parts.
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