308 Timing belt issues on the motorway

[11JSD]

Hi all, new and looking for advice please. Sorry for the long post!

I have a Peugeot 308, 2018 1.6 HDI Auto, and recently developed a problem while driving on the motorway. The car has a full Peugeot service history, last serviced 4,400 miles ago, total mileage is 80,500, so quite high for it's age.

I was doing approximately 70 mph, when a big red 'STOP' light lit up on my dash, along with a message on the screen saying something along the lines of 'engine issue. Fortunately I was right by an area to pull off. So I was safely stationary within 1 minute of the warning light.

The AA came, and diagnosed it as the timing belt, code P0016, the engine was still able to run, roughly. The car was taken home by the AA.

I have spoken to my local dealer who has serviced the car the last two times, and they fairly quickly came to the conclusion, Peugeot would cover 25% of parts and labour, the figure is calculated based on the age and mileage.

The lady on the phone advised me this was Peugeot policym not the dealerships. When asked would the offer also apply to any other damage caused by the timing belt, she couldn't answer without the car being diagnosed. Getting the car to the dealership (£60), diagnosis (£168), this would cancel out any help Peugeot were offering.

They also told me the advised changing time of the timing belt is 10 years old, or 112,000 miles, which ever is sooner.

I am only going on the AA's diagnosis of it being the timing belt, I cannot be 100% sure. I am guessing the engine will need to be striped down to find the real cause, and the real damage (If any).

However, I have read other similar online cases with VW, where they'd offered to pay 100% and 50% labour. And, HonestJohn advising taking SKODA to small claims court if a resolution could not be found.

So, I'm asking for any advice on where people thing I stand? Has anyone had a similar problem? Is the 25% offer Peugeot admitting some sort of fault/failure on their part?

Thanks for any advice,

J

[GiveMeABreak]

I would stand your ground generally speaking - but it is especially important as to the individual circumstances of each vehicle. It is correct though, as you would have to have it diagnosed by Peugeot (£120 for an hour of diagnostics) in order for a prognosis to be done - but the timing belt kit replacement is labour intensive, so may well still be worth it if Peugeot make a greater contribution as it shouldn't have failed in this time.

The level of contribution from Peugeot would very much depend on the vehicle age, the mileage and of course whether it has been serviced to the manufacturer's schedules and had all the specific servicing operations completed again as per the manufacturer's schedules (Minor / major services) within a thousand miles or so of the recommended. Also be aware that servicing schedules have changed somewhat from 2 year / mileage mileage whichever is sooner to ANNUAL servicing or mileage-based, whichever comes sooner.

[RichardW]

If the engine will still run, then the belt hasn't completely failed, and timing it back up and sticking a new belt on should fix it. Any contribution from Pug will be wiped out by the excessive parts and labour costs...I'd be going with an indy, likely to be cheaper overall.

[Gibbo2286]

I would be having a proper diagnosis done by a competent mechanic before going along with the timing belt advice. My experience of AA roadside diagnosis is not good.
Three come to mind, I was called by a customer to a wet night breakdown, made my way with the recovery truck right across Birmingham in the rush hour traffic, the AA had told the man his battery was dead, when I got there a tap with a screwdriver handle on the very warm + battery connection brought it all back to life, just a dirty connection.
A man came into the workshop, "How much to put a new clutch in my Morris 1000, there a terrible vibration and the AA man says it the clutch?" Lifted the bonnet and can see half of the fan blade lying on the tray, a new fan blade set the balance right no clutch problem.
My daughter returning from Berlin in her VW Beetle, car won't start to leave the ferry, got pushed off, the AA man says "you need a new starter motor" a couple of dock workers give her a push start and she drives all the way home without stopping, problem, the solenoid wire had popped off, pushed it back on and all good.

[captainpugwish]

You may be lucky and it could just be a bad sensor. I had a P0341 code (camshaft position; signal inconsistent) and it was just the sensor and a cheap fix. They can get fouled up and fail (due to contaminants in the oil, low oil, degraded oil, wrong oil, cheap or dirty oil filter, etc... ).
Get it to a good mechanic. Peugeot if you like, it a good Indy if the Pug dealership service centre quotes make your eyes water.

Good luck - let us know how it pans out.

[harwoodguy]

rac and aa have really bad rep for even turning up that why i would not use them

my dad used them once couldnt find why it was losing coolant and overheating when he went on hoilday and they said you must not of filled coolant but my dad rang me for advice i said start it up and see if any coming from side of engine and it did it was pissing it out he said