Claim 980192 – Unfairly Declined Due to Dealer Misdiagnosis

I am extremely dissatisfied with how my claim (980192) was handled, and I strongly disagree with the reason for the rejection.

I initially took my car to the dealer for a service and specifically also reported a strange noise coming from the fan belt area. The dealer misdiagnosed the problem and replaced the fan belt, insisting that it was the cause of the noise. After collecting my car, the noise was still there, which immediately confirmed that the fan belt was not the issue. To make matters worse, the car returned with an engine light on after a few days of service.

I returned to the dealer to have both the persistent noise and the engine light checked. I was told their diagnostic machine was unavailable. When the vehicle was eventually checked, I was informed that their machine was not compatible with my car, and I was again told that the noise was “acceptable,” which I completely disagreed with. After unnecessary arguments and no proper assistance, I took my car to another dealer for a proper diagnosis.

The second dealer correctly diagnosed the problem and submitted a claim including the engine light. However, my claim was rejected on the basis that an incorrect fan belt had been installed, allegedly damaging the tensioner. This is unfair and incorrect. The noise existed before the fan belt was replaced, and the belt did not cause the initial problem. The first dealer misdiagnosed the issue and failed to address the real fault.

Even if the dealer had installed the correct belt size, the problem would still have persisted because the correct belt was already on the vehicle. I am not a mechanic and had no way of knowing whether the part number or size they installed was incorrect — I re**** entirely on their expertise. Therefore, I should not be held responsible for the consequences of their misdiagnosis and incorrect workmanship.

I expect my claim to be approved, as the rejection is based on an error caused entirely by the first dealer’s incorrect diagnosis and unprofessional handling of my vehicle.