Vehicle Repairs and Negligence

On 30 January 2026, I brought my car in for a diagnosis and received a report stating that the expansion bottle and cap, both caliper pins, and the right CV Joint required attention. There was no mention of a burst pipe or gasket issue in that report. When the car came back from diagnostic, I was not verbally informed that I needed to leave the vehicle until repairs were completed, and I was made to sign a non-liability form without being properly informed of what it entailed.

On 11 February 2026, I returned the vehicle for repairs of the major issues as per the diagnostic report recommended by the Renault team. The repairs were completed on 11 February 2026 and the vehicle was declared ready for collection at 4pm by Renault Springs. However, on 12 February 2026, while driving on the N12 highway, my car displayed an engine failure warning. I immediately contacted the Renault team, who inspected the vehicle at 3 Brickfield Road (EnviroServ Head Office). During the inspection, a new leak was discovered, and I was advised that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. A tow truck was arranged and paid for by Renault for further investigations.

On 13 February 2026 at 4pm, I followed up via the WhatsApp help line to request updates regarding the vehicle (see attached). On 16 February 2026, I was informed that the car had blown its gasket due to the newly identified leak, which was not detected prior to the vehicle being returned to me. On 16 February 2026, I received a call from Rethabile Wotsa stating the vehicle repair cost would be approximately R22,000. I then wrote a WhatsApp message expressing my confusion about what caused the damages and requested a meeting (see attached).

On 17 February 2026, I met with Pieter Van de Berg and Duduzile Gwebu as my witness. Following the discussion with Pieter, I remain dissatisfied with the outcome, as I am left bearing the cost of additional repairs that were not identified during the initial diagnosis. I further requested proof that pressure testing was done after the pressure bottle and cap were installed, but no evidence was provided. I have already paid a deposit so that your technicians can start working on the car. However, I have not received any commitment on when the car will be ready. I have been without a car since 12 February 2026, which has caused significant inconvenience and additional costs for transportation.

My frustration is compounded by the lack of communication from your team, as I am the one constantly following up. I was not advised that the car was unsafe to use following the initial diagnosis, and only informed of this today. This raises serious concerns as to why I was not instructed earlier to leave the car with you until repairs were completed and the vehicle deemed safe.

I strongly believe this reflects negligence on the part of Renault, which has now resulted in sequential damages to the car and put my safety at risk. Proper verification should have been conducted to determine the necessary repairs on the cooling system, confirm stable operating temperature, and perform a test drive to ensure no additional leaks were present. The new leak stems directly from an improper diagnosis of the cooling system. I therefore request urgent clarification and action on the following: - Provide intake inspection notes, cooling system pressure test results, combustion leak test results, and confirmation of whether the vehicle was test driven. - Explain why I am being held solely responsible for the costs of repairs, when the damages clearly occurred immediately after the car was repaired at Renault. - Provide a courtesy car immediately, and not the straight out of repairs Nissan Almera, which demonstrates Renault’s disregard for my safety. - Provide a clear action plan on how this situation will be resolved.