Engine Seized After 1500 Miles?
Discussion
Hi I have a 5 month old Dacia Duster 2 Extreme MY23 1.3 petrol with 1500 miles on the clock. Since I've had the car it's run perfectly.
Until yesterday when I stopped at traffic lights. The car would not start. The words Stop Start appeared on the dashboard followed by Brakes. The car would not start. Just a clicking noise and the engine not turning over. I could also smell a slight chemical smell inside the car.
The electrics still worked, radio, lights, windows.
RAC Breakdown attended and he rolled the car along the road thinking he could jump start as it was maybe a starting motor issue but there was no reaction. He then checked the dipstick and there was plenty oil but then rocked the car back and forward and pointed to something and said it should move, which it didn't and then told me the engine was seized!
The car was towed to the dealership and it'll be 6 weeks before they can examine it!!
Anyone have thoughts on the prognosis for such a new car and engine?
Any thoughts appreciated.
Until yesterday when I stopped at traffic lights. The car would not start. The words Stop Start appeared on the dashboard followed by Brakes. The car would not start. Just a clicking noise and the engine not turning over. I could also smell a slight chemical smell inside the car.
The electrics still worked, radio, lights, windows.
RAC Breakdown attended and he rolled the car along the road thinking he could jump start as it was maybe a starting motor issue but there was no reaction. He then checked the dipstick and there was plenty oil but then rocked the car back and forward and pointed to something and said it should move, which it didn't and then told me the engine was seized!
The car was towed to the dealership and it'll be 6 weeks before they can examine it!!
Anyone have thoughts on the prognosis for such a new car and engine?
Any thoughts appreciated.
On an older car, I'd say maybe the starter is stuck in the flywheel. Not sure if this still works this way on modern cars.
On older cars you'd turn the starter a little with a spanner to free up. Not uncommon if there is a tooth missing on the flywheel.
- again, may not apply in the 21st century.
On older cars you'd turn the starter a little with a spanner to free up. Not uncommon if there is a tooth missing on the flywheel.
- again, may not apply in the 21st century.
I've got the same car so that's a bit worrying.
I haven't heard of any serious issues with the 1.3 and they've sold 100's of thousands.
If it's overheated badly enough to seize up then I'd expect there to be plenty of signs in the minutes leading up to it.
They use a timing chain too so it's unlikely that's snapped.
What did the chemical smell smell like?
Either way it should be covered under warranty.
I haven't heard of any serious issues with the 1.3 and they've sold 100's of thousands.
If it's overheated badly enough to seize up then I'd expect there to be plenty of signs in the minutes leading up to it.
They use a timing chain too so it's unlikely that's snapped.
What did the chemical smell smell like?
Either way it should be covered under warranty.
Very odd. Did the car drive completely normally until the time it refused to restart? Have Dacia offered you a loan car until they can look at it? Whatever you do, don't be tempted to get an independent garage to investigate, as Dacia might then claim that any damage was done during that inspection.
Thanks for your replies. Car was running normally and had only been driving for 5 minutes prior to it breaking down. No signs of anything different, no noise or lights on dashboard. Not sure what the chemical smell was. It was mild and didn't last for long.
Car is under warranty and is back with dealer I purchased from. Dacia themselves have provided a rental car.
If it wasn't for the RAC guy saying the engine was seized I would have assumed it was an electrical fault.
Unfortunately, the dealer is saying it will be at least 6 weeks before the bonnet is opened.
Car is under warranty and is back with dealer I purchased from. Dacia themselves have provided a rental car.
If it wasn't for the RAC guy saying the engine was seized I would have assumed it was an electrical fault.
Unfortunately, the dealer is saying it will be at least 6 weeks before the bonnet is opened.
It's under manufacturer warranty so engine failure is covered, if it's financed it may be worth approaching them to see if any pressure can be applied to the dealer to fix it quicker.
Assuming the failure isn't being driven through floodwater, wrong fuel, topped up engine oil with screenwash or any of the other classic user errors.
Assuming the failure isn't being driven through floodwater, wrong fuel, topped up engine oil with screenwash or any of the other classic user errors.
AC01 said:
Thanks for your replies. Car was running normally and had only been driving for 5 minutes prior to it breaking down. No signs of anything different, no noise or lights on dashboard. Not sure what the chemical smell was. It was mild and didn't last for long.
Car is under warranty and is back with dealer I purchased from. Dacia themselves have provided a rental car.
If it wasn't for the RAC guy saying the engine was seized I would have assumed it was an electrical fault.
Unfortunately, the dealer is saying it will be at least 6 weeks before the bonnet is opened.
It sounds more like an electrical fault. Something could have shorted, possibly linked to the starter motor as previously mentioned. Car is under warranty and is back with dealer I purchased from. Dacia themselves have provided a rental car.
If it wasn't for the RAC guy saying the engine was seized I would have assumed it was an electrical fault.
Unfortunately, the dealer is saying it will be at least 6 weeks before the bonnet is opened.
From your description it seems unlikely that the engine has seized, and as said above is more likely to be a stop start system fault. A faulty clutch/brake light switch, shorted/burnt out wiring or a jammed starter pinion seem like the most likely suspects.
People tend to imagine worst case scenarios but it rarely proves to be the case.
People tend to imagine worst case scenarios but it rarely proves to be the case.
AC01 said:
rocked the car back and forward and pointed to something and said it should move, which it didn't and then told me the engine was seized!
RAC bloke should have known better than to provide such a severe diagnosis just on the basis of rocking the car.I suspect you'll find something in the vicinity of the starter/flywheel has jammed, which could easily be from some trivial mechanical failure like a bolt coming undone. Anyway, not your problem.
Hopefully its something simple.
The 6 week delay before the garage can look at it is scandalous (hope they've given you a free courtesy car), we keep being told how reliable modern cars are, how they need next to no servicing and all the other eyewash, so one would assume dealer mechanics are sitting round playing cards hoping for something to work on to turn up.
The 6 week delay before the garage can look at it is scandalous (hope they've given you a free courtesy car), we keep being told how reliable modern cars are, how they need next to no servicing and all the other eyewash, so one would assume dealer mechanics are sitting round playing cards hoping for something to work on to turn up.
GreenV8S said:
AC01 said:
rocked the car back and forward and pointed to something and said it should move, which it didn't and then told me the engine was seized!
RAC bloke should have known better than to provide such a severe diagnosis just on the basis of rocking the car.I suspect you'll find something in the vicinity of the starter/flywheel has jammed, which could easily be from some trivial mechanical failure like a bolt coming undone. Anyway, not your problem.
GreenV8S said:
AC01 said:
rocked the car back and forward and pointed to something and said it should move, which it didn't and then told me the engine was seized!
RAC bloke should have known better than to provide such a severe diagnosis just on the basis of rocking the car.I suspect you'll find something in the vicinity of the starter/flywheel has jammed, which could easily be from some trivial mechanical failure like a bolt coming undone. Anyway, not your problem.
Smint said:
Hopefully its something simple.
The 6 week delay before the garage can look at it is scandalous (hope they've given you a free courtesy car), we keep being told how reliable modern cars are, how they need next to no servicing and all the other eyewash, so one would assume dealer mechanics are sitting round playing cards hoping for something to work on to turn up.
If the garage have put it in email that it will be 6 weeks before they can look at it, I would start the rejection process.The 6 week delay before the garage can look at it is scandalous (hope they've given you a free courtesy car), we keep being told how reliable modern cars are, how they need next to no servicing and all the other eyewash, so one would assume dealer mechanics are sitting round playing cards hoping for something to work on to turn up.
In 6 weeks, they might say it needs this or that, parts on back order, or even a new engine, all of which could easily turns into a far longer period.
Say the car is on finance, why should you pay x amount on monthlies for something not fit for purpose, all the time depreciating?
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