T
ten8101
Guest
I recently had an oil coolant hose replaced in my vehicle back in Dec 00. I had taken my car to a mechanic I have used for many years. He bought the oil coolant hose from the Mazda dealership in our area in Phoenix, Arizona. The hose was replaced and I had no problem with this until recently. I had been driving the car on the freeway, when out of nowhere, the oil light came on, the pressure guage dropped and seconds later, the motor seized up and quit. There was no warning, no other symptoms going on to give me any advanced notice. Vehicle was towed back to mechanic where he examined the engine, discovering the newly installed oil coolant hose blew a hole in it, causing all the oil to spill out of the car, causing the engine to seize up and quit. Upon closer examination, he determined the hose was faulty and suggested I contact the Parts manager at the dealership. Upon doing so, they examined the vehicle saying it was not a faulty part,but the hole was caused by the oil coolant hose rubbing up against another hose. When I asked why there was no hole in the other hose, they quickly told me it actually was rubbing up against a metal piece which caused the hole. Ultimately telling me it was not a 'part' malfunction but a mechanic error, saying there was a 'missing bracket' which should have been replaced after the hose was repaired. This bracket was missing, which caused the hose to move and rub up against the metal piece. My mechanic then examined it a second and a third time determining there is nothing that would of caused this hole other than a faulty part. He also said there was no bracket on it originally or he would of replaced it. Due to this hose blowing a hole, it damaged the motor beyond repair. It can only be 'replaced' costing in the neighborhood of $3,000. My dilemma is this: 1. Who is ultimately responsible for the destruction of my engine? - The part is under warranty for 12mos- which, this occured in Aug- so the part is still covered. 2. Is it up to the mechanic to fix the engine, then take it up with the dealer or Mazda Corp? 3. What are my legal rights in this kind of situation? 4. Do I need an attorney? 5. How do I find one who specializes in this area in Phoenix, AZ ? 6. How do I get my car fixed?