Cat replaced - now car won't start!

[Bluetonic2]

Hi again folks,

You might remember me posting a couple of weeks ago about getting my cat replaced on my 1.2 Ibiza - it went into the garage last friday and was replaced and they attempted to clear out the bits of it that were coming through the exhaust. They said my exhaust is a single pipe so they couldn't take it to bits and clean it out properly so I might still hear some rattling but that it wouldn't damage my car.
So this was all fine and I took it on a fair few short journeys (did about 50 miles between Friday night and last night).
I haven't been convinced that the car was running right for a wee while, and the garage said that it was linked to my cat having disintegrated into a million pieces. When I got the car back it didn't seem to run as I would like, and not any different to before they put the cat in.

Anyway, after work last night I got into the car to drive home and the car didn't sound healthy at all, the engine wasn't running right and it seemed to be jerking forward a bit. I got about half a mile with it doing this when it completely cut out and wouldn't start again.
I phoned the garage who claimed it was nothing to do with their work, and asked me to get it towed round so the AA came and had a look at it. They got the car to start but it cuts out at every junction. They said it seemed like the cat wasn't working right. So I had it towed to the garage, and now the garage is saying it might be because I bought a cheaper cat (they said that it would be fine and I'd still get a guarantee with it) and that they will have to take my exhaust off, cut it in half, clean out all the bits as it might be blocking the exhaust, and put clamps on it to get it back together. They said that this will be very time consuming and I can imagine this will cost me big bucks.

I'll be honest with you, I'm small, young and blonde and garages see me coming a mile off. The little I know about cars doesn't seem to get me through, so can anyone else be really nice and give me their views on this? Would be sooo helpful!!

 

[glynnd]

If they supplied the cat then it will be at their cost really.
Does not matter how much it cost it must be fit for the purpose and obviously work correctly!
I would say the cat would have had to be completely disintegated to stand any chance of blocking the rest of the exhaust and taken a fair amount of time to do that.
If they originally diagnosed the cat at fault and replaced it then they should have road tested it before they gave it back to you. Mention trading standards to them and if you have no joy from them then you may have to contact trading standards for advice.
it does not take long to cut the exhaust in half remove and check for blockages etc.
Glynn

 

[Bluetonic2]

Thanks Glynn!
Do you think that a fault cat would be the reason behind the car cutting out though? Despite my cat apparently not being in good shape for ages, it never got picked up in it's MOT in March and I've been having problems ever since then with the Engine Management light coming on (although this stopped after they replaced the cat, but I haven't done enough miles to judge whether it is going to come back on or not yet...)

 

[st10587]

The engine management light was on due to the cat. i had the cat go on my 1.2 and replaced it without a problem. If the exhaust is blocked the it will cause the engine to cut out as it wont be able to release the gases. The reason for it running then cutting out is the time it’s taking to fill the exhaust with enough gas to suffocate the engine.

 

[Bluetonic2]

Thanks for your responses guys.

I got the car back 2 days later and they charged me for 2 hours labour so not too bad cost-wise. They took off the exhaust, split it and cleaned it out - turns out there was only one bit of the cat making all the rattling.
They realised this wouldn't have made it cut out so they had a look at it and found that the EGR valve was the issue - apparently it was so hot in burnt the mechanic's hand. They took it out and apparently cooled it off and sprayed some stuff on it and told me it was working fine now.
To be honest, I'm a bit worried that it might play up again and cause the car to cut out like last time - can anyone shed some light on this?

I am also taking it back to the garage on Friday - I have been complaining about the car shuddering when it is sitting at stationary at traffic lights etc, it doesn't run smoothly at all. Inititally they said this was linked to my broken cat, then to the EGR valve, but it's still doing it. It runs smoothly enough when I'm driving (except for the odd time it seems a bit annoyed like it thinks its in the wrong gear) but it's a nightmare when it stops. It also shudders quite a bit when I start the car.

Can anyone help???

 

[RUM4MO]

EGR valve being hot, I'd expect that as the exhaust gases are rather hot. I'd reckon that they have cleaned it out as a first attempt to sort it. It sounds like you are not using a genuine VAG garage to do this car fixing - that could well be the route cause of your problem, remember these engines have quite a bad name for the timing chain slipping a tooth or two - and it could benefit from having the chain mod kit of bits fitted while checking this area (these facts are not from experience, but from info gleaned from these forums) - your engine could have more than one problem right now. On the other hand, if you are using a Seat dealer then what is happening does not sound right and I'd find a local VW dealer or a good specialist VAG indie - you don't have any warranty sort of thing that would limit where you get it sorted have you? This sound more like your garage is guessing rather than taking chances with a young blond - my daughter has never had any trouble from Seat garages - quite the opposite, the parts guy tends to fit bits for her - ah well it saves me a lot of trouble and her BF likes cars but does not know much about sorting them. I'd get some support from a friendly male aquantance and have a chat with this garage just to put things straight or focus them - ie "do you know what is really wrong - and how are you going to sort it for me?". Most car problems are resolvable and most main dealers should have seen or been warned about what to look out for on all the models of their marque - that is why they should be your cheapest option and why they charge you roughly £80>£100 per hour labour - they should not be behaving like fitters that just swop parts randomly as that should be only about £40-£50 per hour (guessing).

I've just checked your original posting on your first thread and see that you are already using an indie VAG specialist - but are they clued up on modern VAG cars - just a thought! On the posative side, it might be very little that is actually wrong with the car now - just a few small issues - keep smiling!

 

[Bluetonic2]

Thank you RUM4MO, I really do hope there is very little wrong with it! I am totally fed up with this whole situation.
I'll see what they say when I take it back in tomorrow.

I see that you are from Southern Scotland, I don't suppose you are in SW Scotland are you?

 

[RUM4MO]

No, other side - I hope that does not mean that your Seat dealer is Arnold Clarke - they tend to get a bit of a "not too good" name with customers - though my daughter seems to have had no problems with them - though I did when first trying to sort out things for her. I've got friends near CD but I think that they got their local (not Seat) garage to get cars (Leons) for them.

 

[Bluetonic2]

No I avoid Arnold Clark if it all possible! I think the car did come from Arnold Clark but I bought it as a private sale from my friend.
I took it to the garage today and the computer said that there was a MAP sensor problem which was intermittent, which would explain why my car wasn't running right when it was stationary. They took the fault off and have told me to run it for a week and see how it is, if it goes back to what it was then I've to take it back and they'll replace the sensor.
It was fine for about 3 miles but I can tell that it isn't running as it should be!

I take it that this is something which is more of an annoyance, not something that will make it cut out?

 

[RUM4MO]

I've luckily had no experience of what a MAP sensor problem can/will do to the car. Maybe search this forum and www.briskoda.net (Fabia section) for further clues. Even a VW or Skoda garage would pin this one down - if you need extra investigation before changing it - but that depends on how much this sensor costs against how much another garage would charge for carrying out a full diagnostic check on the engine - not an easy choice as you have said the garage you are using is an indie VAG specialist - so must have good VAG dealer type diagnostic scan tools.

 

[Tricky Red]

I know that it's a different car, but I had a map sensor fault. (Manifold air pressure sensor) The car was fine until warm then because the sensor was faulty, the car overfuelled and juddered merrily on acceleration. Switch off leave to cool then all was ok.

Get it replaced and all should be fine. You'll be looking at around £150 I should think. Mine was on a 106gti.

 

[Bluetonic2]

Have booked the car in to get the MAP sensor replaced - hoping it won't cost too much! And hopefully this will be the end of my problems!

 

[Bluetonic2]

So MAP sesnor was replaced - garage says they are only charging me for the part and not the labour which is very good - but it's still not totally fixed the problem. The car is still not running smoothly when it is sitting stationary. No warning lights on and garage said they cleared the MAP sesor fault - anyone have any ideas?