Hi All

I had my TDV8 in to my local dealer on Friday for a diagnostic prior to contacting the garage I bought the vehicle from (130 miles away) to confirm a few faults.

One of the faults that I asked the dealer to look at was the TPMS light comming on intermitantly and a message advising me to check my tyre pressures (which I know are correct) I assumed the dealer would be able to advise me which sensors were at fault.

On returning my vehicle to me I was advised all 5 TPMS sensors needed to be replaced as they were badly corroded and may break. I also had the check spare tyre pressure message appearing on the dash board in addition to the check tyre pressures.

This evening when I got home from work I went to top up the air in the spare wheel only to find that the valve body has been broken and the valve core is missing, thus the spare is completely flat and will not hold air.

I have spoken to the dealer and they admit to breaking the valve, but say it broke as it was corroded and it is not their responsibility as to perform the diagnostic they needed to take the tyre pressures. (NB they claim it broke when they were taking the pressure)

I am of a mind that they have a duty of care and it they felt the valves were likely to fail then they should not have touched them. NB I am assuming the sensor was working when they got the vehicle as I did not get a warning for the spare.

Should I push the point that they should replace the valve?

I have taken some photo's but don't know how to upload them 56 TDV8 Vogue SE
9 Freelanders, 2x 2002 TD4ES, 2001 TD4, 2002 1.8GS, 2000 XEDI, 2x 2000 1.8ES, 2004 1.8 & 2000 1.8 GS (rolled)
91 Lotus Carlton (sold)
90 Lotus Elan (BRG)

I've had lots of problems with TPMS since I got my car. When I got my winter tyres fitted, 1 of the valves leaked and tyre was flat after a couple of hours. It seems that the valves are made of cr@p soft metal and don't like to be moved around once on a wheel and are very prone to breaking. I bought a new set of 5 off the Bay and 3 out of the 4 on the car are fine, but the forth is faulty and is reported by the IIDTool as the rear LH. Also the spare errors because it was changed and not reprogrammed, so the TPMS ECU doesn't recognise it. This can be fixed by either a dealer fleecing you for an hours labour, or you can out the spare on the car, drive it for a period of time, over a certain speed (15mph I believe) so that the ECU picks up the new sensor. Once it's done you can put it back as the spare.

Hope this help Got - 2017 SDV8 Autobiography in Loire Blue
Had- 2008 TDV8 Vogue SE in Java black
Had - 2007 S/C in Stornoway Grey

Last edited by alanm_3 on 16th Jan 2012 7:03pm. Edited 1 time in total

Thanks alanm_3

Just wondering if the dealer has breached their duty of care when working on the car and should replace it FOC?

I am takning the car back to the garage i bought it from to get the other sensors sorted, but i don't think they ill be happy to fix the spare under warranty as it worked and was broken by a ham fisted dealer 56 TDV8 Vogue SE
9 Freelanders, 2x 2002 TD4ES, 2001 TD4, 2002 1.8GS, 2000 XEDI, 2x 2000 1.8ES, 2004 1.8 & 2000 1.8 GS (rolled)
91 Lotus Carlton (sold)
90 Lotus Elan (BRG)

I'm not sure about the legal position, but as a dealer they'll have been aware of the fragility of them and perhaps warned you upfront that they might break during investigation?
It seems highly irresponsible for them to leave you to drive home with a useless spare after they had f d it and not make you aware of it! Got - 2017 SDV8 Autobiography in Loire Blue
Had- 2008 TDV8 Vogue SE in Java black
Had - 2007 S/C in Stornoway Grey

Not the first time I have had ham fisted work from this dealer, but no one else local. A few years ago they sent me home in my TD5 Discovery after cracking the oil rotor filter housing so the disco emptied most of its oil onto the exhaust. I have had 14 loose wheel bolts after a service as well (you could take them off with your fingers 56 TDV8 Vogue SE
9 Freelanders, 2x 2002 TD4ES, 2001 TD4, 2002 1.8GS, 2000 XEDI, 2x 2000 1.8ES, 2004 1.8 & 2000 1.8 GS (rolled)
91 Lotus Carlton (sold)
90 Lotus Elan (BRG)

And you went back????  Got - 2017 SDV8 Autobiography in Loire Blue
Had- 2008 TDV8 Vogue SE in Java black
Had - 2007 S/C in Stornoway Grey

no where else up here with the diagnostic kit. As soon as I can afford IID, Hawkeye or Faultmate I will be doing the servicing myself 56 TDV8 Vogue SE
9 Freelanders, 2x 2002 TD4ES, 2001 TD4, 2002 1.8GS, 2000 XEDI, 2x 2000 1.8ES, 2004 1.8 & 2000 1.8 GS (rolled)
91 Lotus Carlton (sold)
90 Lotus Elan (BRG)

When Marshalls of Cambridge damaged my wheel attempting to remove a stubborn locking wheel nut, they repaired the damage at their cost.

In my experience garages normally charge to replace parts that break whilst they are working on them. So I feel Marshalls went above and beyond in this instant and as such I'm happy to recommend them. 
Gone - Range Rover Supercharged 2006

JustinP wrote:

In my experience garages normally charge to replace parts that break whilst they are working on them.

One of my valve stems crumbled as I was checking the pressure - quite unnerving to think what could have happened if it had given way on the motorway.

I contacted my dealer and they replaced all the valves and sensors. The vehicle was under warranty, but ISTR there was some technical service bulletin relating to this problem and a redesigned stem was used. Given the safety implications, warranty or not, I would contact the supplying dealer and ask them to replace them all, rather than going after to local garage who were unlucky to be the ones who were handling the stem when it broke.

Paul

The RR is going back to the garage i bought it from this saturday for them to investigate a problem with the HVAC not blowing air up the windscreen and to investigate the TPMS on the road wheels not working, so i will discuss the spare with them.

I do worry though that I have to drive 130 miles to get it back to the garage i bought it from 56 TDV8 Vogue SE
9 Freelanders, 2x 2002 TD4ES, 2001 TD4, 2002 1.8GS, 2000 XEDI, 2x 2000 1.8ES, 2004 1.8 & 2000 1.8 GS (rolled)
91 Lotus Carlton (sold)
90 Lotus Elan (BRG)

JustinP wrote:

So I feel Marshalls went above and beyond in this instant and as such I'm happy to recommend them.

A recomendation for Marshalls - I've heard it all now

The TMPS valves are crap - I had one go on me when I was checking the tyre pressures - it basically just blew the centre out and went flat in seconds. Typical that it was the night before I went on holiday and the boot was stacked to the roof

My first experience of Marshalls was with the sales team and it was poor, but the service desk has been good to me. Maybe it's because I have a LR warranty who picks up the bill???

FYI - I'm talking about Marshalls of Cambridge. 
Gone - Range Rover Supercharged 2006