A mechanic has issued a warning to motorists, advising them to seek a second opinion if they’re told their petrol or diesel vehicle has a blown engine. The car repair expert, who goes by the username Toyota Maintenance (@ToyotaMaintenance) on YouTube, used a customer’s experience as an example in one of his videos.
According to Torque News, another garage had informed this customer that their SUV was beyond repair due to a blown head gasket and potentially warped cylinder heads. The estimated repair costs were between £5,588 and £7,983, prompting the driver’s friends to suggest getting a second opinion.
The SUV had previously been seen smoking under its bonnet while on the road. Upon inspection, the YouTube mechanic discovered a faulty water pump and timing belt – issues far less costly to fix than initially quoted, with prices starting at over £5,500.
The average cost for replacing the water pump and timing belt would be around £1,120, and it would take less time than replacing the engine.
He also pointed out that the original mechanics’ one-hour diagnosis was not enough to identify these two problems.
Had the SUV owner not sought a second opinion, he could have ended up scrapping his vehicle unnecessarily, reports the Express.
Torque News suggests that a mechanic might misdiagnose a blown engine due to various reasons such as not wanting to deal with the labour-intensive repairs, time limitations, or simply a lack of proper knowledge in the field.
Scotty Kilmer, another mechanic, advises seeking assistance from a different garage if the technician examining your car claims they can’t identify the issue, especially when there’s no active check engine light or codes.
To avoid dealing with an inadequately trained mechanic, drivers are recommended to ensure that the technician is certified and trained by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE).
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