I had to renew my rego and didn’t pass the pink slip because the tyres needed to be replace after 4 days I broke down with my car Holden Viva 2008, ’
has been towed to a local mechanic whom told me that it was the timing belt.
My question is the first mechanic should have look or pick up that the timing belt needed to be replace it?
No…
First things first . . .
What’s your vehicle?
2008 Honda CR-V . . . ?
2008 Holden Viva . . . ?
2008 Holden Viva
Thank you for that information . . .
Now you might want to change the title of this discussion
Or else you’ll probably get advice for a 2008 Honda CR-V
The only thing the first mechanic could have done is look up the manufacturer’s scheduled maintenance intervals. And beyond that, he could have said “I have no records that your timing belt has been replaced yet. Would you like me to prepare an estimate for repair?”
But I think you’re on shaky ground, if you try to hold him responsible . . .
The first mechanic . . . did he only replace the tires?
Did he perform the inspection, so that your car would get registered?
What country are you in, by the way?
I suspect the mechanic had no obligation to inspect the belt or check if it was due?
For what exact reason did you visit the first mechanic?
Generally vehicles do not fail safety inspections because of maintenance items like dirty engine oil, dirty air filters or an over due timing belt replacement.
Are the inspectors allowed to recommend maintenance items during a safety inspections in your area? Perhaps inspecting for overdue maintenance is something that must be requested separately as it has no relationship to the safety inspection.
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Hi,
The first mechanic perform the inspection as per registration requirement , which it failed because the 4 tyres needed to be replaced, so he did so and my car passed the registration process.
The time belts snapped couple days later.
I am in NSW, Australia.
Hi Nevada545,
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After some research I come to the conclusion that the mechanic has no obligations to check the time belts or other maintenance items during the [Safety checks and inspections](http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/registration/inspections/index.html) .However, I have been a client for the past 2 years and I would have expected him to check or to suggest to change the timing belt.
Yes, there are recommended intervals for changing a timing belt because it is not possible to look at one and tell it is going to fail soon. I once sent a car to the junkyard with 180,000 miles and 14 years old that was supposed to be changer at90,000 miles max. I never changed the belt because at 87,000, the dealer offered me $200 for it. I told him I liked his $10,000 car , but at $200 mine was such a raving bargain so I had to keep it. I kept it another 7 years and 93000 miles but I did not see any reason to change the belt on a $200 car. The engine was a 3.0 in a 92 Plymouth minivan and the job looked like a pain.
Safety items are the responsibility of the mechanic doing the safety check.
Normal maintenance items as outlined in the OWNER’S MANUAL are the responsibility of the OWNER. A timing belt change is a normal maintenance item. We get many questions about timing belts.
Where I live the safety checks cover 20 items, such as wipers, cracks in windshields, tires, power steering belt, mirrors, brakes, etc. .
If you are uncomfortable reading the owner’s manual, find a good mechanic who will advise on what maintenance is required at what interval. My wife has several friends who are not car-wise and they rely on their mechanic.
Just so that the other forum members are aware, the Holden Viva was a re-badged Daewoo Lacetti, and… that’s not a good thing. Daewoo’s poorly-engineered engines were always known for timing belts that snapped prematurely.
By 2008, the timing belt issues were probably solved. GM had bought Daewoo by then and GM Korea had the money to fix problems that Daewoo may not have.
In any case, the car is 10 years old. If you don’t know that the timing belt has been changed, then get it done.
Thanks! The Vauxhall Viva was imported from England in the 60s and 70s. One of the worst cars ever shipped form that country. My neighbor bought one for his wife, and after one year when she had a flat tire, the jack was already so rusted it was unusable.
Where I live Viva cars were synonymous with unreliable transportation.
That GM did not retire the Viva name is beyond me.
Yeah I thought Holden was an Australian Chev, but it was made by Vauxhall, also GM? I only rented one Vauxall and it seemed OK except seemed to guzzle gas (petro) as it cranked along the freeway at 3000 rpm.
But no, a dealer would check both safety and maintenance items but not likely for just a safety inspection and tire replacement.
Vauxhall is the British arm of GM. While in England I’ve rented several Vauxhalls, but they were all made by Opel, their German subsidiary, subsequently sold to the French Citroen organization. Don’t know ho currently builds their cars, since the division was not cost-competitive with militant labor unions and outdated plants.