Our Car Needs a New Engine?!

Where do you have the oil changed. How old is the car. It could just be bad luck and you had two things happen. It has happened to me and my husband.
What kind of car? Anti freeze light????? Never had a car that had one of those.
Anti freeze could,have leaked out somewhere else. Think you will have to fight this one out with dealer. If it is an older car, you might not want to spend that kind of money.

Sometimes bad things happen.

I would have another mechanic take a look and get a second opinion.

Pull out the documentation from all of your oil changes. You know, the checklist that shows what they checked/filled? Show them that the anti-freeze has NOT been neglected and that they'd better fix the problem under warranty or you'll go to the state attorney general's office and file a report.

Also....anti-freeze light? I've never heard of such a thing.

Find your last maintenance bill and check the papers in the back of it. You should find the maintenance check. It should show that they checked each type of fluid and have a check mark. It should also show the mileage and date it was done.

I am not sure why you are dealing with an adjuster. Do you mean a service writer? Is it an insurance adjuster?

If after you find these papers, you still feel you are not at fault, ask to speak to the service director and if you don't get anywhere, ask to have the zone manager involved.

Are you saying that you have freezing weather and the water in the motor froze while the car was parked? That seems straight forward. I can't think how the water would freeze if there was sufficient antifreeze.

I suggest the "antifreeze" light would be the temperature light. If the motor got too hot for a period of time while the car is being driven then the cause may not be lack of antifreeze. There are several possible causes for that totally unrelated to antifreeze. However they can test the water and would know if there was sufficient antfreeze.

I suggest that your post isn't specific enough to answer your question. If you don't understand the tech's explanation ask him to explain again. Sincethey are going to look at the motor Iin more detail and do find a different cause then you have no worries.

I would continue working with the dealer in a cooperative manner. Do not assume you will have to pay and become defensive. As to rights, as others have said if you've had regular and on time service performed by the dealer they will have a record.

However, it sounds like they are saying the car was driven while too hot and the driver should have seen the too hot light come on and turned the motor off. That has happened to me. If that is the case they can test the light to see if it's working. There are many reasons the motor heated up unrelated to antfreeze. If the issue is the "idiot" light what has to be determined is if it's working. If it's working when tested I don't know of any way to prove it didn't come on.

I would've known something was wrong even if the light didn't come on. The motor smelled hot. How long was the car driven once it was emitting smoke? The driver should have immediately pulled off the road and turned the motor off.

You have the right to get a second opinion. You can also appeal. The dealership and/or the insurance company can tell you how to do that.

From experience, I suggest you first work with the dealership. It is the insurance company that will pay. Unless the dealership was at fault in not providing adequate service they have nothing to lose by being on your side.

I suppose that the starter could be related if it was damaged by an electrical problem. The mechanic could give you more information. I suggest you need to talk to them with an open mind. Take notes so you can understand how everything is related.

The type of car and miles would help. Has ALL service/repair been done at the dealer? If so this is your leg to stand on.
What the adjuster is suggesting is normal practice. However I do know that you had to authorize that as well. So a 2nd opinion at this point would be mute.
The dealership wants your business and wants to save face. Let the tech do his job and find the cause.
Having the starter replaced and the lack of antifreeze are coincidence and not related at all.

Our dealer is the only one who works on our cars, tires included. If you have only dealt with the dealer, they have records of each time you were there, why, and what services/checks they performs.

It sounds sketchy because I've never heard of an adjuster dealing with service issues. We have 1 service advisor and if needed the advisor goes to the higher ups for guidance on warranty, discounts, etc.

I've never heard of an antifreeze light to warn you of something and we all drive high end Mercedes with lots if bells and whistles. I'd have that feature checked out!!

Good luck!

So your check engine light NEVER came on?

What would I do? I would gather every piece of information and proof of workmanship on the car I have - all the oil changes, etc. and present it to the adjuster and tell them - YOU WILL FIX IT!!

I would also go through the garage or driveway where I park my car and inspect it of coolant leakage - if the radiator was leaking - you might see SMALL drips - they might not be green - and if it was "burnt" - it will look more like an oil stain.

I would fight.

If you have it done every 3K miles AT the dealer... THEN the Dealer, will have it all on their records. And that is proof, that it is not "neglect" on your part.
Tell the Dealer you want all your maintenance records. But I would think that you already have the print out/invoice for all that, because you guys do take it in to the dealer regularly. So the records will indicate or not if the anti-freeze was refilled or empty etc.

Doesn't the company the Adjuster works for, have their own mechanics that can look at the vehicle?

Your Dealer does not sound very trustworthy.
I would get a 2nd opinion.

We brought our car to a place that was supposedly trustworthy and they put way too much oil in the car. If we didn't pay 25.00 to another mechanic to get a second opinion, then, the head-gasket would have been a huge repair---a few thousand dollars.

I would get a second opinion.

What kind of dealer? A brand dealer or used lot? What are the terms of the warranty? Is it a new car or used? What's an anti freeze light? Never heard of it. Your rights depend on many factors we don't have.

1)hope you kept all papers and records of oil changes at the dealer
2) get a second opinion
3) call and write BBB -Better Business Bureau And let them know you have copies of these changes (pleeeeze have those)
sounds like a snow job to me

Get a second opinion, let the dealer know you are getting a second opinion. It's far less expensive to pay for a tow to another mechanic and a fee for the inspection, than a $7800 repair. If this repair is necessary and not covered, How much is the car worth? Is it cheaper to get rid of the car and put the $7800 you would of used for the repairs into a down payment on another car and trade this car in for parts. CarMax may give you something even if the engine needs work.

Be very suspicious. Maybe you should mention Martha Coakley.

The antifreeze light didn't come on?
Sounds very suspect....Maybe you should call Martha Coakley...

Good luck