Post by PG on Jun 8, 2018 11:47:27 GMT
This isn't something you like to see when it is your own car. Yes, we had to be recovered home by the RAC yesterday evening from Uttoxeter.
Coming home, as we passed through Yoxall village in Staffordshire, we heard a noise that was a belt slipping for a second or so, then it happened again for a few seconds and then the low coolant warning came up on the dash (in red) which, in the absence of a temperature gauge, is the car telling you it's overheated. Luckily we were passing the pub so Mrs PG pulled into the carpark and stopped the engine. On lifting the bonnet there was that nice smell of burning antifreeze and some steam. At first I wondered if a belt had slipped or broken, but I couldn't see anything obvious - no belts or coolant pipes visible out of place. We called the RAC who took 90 minutes to get to us. By this time the car had cooled down, so after a top up we started it again and after a few seconds of sounding normal a noise of pebbles in a baked bean tin started at the top of the engine - the water pump bearings had failed. The engine was killed straight away and a recovery was booked.
We had dinner in the pub while we waited - there are worse places to break down that the carpark of a pub!
After about another 90 minutes the recovery truck arrived and the car was loaded on. Luckily, most people arriving or wanting to leave were patient while we got loaded up. But for those who were not, I hope you break down somewhere really awful and people are not nice to you.
The dealer was shut so we decided to get recovered to home. I didn't really want to leave the Jag on the pavement outside the locked dealer overnight, so I'm just waiting this morning for another truck to pick the car up and take it to the Jag dealer. Hopefully, it is nothing else and just the water pump. I'm expecting that my extended warranty will cover whatever it is that needs doing - I've read the booklet and it says the water pump is covered.
Now, to the big question - is that a real breakdown or a non-breakdown? ;-) The car could still move under its own motive power. Just not for long. Does that count? I fear not.....
Coming home, as we passed through Yoxall village in Staffordshire, we heard a noise that was a belt slipping for a second or so, then it happened again for a few seconds and then the low coolant warning came up on the dash (in red) which, in the absence of a temperature gauge, is the car telling you it's overheated. Luckily we were passing the pub so Mrs PG pulled into the carpark and stopped the engine. On lifting the bonnet there was that nice smell of burning antifreeze and some steam. At first I wondered if a belt had slipped or broken, but I couldn't see anything obvious - no belts or coolant pipes visible out of place. We called the RAC who took 90 minutes to get to us. By this time the car had cooled down, so after a top up we started it again and after a few seconds of sounding normal a noise of pebbles in a baked bean tin started at the top of the engine - the water pump bearings had failed. The engine was killed straight away and a recovery was booked.
We had dinner in the pub while we waited - there are worse places to break down that the carpark of a pub!
After about another 90 minutes the recovery truck arrived and the car was loaded on. Luckily, most people arriving or wanting to leave were patient while we got loaded up. But for those who were not, I hope you break down somewhere really awful and people are not nice to you.
The dealer was shut so we decided to get recovered to home. I didn't really want to leave the Jag on the pavement outside the locked dealer overnight, so I'm just waiting this morning for another truck to pick the car up and take it to the Jag dealer. Hopefully, it is nothing else and just the water pump. I'm expecting that my extended warranty will cover whatever it is that needs doing - I've read the booklet and it says the water pump is covered.
Now, to the big question - is that a real breakdown or a non-breakdown? ;-) The car could still move under its own motive power. Just not for long. Does that count? I fear not.....
