Problem with the cats cat. What are my rights.

[jaysjag]

Hi all
Back in the summer I traded I my V6s on a 15 plate to V8awd on a 17 plate.
I love both cars for totally different reasons, some obvious and others not so. Anyway that is a topic for another post…..

The reason for today’s post is that shortly after I bought the car I had a check engine light come on. I took it to a friend of mine who is also a mechanic who read the codes and came up with the following. P0420-00
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold (bank 1) Intermittent

His advice was to reset the code and take it for a long, spirited drive as it may have been sitting around for a while and just needs a bit a “proper drive”
I duly did what I was told and for a few weeks the it was fine but then the engine light came on again.

This time I contacted the garage I bought it from who to be fair to them gave me the option of either bringing it to them or take it to a local garage for further investigation.
I took it to a local jag specialist down the road to me and again the same P0420-00 code appeared.
This time they suggested that a software update may be needed as that could possibly be the cause or at least a good place to start. So they updated the software and the car was ok for a while then the light came back on.
Again I took it back to the same jag specialist who again came back to me with the same code.
This time he mentioned that the possible cause could be a very/very slight engine misfire. So slight that it was missed last time (shudders a bit when stationary)
And this would be his next step as this could cause a miss fueling issue. and if all else fails then replace the faulty cat. (Change spark plugs £500) new cat lots of £€$

Incidentally I have contacted the garage that sold me the car because I have owned it for less than 6 months and the fault would have been present when they sold me the car. Under the consumer rights act 2015 they should realistically pay for any costs. But from the conversation with them earlier on today they seem slightly reluctant to get involved though they do want me to bring the car into see them.

So my question is this…..
Has anyone had the same problem with either an intermittent issue with one of there cats.
And/or the consumer rights act

I am a bit apprehensive to go down the jag specialist route as it seems like it could easily be a bottomless pit. But at the same time I am also reluctant to take it to the place I bought it from as they could just put some cataclean in my car and push the problem further down the road.
Sorry for the long post but Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated….

 

[Steveglenlee]

When I purchased my car,I noticed a sqeek from the exhaust valves and also a slight oil drop from between engine and gearbox. All the work was completed by Jag dealer at the cost of the garage I brought the vehicle from. But the original garage must be your first point of call. Give them the opportunity to put things right first.
Did you by any chance purchase an extended warranty?

 

[Anonymous]

It's probably not a CAT issue just how the car is reporting the issue.

If you have a misfire then that needs resolving first. Spark plugs, injectors or fuel.

Check exhaust for leaks.

Then based on five other posts on here for similar issues I would be looking at the O2 sensors in exhaust. If they are reporting bad data then this is very common cause of EML.

 

[Jimmyrn85]

Hi Jay,

I have the same error code. I've had lots of tests done, my fuelling is good, my o2 sensors are good, one of my cats is just on the hairy edge of being inefficient. Like you, the EML comes and goes. My independent said it will still pass the MOT on emissions.

So... This week I am getting it mapped out. I.e. the car will ignore the cats on start up, something like "Catalyst ready monitor" and therefore I'll stop getting this EML.

Good luck!

 

[Billymcmred]

Hello Jay, sorry to hear you are having trouble nothing worse,
In my experience the consumer rights act is your friend, but you do need to understand dates and times you reported the fault to the garage / dealer timings are critical to what you can achieve, if you get stuck or hit a “brick wall” with the dealer Citizens advice or The Motor Ombudsman (TMO) can help, from your post it looks like you are within first 6 months of ownership which will help would be good for you to understand if you reported issue in first 30 days of ownership as you have “more” rights in the first 30days

 

[Billymcmred]

 

[jaysjag]

Thanks everyone for your reply’s……..
Unfortunately Steve I never went for the extended warranty. In my previous experience a non main dealer warranty in most cases is not worth the paper it’s written on. (May go onto regret that decision though) I have contacted the garage who have agreed to have a look. But my concern is that they will do a temporary fix to get me over the 6 month period of ownership then wash there hands of it. Though to be fair to them they seem like a decent garage at this stage.

SampleR…. I really hope you are right about the CAT though the jag specialist says that it is likely. As I mentioned in my original poste before they would consider replacing the cat they would insist on putting a new set of plugs. Though I was looking through the paperwork that I got with the car today and I have an invoice dated a month before I bought the car and it had a a new set of plugs so I guess it that’s the case it’s either not had the plugs(unlikely) one of the plugs has been dropped (possible) or injectors. Always use super unleaded and never run the car on less than a quarter of a tank.
The jag specialist has already checked exhaust and found no leaks.
As for the O2 sensors I am surprised that the garage have not picked that up as a possible cause.

Jimmy… tempted as a last solution but I am sure another Symptom of the problem seems to be a slight loss of power so not sure that’s a solution I could put up with.

Billy… yes I have had a brief look at the consumer rights law but thanks for posting some additional info I didn’t know about.
I think if push come to shove (which hopefully it will not) then the previous two diagnostic reports that I have had on the car since I have had it are date stamped and clearly show that the forest incident although not in the first 30 days was not long after that and will defiantly be covered under the 6 months I would have thought.

Anyway thanks for all your advice. I will keep you all updated.