......after the 60,000 service performed by a Subaru main dealer, they empty the coolant system, they don't refill the system, give me the car back and I drive 100-miles to visit my parents???

I've since refilled the system myself and I'll be taking this up with the dealer on Monday but I'm worried at what other damage this may have caused.

Any help will be appreciated.
Andy.

How much did you have to put in to get it to the correct level - ie was it completely dry?

Completely empty.

Only noticed in the evening on the way to get a kebab as no warm air came out of the air vents. About 2-miles downthe road the temperature gauge shot straight upto hot. Lucky it was about -2 degrees outside.

Limped back to the house, had the kebab, then checked the car to find no fluid whatsoever in the resevoir.

There was a gunk deposited on the level gauge (MY98) was like a greyish goo.

All in all, I put in about 7litres of water and anti-freeze mix.

so did you drive 100miles and not notice it ?
I susspect you had a leak & it's all leaked out. probably coz they didnt re-fit a hose properly or something. if you drove 100miles with no coolent, I'd think you engine would have ceased !!

Steve
edited to say - have a MAJOR go at them tho - and get them to check the water pump (replace maybe?) and knock money off the service & make sure you have some comeback if things go BANG in the next 6 month due to this!

[Edited by ScoobyDuck - 1/13/2003 9:05:55 AM]

I've informed the dealer of the situation and the facts as they happened and not my assumption or interpretation of them.I'm not a great believer in ranting and raving anyway. After speaking to the service manager, it appears this isn't the first time the technician who serviced my car has forgot to complete an activity as part of a major service. He already on a written warning.

As for leaks etc, well as I'd had the car serviced the temperature gauge was hovering above normal about 60% of the gauge travel. Normal poistion is about 40% of the gauge travel. So I didn't feel too uncomfortable and put the difference down to different coolant or something from the service.

The head gasket is secure and no water has passed into the oil. The water pump works fine. I refilled the system and 2-days later, the system is still at the same level.There are no leaks in the system, I can guarantee you that.

The good luck I had was on my 100-miles was
1. It was foggy, I mean a pea-souper, so I never got above 40mph from my house to Lincoln (50miles).
2. Due to the low speed, I never went on boost.
3. From Lincoln to Grimsby (50miles ish) I never went above 30mph due to fog, 2 lorries and a huge crane.
4. The temperature outside was v.cool and the air was v.moist.
5. I had the heater on full warm for 2-hours as the wife's feet were cold.

All of these points kept the temperature gauge at 60%. On the kebab trip, stuck at traffic lights, waiting for kebab ment no air flow and the engine got hot.

As for compensation, I dont want this guy sacked, thats not for to decide. I dont want money off either or a free future service. I want a guarantee (i.e. warranty) for my vehicle from any failure caused from not having coolant in the system for 100-miles.

I will not name names of companys (yet) until I have all the facts in my posession.

Good luck for you, but I reckon the guy should be sacked (or at least moved somewhere he has no such responsibility). Your motor may have been OK, what about the next customer who gets the car back on a nice spring morning and decides to give it sh*t after leaving the garage? Bye-bye engine.

Richard