Timing belt jumped - engine destroyed
 

Hello all. I'm in a situation and now look to the forum for advice. I had a water pump replaced in October of last year. As part of the service, they replaced the timing belt. The car was seldom driven as I take public transportation to work. In February, the engine started making loud noises and eventually seized and wouldn't start. I had it towed back to the repair shop and they diagnosed that the timing belt jumped due to a 10mm bolt breaking. A bolt they replaced as part of the repair. So, no engine pressure, bent valves...yada..yada.

They estimated it would cost over 2K to repair. They also assume no responsibility for the damage as their work on the timing belt was 4 months prior to the damage, 1 month past their labor warranty.

So my question is this: can the shop be held responsible? If a timing belt jumps 4 months after a replacement they either installed a flawed part or improperly installed said part. If not the shop, can the manufacturer of the timing belt kit be held responsible? I'm not sure if I should file a small claim...

3 months seems really short. Usually a shop will cover their work. Unfortunately, sometimes parts just break, and it's nearly impossible to prove who is at "fault" (I am not a lawyer).

It may be worth pushing back. Maybe they'll give you labor for free or a discount on the parts, etc. That may be the best you can hope for.

Sorry, that all sucks!