11 posts / 0 new
Last post
Ian V
Ian V's picture
Offline
Last seen: 5 hours 35 min ago
Joined: 08/02/2021
Fuel tank leak

My December 2020 310 SV has developed a fuel leak from the tank. It would appear one of the welds for the internal vertical baffle has failed causing an external leak to the tank. When I spoke to Caterham Gatwick today I was told that the vehicle is out of warranty (factory build - 2 years) and that the cost of replacement will be down to me. I am disappointed at the lack of concern with a safety critical item that has failed on a car that is two and a half years old and has done 7000 miles

Benton
Benton's picture
Offline
Last seen: 8 hours 35 min ago
Joined: 01/11/2017

Not as though it's of any help I'm afraid, but I also had exactly the same problem, fuel tank failure at the weld point via a tiny pin hole on my 2018 420R.  
Fortunately for me it occurred during the two year warranty period and was replaced without quibble.

john aston
john aston's picture
Offline
Last seen: 12 hours 52 min ago
Joined: 17/04/2014

Me too - in the middle of nowhere on the A9 , en route to Inverness . I was not amused . 

D Jones
D Jones's picture
Offline
Last seen: 11 hours 22 min ago
Joined: 08/04/2016

My 2004 SV had the same issue shortly after i bought it in 2016 and i fixed it (following advice on here) with a fuel safe epoxy resin from JB Weld and not had a problem since.

It was a simple job to remove the boot floor and fuel tank, find the leak on the underside clean and repair.

Hope that helps

Jonathan Kay
Jonathan Kay's picture
Online
Last seen: 1 min 39 sec ago
Joined: 17/04/2014

You have protection under consumer legislation that is independent of any "warranty". If the car has been used normally I'd maintain that it was not of satisfactory quality.

Do you have access to legal advice through membership of a union or club or through an insurance policy?

What's your estimate of the total cost of repair? 

Jonathan

ScottR400D
Offline
Last seen: 10 hours 27 min ago
Joined: 23/08/2015

Another poor example of quality and aftercare. 

Hopefully someone from the club will bring this up at the next PR/Zoom meeting. 

L7C
DerekH
DerekH's picture
Online
Last seen: 23 sec ago
Joined: 18/11/2020

Me too January 2020 car, I was check the washers on the A-frame mount.  Found a black oily patch on the bottom of the tank.

Stuck my finger in it, give it sniff, petrol.  Pin hole. I cleaned it up and used the epoxy solution as I didn't want ot strip it out before Wight Blat.

Will have it out at the end of the year and decide if it get a better repair or replaced.

Derek

7im Lacy
7im Lacy's picture
Offline
Last seen: 19 hours 53 min ago
Joined: 27/12/2016

Had exactly the same with my 2004 SV (albeit in 2016).  Still not good enough.

Replaced with new.

BigCol
BigCol's picture
Offline
Last seen: 12 hours 53 min ago
Joined: 17/04/2014

ScottR400D said in #6: 
Another poor example of quality and aftercare. 
Hopefully someone from the club will bring this up at the next PR/Zoom meeting. 

Indeed...  but Caterham are focussed in new car sales.  We're not their market - they have our money; they want other people's.

re the it being raised in the next Zoom...  I wouldn't hold your breath!  I submitted a question last time asking what Caterham considered the acceptable life of a carbon-plated BMW/Titan LSD to be and - gosh - it wasn't raised!

 

ScottR400D
Offline
Last seen: 10 hours 27 min ago
Joined: 23/08/2015

"Indeed...  but Caterham are focussed in new car sales.  We're not their market - they have our money; they want other people's."

Then why does the Club constantly try to develop the relationship? 
 

 

L7C
BigCol
BigCol's picture
Offline
Last seen: 12 hours 53 min ago
Joined: 17/04/2014

Then why does the Club constantly try to develop the relationship? 

Caterham are happy to receive the club's overtures as we're evangelists for the brand and as such, incredibly low cost marketing which will drive new sales.

What we as a club get is debatable - I've enjoyed visits to the old and new factories but beyond that...?  

Certainly the club doesn't seem to be driving Caterham to better customer care...  

To name a few: 620 cooling/metering issues, faulty radiators, as here, leaky fuel tanks and my personal bete noire: carbon-plated LSDs...

None (or at least very few) of them addressed satisfactorily without significant costs to individual members.