307 empty radiator

Our bad boy 307 just had its last ever visit to a Peugeot main dealer for
its 30,000 mile service, now out of warranty.

They reported that the radiator was completely empty... and wanted £240 for
a new radiator.

Hold on. How has this happened? And wouldn't we have noticed? They reckoned
it could have been empty all winter and the car would've run okay, not
showing hot on the temperature gauge. Can this be right? Have we been
'running on empty' for months?

This only happenend yesterday, so haven't had time to thoroughly test it,
but haven't noticed any water leaking out since they topped it up. Didn't
let them put in the new radiator. Told them to top it up.

They also found that one of the brake lights wasn't working and said they'd
have to replaced the whole unit since whoever put the last light in had
damaged the socket or something. Didn't really understand that. It does tend
to go through rather a lot of bulbs.

Don't trust them an inch, so haven't let them do any of it. The search is on
for an independent dealer to look after it until we decide whether or not
it's worth keeping now it's out of warranty.

Androo

 

If there was no coolant at all, then I suppose your coolant-temp-guage
wouldn't operate - because there'd be nothing for it to measure ! Have you
noticed the guage staying permanently on zero ?
And if there was no coolant at all, then you'd expect the engine to overheat
in a *very* short space of time ! Surely the headgasket wouldn't last for
"months" if that was the case ?

 

Sounds like obllocks to me. In fact I'd be tempted to speak to Peugeot
UK about them and Trading Standards.

 

Sounds like obllocks to me. In fact I'd be tempted to speak to Peugeot
UK about them and Trading Standards.

Exactly my thoughts. The coldness of the air outside, I would've thought, is
fairly (if not totally) inconsequential. Engines get hot and need cooling.

The temperature gauge has always risen to the place you'd expect in the
normal way.

And the one thing we haven't had any trouble with is the engine. So far
anyway.

Hmm.


Androo

 

Utter crap from that garage about the rad.
Bulbs are a different matter. I have found through my 307 that when a
bulb goes then you MUST use a Peugeot branded replacement, especially
on headlights. Since I used them I have not had any trouble with bulbs
continually blowing. And I'm not saying that because I work for a main
dealer!!! Quite a few customers have had problems with bulbs
continually blowing and they have all been cured by Peugeot bulbs and
cleaning of the earths for the headlights.

 

Was your heater working ok - if so there must have been water in the
system otherwise water would not flow through the heater matrix !