[rx6180]

I had a good resolution to the issue of the CHECK ENGINE light on, and the P049D code I'd read with my own code reader, signifying a blocked EGR cooler. Marshall Volvo Nottingham had sent me a recall notification regarding the 2.0 litre diesel's inlet manifold fire risk issue. So I decided to take my car there, and I also asked for a lubrication service to replace the oil put in by the car dealer I bought the car off. Which was Volvo spec oil, but someone on here earlier suggested I'd be wise to get the proper oil in ASAP.

With regard to the EGR cooler, which as far as Marshall's were concerned had to be diagnosed again by themselves, because my Volvo didn't quite have a 100% Volvo dealer service history, it would affect any goodwill claim. Also, Amber, my service adviser, took no pleasure in telling me that unfortunately YES, there had been a campaign to repair blocked EGR coolers, but it ended in December 2019! Entering my car's details into her computer, she then found my December 2015 registered car HAD in fact already had a campaign repair to the EGR valve in November 2016 - but the replacement part number then, was a different part number to the current one.

She entered some more details, then showed me her computer screen, where it said Volvo UK would pay 30% of the repair costs. Which was better than nothing, but 30% of what, I asked? Amber couldn't say. But seeing as the car needed to go in for the current recall, she said she would book it in for me and she would find out the cost and let me know.

With about two weeks between booking the car in and taking it in, it didn't quite go like that. There was no contact until after I sent an email asking if they'd also look at a twisted rear seat belt I couldn't figure out how to resolve, then I began getting emails and missed phone calls asking for my current odometer reading. When I made contact, Amber told me she'd got me a 100% Goodwill Gesture on the EGR job! She'd obviously been doing some work behind the scenes, and while the approximate odometer reading was given at the time of the booking, for whatever reason she'd submitted a slightly higher mileage reading to Volvo, than my car had actually covered, when the 100% goodwill result came back. So as you can imagine, I was very pleased with this.

I basically got two invoices from Marshall Volvo Nottingham when I collected the car. I paid £149 for the lubrication service, and the other work, including the recall notice for melting plastic inlet manifolds, came to £1071 exactly. Which was completely free to me. Looking at the invoice I think the parts and labour cost for the EGR cooler comes to £689 before VAT, making it £826.80 including VAT. The rest of the £1071 will be made up by the current recall campaign.

So for that, all credit to Marshall Volvo at Nottingham and to Amber my service adviser. And also to Volvo UK of course. And thanks to Clan for telling me to give it a go.