Car won't start after panel beater work

[vwaumel]

Our car was brought in to a local panel beater for damage as a result of an accident - the damage was cosmetic only, we've been driving around with it for months before getting it fixed. On the day we're supposed to pick up the car, the repairer told us the car wouldn't start anymore. An electrician was brought in by the panel beater as his initial diagnose was that it could be a sensor issue. The electrician couldn't find anything. The car now sits at the panel beater, waiting for us to decide what to do. The car is 4 years old and never had any issues. NRMA said we have a few options:

1) We can get it towed to one of their service centres
2) We can select our own repairer and get it towed there

NRMA told us that if the damage is a result of the accident, they will cover it (unlikely since it's been months since the accident).
If it's negligence because of the panel beater, they are happy to mediate but that is about it. The other possible outcome is that it will be assessed as normal wear and tear (which I find hard to believe). I'm not sure what to do because our own mechanic (that normally does our servicing) is not available for another 10 days. Also, NRMA said we have to pay for the car to be towed away unless their assessor comes to the conclusion that the current fault is because of the accident (again, unlikely IMO).

Any advice on what to do? Obviously, I prefer the car to be brought into a fair repair shop that won't charge the world and, if it's related to negligence on behalf of the panel beater, will help me showing the NRMA and the panel beater accordingly. Also, we don't have car rental insurance so every day without a car costs us money.

[seangti]

Your hands sounds pretty tied here. Could be any number of things, though I'm thinking they've fried something, probably didn't earth it properly or disconnect battery when welding.

If you advise of the area your car is, perhaps a fellow Sydney member can recommend workshops. Before taking it to a workshop it'd be worth speaking with them first to ensure they have the skills and desire to take on the job, plus it could get messy dealing with insurance companies. The fall back would be taking it to a dealer for fault identification - that would hold more credibility with an insurance company.

[woofy]

I would say take it to a mechanic, either the dealer or a workshop you trust and get the issue diagnosed first. Then come after them if it is worthwhile.

[Transporter]

Maybe, for what ever reason, they've borrowed some component from your car.

[Tuan]

Maybe, for what ever reason, they've borrowed some component from your car.

What, the battery ?

Hope you get this sorted out seangti ... did you ask them when the car first showed signs of not starting. I'd be asking for another electrician to look at it before sending it off to a dealer. Unfortunately, it looks like it's probably out of warranty @ 4 years old.

[kozij]

Sounds very similar to what happened to my friend's car when he took it in for a custom DP. They told him to leave the car for the day. When he returned it wouldn't turn on at all. Towed to Euro mechanic to find the ECU was fried (noticeable smell etc).
After about $2000+ worth of repairs the car was back on the road.
My friend is still in the process of getting compensation from the exhaust workshop for damages through VCAT as they wouldn't settle (Wouldn't a reputable exhaust shop have business insurance anyways?)
Euro Mechanic couldn't point the finger obviously, but suggested it would have been from not earthing properly, which 'coincidentally' could have occured at the exhaust shup.

[LukePolo]

I personally, would get it towed to a VW independent, and get the car scanned with VCDS to determine what the actual problem is...

[AALocksmiths]

I'm with like, most auto electricians would not understand how the electronics on this work. If they have had one gut look at it and he can't even give fault codes then they got the wrong guy.

[Eaglen00b]

Check the fuses are in the right spot.

Mine blew the 12V power outlet fuse a few weeks ago. No fuse layout diagrams in manual or on the fusebox covers. Silly me figured, "She'll be right." and started pulling fuses and putting them back in a process of elimination to find the busted fuse.

Unfortunately for me, not all fuse slots had fuses in them (and boy were there lots of slots) AND I didn't have the smarts to at least TAKE A @#*(&$# photo of where the fuses sat before I started pulling them. Anyhow, long story short, got tired of pulling fuses with no luck, put everything back and got ready to head out to get some milk. The motor kept cranking for a good 5 - 10 seconds before finally firing, and idled rough as guts vibrating harder than a riding bareback on a sand compactor. It ran, but couldn't go over 3000rpm and would conk out every so often.

So off it went to my local VW service centre. $350 fault diagnosis. 1 x blown 15A outlet fuse. MAF sensor fuse in wrong position. Hey, at least they washed and vacuumed the car.

[Sunny43.5]

All I can add to this one is that most cars today seem to share fuses , I often in my work get called to fix a problem and you check the fuse for that particular part and then find that there are two of the bastards supplying power to the same part and its being shared with something unrelated . I had a an interior lights which were not working in a Landcruiser spent bloody ages checking all the fuses as the one listed was fine and then found a fuse for the clock or some other thing was blown so it was replaced and the lights worked again how dumb is that .