Nomsa Simelane was on her way from Soweto to a church service in Secunda, Mpumalanga, when the engine of her Chery Tiggo started smoking and the temperature dial showed it was extremely hot.
This was just about 40 to 50kms after Simelane had stopped for fuel at the BP garage in Protea Glen, Soweto, where she later found out the petrol attendant had allegedly not closed the radiator cap properly.
“I was on the N1 in Midrand near Allandale Road when I started seeing smoke coming from the engine,” Simelane told Sowetan Consumer.
“I managed to drive it to a garage, and they put water in the radiator to cool the engine down.”
She took the car to her mechanic, and he told her the engine might need to be replaced.
“The cylinder head has developed a crack on it which dissipates water under pressure,” said the report from the workshop.
“The cylinder head will need to be replaced, or the complete engine will need to be replaced, as the parts for this vehicle are difficult to acquire.”
I was on the N1 in Midrand near Allandale Road when I started seeing smoke coming from the engine.
— Nomsa Simelane
The workshop said the repairs would cost R16,500, money Simelane doesn’t have, while she continues to pay R700 a month on insurance for a car she can’t use.
Simelane now has to wake up earlier each day to take two taxis to work in Sandton and back.
“The manager of the garage in Protea checked his CCTV camera and realised the petrol attendant had forgotten to put the lid back on the radiator after she serviced my car,” she said.
“He promised he’d contact his insurance to fix my car, but he has since stopped taking my calls.”
Simelane then contacted the owner of the garage, who directed her to the BP head office.
“I have been writing to the head office, but they are not responsive, and that worried me.”
Sowetan Consumer escalated her complaint to BPSA head office, and spokesperson Hamlet Morule said: “We would like to assure you that Ms Simelane’s matter has been prioritised. The matter is currently with the [petrol station’s] insurance provider, and we have no control over that process. We will ensure that the customer is kept informed of the progress while the investigation is being finalised,” Morule said.
“The dealer has committed to obtaining feedback from their insurer ASAP. We will await this feedback to determine the way forward.”
Sowetan
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