The World Should Know...

Feb 21, 2012
Morning
Went to a Peugeot authorised SC early this morning to see the progress on myPeugeot308 getting things fixed up as further described hereinafter.

Fortunately I was lucky to meet both, the Service Manager and the chief mechanics to confirm my 'allegations' on what I have been writing true.

I was 'honoured' to be taken for a tour in the fully packed workshop with over 30 Peugeots - either being serviced, repaired or just waiting for their turns. Mine was still in the Q even after day 8. I don't want to jump Q since nothing to complain for the delay as it looks like this particular workshop is full - where most Peugeot owners send their cars to get service/repair done here.

To my surprise, the truth was beyond my imagination. There was a worse case when the valve timing was totally out of synchronisation. In such case the piston hit the valves and damaging all of them! A few cars lying there with their engine on the floor waiting for the spare parts to arrive.

I left the SC and let them had a discussion among themselves and decide what to do on my car after 8 days lying there.

Afternoon
During lunch hour, the Service Manager at the authorised SC called me up. My place is located about 30km down south. I took a public transport and decided to take the car home because I knew myPeugeot308 turn would not be possible before end of February. Too many cars are already in the 'operating hall' while a few more still waiting for their turns.

I don't want myPeugeot308 to be exposed under intense tropical sun-rays and rain for another week or 2. On top of that I just want them to practise on other cars first; then we decided roughly the date for myPeugeot308 - subject to confirmation though...

to be continued...


Feb 19th 2012
Probably Peugeot/PSA has already realised and now I'm telling that certain batches if not all Peugeot THP engines have a serious design fault that timing chain pinion may slip and hence the engine loses its valve [and ignition?] timing.

Why Peugeot don't tell the truth?

Technically speaking, by looking at the design [pls refer to the illustration below]...
The timing chain pinion does not have a key and slot or any other way of locking into a fix position to the crankshaft except the pulley hub and bolt. You don't need to have a PhD or a Master Degree in mechanical engineering to figure out what would happen if the bolt become loose or elongated.

Now, if "mysteriously" it does happen, there would be subsequent angular displacement for the relative position of the camshafts to the crankshaft hence altering timing. Now I would say it is the design fault. Peugeot should have recalled every effected engine and fix it. Unfortunately it did not happen and Peugeot is gambling with the aftermath.

How Peugeot/PSA should have fixed it?
Simple answer is to "redesign" the whole pulley hub, timing pinion and chain assembly. Anyway, I think PSA has already done so, after all they are not a bunch of idiots, are they?
Now, are you worried?
Well, when buying stops, worry can too!

Peugeot Recalls 308?

Peugeot would recall 308 over bolt problems in China - reported by the Xinhua News Agency in early 2010 .

The statement said that bolts for the right transmission shaft may cause vibration and noise that may affect driving. Those vehicles were imported into mainland China from France. Peugeot authorized service centers would send letters to car owners to arrange for repair, the statement said.

About two weeks later another story from Reuters - French carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen would recall nearly 100,000 cars [fortunately, not 308] because they have accelerator-related problems ...

"... We are going to do a recall," said a PSA Peugeot Citroen spokesman.


Question to ponder:
What about timing mechanism problem for certain batches of Peugeot 308 THP?

Looks like they are handling just "case-by-case"? No recall exercise so far. I'm sure there would be a lot of cases will crop up especially when the warranty period is over.