Turbocharger failure in new safari 2.2VTT(Edit: Solved; only a cracked rubber tubing)

[DDDHRUV]

I have already mentioned in my earlier post that I had purchased a Safari 2.2VTT Pearl White EX on Friday 28 March from Fortune Cars, Powai. The following Sunday i.e on the 30th while going for a short drive I noticed that the SERVICE light started glowing on the instrument panel. I could immediately find sudden sluggishness in my vehicle. I went through the manual and mate note of the problem.
I immediately called the dealer and conveyed the problem to him. Luckily as it was March end he was available at the showroom on a Sunday. He immediately reassured me that it was no major issue and requested me to get the vehicle on Monday morning as the senior technician was not available on Sunday.
I went to the dealer the first thing on Monday morning. A couple of technicians went through the diagnostics with their laptop and all their tests went fine. No fault detected. They reassured me saying some connections to some sensor may have been temporarily disconnected due to some jerk etc. They rechecked most of the electical contacts and gave the vehicle a clean chit.
Exactly three days later during noon time when I was driving at a steady 1600 -2000 rpm on an open stretch of road the SERVICE light once again appeared. This time I was alarmed. I immediately drove the vehicle aside and stopped the engine. I waited for about 3 minutes and restarted the engine. Strangely the SERVICE light disappeared. All these while I had been religiously following the 30 sec pause while staring and stopping the vehicle. However as I was very close to my dealer I straight away drove the vehicle to him and conveyed my displeasure to him.
He asked me to leave the vehicle with him for a day so that he could carry out exhaustive tests. I agreed and returned back the next day to once again find no fault located but assurance given that all possible contacts have been rechecked and tightened up so all stray chances of loose contact eliminated.
I had been driving the vehicle till today without any issues mostly throught traffic congested Mumbai roads with hardly any open stretches. Today in the afternoon as my kids had begun with their summer vacation I had planned to make a weekend trip to Shirdi with Nasik stopover. I left my home in Andheri at 3.30 and crossed Thane by 4.30 in relatively thick traffic till IIT Powai. As I picked up momentum on the Bhiwandi Bypass my bugbear the SERVICE light reappeared. I parked the vehicle to the side and switched off the engine. On restarting the light disappeared and I carried on. After a couple of kilometres I the light reappeared. I immediately called up the workshop manager at Fortune, Powai. He heard me out and asked me to proceed without worry as the light would go off on its own and bring the vehicle on Monday after my return. I proceeded for 10-12 kms but with no avail. I was simply not possible for me to drive any further with the vehicle in such sluggish mode. I picked up the manual for Tata workshop nearby and found out that Fortune has an service outlet at Wagle Estate, Thane. I called my dealer and asked him to make arrangements at Thane to receive my vehicle. I turned back and proceeded slowly to Thane fortune stopping every time the Service light appeared. When I reached the gate at Fortune Thane the SERVICE light was not on. They were aware of my complaint and promptly attended to the vehicle. They took the vehicle for a short drive within Wagle Estate and strangely no SERVICE light appeared. They then hooked up the laptop and ran all the diagnostics and no fault located. By this time I had, had enough. I coolly asked them to pack up the laptops and come again for a longer test drive with their senior mechanic/technician at the wheel. We drove for about 5 kms and had turned back to return to the workshop when the SERVICE light appeared. I heaved a sigh as I had been proved right. Now it was their turn to get alarmed. Immediately they hooked up the laptop and two error codes popped up. I forget the code nos but one pertained to the glow lamp malfunction and the other was something to do with the turbo charger. They opened the engine cover and checked the turbo charger. Fault diagnosed as play in turbo charger shaft arresting free movement leading to short supply when the engine crosses say 2000 rpm leading to malfunction alert and SERVICE light getting on.
I had a lengthy talk with my dealer. He apologised for this malfunction and ruining my weekend and informed that as the turbocharger would have to be replaced in this case. I would have to come to Powai on Monday preferably, as the part is not in stock.
With all my plans ruined I returned back home with my family disappointed.
Mods, I know this thread is very long but we all know that the past few months have seen a flood of buyers of the 2.2 VTT, many of them 1st time diesel vehicle buyers so I felt it necessary to keep them posted. My questions still left unanswered.
1. I had gone through all the predelivery inspection. I had even been to the dealers yard at Nerul for pre registration inspection. still could not anticipate this.
2. The diagnostic software is not conclusive or the TASS not well equipped to utlilize and decode the scope of the software.
3. Glow lamp malfunction still a mystery ...till Monday.
4. Hope to speak to someone at TATA MOTORS, Mumbai some time tommorrow. But tom. being a saturday not very hopeful of locating anyone responsible.

[Bigzero]

Whoa! I can understand how you feel, running into a problem like this where no one seems to be very sure what exactly is going on. Added to that you have to abort a weekend trip as well.

Another case of a major part replacement in the Safari within the first few months of use..

[sandeepmdas]

I am a proud owner of a TATA vehicle (not a Safari though) buttt I have to say this: time to open a new thread to post all Safari issues?

[Jaggu]

These things happen thanks to bad QC at manufacturing end, they were always inconsistent with quality, good news atleast they have found the problem. Get a replacement turbo and move on. You are lucky that nothing else went wrong.

[kkdelhi]

Originally Posted by DDDHRUV

I could immediately find sudden sluggishness in my vehicle. I went through the manual and mate note of the problem.

How sluggish was the vehicle? Was there a sudden drop in the pulling power, or was it only slight?

...When I reached the gate at Fortune Thane the SERVICE light was not on. They were aware of my complaint and promptly attended to the vehicle.

Nice, quick communication between the two places!

Immediately they hooked up the laptop and two error codes popped up.

Thank God for that. I mean, good that their diagnostic system picked them up.

I had a lengthy talk with my dealer. He apologised for this malfunction and...

What was the lengthy talk about, if I may ask - just curious.

...as the turbocharger would have to be replaced in this case. I would have to come to Powai on Monday preferably, as the part is not in stock.

Do ask them how much it costs? Of course, they won't charge you, but just for information.

With all my plans ruined I returned back home with my family disappointed.

I can understand the pain.

...have seen a flood of buyers of the 2.2 VTT, many of them 1st time diesel vehicle buyers so I felt it necessary to keep them posted.

Thanks for that.

My questions still left unanswered.
1. I had gone through all the predelivery inspection. I had even been to the dealers yard at Nerul for pre registration inspection. still could not anticipate this.
2. The diagnostic software is not conclusive or the TASS not well equipped to utlilize and decode the scope of the software.

It appears to be clearly a case of lack of quality control at Tata's end.

Hope you get the part replaced nice and quick on monday, and hope you never face such a problem again.

[redfire]

Originally Posted by sandeepmdas

I am a proud owner of a TATA vehicle (not a Safari though) buttt I have to say this: time to open a new thread to post all Safari issues?

I second your thought. I think this is the 4th or 5th post on faults of new Safari 2.2s. I remeber replying to a post yesterday or day before (http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...sure-pain.html (NEW Safari 2.2 VVT Ex-4x4 Light Gold > The joy, the pleasure & the pain !!)). Tata is making us (atleast me) to cut the Safari from the wishlist. Hope Landrover an Jags won't be affected like this!

[nitrous]

GARETT makes the Turbocharger for the Safari 2.2

[jaysmokesleaves]

Hi Ddhruv.
Im sure Tass will resolve your issue. The best they can/will do is to replace parts till they find the final fault. They may never even find the final fault. As in my case, they replaced the clutch & pressure plate in my 2 day old safari recently. Buy they could not pinpoint why the problem occured in the 1st place. I guess its part of the ownership experience to remain guessing everytime they keep changing stuff without correct diagnosis. However, most important, im glad that the vehicle did not leave you stranded. I hope your vehicle is sorted out to your satisfaction on Monday. Do keep us all posted on the outcome.

[PAVAN KADAM]

Guys i feel we are making a mountain out of a mole hill.

Every automobile manufactured do face some malfunctions or the other.

There's no car that comes out perfect from the factory.

At least TATA's are not calling thousands of cars after purposly fitting a wrong part. like other car manufacturers do.


All cars will have some malfunctioning part or the other,

Remember nobody's PERFECT.

[carzy]

Originally Posted by PAVAN KADAM

Guys i feel we are making a mountain out of a mole hill.

Every automobile manufactured do face some malfunctions or the other.

There's no car that comes out perfect from the factory.

Pavan, I believe he faced the problem within days after purchasing a brand new vehicle costing over 10 L . That's reason enough to make a mountain out of this issue. Automobiles do face malfunctions after regular use, normal wear and tear is common but we don't expect that from a brand new car. I would feel cheated and pissed off if I were in the same situation. It's time consumers start voicing their displeasure over poor Quality Control or India will become a dumping ground of poorly made BRAND NEW products .

[jaysmokesleaves]

my reply in bold

Originally Posted by PAVAN KADAM

Guys i feel we are making a mountain out of a mole hill.
The Safari is surely a mountain and the irritation certainly isnt the size of a molehill.

Every automobile manufactured do face some malfunctions or the other.
True but the the statistics in case of Tata is beyond market acceptability.

There's no car that comes out perfect from the factory.
It should come out perfect from the factory. We acustomers are not ginuea pigs for product testing. And if they dont come out perfect then they should be offered at a huge discount keeping the customer in the loop about the test mules.

At least TATA's are not calling thousands of cars after purposly fitting a wrong part. like other car manufacturers do.
Tata isnt calling thousands of cars back, they dont have to, because customers have to run to the manufacturer. The evidence of the same is apparent.

All cars will have some malfunctioning part or the other,
Do they? I feel enlightened.

Remember nobody's PERFECT.

A vehicle is not a product of nature and it certainly isnt a body. It is a result of design and engineering and the product of human creation. Therefore it must be safely assumed that it should be perfect. If that should not be the case, then imagine your Tv,ipod,Pc,laptop, bridges,trains & aeroplanes failing to perform when you are on/in it.

No personal offence intended.

[ritayan]

I think it would be wise to look at the number of failures before making a blanket comment. Even with the best QC mechinicals can fail. The starter on my Indigo failed in 15 days does that mean indigo overall is bad. No i dont think so. I have had Sony TV failure do we say Sony has bad QC. If overall design failure is detected(with t-bhp 2.2 Safari owners club we have a fair sample size) then there is a reason for concern.

[zenopio]

Originally Posted by carzy

Pavan, I believe he faced the problem within days after purchasing a brand new vehicle costing over 10 L . That's reason enough to make a mountain out of this issue. Automobiles do face malfunctions after regular use, normal wear and tear is common but we don't expect that from a brand new car. I would feel cheated and pissed off if I were in the same situation. It's time consumers start voicing their displeasure over poor Quality Control or India will become a dumping ground of poorly made BRAND NEW products .

hmmm major part replacement just in few days of purchase will be real hurting

yup i agree with you CRAZY facing problems in a new vehicle is very much irritating...

waiting for other safari owners to tell what issues they are facing if any.....

[Sankar]

Well this kind of shatters the good impression & feel i had of Tata when they came out with the 2.2 Safari.

[iraghava]

Originally Posted by nitrous

GARETT makes the Turbocharger for the Safari 2.2

And should we blame Garrett for the failure?? Did the buyer buy the Turbo, Engine, Gearbox etc. piecemeal & assemble it in his backyard or did he buy a fully assembled car manufactured by TATA & its suppliers?

Since we buy our cars as one unit for any failure it's the manufacturing company which has to bear the blame as they are the ones responsible for testing the product before selling it & to maintain their QC standards to the highest possible level.

But just one turbo or clutch failure doesn't mean that there is a problem with all the cars produced. Just that when you buy a TATA vehicle be prepared to face some niggles with them which are usually not serious in nature.