Team-BHP - Unhappy with the after-sales service received for my Hyundai Elantra

Hi Everyone,

I have been thinking about this for over 2 years now, ever since I started facing stressful and chaotic situations with Hyundai ASS, is there a future for Hyundai premium cars if they cannot get there After Sales Service channel sorted?

If you ask anyone, if there is a good Hyundai service center in India, you wont get any positive answer. Everyone is just helpless and adjusting to the pathetic state of Hyundai Service Centers in India.

I bought my Elantra back in 2013 and ever since the free service routine got over, I have only struggled keeping my car healthy and fit. Today, the Steering rack got replaced and the steering has become heavy and cannot even center itself. The worst, the service Rep & the GM is absolutely clueless about it. With varying & horrifying experience with Motor Plaza, Delhi, I have lost all hope in Hyundai.

No matter how good cars you make Hyundai, if you cant keep it fit via ASS, why would Indians buy into your marketing gimmicks?

I am literally this close, from losing my sanity and and suing Hyundai ASS over mis-handling of my absolutely functional car.

Team-BHP community, your thoughts?

P.S. Not sure if this is off-topic for this forum, please shift it, if its meant to be somewhere else.

Hi

Sorry to hear your troubles. I'm surprised the guys at the A.S.S didn't adjust the steering feedback on the onboard computer.

I also own a 2013 1.8 Elantra which had the steering box replaced. The heavy steering was rectified by the GDS system which is proprietary Hyundai diagnostics. Probably a 15 mins job at best.

Wow. Bemusing to say the least. A hyundai owner cursing the A.S.S in general. I am a Volkswagen owner! :uncontrol

On a more serious note, it's sad to see that your car is being mishandled. Especially in a Tier 1 city such as Delhi, complaints like these are a bit of a surprise although not completely unexpected.

Visit another service centre and shoot a mail to Hyundai regarding this. It's sad to hear a car throwing up issues but even more saddening to hear of incompetent A.S.S. However, don't generalise. Even certain Maruti customers have had bad experiences with selected personals or service centres.

This service centre deserves all the flak for not handling your car well and some more, but I don't think the A.S.S network of Hyundai in general is that bad. Do give us further details of what went wrong with the car so that we can troubleshoot and don't go to the same dealer again.

The state of after sales when it comes to automobile manufacturers in our country is truly horrifying though. None of the brands have a clean track record. Some of the owners are dissatisfied with inflated costs while others are left at the mercy of incompetent mechanics and service centres.

Quote:

Originally Posted by flipsyde (Post 4328830)

Thats what, most of the staff, mechanics are clueless when it comes to the higher end cars.

And the worst, if the consumer is not technically sound, these guys can really ruin it for them.

The Service center rep kept arguing with me that the steering is normal and this is how every car is. I had to fight my way out and proved him wrong by testing on multiple cars verna, elantra, i20.

This is horrible.

I am glad that someone brought this topic up. In the forum and also based on reputation, you will find that Hyundai and Maruti have exemplary service.
Most Hyundai owners I know are fed up with the expenses paid for the service, they shoot up after 3-4 years, just when the warranty is over. I experienced the same with Maruti and Honda as well. I really don't trust any ASS except maybe Toyota as IMO they all change their colors once the honey moon is over.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMG Power (Post 4328843)

When a steering rack is replaced, it can be stiff initially with no self centering action. With use it will become okay.

The problem he is experiencing is far for something you can get adjusted to. Also since this is an electronic power steering it is the way it is from day one. It needs calibration. There is no other way out. It almost dangerous as the steering doesn't centre and it's unpredictably hard.

Hyundai Motor Plaza is supposed to be operated directly by Hyundai, and is not privately owned. Quite like Concorde.

If a Hyundai run workshop cannot handle it's own premium cars properly, then it really is a very sorry state of affairs. Fact is that all new cars are trouble free and reliable in the initial years. After that, it is ASS that makes as well as breaks the brand and the product too. Hyundai as well as Honda built their reputations on robust cars that didn't need frequent care and by making sure they we're able to manage them properly. Both companies seem to be loosing the plot off late.

What's happening is that the Company isn't training the mechanics. They are just not spending on the basics. A regular oil change can be done by these guys but for complicated jobs, they're falling short. It's always convenient to replace a component that is giving headaches for these guys. Also, there is no passion for the job anymore so self-learning is also not happening. Mechanics are also facing a lot of stick from irate customers and the supervisors leaving them with 'don't care' attitude. In my case, fake/sub standard oil became an issue as the car engine would feel rough after a service, leaving me with no other option but to drain out the oil, once outside the gates, and replace fresh. When I complain they say they will send the oil for evaluation, but do nothing about it.

Well, one thing is certainly happening. They are selling their ASS services very hard.

I have been getting service reminder calls starting 2 months before my scheduled service date. Number of calls just keep increasing.

Person making the call also asks for call back to that person’s number to make an appointment. Probably the tele-calling team too has numbers to meet.

So much so, the service advisor who serviced the car 4 months ago called me to remind me of service due against. That’s a first!

Not sure if this is pan-Hyundai ASS or just my dealer Advaith - Hyundai in Bengaluru.

I understand their intent of utilising their ASS resources (up their asset turnover), but this is boderline credit card / SIM card lelo level. Irritating beyond a point.

Plus, costs easily on the upside of 6K for a hatchback, even for a simple check up and oil fill. 200/- for washer fluid, which is water in a dingy can, which I have to beg them not to put and charge!

On the contrary, I have been satisfied with my Hyundai Service Center. I have stuck with 1 service adviser at the same service center for over 13 years now and he has been up to the job on most occasions. This is close to 4 lakh kms between two generation of Sonatas.
Yes, their prices have steadily climbed over the years and I dont drive my sonata as much to know if they have gone from good to bad in the last few years.
Frankly, I am of the view that either you should know someone at the dealer or you grease the palm of the service adviser to ensure he takes care of your vehicle.

I had a bad service experience at Hyundai for Creta. I suspected the oil changed at 20k kms wasn't synthetic as I had asked and billed.

So for 30k service I insisted it be changed in front of me.

Service advisor after taking old oil in his finger was claiming it was definitely synthetic, just by taking in his hands. It was taking him ages for an oil change. You just come to know from the way they work that they are novices.

Just then heard a loud thud from adjacent rake. They broke oil chamber of an innocent i20 guy. There was oil all over the floor of the service area. After a few minutes the oil chamber in which my car's old oil was being drained overflowed and I had to get the adviser to get someone to attend to it.

Two guys took the oil chamber to get it drained and returned drenched in oil as one of the guys had forgotten to righting the knob of the chamber.

Later complained to Hyundai on its website.

But only dealer contacted me. Told him I'd rather go to an FNG than your service center.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain (Post 4328885)

Hyundai exited its company owned showroom and workshop almost two years ago. Here is the link. http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...new-delhi.html

I have been an ardent fan of Hyundai for so many years. The quality of their service has gone down drastically and there is no doubt about it. The body shops within the dealership workshop are outsourced and you do notice that accidental repairs are not up to the mark.

The company has not been able to manage the quality of its service stations. At times, I have had to escalate things to their head office but then you can't do that every time.