I had been on a trip to Sabarimala and back from Bangalore, covering a distance of 1600 km over 3 days.
This review is about an incident on the return journey and how the much acclaimed Maruti service could not be of much assistance to me. Before I continue, I have to say this
- Keep reading and you will find out why.
On my return journey, somewhere before Thiruvalla at about 6 p.m, I try to flash my lights at a truck and nothing happens. Shucks, high beam conked, I say to myself and then hunt for a Maruti A.S.S. Locate Sarathi AutoCars, go in and ask them what can be done. They say that their electricians have already left as it is closing time and the service advisors look clueless. I tell them I have fitted an external headlamp relay, and ask them to check that, as well as the fuses. They do some checking, I realise they do no have much idea and I have no other options. Going further towards Kottayam will take me to another service center, but I expect them to be closed as well, time is now past 6.30 p.m. An electrician materializes later and checks the relay. After a few minutes of analysis, he figures out that the relay is the culprit. They don't keep a replacement as it is an aftermarket part. Ok fine. I proceed towards Thiruvalla town and procure one. Fit it myself and check the lights, still no joy.
Now I realise that the Sarathy guys were no good really and I should have analysed the relay myself(not that they would have given me the tools). I call Maruti helpline. Call is answered by Popular TVM. THe guys talks in a helpful tone, tells me that there are no separate fuses for High/low beams, it is RH/LH fuses. Since both high beams do not work, I rule out the fuses. The guy asks me where I get my car serviced, I say I am from Bangalore. He informs me that he is from Popular, TVM and since I am close to Kottayam, he shall give me Popular's Kottayam number. I take it down. Call them and request for help. He says that their workshop is closed. I ask him about 24 hour service. He says it is only for vehicles that has had a breakdown and even then it is towed back to their facility for repairs. Ok, thanks, I say. I hang up.
I think. Then I check the external circuit(for the 100/90 lamp) fuses myself once again, to be absolutely sure, and they seem to be fine. What could be the reason, I wonder. Probably a rat, which carefully chewed of the high beam wires only? Naah, sounds improbable. then what? Suddenly, it strikes me. Nobody has checked the bulbs yet !! I remove the RH bulb with some difficulty, the LH one does not have space for the palm to go in unless one removes the battery(or so I thought - I was to disprove myself a little while later). BINGO ! I see that the high beam filament is a goner. I felt like a complete idiot, but I was also angry that Sarathy motors never bothered to check the bulbs. I usually carry spare bulbs in the car(provided by Maruti themselves), but this time I wasn't. I curse my luck, send my friends to check out the shops which might be open at that time, to get bulbs. I also call up an acquaintance, but he wasn't inclined to help, I thank him and hang up. It turns out that all Auto shops in Changanachery are closed by that time. Going to Kottayam is the next option, but I am not too hopeful as it will be even more late by the time I reach there.
Now that it is clear that the bulbs are the issue, I call Popular Kottayam once again to ask if Maruti On road service can provide a pair of bulbs. He says that is not possible. The much acclaimed Maruti service was of no use to me. On road service is only for breakdowns, it seems. Would they consider no headlights as a breakdown situation? How would they respond in such a case? Tow the vehicle to the garage and put new bulbs in the morning? I had the low beam at least and could have motored on, albeit slowly.
I then call up a friend in Ernakulam, who has a Vdi himself and asks him if he has the spare bulb set. He checks and says yes. Fine, I say - I am coming there to pick it up, even though it is going to be quite late. After a last futile effort to procure bulbs at Kottayam, I dump one of my friends at Ettumanoor(I was supposed to have dropped him at Muvattupuzha) and turn towards Ernakulam. I reach Ernakulam by 11 p.m and barge into my friends place.
The RH bulb is easily replaced, but I found that it is very difficult to put my palm in the space behind the LH headlight. Nevertheless, I managed, going by feel and my friend who was guiding me with a torch.
By 11.30, I had a car with proper lights, though it was 60/55W, the burnt bulbs were of 100/90W. I could feel the reduction in light intensity, but I managed and made it to Bangalore by noon next day.
Now my questions are -
1. Shouldn't Sarathy Autocars have checked the bulbs while I was there?
2. If the electrician does not have the basic skill to check a relay, why employ him? Agreed that it is an aftermarket fitment, but a relay is not a complex thing to analyse.
3. The faulty diagnosis made me buy an extra relay. Agreed it was only Rs 240, what if it had been a more expensive item?
4. Why doesn't MOS cater to electrical issues? Is it so difficult to carry an inventory of minor stuff like bulbs?I admit that I should have been carrying spare bulbs provided to me, but when a customer is stranded on road, didn't Maruti have any responsibility to help me?