Swift ZXi--Spare Tyre Recall by Maruti

veyron1 · 9th May 2006, 19:34

Hoo boy, it's been a busy day. I managed to stop by Sai service, and yup, the news is true. I might be getting my wheel sometime next week.

This is really a commendable move by MUL. Maruti deserves a pat on the back for the same.

@islero; like Rtech said, there's no "lighter" tread. The damn paper doesn't know what it's writing about, as usual. The spare wheels of ALL swift variants are the SAME, as in- same size, shape and make (165/80 R14 tubed). So, if the spare is an engineering flaw in the Zxi, it should be so in the Lxi and Vxi too; which isn't the case. The spare isn't a mechanical flaw. It's just another cost-shaving tool, that's it.

@normally crazy; the alloy isn't the icing; it's just that Maruti is acting positively towards customer feedback. The Lxi and Vxi run on tubed tyres of 165/80 profile (JK tornado) on steel wheels at all ends. The Zxi was the ONLY variant that got stuck with the tubed tyre/steel wheel spare whereas the atual running rubber was 185/70 tubeless (JK vectra). Maruti COULD have gone ahead and pointed at Mercs or Beemers and justified it's actions of putting a steel wheel in the Zxi, but it went ahead and did the right thing by going the whole nine yards. And oh, the 185 profile tubeless won't fit on the steel rim, so Maruti is not giving the alloy as an ICING, but the cake itself.

Maruti deserves a good pat on the back for this. Kudos. Let's hope that the other manufacturers begin to follow the trend.

Wonder what would happen if Tata decided to give recalls....Ha...

.anshuman · 10th May 2006, 00:57

i never knew maruti does respond to market feedback this is a great move by maruti and this move will translate into more satisfied swift owners leading to better reputation and sales.

ajmat · 10th May 2006, 08:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by BUSA

How will Ajmat claim for his, he has changed to 15inchers, pardon me

Complicated as I do not have a spare to exchange, also what will I do with one alloy - so forget t unless they give some cash off

ksethuram · 10th May 2006, 08:57

I met a service guy yesterday to whoom i threw some questions regarding this. He told me that there was absolutely no problem with the tyre except while rotating it. In normal swift's they would do a 5 tyre rotation where as in Swift Zxi they were doing a 4 tyre rotation. He told me that there was nothing related to security or other issues.
When i asked him whether there was any weight difference between the two he told that he has never checked it.

But If there is a weight difference between alloyed and non alloyed one surely it would not be secure to run with the spare at high speeds. Experts please shed more light

Technocrat · 10th May 2006, 09:48

Btw I am wondering Are they changing tyre too? I mean it is possible that the tyre would be slightly worn (I know Swift isnt that old but then some people do have higher running). So is MUL is taking back probably a used tyre ? What will they do with it ?? Put it in a new car ? I hope not

ivor · 10th May 2006, 10:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Technocrat

Btw I am wondering Are they changing tyre too? I mean it is possible that the tyre would be slightly worn (I know Swift isnt that old but then some people do have higher running). So is MUL is taking back probably a used tyre ? What will they do with it ?? Put it in a new car ? I hope not

For the last time, it's a tyre + alloy replacement! For used and new! The chassis numbers mentioned seem to indicate all ZXis are eligible. Here's a list of all that got replaced, according to the invoice I received:

* Tyre Valve (TR414)
* Pipe (185/70R14 88S)
* Spare Tyre Screw
* Alloy Wheel
* Luggage Floor Carpet

Hmmm...what do they do with the old tyre? Don't have a clue--I guess in cases like mine where the car is a month old and the spare tyre has never been used, they could use it in a new LXi or VXi. They certainly wouldn't be stupid to use worn out tyres (even slightly used) in new cars.

shuvc · 10th May 2006, 10:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by ivor

Incidentally, RTech and extreme_torque, the Getz version with alloys comes with an alloy in the boot as a spare wheel.

I believe the Palio version with alloys comes with a steel wheel as spare, but am not completely sure about this.

... but .. did not want to create a new thread for this ..
Which of the 'alloyed' Indian cars (say within 15 Lakh) does come with an Alloy spare ?

WagonR Primea - ?
Getz - Y
Swift - Now Y
Palio 1.6 - ?
Indigo SX - ?
Accent Viva - ?
Ikon ZXi/SXi - ?
Fiesta SXi - ?
Aveo 1.6 LT - ?
City VTec - Y (I remember @goldie had confirmed this)
Baleno VXi - Y
Petra ELX - ?
Lancer SFXi - ? (Current Lancer LX does not come with alloys)
Fusion + - ?
Optra 1.8 - ?
Corolla - ?
Cedia - ?
Elantra - ?
Skoda RS - ?
Skoda L&K - ?
Embera - ?
Accord - ?
CR-V - ?
Tucson - ?
Endeavour - ?

It would be good to know ...

Technocrat · 10th May 2006, 10:55

@ivor: I know they are replacing tyre+alloy, my only query was, what they gonna do with the tyre that they will be getting back & out of those the ones which are used even slightly.

Hmm gotta find this out with some dealer.

Rtech · 10th May 2006, 10:55

Corolla has a alloy spare.
Skoda's don't.

ivor · 10th May 2006, 11:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Technocrat

@ivor: I know they are replacing tyre+alloy, my only query was, what they gonna do with the tyre that they will be getting back & out of those the ones which are used even slightly.

Hmm gotta find this out with some dealer.

Sorry, I think I misunderstood. Pls do update us if you find out from a dealer what happens to the recalled tyres.

Some amateur theories: Perhaps the tyres will be shipped back to Gurgaon and the company will dispose them off from there (usually third-parties pick up such material through tenders). In that case, some of the tyres would come back into circulation.

I wonder if Maruti will get into the trouble of sorting tyres (unused and used) and risk some new owner raising a stink because one of his tyres shows a 05 date while another one shows a 06 date.

If shipping tyres back to Gurgaon is unfeasible, then perhaps the dealers will be asked to get rid of them along with the other faulty parts, etc, that they routinely would be getting rid of.

Maruti has shown a high standard of customer service and corporate ethics by this move and I'm sure they wouldn't have gone to this trouble and then do something as dirty as re-use the old tyres. So, I'm pretty sure the company considers this a one-time cost incurred. But I'm not sure dealers are so noble.

So, if I was buying a new Swift or buying a new tyre from dealers, I'd be looking closely at the date stamped on the tyre!

adya33 · 10th May 2006, 12:45

Spare tyre on Honda Accord is also alloy

directinjection · 10th May 2006, 12:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5u3zEr0

The Palio GTX also comes with a steel wheel as a spare but the tyre size is the same as the others. Many companies do this abroad. Some companies dont even give a spare wheel!

Wonder why Maruti is replacing the spare wheels?

Off topic, Mercedes Benz India does not provide alloy rim for the spare wheel even in the higher priced "Elegance" range of C class. I don't know what's the status of the E and S class.

airfoil · 10th May 2006, 13:35

Could anyone who has switched their stock pressed-rim spare wheel top the factory alloy comment on how the alloy sits/fits in the spare wheel well?

Thanks.

ajmat · 10th May 2006, 14:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by airfoil

Could anyone who has switched their stock pressed-rim spare wheel top the factory alloy comment on how the alloy sits/fits in the spare wheel well?

Thanks.

No probs at all, wheel well designed for a 195 tyre

Zappo · 10th May 2006, 14:24

Normal international practice of using a thinner tread tyre for spare is well known. By thinner tread what they mean is that it is supposed to be a stop-gap arrangement in emergencies. The tyre is not as wide as the regular tyres and looks skinnier. It also comes with a lower speed rating. Being not as wide they also save space in the boot (in terms of depth). Of course extending the logic of a stop-gap arrangement the manufacturers also palm off normal steel rim wheels instead of the costlier alloys.

Talking about Maruti, they probably did this to protect their turf. Yes, it is a good move... even proactive some will say. But the fact remains that businesses are not run for charity or just to make people happy. Companies like Maruti run a lot many clinics and take feedbacks through dealer surveys and international ones like J.D Powers. While others may not have realized it Maruti's analysts must have found a disturbing trend. They probably found that many of the Swift ZXi owners who were listed as unhappy rated the spares as a bugbear. Indians being Indians they will hate to pay more for a higher end car and then realize that one of the distinguishing features is actually only so on the surface. They are getting a lower end tyre in the boot, just as the cheaper variants. This gets their goat. Maruti realized that it pays to replace this tyre rather than trying to "educate" people about something which will earn them more scorn and cost some more points from the satisfaction-index.

So enjoy... the net outcome helps us as a customer.

9th May 2006, 19:34	#31
veyron1 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,424 Thanked: 52 Times View My Garage	Hoo boy, it's been a busy day. I managed to stop by Sai service, and yup, the news is true. I might be getting my wheel sometime next week. This is really a commendable move by MUL. Maruti deserves a pat on the back for the same. @islero; like Rtech said, there's no "lighter" tread. The damn paper doesn't know what it's writing about, as usual. The spare wheels of ALL swift variants are the SAME, as in- same size, shape and make (165/80 R14 tubed). So, if the spare is an engineering flaw in the Zxi, it should be so in the Lxi and Vxi too; which isn't the case. The spare isn't a mechanical flaw. It's just another cost-shaving tool, that's it. @normally crazy; the alloy isn't the icing; it's just that Maruti is acting positively towards customer feedback. The Lxi and Vxi run on tubed tyres of 165/80 profile (JK tornado) on steel wheels at all ends. The Zxi was the ONLY variant that got stuck with the tubed tyre/steel wheel spare whereas the atual running rubber was 185/70 tubeless (JK vectra). Maruti COULD have gone ahead and pointed at Mercs or Beemers and justified it's actions of putting a steel wheel in the Zxi, but it went ahead and did the right thing by going the whole nine yards. And oh, the 185 profile tubeless won't fit on the steel rim, so Maruti is not giving the alloy as an ICING, but the cake itself. Maruti deserves a good pat on the back for this. Kudos. Let's hope that the other manufacturers begin to follow the trend. Wonder what would happen if Tata decided to give recalls....Ha...
	() Thanks

10th May 2006, 00:57	#32
.anshuman Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Good-Gaon Posts: 7,763 Thanked: 11,064 Times View My Garage	i never knew maruti does respond to market feedback this is a great move by maruti and this move will translate into more satisfied swift owners leading to better reputation and sales.
	() Thanks

10th May 2006, 08:57	#34
ksethuram BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Chennai , London (now) Posts: 233 Thanked: Once	I met a service guy yesterday to whoom i threw some questions regarding this. He told me that there was absolutely no problem with the tyre except while rotating it. In normal swift's they would do a 5 tyre rotation where as in Swift Zxi they were doing a 4 tyre rotation. He told me that there was nothing related to security or other issues. When i asked him whether there was any weight difference between the two he told that he has never checked it. But If there is a weight difference between alloyed and non alloyed one surely it would not be secure to run with the spare at high speeds. Experts please shed more light
	() Thanks

10th May 2006, 09:48	#35
Technocrat Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: GTA Posts: 14,813 Thanked: 2,700 Times	Btw I am wondering Are they changing tyre too? I mean it is possible that the tyre would be slightly worn (I know Swift isnt that old but then some people do have higher running). So is MUL is taking back probably a used tyre ? What will they do with it ?? Put it in a new car ? I hope not Last edited by Technocrat : 10th May 2006 at 09:51.
	() Thanks

10th May 2006, 10:55	#38
Technocrat Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: GTA Posts: 14,813 Thanked: 2,700 Times	@ivor: I know they are replacing tyre+alloy, my only query was, what they gonna do with the tyre that they will be getting back & out of those the ones which are used even slightly. Hmm gotta find this out with some dealer.
	() Thanks

10th May 2006, 10:55	#39
Rtech Team-BHP Support Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 5,770 Thanked: 359 Times View My Garage	Corolla has a alloy spare. Skoda's don't.
	() Thanks

10th May 2006, 12:45	#41
adya33 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pune Posts: 1,839 Thanked: 183 Times	Spare tyre on Honda Accord is also alloy
	() Thanks

10th May 2006, 13:35	#43
airfoil BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 318 Thanked: 81 Times	Could anyone who has switched their stock pressed-rim spare wheel top the factory alloy comment on how the alloy sits/fits in the spare wheel well? Thanks.
	() Thanks

10th May 2006, 14:24	#45
Zappo Team-BHP Support Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 5,922 Thanked: 2,699 Times	Normal international practice of using a thinner tread tyre for spare is well known. By thinner tread what they mean is that it is supposed to be a stop-gap arrangement in emergencies. The tyre is not as wide as the regular tyres and looks skinnier. It also comes with a lower speed rating. Being not as wide they also save space in the boot (in terms of depth). Of course extending the logic of a stop-gap arrangement the manufacturers also palm off normal steel rim wheels instead of the costlier alloys. Talking about Maruti, they probably did this to protect their turf. Yes, it is a good move... even proactive some will say. But the fact remains that businesses are not run for charity or just to make people happy. Companies like Maruti run a lot many clinics and take feedbacks through dealer surveys and international ones like J.D Powers. While others may not have realized it Maruti's analysts must have found a disturbing trend. They probably found that many of the Swift ZXi owners who were listed as unhappy rated the spares as a bugbear. Indians being Indians they will hate to pay more for a higher end car and then realize that one of the distinguishing features is actually only so on the surface. They are getting a lower end tyre in the boot, just as the cheaper variants. This gets their goat. Maruti realized that it pays to replace this tyre rather than trying to "educate" people about something which will earn them more scorn and cost some more points from the satisfaction-index. So enjoy... the net outcome helps us as a customer.
	() Thanks