Wagon R issues

Venkat · 8th March 2008, 14:04

Hello,

I have a second car which is a Wagon R. About 2 years old and under 25K kms. Basically bought for the wife as a run about for local purposes. Parked most of the time in the Building.

I have had a strange thing happen with this car.

The locking knob that is there on the door..the thing that you push down to lock the car....does it have a name?

Anyway...the first one on the drivers side door one day lost its top....it cracked and the top portion came off.

I unscrewed that one and swapped it with the rear door one.

Now my rear door one, which is on the driver door has started cracking.

I will try to post photos to explain things better.

Has anyone had this happen to them?

Venkat

ram_hyundai · 8th March 2008, 14:12

This is the first time that such a strange thing is reported.I have a feeling that the top portion you have mentioned is over tightened.Or some one is tightening the top portion maybe kids.Check for rattling of the top portion too.Maybe some attachment inside the door which holds the lock in place is loose.the rattling can cause the crack too.
ram

nkapoor777 · 8th March 2008, 14:44

@Venkat: Its nothing dude. Just cheap plastic. I've had a Wagon R for almost 4 years now and have replaced a few over this time. Stop worrying!

dadu · 8th March 2008, 15:47

Usually the OEM ones use quite good plastic.

Its bcos of overtightening or bad plastic.

snaronikar · 8th March 2008, 16:15

Even me when I had WagonR. I had replaced this around 4-5 times. These are made of PP (in some cases Talc Filled). If it is not talc filled, then these tend to become brittle over the years of usage and will break. But this part is not costly and can be easily replaced. Hence nothing to worry about this.

vijayrv · 8th March 2008, 18:15

Just wondering - Did you ever have a situation where you locked yourself out with the keys inside and had to rely on a roadside mechanic with a lengthy metal rod ? That might cause damage if done incorrectly.
But again, Maruti is known to cut costs by providing cheap plastics. A brand new SX4 which my cousin bought had the courtesy light knob break off 3 days after he bought it.

elfhelm · 9th March 2008, 11:05

hmm, I've got the new version of wagon r vxi released last year. Its done about 20K kms in 15 months. Very rough use, so its got a few rattles, but haven't had knobs breaking yet.

As someone mentioned, it must be a cheap plastic or overtightening.

It could also be a case of slightly less quality batch of those knobs. Anyway, if this is a problem after 2 yrs of ownership, you've got it good so far.

CrAzY dRiVeR · 9th March 2008, 12:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by ram_hyundai

This is the first time that such a strange thing is reported.

Not exactly. I had the door lock knob replaces once, as the top of it came off. Think its mainly due to the plastic and the thickness (or the lack of it) of the plastic knob.

kARTIK IYER · 9th March 2008, 12:58

Hi Venkat ,

I owned a Wagon R for 3 years , now own a scorpio ( i just could not wait ) . The parts mentioned in Wgon R are just average standard parts hence it is good to be replaced when a problem . I must say this to all Wgon R owners , it is great car and i have driven to farthest loactions and have she has never let me down .

Jaggu · 9th March 2008, 13:52

Heat and over tightening are also a big factor for the knobs breaking off.

metropolis · 10th March 2008, 00:25

Cheap quality of material used well never came across this its sounds strange, driving a santro since the last ten years still the locks and knobs are as good as new

Venkat · 10th March 2008, 13:38

Folks,
Thanks for the responses. I think the answer is cheap plastic. My Honda of over 10 years never had any problem like this. My Maruti 800s were good for about 8 years.

I do not know if the Maruti folks have a customer feedback mechanism where this product quality issue is dealt with and resolved.

Venkat

vnabhi · 10th March 2008, 16:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by vijayrv

Just wondering - Did you ever have a situation where you locked yourself out with the keys inside and had to rely on a roadside mechanic with a lengthy metal rod ? That might cause damage if done incorrectly.
But again, Maruti is known to cut costs by providing cheap plastics. A brand new SX4 which my cousin bought had the courtesy light knob break off 3 days after he bought it.

May I ask what a courtesy light is?

vijayrv · 10th March 2008, 22:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by vnabhi

May I ask what a courtesy light is?

Courtesy light is actually the technical term for any light (car interior light or the refrigerator light) which switches on when the user opens a door.

kARTIK IYER · 14th March 2008, 22:49

Venakt ,

I am not too sure about rectification but am sure that Maruti takes customers pretty seriously .. You can log on to the website and complain .. I am sure it will result in a quick response .

8th March 2008, 14:04	#1
Venkat BHPian Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 73 Thanked: 5 Times	Wagon R issues Hello, I have a second car which is a Wagon R. About 2 years old and under 25K kms. Basically bought for the wife as a run about for local purposes. Parked most of the time in the Building. I have had a strange thing happen with this car. The locking knob that is there on the door..the thing that you push down to lock the car....does it have a name? Anyway...the first one on the drivers side door one day lost its top....it cracked and the top portion came off. I unscrewed that one and swapped it with the rear door one. Now my rear door one, which is on the driver door has started cracking. I will try to post photos to explain things better. Has anyone had this happen to them? Venkat
	() Thanks

8th March 2008, 14:12	#2
ram_hyundai Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Calicut ,trisur Posts: 2,020 Thanked: 53 Times View My Garage	This is the first time that such a strange thing is reported.I have a feeling that the top portion you have mentioned is over tightened.Or some one is tightening the top portion maybe kids.Check for rattling of the top portion too.Maybe some attachment inside the door which holds the lock in place is loose.the rattling can cause the crack too. ram
	() Thanks

8th March 2008, 14:44	#3
nkapoor777 BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 608 Thanked: 143 Times	@Venkat: Its nothing dude. Just cheap plastic. I've had a Wagon R for almost 4 years now and have replaced a few over this time. Stop worrying!
	() Thanks

8th March 2008, 15:47	#4
dadu Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 3,803 Thanked: 462 Times View My Garage	Usually the OEM ones use quite good plastic. Its bcos of overtightening or bad plastic.
	() Thanks

8th March 2008, 16:15	#5
snaronikar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 2,845 Thanked: 29 Times View My Garage	Even me when I had WagonR. I had replaced this around 4-5 times. These are made of PP (in some cases Talc Filled). If it is not talc filled, then these tend to become brittle over the years of usage and will break. But this part is not costly and can be easily replaced. Hence nothing to worry about this.
	() Thanks

8th March 2008, 18:15	#6
vijayrv Newbie Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 21 Thanked: 0 Times	Just wondering - Did you ever have a situation where you locked yourself out with the keys inside and had to rely on a roadside mechanic with a lengthy metal rod ? That might cause damage if done incorrectly. But again, Maruti is known to cut costs by providing cheap plastics. A brand new SX4 which my cousin bought had the courtesy light knob break off 3 days after he bought it.
	() Thanks

9th March 2008, 11:05	#7
elfhelm BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Thane Posts: 113 Thanked: 0 Times	hmm, I've got the new version of wagon r vxi released last year. Its done about 20K kms in 15 months. Very rough use, so its got a few rattles, but haven't had knobs breaking yet. As someone mentioned, it must be a cheap plastic or overtightening. It could also be a case of slightly less quality batch of those knobs. Anyway, if this is a problem after 2 yrs of ownership, you've got it good so far. Last edited by elfhelm : 9th March 2008 at 11:07.
	() Thanks

9th March 2008, 12:58	#9
kARTIK IYER BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: NaviMumbai Posts: 160 Thanked: 14 Times	Hi Venkat , I owned a Wagon R for 3 years , now own a scorpio ( i just could not wait ) . The parts mentioned in Wgon R are just average standard parts hence it is good to be replaced when a problem . I must say this to all Wgon R owners , it is great car and i have driven to farthest loactions and have she has never let me down .
	() Thanks

9th March 2008, 13:52	#10
Jaggu Team-BHP Support Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 20,215 Thanked: 15,907 Times	Heat and over tightening are also a big factor for the knobs breaking off.
	() Thanks

10th March 2008, 00:25	#11
metropolis BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Delhi Posts: 263 Thanked: 52 Times	Cheap quality of material used well never came across this its sounds strange, driving a santro since the last ten years still the locks and knobs are as good as new
	() Thanks

10th March 2008, 13:38	#12
Venkat BHPian Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 73 Thanked: 5 Times	Folks, Thanks for the responses. I think the answer is cheap plastic. My Honda of over 10 years never had any problem like this. My Maruti 800s were good for about 8 years. I do not know if the Maruti folks have a customer feedback mechanism where this product quality issue is dealt with and resolved. Venkat
	() Thanks

14th March 2008, 22:49	#15
kARTIK IYER BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: NaviMumbai Posts: 160 Thanked: 14 Times	Venakt , I am not too sure about rectification but am sure that Maruti takes customers pretty seriously .. You can log on to the website and complain .. I am sure it will result in a quick response .
	() Thanks