[katchkamalesh]

I am writing this complaint with a heavy heart. Well the reason being that I have lost faith in Yamaha motors India and have decided to stay away from their bikes in the future.

I own an R15 which has run close to 52,000 km since Nov 2008. The bike had covered 41,000 km by the end of 2012. The last 11,000 km was completed in 17 months i.e., since Jan 2013 to July 2014. The bike was sparingly used after I purchased 200 NS. The NS had become my primary bike.

As the R15 was sparingly used since 2013, it did not visit the service centre as regularly as it used to. In the last 17 months, R15 visited the service centre 5 times (Jan 13 @ 41661 km, Aug, 13 @ 46582, Oct 13 @ 47748, mar 14 @ 51008, may 14 @ 52573 km). Apart from these visits I used to replace engine oil and filters as needed.

In the past 3 services I had complained to Charles, Service Manager at Sri motors, Chennai regarding rear brake. The brake was always engaged and pads used to wear out earlier than expcted. In oct 2013, the disc rotor got damaged as the pad wore out and metal part started rubbing against the rotor. I had to change the rotor. As time passed (around May 14), the rear brakes again was always engaged and even this time, the pads wore out and metal started rubbing against the rotor damaging the rotor to a very small extent, this time I was not able to push the bike in reverse, if I reversed, the brake got engaged and I had hard time disengaging it.

Disappointed with the service at Sri Motors, I mailed Yamaha asking them to suggest the best service station. Yamaha had recommended Bikerz (guess since it’s close to my home). Then I get a call from Sri saying that the entire service team had been dismissed and a new team has taken over. So I decide to give them a chance as I was always a satisfied customer.

I visited the Sri Service centre and I decided to get the brake problem rectified. The problem seemed to be with a faulty component inside the rear calliper (I guess calliper piston). I paid for the component and I complained that if this issue had been sorted earlier, it would have saved me the amount spent on multiple pads and rotor. The service manager assured that he will also overhaul the rear brake assembly to ensure that the component will be trouble free.

In July, 600 km after the service, while my brother was riding the bike, the rear brake failed, and the disc oil spewed out and he had a narrow escape from hitting vehicle in front. After the harrowing experience, I visit the service centre and the manager initially says that the entire assembly has to be replaced and would cost approx Rs 4,000. I declined to pay as the mistake was on their part. I asked him how can a part that was replaced and overhauled fail in such a short time?. He agreed that the component might be faulty.
The manager asked me to come to their workshop so that we could have a 1 to 1 discussion. I went to the showroom after taking 1 hour permission. I was made to wait for 25 mins with no signs of the manager. Then I visit the showroom owner, He assured me of prompt service and he told me that he would try to replace the part free of cost or service the component.

After 3 days the manager calls and says that only one particular component that was replaced earlier would be replaced for free now and I would have to pay for the rest of assembly and brake pads. I told him again that I will not pay a paisa as the failure was a result of poor workmanship. The pads were drenched in oil and needed replacement as well. He told me that if I am not paying for the parts, the bike will lay in their station untouched. (Whatever happened to his promises of trouble free experience?)

There was no use talking to the manager, I call up the owner (Rao), he was initially apologetic. I started to complain about the service that I was subjected. Then his temper changed and he showed his true colours, He blamed me for not servicing the bike regularly. He went to extent of saying that I do not deserve to own India’s costliest bike. In his mind, he thinks that I am not willing to pay for the components. The truth is, I am not going to pay for their screw up.

I do not understand his logic, when the bike is not used what is the point of just replacing parts?

Even in the service centre, all they do is change oil and filters which I had anyways been doing.

Please correct me if I’m wrong, I believe that no service centre will service the brakes unless there has been a complaint.

Mr Rao boasted of being the best dealer in India for the past 21 years. If that is the case, what is the reason for firing the entire team of service personnel/mechanics including service manager?

I did not come to Sri Motors to visit Charles (Ex manager), I came to visit your service manager, period. Rather than blaming the customer, ask your team to shut up and not to give suggestions to customers. If the component needs replacement, replace it, Period. No machining and stuff. And also provide bills for all the work that you do. Don’t bend the rules to your favour.

(Their team had suggested machining of a part so that I do not spend on the replacing the part. Since a competent person suggested machining, I opted for it. The problem with this is that I will not get a bill to support the work, which I was fine with as long as the component is working fine. Since I didn’t have a bill to support my claim, Rao asked me to speak to Charles directly. I do not understand his logic again, he has quit his job, and how will he support a query of Sri Motors?)

I think that rather than me incapable of owing a R15, Rao is incapable of running a service station. Sir, you better spin off the service centre and just stick to selling bikes. You, Sir, are incapable of handling customers.

So where does Yamaha India come into the picture, its been kept in the loop at all the times. I believe there is only one guy working in the customer service team as the same person answers my calls as well as calls me back. Even Yamaha is not in a position to control its dealers. Yamaha take a leaf out of Hyundai and cancel the dealership if you get a lot of complaints.

I am planning to go the legal route, any thoughts?

What would be the best option?

[VW2010]

Katchkamalesh,

I am not sure if the service center did anything wrong here. In fact i am surprised they are ready to change something and are asking you to own the rest.

Even if you take legal route a simple history of service may basically back fire on you.

You admitting changing oil on your own can only lead to more speculations that you played adjusting or changing the brakes as well.

You also agreed to machining a part with no bills to support that work. You know that was wrong and you are not going to get any help here.

The best option here is to see if you cordially work for a compromise. If i am the dealer i may try to help you out of courtesy and not by need or by rule or law.

The reason why they say service at specific internal at the specific authorized work shop is to have an advantage over the customer when he does something on his own.

Can you take the bill and document of replacement part you replaced 600kms before. It will have the clause of replacement and warranty of the replacement part. If that is valid for say only 6 months you are actually out of any service support.

My understanding here may be incorrect, but i think the service center is at an advantage and amicable solution seems like your best bet at this point.

[katchkamalesh]

I have only changed the oil and filters, nothing more. Fortunately I have record for the brake isssue i.,e from March to May 2014. Only in May 2014, the entire brake caliper was overhauled and a component replaced.

What I am saying is that, they disassembled the brake calliper, replaced a faulty one and overhauled the entire assembly. I guess that something went wrong while putting back things together leading to failure.

I am belief that they did not posses the skill required to change the component such that they screwed up big time leading to the entire failure of assembly.

Now they are asking me to pay for entire assembly (except a single part) and pads is ridiculous. Because disc oil penetrated into the pads and rendered it useless. Isn't it a cause of failed disc calliper?

P.S. Wihtout bills works was not carried out recently, it was for a bell clutch assembly and that did prolong the life of the clutch for 5,000 km as promised and I did not face any issue. The reason for me mentioning was that the owner asked me to get in touch with the service manager for jobs without bills. If this is the implication why does the team suggest it in the first place?

For the customer, the vehicle has to work fine and I just stuck to the suggestion of the expert there. Legally I have no leverage but ethically shouldn't the dealer take responsibility?

[Majumdarda]

Reading through your experience makes me belief that the Service Centers have not changed, from way back in 2004. I had faced a similar issue with my Pulsar and I had stopped going to the dealership again for any servicing etc. I still have the coupons. But the warranty expired nonetheless. What about Yamaha? Considering your not so regular servicing for your motorcycle, I am of the understanding that your warranty has expired and that is the reason the dealership is taking an upper hand. Forget the concepts of being ethical etc, as those are practices, hard to come across in the two wheeler section.

Solution: One you may try to come to a amicable solution, but from what I have read, its hard to come by. Another thing that you can probably try is to make contact with the Yamaha Management, put forward your queries, the challenges observed, but not blaming the Yamaha at all. Rather asking them for a solution(Put them in your shoes). Using the google, finding the Management guys e-mail addresses should not be that difficult, but yes, it will take time and patience and one needs to be very tactful. I would not advise going the legal way, if your warranty has expired.

P.s. :- Finding the contacts the google way, has worked for me. Only drawback is that it takes time and patience.

[dre@ms]

Sorry for you. But why cant you try the service centre advised by Yamaha, Bikerz and get their feedback.

[katchkamalesh]

@dreams - I was a very satisfied customer of Sri. Only recently I am facing this kind of issue. Personally hope that they get back to their previous shape.


Today, I had a number of conversations with Yamaha personnel and owner of Sri motors.

Now the offers stands at no labour charges and 5% discount on spares.

Have asked the owner to waive charges for parts that were replaced in the previous service and also waive labour charges.

Hope to reach an amicable and a permanent solution to this problem.

I will post as things unfold.

P.S. This time, Yamaha's service team did not contact me, all my mails went unanswered. I had to get in touch with my contacts to get hold of the Yamaha's officer responsible for that particular service center.

[katchkamalesh]

Apologies for not updating the thread.

Finally had to pay Rs 3,2xx towards rear caliper and disc oil. For some reason they swiped Rs 3,500 from my card and handed Rs 2xx back in cash.

because of the bad experience, everything they do is suspicious to me. May be I am wrong.

Hope this problem never returns.

Again NO support from Yamaha.

What I do not understand is the logic behind OEMs asking the same dealer/service centre to contact the customer to rectify the issues??

The reason for a customer to complain is that they are unhappy with the efforts of the service centre. so the OEM has to send in a competent authority to rectify the issue or at the very least be hold a 3 party conference which they are not doing.

In my case, when the owner was angry, he told me that even if I complaint to Yamaha, all Yamaha can do is ask the dealer to fix the issue i.e., Yamaha can not force the dealer on monetary issues like replacing part for free. (This can be done only if Yamaha is willing to pay for the part i.e., during warranty).

If this is true, then there is no point to complain in my case. I was not willing to pay for the new part as it was recently serviced. The dealer wanted me to pay for it.

Anyways, hope that OEMs rework on this strategy and bring some cheer to the consumers.