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Old 21st October 2013, 21:00   #46
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Quote:
Originally Posted by richie4u View Post
Got a mail and confirmation from the Area Service Manager as follows:

So now that's a relief, regaining some trust in Tata after all this fiasco.

Went to see the vehicle today,according to the service advisor,the injectors have been forwarded for calibration job and expected in a day or two and will probably get the car back in 3 days(fingers crossed)

So as per the requirement of our forum member Sutripta and for my information too,I asked the technician who did the timing belt job as to the difference in the different kits.

As per him the "F" kit is the current timing belt kit being used in the Storme and used as replacements in all safari's with the problem I had. It consists of the timing belt,pulleys,bolt(part of pulley),tensioner,idler,bolt(part of idler),new back and front covers,and a pump bracket which is stronger(how strong only time will tell).The "D" kit had just the tensioner and the idler with the belt.

Now my question to the Safari owner's, ain't the water pump need to be changed too? I forgot to ask this with the technician so what place better than Team-BHP.

@dadu Thank you for participating in my thread,I'll be sure to ask you any more queries with regards to my problem if required.

@rb2399 Well after the first time, I made it a point to ask the TASS/TASC to check the belt every time I went with the Safari for service,in fact the TASS had checked(?) and stated that the belt was fine and no problems during the last service in August and within 2K kms. this happened.
This seems like a well covered up critical failure by TATA to avoid a recall. They know about it and have a process worked out to address it.

Apparently instead of recalling the affected cars, they've successfully buried the issue and deal with demanding customers on a case by case basis.! Is that what you infer from your experience or is that a harsh assessment of the situation?
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Old 21st October 2013, 21:35   #47
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Re: Update:

Quote:
Originally Posted by richie4u View Post

So as per the requirement of our forum member Sutripta and for my information too,I asked the technician who did the timing belt job as to the difference in the different kits.

As per him the "F" kit is the current timing belt kit being used in the Storme and used as replacements in all safari's with the problem I had. It consists of the timing belt,pulleys,bolt(part of pulley),tensioner,idler,bolt(part of idler),new back and front covers,and a pump bracket which is stronger(how strong only time will tell).The "D" kit had just the tensioner and the idler with the belt.
Hope this helps

Quote:
Originally Posted by kingshukt View Post
The retrofits are classified at Type A, B, C and D.

I think that your is type B. Can you confirm.

The updation in the left door is for better / improved electric window operation. As per my info this is for both the front - doors.

In my vehicle (Dec '07) they did a type C retrofit. However they informed that the door updation already existed and was hence not done.

Now the turbolag has reduced and the power delivery is much more refined and spread over a bigger band.

Not very happy with the quality of work (not very happy allowing them to open the engine) but I had to decide over carrying out the updation or NOT. I chose to do it.



Which month make is your safari ?. My info is that post June - July '09, the updated ECU was already in production.
If your is from the 1st batch i.e Oct - Nov '07, yours would be a Type D retrofit. This also includes a timimg belt / pulley change. See Dadu's post in Technical section.
Type D also includes (I think) a water pump change - though I am not very sure.
I got one of those. Seems things have progressed and they are now into 'F'
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Old 22nd October 2013, 12:11   #48
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Re: Tata Safari left me stranded, now a hat-trick!

Quote:
Originally Posted by drsingh View Post

Apparently instead of recalling the affected cars, they've successfully buried the issue and deal with demanding customers on a case by case basis.! Is that what you infer from your experience or is that a harsh assessment of the situation?
Well I can say Tata is following a luck-by-chance strategy,if the vehicle runs with no problems till now then its the customers luck so why repair whats not broken, and if in-case the luck runs out and the customer doesn't follow up properly or does not understand proper technical aspects of how parts are supposed to work and how cheap/failure prone Tata's parts are then,its Tata's chance!

But as posted earlier,I was discussing with the technician about how many kits he's replaced and all.Apparently since Oct 2012,this guy alone has replaced about 20 timing kits to F kits,so considering this Tata should have definitely issued a recall to regain customer confidence.

On a lighter note:I asked him does the F kit mean a "Final" kit or is Tata working like Sesame Street-one alphabet at a time,until they reach Z. The guy quickly understood what I meant to say and he said that until now this is the latest kit there is and till now they have not received any bad feedback from it so fingers crossed(not what I wanted to hear )

Last edited by richie4u : 22nd October 2013 at 12:13.
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Old 25th October 2013, 15:56   #49
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Update

To update this thread,got a call from the TASS CRM stating that they have received a part confirmation for the injector work and are waiting for the full confirmation and is only expected by Saturday or Monday morning. What is with Tata I don't understand, something is wrong with this vehicle,you fix it and solve your issues with the dealer later. Don't harass a customer cause his mistake was only that he bought a Tata vehicle. Its been the end of the third week since I gave the TASS the car,and like always getting only promises of the not-so-bright future.
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Old 28th October 2013, 20:02   #50
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Week 4: day 1

Start of Week 4,Day 1:Just to update this thread, I visited the dealership today, and as usual No vehicle. The vehicle is "said" to be ready and tomorrow it will be taken on a long drive to check if any other issues are there if not hopefully I will receive the vehicle back to me on Wednesday.

I received a call from the Mumbai head office and apparently due to the tweets going out to Mr. Karl Slym, the lady on the other end "promised" me that all errors will be rectified once and for all and If I have any issues then I can contact back on their direct number which she has provided me with. I guess the higher up's are reading this thread after all.

Quote:
My only message that goes out to anyone from Tata reading this thread:
Improve your vehicle quality, if not improve the quality of repairs and do not harass a customer especially when you know its genuine and its a proper fault. A customer need not go through higher channels to get the solution. This is business management 101 guys. After all I own a Nano,Ace(x2), my family owns indica's and indigo's in multiple digits. All of them had their fair share of niggles no doubt and all were repaired successfully. Never have I seen such a failure in any vehicle in my life and especially a vehicle well maintained and cared for. No horizon-next programs will improve Tata Motor's image if loyal customers are left in complete darkness.

Last edited by richie4u : 28th October 2013 at 20:11.
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Old 3rd November 2013, 21:59   #51
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Start of week 5

To update this thread,No car yet. I called the S.A. at the TASS and he told me that no work had completed cause of part-warranty permissions from the head office were not received yet. Then I spoke to the head technician who was in-charge of my vehicle and he said work is in progress.I called the S.A. who promised a call back within 5 minutes which never came(guess 5 minutes means never in his language).

So finally I got pissed and tweeted this to the Tata Safari team and got a call back from the marketing communications team of the Tata Safari. The lady was apologetic and promised to find out the latest outcome and give me a call back. Fortunately she did call back and reported that the test drive was done and after the timing belt stuff was repaired they have still found a problem with a part in the head assembly and this part is not available here in Goa(no surprises there) and will be shipped. Due to the holidays in between now as per her promise, I will receive the car on 11th November for sure.

Tata Safari left me stranded, now a hat-trick!-untitled.png

So now fingers crossed yet again. Would love to hear your views on this guys.
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Old 16th November 2013, 12:39   #52
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Update 1 month,12 days!

Hi guys,

So time for an update after a long time. The car is ready an I did take a test drive on 9th November. The car seems to run as normal,no lag,tried hill climb and the vehicle did so without any hesitation. Apparently while returning from the test drive and when I gave the car to the head technician and I sat on the rear seat I found one of my head rest screens to be tampered with. Its not working now and I am sure it was working cause I saw a movie on it when I'd a lot of time to pass on the tow truck journey. The TASS tried checking it but they say its an electronic problem with the screen.

Anyways now I have asked Tata to give me in writing an assurance that the vehicle will not have this problem reoccurring again for the 4th time until the belt needs to be changed in its normal time period. Tata itself suggests that the belt be replaced at 1 Lac kms. or 5 - years. My timing belt has been replaced 3 times on 40K kms itself so taking verbal assurance is out of the question. The lady from the Tata Safari team who was in communication with me has responded that I will be getting a formal reply from the legal team and customer support team so the wait starts.

I have not collected the vehicle yet.The loaner has been given back upon request from the TASS-some poor Tata-harrased soul must be in need of the same and also since my car is ready. So now I got to wait for a reply, the longer these guys at Tata delay, the stronger does my case get.

I'd like to ask you guys do I need to make any particular checks before taking the vehicle.
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Old 16th November 2013, 12:51   #53
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Re: Tata Safari left me stranded, now a hat-trick!

just check wether they have put back all the small items such as screws,circlips etc after the repair.
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Old 16th November 2013, 13:09   #54
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Good to hear that your car will finally be ready and back in your garage!

I would suggest you to check everything is in place as it was earlier when you gave them the car. Things such as headrest damage could be there as they were left to be played with in garage by technicians or washer folks may be. Other than that, you may quickly glance through the engine bay to see what has gone and come in new if you can recall the old state. Things such as washer tank, some screws and clips around Engine area may be sometimes missed. Not an intentional one but just happens. Just see if anything your eyes can catch.

Just ensure all your modifications/ accessories are in place as they were earlier. I remember once a friend of mine telling me that the service station folks removed his k&n filter with a regular one :lol
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Old 16th November 2013, 21:42   #55
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sandeepmohan View Post
It should have affected Mahindra too as ythe 2.2l engine is a design from AVL that is shared by both TATA and Mahindra.
Firstly mhawk uses timing chain which typically lasts couple of lakh kms, secondly Mahindra's QA/QC is much better that Tatas. Mahindra's failures will generally be attributed to a new design, rather than quality.
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Old 17th November 2013, 05:08   #56
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Re: Tata Safari left me stranded, now a hat-trick!

Thanks for updating this thread regularly, my Safari is opposite, I don not have mechanical issues, but have a load of electrical issues! Fuses keep blowing like no-ones business, it is easy to fix, and cheap too, but the feeling of being let down by the vehicle suddenly, sometimes in front of guests/friends, that is price-less

I am seriously considering replacing the 'entire' wiring system, not leave a single old wire out, the only thing that is keeping me back is - what will I do if the problem does not go away after replacing all the wires!'

Its like a problem child, has its short-comings but still I love it :-)
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Old 21st November 2013, 12:42   #57
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Week 7+ : Update

Time for another update:

After my recent test drive of the car, the HQ had sent a team of engineers for quality inspections and to check the overall functioning of the car. These guys went on a long test drive and apparently after they came back,asked the dealership to reinspect the belt. Guess what they see, the belt still showed wear as if it was rubbing with a part. On further inspection they see that the pulley and the spindle connected to the head were misaligned/tilted/bent causing the belt to rub again. ( I am not so fluent in technical conversation but I hope you guys get what I am trying to explain)

So apparently the guys from Tata HQ had brought along with them another "updated" update kit with this particular pulley and some few parts which then they asked the TASS to replace. The further asked them to sent some numeric parameters after all this was done for final QC. SO all was complete on Tuesday evening at about 3.30pm and I was informed the vehicle is ready and come for a test drive.
Quote:
Dear Sir,
We extend our warm and sincere greetings from all of us at Auto Industries Goa.
With regards to your vehicle XXXXX. We wish to inform you that your vehicle has been inspected by the Technical team of TML and hence derived at a conclusion that the vehicle is ready for delivery and is in a road worthy condition.

Requesting you to visit our workshop and take a joint trial on your vehicle for your satisfaction.
For future requirements and queries, we request you to kindly contact either our Workshop Manager or the undersigned between 9.00 am to 5.30 pm on all working days.
Please be assured that it has been our endeavor to provide best of our services at all times.

Thanks & Regards,

Customer Relations Manager,
Auto Industries Goa Pvt. Ltd,
Goa.
So off I go for another test drive taking a break from work. Met the receptionist at 4pm and asked her to call the S.A. in-charge of my vehicle and what do I see? The car is still in the workshop getting its oil changed. I decide to wait and check the car out from the customer lounge. After about 35 mins. and a single technician changing the oil is done chatting,running around with a spanner,disappearing from the scene for many or so minutes with my car staring at me with its mouth(hood)wide open,the vehicle is done.

Finally now to get my hands on the car, no wait wash ain't done yet. The SA who has not met me till now goes to take the car for a wash. The washing department is having a ball of a time with playing holi with pressure washers and so on. I did hint in between to the receptionist that I just need a test drive and to meet the SA but this dealership means complete "professionalism". So finally looking at the wonderful display of the washing guys and the SA completely "soaked" with professionalism and car not washed yet I decide I've had enough after 50 mins and storm out of the dealership not before telling the receptionist to call me only when the car is truly "ready".

I convey this to the lady who I was in contact with about the ready part and do get all the sorry and apology related terms from her and the dealership later.

So next day i.e. yesterday, went to check the car out ,complete with a thin layer of dust(Level of cleaning shows) and out for a test drive with the technician. The car performs well as before no doubts.

So now I have asked the dealership, the HQ, the ASM to get back to me with a formal letter to give a proper assurance that this problem will not reoccur again and incase it ever does before the normal change period then its their problem to check it out.

I am stern and insistent on a proper formal written document especially after what happened on 9th November where the belt could've broken again in a similar pattern. Now the wait continues. I hope Tata does believe in its quality of repairs and I do get an assurance from them.
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Old 22nd November 2013, 19:53   #58
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Re: Tata Safari left me stranded, now a hat-trick!

Finally yesterday afternoon got a mail from the ASM assuring me that all the problems have been taken care of, I did collect the vehicle yesterday. Was cleaned and kept ready. The ASM also did give me a call to convince that he has done his best to rid this problem once and for all and I wont be facing the same again.

So I had to pay for a couple of consumables,engine oil,coolant and stuff. The engine compartment shows a trace of new parts and I have a receipt of 5-6 pages. So finally I can say all's well that ends well(fingers crossed).I will post a scan of the bill and the vehicle as and when time permits.
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Old 9th June 2014, 12:13   #59
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Re: Tata Safari left me stranded, now a hat-trick!

Quote:
Originally Posted by richie4u View Post
Finally yesterday afternoon got a mail from the ASM assuring me that all the problems have been taken care of, I did collect the vehicle yesterday. Was cleaned and kept ready. The ASM also did give me a call to convince that he has done his best to rid this problem once and for all and I wont be facing the same again.

So I had to pay for a couple of consumables,engine oil,coolant and stuff. The engine compartment shows a trace of new parts and I have a receipt of 5-6 pages. So finally I can say all's well that ends well(fingers crossed).I will post a scan of the bill and the vehicle as and when time permits.

Any updates??

hows the car running now and how many KMs have you clocked post the repairs??
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Old 1st August 2014, 15:20   #60
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Re: Tata Safari left me stranded, now a hat-trick!

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Originally Posted by maglev View Post
Any updates??

hows the car running now and how many KMs have you clocked post the repairs??

Yes, richie, it would be nice to know about your feedback/update after going through this fiasco with the TATA. Hope everything is going fine. Pl. take time to update.

Thanks

Last edited by LongDrive lover : 1st August 2014 at 15:22.
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