[manmeetd]

Hello, I own a 2018 Maruti Baleno and I was recently involved in a small crash.

While coming down a multi-storyed parking, my car's brake refused to work. There was a left turn right after the slope into the next lower floor. I ended up banging the front-right wheel into the wall. On inspection, I realised that there was water on the slope and the brake did work. Due to the water, the tyres slipped and car didn't slow down.

I called my SA and telling him that I was stuck on the fifth floor of a parking with my car. My car was making weird noises whenever I tried to turn it and I was skeptical about moving it to the ground floor. My SA didn't call me back after promising to do so in some time.

I found a small garage close by and the mechanic promptly showed up. He told me that the link rod was bent. I'm a bit ignorant about what's inside the car but eventually I was told the shock absorber, the link rod and another part was "replaced." No approval for exchange or anything was sought, no estimate was given even after many requests. I'm fully convinced I got ripped off by this person. First, he told me that he put brand new parts, then he told me that he simply exchanged my damaged parts with new "old" parts. When I asked him to take me to the place where he got the parts changed from, he changed the topic. I had had a long day by then and I paid and left.

The car works fine, I test drove it. I'm planning to take it to the Nexa service centre to get it inspected and to get the fender fixed. However, the mechanic told me that he exchanged the parts. I'm convinced that he didn't exchange anything and just straightened the parts himself. But in case he did then I've a shock absorber that rightfully doesn't belong to my car. Would this affect my car warranty?

[abhishek46]

Not sure about the warranty, but those items will surely affect your psyche & peace of mind.

Since you are already planning a visit to the service centre, you could claim insurance, and replace all these suspected damaged items.

Secondly, get the braking system checked.
A little water should not cause brakes to not work altogether. ABS should have kicked in, and there should have been controlled decceleration.

Lastly, take this as a learning, and move on.
The key takeway should be to call maruti road side assistance (not the service advisor), and wait for them to arrive, rather than involving unknown repairmen.

[Dr.AD]

Sorry to hear about your ordeal. But good to know that it was just a minor accident and car is driving fine now.

I am not sure what exactly happened. Your car was stuck on the 5th floor of a parking lot. So did this mechanic fix it there on the spot or he somehow moved it (drove it) to his garage? Where did the parts exchange take place?

While he was exchanging the parts (I assumed it all happened the same day since you mentioned it was a long day), did you see what he was doing? I believe it is not easy for him to lie to you about whether he simple fixed the old parts or exchanged to new parts if you were there seeing what was going on. Maybe I am missing something.

Please do not trust the work of this mechanic. Even if your car is driving fine, go to Nexa and get it fixed by putting all original parts.

Originally Posted by manmeetd

I'm convinced that he didn't exchange anything and just straightened the parts himself. But in case he did then I've a shock absorber that rightfully doesn't belong to my car. Would this affect my car warranty?

In case you are indeed driving on some aftermarket suspension parts or worst suspensions parts wrongly fixed, then yes, Maruti/Nexa have all the right to refuse any warranty on that. However, if you go to them and tell them what happened and explain that whatever fix was done was a "temporary fix" to get you of that accident, it might be OK. Tell them to restore all parts to either original parts or OEM approved new parts and they will reinstate the warranty.

I hope you did not pay a lot of money to this mechanic. I hope it is a small sum that you can forget as a bad experience and get your car completely inspected and repaired with OEM parts by Nexa again.

[manmeetd]

Originally Posted by abhishek46

Not sure about the warranty, but those items will surely affect your psyche & peace of mind.

Since you are already planning a visit to the service centre, you could claim insurance, and replace all these suspected damaged items.

Secondly, get the braking system checked.
A little water should not cause brakes to not work altogether. ABS should have kicked in, and there should have been controlled decceleration.

Lastly, take this as a learning, and move on.
The key takeway should be to call maruti road side assistance (not the service advisor), and wait for them to arrive, rather than involving unknown repairmen.

Wonderful advice sir. Not calling roadside assistance was a mistake.

But if there's water on a slope right under the front wheels then would the ABS still kick in?

This is the photo of the slope. If you look, there are type marks very close to the wall on the right and this is where I made a last minute turn after the breaks wouldn't work. There are also break marks on the floor. Am I wrong in assuming that water was the cause of this failure?

Originally Posted by Dr.AD

Please do not trust the work of this mechanic. Even if your car is driving fine, go to Nexa and get it fixed by putting all original parts.

In case you are indeed driving on some aftermarket suspension parts or worst suspensions parts wrongly fixed, then yes, Maruti/Nexa have all the right to refuse any warranty on that. However, if you go to them and tell them what happened and explain that whatever fix was done was a "temporary fix" to get you of that accident, it might be OK. Tell them to restore all parts to either original parts or OEM approved new parts and they will reinstate the warranty.

I hope you did not pay a lot of money to this mechanic. I hope it is a small sum that you can forget as a bad experience and get your car completely inspected and repaired with OEM parts by Nexa again.

Thank you for the advice sir. I've booked an appointment to get the car thoroughly inspected at my trusted service centre.

[abhishek46]

Originally Posted by manmeetd

But if there's water on a slope right under the front wheels then would the ABS kick in

ABS is purpose built for scenarios like this.
The rubber deposits along with the water look like a slippery concotion.

Once your car is fixed, take it to some field or dirt road, and test out the ABS system.
It will give you a first hand experience of the nuances of its workings.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by abhishek46

ABS is purpose built for scenarios like this.

ABS will not work below a certain (low) speed, usually between 15-30 kmph.

[Indian2003]

This does not look like water. This must be oil or a mix of water and oil. I have never heard of or experienced tyres slipping on water at such low speeds. No amout of water can use up 100% of friction at such low speeds.

[manmeetd]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

ABS will not work below a certain (low) speed, usually between 15-30 kmph.

Maybe something failed? Would a failure get logged somewhere on a car? Maybe I can use the OBD to check for errors?

Originally Posted by Indian2003

This does not look like water. This must be oil or a mix of water and oil. I have never heard of or experienced tyres slipping on water at such low speeds. No amout of water can use up 100% of friction at such low speeds.

This is very weird. I felt it was water because I saw someone cleaning the upper floor with water. And I had to really stand on the breaks, I could even hear the breaks make noise but nothing really worked.

I saw other cars exit the same slope and none had the same problem... Maybe this is because I accelerate a little while coming down and slow down the car right before the turn. But still, I've never had this trouble before.

[Ragul]

Originally Posted by Indian2003

This does not look like water. This must be oil or a mix of water and oil. I have never heard of or experienced tyres slipping on water at such low speeds. No amout of water can use up 100% of friction at such low speeds.

Correct! First look at the pic made me think the same. You should go back and sample the wet liquid on the floor with your finger. Looks like oil.

Rest of the OPs post about parts replacement is a scam alert! You will lose warranty if any parts in steering and suspension go phut and they find the replaced parts.

[IshaanIan]

If this is a case of brake failure please have it investigated. From the tread marks, it looks like the tyres had traction all throughout so there's no way they locked up and skidded. Either it is indeed a case of brake failure (which very very very rarely occurs), or a refresher driving course is in order

[Indian2003]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

or a refresher driving course is in order

I have driven on all sorts of surfaces, water, oil, brake fluid...name it. When he pressed his brakes, it did not work and he hit a wall.

Now the million dollar question. Did he hit the brakes or the accelerator? I dont see any signs of skidding.

[shancz]

Those relatively new white repair marks on the wall point that this is not uncommon on that turn for vehicles to hit it, most likely causing scrapes and the resultant repairs/touch-ups.

Originally Posted by manmeetd

I saw someone cleaning the upper floor with water.

Was it just water or soapy-water ? Another point in loss of traction.

[manmeetd]

Originally Posted by manmeetd

Maybe this is because I accelerate a little while coming down and slow down the car right before the turn.

Read this as - I was faster on the slope than others and not as an error in judgement. This could also be the reason why others didn't need to apply breaks and crash into the wall. Thank you!

Originally Posted by Ragul

Correct! First look at the pic made me think the same. You should go back and sample the wet liquid on the floor with your finger. Looks like oil.

What makes you think this isn't water? Could be some oil because cars move here 24x7 but it is mostly water and dirt.

Originally Posted by Indian2003

I have driven on all sorts of surfaces, water, oil, brake fluid...name it. When he pressed his brakes, it did not work and he hit a wall.

Now the million dollar question. Did he hit the brakes or the accelerator? I dont see any signs of skidding.

Of course, you might have driven on a surface like this too and, of course, when he said he stood on the breaks, he actually meant the accelerator. He's possibly in denial and just looking for some consolation.

There's no need to troll anyone here please.


I'm very confident about my driving and have been driving in Delhi for the past 10 years. I can imagine that finding those marks in a phone photo can be difficult, I hope some more photos will help.

Anyways, I'm not looking for any validation of any sort. My original query was to preserve the warranty of my car and I've received some very helpful responses here. Thank you!

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by manmeetd

Maybe something failed? Would a failure get logged somewhere on a car? Maybe I can use the OBD to check for errors?

If the ABS system failed you'd have got a lit ABS light. I am fairly certain your speed was too low for the ABS to kick in.

[pranavt]

How many kms have your tyres done? And which tyres are they?

Regarding the mechanic, you have been swindled. Go to your ASS and get everything checked.