NHC starter problem: HONDA refusing to honour warranty! UPDATE: Warranty honored.

aargee · 18th August 2010, 14:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by vineetmanghani

They seem like a bunch of know-it-all, incompetent fools!

Everybody behaves the same way when someone pokes their nose into their domain. If you don't mind the little OT, your incident reminded me of the incident where a Pontiac car doesn't like Vanilla icecreams; Source - Pontiac

sgiitk · 18th August 2010, 15:03

Writing to customer-care also will not help. They will bounce it back tot he dealership. I have seen this happen with both Honda and Hyundai (the two I have experience with). Inthe former I wrote a letter to the President with zilch result. The complaint had nothing do with the dealership!

vineetmanghani · 18th August 2010, 15:31

Spot on Sir! I just got a call from Capital Honda Service Manager, the same person who's been telling me all these stories.

Again he's saying the same thing, we'll send the old starter motor to Quality Control Department, they'll check for burn marks on the armature

He's ruling out vapour lock, self and fuel pump as the causes (don't know how, he himself hasn't even looked at the car!). He's willing to give in writing that the problem will be 100% rectified after replacing the starter motor. And also that the 6k I pay will be reimbursed to me if the Powers that be at Honda decide that it's a manufacturing defect.

Suggestions for course of action guys? I'm confused whether to trust these people or not..

MileCruncher · 18th August 2010, 16:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by vineetmanghani

Spot on Sir! I just got a call from Capital Honda Service Manager, the same person who's been telling me all these stories.

Again he's saying the same thing, we'll send the old starter motor to Quality Control Department, they'll check for burn marks on the armature

He's ruling out vapour lock, self and fuel pump as the causes (don't know how, he himself hasn't even looked at the car!). He's willing to give in writing that the problem will be 100% rectified after replacing the starter motor. And also that the 6k I pay will be reimbursed to me if the Powers that be at Honda decide that it's a manufacturing defect.

Suggestions for course of action guys? I'm confused whether to trust these people or not..

Don't give in.
I suggest writing a stinker to Head - Marketing and may be providing the link to this thread as well.

May be they might respond.

coolclouds · 18th August 2010, 16:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by sgiitk

Writing to customer-care also will not help. They will bounce it back tot he dealership. I have seen this happen with both Honda and Hyundai (the two I have experience with).

We followed up with Hyundai dealership for more than one week on replacing the Exide battery for Verna but no help provided. Once we contacted their customer care and higher ups, the dealership person came to our home with the battery saying they need to close the case urgently.

I hope you need to follow up with Honda customer care and their higher ups to get it replaced free of cost.

vineetmanghani · 20th August 2010, 22:17

An update guys: Seems like we have reached a mutually acceptable compromise. I'm going to give Capital Honda a post-dated cheque, and they're going to change my starter motor. Depending on the results from the "Great Honda Starter Motor Inspection 2010", they'll either deposit the cheque or return it to me.

Will be going to the workshop tomorrow to get it done. Hope it rectifies the problem once and for all..

vnabhi · 20th August 2010, 22:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by vineetmanghani

An update guys: Seems like we have reached a mutually acceptable compromise. I'm going to give Capital Honda a post-dated cheque, and they're going to change my starter motor. Depending on the results from the "Great Honda Starter Motor Inspection 2010", they'll either deposit the cheque or return it to me.

Will be going to the workshop tomorrow to get it done. Hope it rectifies the problem once and for all..

Well , best of luck to you! I guess you can anytime call your bank and ask them to dishonour the cheque if need be.

By the way, did someone from Skoda management resign and join Honda?

dhanushs · 21st August 2010, 02:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by vineetmanghani

An update guys: Seems like we have reached a mutually acceptable compromise. I'm going to give Capital Honda a post-dated cheque, and they're going to change my starter motor. Depending on the results from the "Great Honda Starter Motor Inspection 2010", they'll either deposit the cheque or return it to me.

Will be going to the workshop tomorrow to get it done. Hope it rectifies the problem once and for all..

Post Dated Cheques!.

.

What an unprofessional and crude way of treating a customer who has paid about 7-8L, and has his product covered under warranty.

21st August 2010, 03:12

Very pathetic development. Never heard of post-dated cheque for deciding the fate of warranty claim.

Vid6639 · 21st August 2010, 08:28

Man they really don't trust the customer do they. For 6K in a 8-9lakh rupee car this is really sad.

I would write a stinker of a mail to Honda with a link to this thread.

I mean they should first change it to cause minimum inconvenience to the customer. Then see what action needs to be taken,.

bhp_maniac · 21st August 2010, 09:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by vid6639

Man they really don't trust the customer do they. For 6K in a 8-9lakh rupee car this is really sad.

I would write a stinker of a mail to Honda with a link to this thread.

I mean they should first change it to cause minimum inconvenience to the customer. Then see what action needs to be taken,.

Really pathetic to hear such a thing about Honda. I do suggest to write a mail with link to this thread to some senior officials at Honda. Regarding the post dated cheque thing,

Thats all I can do. How can they treat a customer like this is my doubt.

JustCause · 21st August 2010, 09:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhanushs

Post Dated Cheques!.

.

What an unprofessional and crude way of treating a customer who has paid about 7-8L, and has his product covered under warranty.

Absolutely!

isn't 6k manageable by Honda?

They should have offered a loaner car/ put in a refurbished motor for the time being in the present one.

vineetmanghani · 22nd August 2010, 13:27

Got the starter motor assembly replaced in my car yesterday. The problem seems resolved as of now. Hope it doesn't recur.

I gave them a post-dated cheque for Rs. 5800. They'll send the original starter motor to the quality control department and decide the fate of my warranty claim.

It's actually the dealer who has agreed to accept a PDC. Honda wanted the full payment made to the dealer before the replacement. Just hoping the QC department at Honda is not as pathetic and non customer-focussed as their warranty claims department.

issigonis · 22nd August 2010, 13:51

>>>

On a lighter note has Skoda taken over Honda? Has Honda become bemused by Toyota's success in India and has forgotten the principles of customer service?

On a serious note, is the Honda dealership passing onto Honda some bad feedback about you? Honda, or any mass market manufacturer/supplier will likely follow their warranty policy to a T and will be dependent on inputs from the dealership in question when discretionary decisions are to be taken.

I think you should check out other Honda authorised service stations after this problem has been satisfactorily resolved to your expectations.

Regards

headers · 22nd August 2010, 14:20

It is a starter soleniod issue. Check what make of starter it is? Usually it happens to a particular brand.

Sad that HONDA behaves like this.

18th August 2010, 15:03	#17
sgiitk BANNED Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Gurugram Posts: 7,969 Thanked: 4,788 Times	Writing to customer-care also will not help. They will bounce it back tot he dealership. I have seen this happen with both Honda and Hyundai (the two I have experience with). Inthe former I wrote a letter to the President with zilch result. The complaint had nothing do with the dealership!
	() Thanks

18th August 2010, 15:31	#18
vineetmanghani BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: New Delhi <---> Posts: 79 Thanked: 10 Times	Spot on Sir! I just got a call from Capital Honda Service Manager, the same person who's been telling me all these stories. Again he's saying the same thing, we'll send the old starter motor to Quality Control Department, they'll check for burn marks on the armature He's ruling out vapour lock, self and fuel pump as the causes (don't know how, he himself hasn't even looked at the car!). He's willing to give in writing that the problem will be 100% rectified after replacing the starter motor. And also that the 6k I pay will be reimbursed to me if the Powers that be at Honda decide that it's a manufacturing defect. Suggestions for course of action guys? I'm confused whether to trust these people or not..
	() Thanks

20th August 2010, 22:17	#21
vineetmanghani BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: New Delhi <---> Posts: 79 Thanked: 10 Times	An update guys: Seems like we have reached a mutually acceptable compromise. I'm going to give Capital Honda a post-dated cheque, and they're going to change my starter motor. Depending on the results from the "Great Honda Starter Motor Inspection 2010", they'll either deposit the cheque or return it to me. Will be going to the workshop tomorrow to get it done. Hope it rectifies the problem once and for all..
	() Thanks

21st August 2010, 03:12	#24
J.Ravi Posts: n/a	Very pathetic development. Never heard of post-dated cheque for deciding the fate of warranty claim. Last edited by J.Ravi : 21st August 2010 at 03:16.
	() Thanks

21st August 2010, 08:28	#25
Vid6639 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17,730 Thanked: 43,474 Times View My Garage	Man they really don't trust the customer do they. For 6K in a 8-9lakh rupee car this is really sad. I would write a stinker of a mail to Honda with a link to this thread. I mean they should first change it to cause minimum inconvenience to the customer. Then see what action needs to be taken,.
	() Thanks

22nd August 2010, 13:27	#28
vineetmanghani BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: New Delhi <---> Posts: 79 Thanked: 10 Times	Got the starter motor assembly replaced in my car yesterday. The problem seems resolved as of now. Hope it doesn't recur. I gave them a post-dated cheque for Rs. 5800. They'll send the original starter motor to the quality control department and decide the fate of my warranty claim. It's actually the dealer who has agreed to accept a PDC. Honda wanted the full payment made to the dealer before the replacement. Just hoping the QC department at Honda is not as pathetic and non customer-focussed as their warranty claims department.
	() Thanks

22nd August 2010, 13:51	#29
issigonis BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bombay Posts: 956 Thanked: 95 Times	>>> On a lighter note has Skoda taken over Honda? Has Honda become bemused by Toyota's success in India and has forgotten the principles of customer service? On a serious note, is the Honda dealership passing onto Honda some bad feedback about you? Honda, or any mass market manufacturer/supplier will likely follow their warranty policy to a T and will be dependent on inputs from the dealership in question when discretionary decisions are to be taken. I think you should check out other Honda authorised service stations after this problem has been satisfactorily resolved to your expectations. Regards
	() Thanks

22nd August 2010, 14:20	#30
headers Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Greater Chennai Posts: 4,667 Thanked: 559 Times	It is a starter soleniod issue. Check what make of starter it is? Usually it happens to a particular brand. Sad that HONDA behaves like this.
	() Thanks