[bhagathmp]

Originally Posted by torquing_points

It's definitely not the battery - the red light comes on when I click but the car just doesn't respond to any command from the remote unless the alarm I'd triggered - then it detects it immediately. I'll try to post a video of this.

Strange the alarm gets the remote to respond quick.

Is the remote sealed? Have you checked to see if any liquid might have seeped into the remote itself. I had this issue in my Ikon. Some amount of liquid managed to get inside- guess during washing. Opened the Remote took out the PCB and cleaned it with a dry soft cloth. Worked fine.

Regards
Bugs

[torquing_points]

Originally Posted by Navsangeet

1. I got my rear AC grill changed in warranty. It was also have same issue as yours. Dhingra Motors, Gurgaon guys are quite helpful.

3. Got my complete Remote locking system changed in warranty including locks as it was giving exact problem as yours. Now it's fixed and working perfectly. Never used to get unlock in first attempt, it was going into some kind of sleep mode.
.....

Need small input on Synthetic Oil thing. Actually Storme comes with normal engine oil, but service guys insist on Synthetic. But what is the benefit if synthetic oil also needs to be replaced every 15k Kms just like normal engine oil!

Thanks a lot for your inputs on the locks. I will tell the guys at ABS motors and ask them to replace the locks as well.

With regards to Synthetic Oil, I think that normal engine oil needs to be replaced more often than 15K. 15K is the replacement cycle for Synthetic. I would suggest you stick to Synthetic.


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Meanwhile, my car has now crossed 2000 KM. A few minor dings aside, the car is shaping up quite well, apart from two major problems:

1. Wobbling: The steering wobbles terribly at 90+ kmph, much more so than a friend's 5-6 year 100K old Safari Dicor. Particularly when it brakes

2. The car only turns right: OK this isnt as minor as I had earlier said - but yesterday, I noticed that I couldnt turn the steering to the left more than just a little bit. I had to reverse the car a couple of times to make a left turn that I normally make near my work place without any trouble. When I reached work, I investigated - turns out that the wheel turns right to the full extent, btu starting yesterday, it doesnt turn left. I have left the car in office, and switched to a backup car - but need to get this checked up from the dealership. Not sure what this could be - There is no external physical blockage at the tyre - but after about one full turn left, the steering JUST wont move left anymore. Will keep you guys updated on whats going on. Right now, among our friends circle, this car is the subject of quite a few jokes as the car 'that only turns right'

[xbox360]

Originally Posted by torquing_points

------

Meanwhile, my car has now crossed 2000 KM. A few minor dings aside, the car is shaping up quite well, apart from two major problems:

1. Wobbling: The steering wobbles terribly at 90+ kmph, much more so than a friend's 5-6 year 100K old Safari Dicor. Particularly when it brakes

2. The car only turns right: OK this isnt as minor as I had earlier said - but yesterday, I noticed that I couldnt turn the steering to the left more than just a little bit. I had to reverse the car a couple of times to make a left turn that I normally make near my work place without any trouble. When I reached work, I investigated - turns out that the wheel turns right to the full extent, btu starting yesterday, it doesnt turn left. I have left the car in office, and switched to a backup car - but need to get this checked up from the dealership. Not sure what this could be - There is no external physical blockage at the tyre - but after about one full turn left, the steering JUST wont move left anymore. Will keep you guys updated on whats going on. Right now, among our friends circle, this car is the subject of quite a few jokes as the car 'that only turns right'

I was told that the STORME is quality wise way-way better than the 2.2. but looking at your list of issues, I recollect my warranty and extended warranty days. Those were the times. The love for the car was new and I did not mind failed parts and TASS visits all that much. Moreover they would pluck out a part or a full system and put in something brand new under warranty or as part of a retrofit every visit. I used the get the feeling that I am lucky as I get to use the car and in parallel get a new car built bit by bit every visit; I even got the feeling that I am ripping TATA off! But then those were the good old warranty days.

Infact the silly extended warranty days are also now long gone. Parts and systems keep failing now with an even greater vigor. The car still demands to be new bit by bit. The highly talented folks at TASS still take 'n' iterations at your expense (both time and money) to sort out any issue and to diligently create 2 new issues everytime they pretend to fix one (I am pretty sure I can get my kindergartener to count to 100 better if I assign her the job of counting my visits to TASS). At this point, car maintenance cost having gone up is now one of your key points when negotiating for a raise or when seeking an overdraft on your home loan. Lastly your car is still the longest running joke in all social gatherings. Infact potshots at your car are the only thing known to be approaching Rajni's records and the irritation at the hands of your vehicle is the only known pain greater than what the in-laws and out-laws are known to have caused any living being!

But still, but still... for whatever moronic reason you still hold on to this piece of junk. In a positive light maybe this is probably what helps you feel grounded. You may think of your colleagues or your boss or whomsoever to be dumb and fickle, but when you look at their i10s or Innovas or WagonRs this is where the grounding smacks you right in the face, who are you calling dumb eh!!!
I still don't know how being the pedigree that we are, we can be so illogical in our decision making. But hey maybe the guys at CERN will be kind enough to crack this logical problem too for us once they are done fining the Boson. Till then keep Safari'ing (or suffering as it is actually pronounced)



PS:: This is not a personal remark, its just the suppressed emotion from all these years of Safari'ing that suddenly found a vent.

[mTorque]

@xbox360 - that should have felt good, now you are breathe easy!
That very pain of owning a Tata vehicle should be the #1 area what the new CEO should work towards.

[torquing_points]

Called the help line number on the car fat before yesterday. They sent a technician who took a look at the car and decided to take it to the dealership on a trailer. They promptly and swiftly organized this, and took the car to the Tata workshop. Have to say I an impressed with the tata service. The last time I tried to use the help line I was thoroughly disappointed. Of course that was in ladakh when our aria failed there. This time the response was pretty good. They seem to have outsourced the help line and response to mytvs.

The car was diagnosed with a power steering fault which apparently they have fixed now. My driver has gone to check this up and collect the car if it's acceptable.

Will update on whether this also fixed the steering wobbling issue.

I have been considering upgrading the audio system of this car but I now realize that having warranty is more important. Unless Tata gives me an explicit go ahead I will not modify my audio system. So far, their dealers have told me that changing hu or adding an amp will void warranty. Find it very stupid that they can't give me a solution for this.

[apachelongbow]

Originally Posted by torquing_points

I have been considering upgrading the audio system of this car but I now realize that having warranty is more important. Unless Tata gives me an explicit go ahead I will not modify my audio system. So far, their dealers have told me that changing hu or adding an amp will void warranty. Find it very stupid that they can't give me a solution for this.

Adding amps or component speakers etc will not void any warranty or extended warranty as long as, you dont cut or splice any wires. If any original wiring is modified, even with a splice joint, then Tata is not liable to honor the warranty.

[torquing_points]

Originally Posted by apachelongbow

Adding amps or component speakers etc will not void any warranty or extended warranty as long as, you dont cut or splice any wires. If any original wiring is modified, even with a splice joint, then Tata is not liable to honor the warranty.

So I've been told by the dealership that as much as changing the speakers will void the warranty! Is this documented somewhere or up to subjectivity of the dealer?

In guessing that changing HU will involve splicing wires right? Doesn't an amp also mean running a wire straight to the battery out splicing wires? Sorry im a beginner here.

[apachelongbow]

Originally Posted by torquing_points

So I've been told by the dealership that as much as changing the speakers will void the warranty! Is this documented somewhere or up to subjectivity of the dealer?

In guessing that changing HU will involve splicing wires right? Doesn't an amp also mean running a wire straight to the battery out splicing wires? Sorry im a beginner here.

The dealer is clearly protecting himself by over restricting warranty void conditions. Not only Tata but all manufacturers void warranty only when the electrical connections are compromised.
The OEM unit, has outputs seperately for an amp, so it involves simple process of hooking up a cable btwn the amp and the unit, the electrical supply is via the unit only

[ebonho]

What about adding headrest screens with inbuilt DVD? I have been told that it simply involves taking an AUX out from the current HU with no cutting or splicing. Guys lease confirm this as I am planning to do this.

[apachelongbow]

Originally Posted by ebonho

What about adding headrest screens with inbuilt DVD? I have been told that it simply involves taking an AUX out from the current HU with no cutting or splicing. Guys lease confirm this as I am planning to do this.

check with your local music shop/dealer, he should know. What my music gy told me that the alpine HU has two connections one for amp one for speakers, so possible to put in amp without fiddling with other wires, not sure of aux out for video.

[torquing_points]

So the 'left turn not working' issue was fixed. I was told that it's a steering problem but the invoice said 'wheel stopper bolt' (lower wishbone)

Took a trial drive today. The wobbling at high speed is not fixed yet even though they did a complete wheel alignment. I wasn't worried about the wobbling earlier -* but now I am. I thought it's a done balancing our alignment issue. Now I think it might be something bigger especially since the dealer was unable to diagnose it.

[Navsangeet]

Originally Posted by torquing_points

With regards to Synthetic Oil, I think that normal engine oil needs to be replaced more often than 15K.

1. Wobbling: The steering wobbles terribly at 90+ kmph, much more so than a friend's 5-6 year 100K old Safari Dicor. Particularly when it brakes

Normal engine oil replacement period is also 15k.

Wobbling in normal conditions is due to front tyre balancing issue. But if its while braking, then it's surely a problem of Disk brake pads or Disk Plates itself.

[ebonho]

torquing points, navsangeet, is it "normal" in your Stormes for the front end to ever so slightly "wander" left-right sideways in a straight line? Its very very imperceptible, as in its not felt on a straight road. But I get the feeling when driving in the BRT lane with the concrete divider close on one side and the smaller concrete separator on the other -i.e when space is limited and the wandering may cause you to graze the sides. Or is this the symptom of the truck pulling to one side slightly?

[condor]

Originally Posted by ebonho

torquing points, navsangeet, is it "normal" in your Stormes for the front end to ever so slightly "wander" left-right sideways in a straight line? Its very very imperceptible, as in its not felt on a straight road.

Assuming your alignment is good, and the road is FLAT. Your vehicle will maintain a straight line. While correct alignment is much easier to achieve, you are not likely to find the FLAT road. Every road will have that sidewards slope, either right or left, and your vehicle will veer towards that side.

It's not a Storme thing.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by condor

Assuming your alignment is good, and the road is FLAT. Your vehicle will maintain a straight line. While correct alignment is much easier to achieve, you are not likely to find the FLAT road. Every road will have that sidewards slope, either right or left, and your vehicle will veer towards that side.

It's not a Storme thing.

This section I am talking about is concrete - i.e. flat slabs (Sholapur road for Puneites). Do these also have camber type slopes?