Work carried out on car without authorisation
Discussion
Ok, quick background. Kia Ceed GT, almost 2 years old, just serviced and given full health check by dealer 3 weeks ago. After braking hard a couple of times there is a very loud knocking noise coming from the wheels and grinding with further application of the brakes.
Dealer had the car last week but couldn't replicate problem. I agreed to go in at 12pm and take a technician out for a test drive and make the car replicate the problem. I was left sitting in the waiting area for 50 minutes until I lost all patience and told them I didn't have time to wait any longer and to give me the car back. I rebooked for today and also sent them a video of the noise coming from the car.
Anyway - I got a call from them today at 3pm saying they still can't replicate the noise. I told them that I will go in tomorrow morning and take a technician out and replicate the noise for them. So you can imagine my surprise when at 5pm I got a call saying the car was ready for collection and I have £81 to pay due to it not being covered by warranty. I questioned wtf was going on. Apparently they managed to replicate the noise and diagnosed that the brakes simply needed stripped, cleaned and put back together. My gripe is that they didn't bother to phone and ask if it's okay to go ahead and do that. Again, I questioned this and they said they have my partners signature on a form which basically states that if they find a problem that isn't covered by warranty then we will be charged up to £108 for the diagnosis. Nothing about any actual repairs.
So, where do I stand? I want to tell them to stick the bill up the backside. 1. I never authorised any work. 2. 3pm the couldn't replicate the problem, 5pm car is fixed and ready to collect. They have taken a stab in the dark and hoped stripping the brakes at one side would work - hardly a fix imo. 3. They are the most rude, unhelpful dealership I have ever come across.
Dealer had the car last week but couldn't replicate problem. I agreed to go in at 12pm and take a technician out for a test drive and make the car replicate the problem. I was left sitting in the waiting area for 50 minutes until I lost all patience and told them I didn't have time to wait any longer and to give me the car back. I rebooked for today and also sent them a video of the noise coming from the car.
Anyway - I got a call from them today at 3pm saying they still can't replicate the noise. I told them that I will go in tomorrow morning and take a technician out and replicate the noise for them. So you can imagine my surprise when at 5pm I got a call saying the car was ready for collection and I have £81 to pay due to it not being covered by warranty. I questioned wtf was going on. Apparently they managed to replicate the noise and diagnosed that the brakes simply needed stripped, cleaned and put back together. My gripe is that they didn't bother to phone and ask if it's okay to go ahead and do that. Again, I questioned this and they said they have my partners signature on a form which basically states that if they find a problem that isn't covered by warranty then we will be charged up to £108 for the diagnosis. Nothing about any actual repairs.
So, where do I stand? I want to tell them to stick the bill up the backside. 1. I never authorised any work. 2. 3pm the couldn't replicate the problem, 5pm car is fixed and ready to collect. They have taken a stab in the dark and hoped stripping the brakes at one side would work - hardly a fix imo. 3. They are the most rude, unhelpful dealership I have ever come across.
If your partner did sign to authorise the work as they say, its going to be very hard for you to dispute the charge.
Plus they're entitled to exercise a lien over your car until they're paid, so you don't have much of a negotiating position anyway. If you want to dispute it, the onus is going to be on you. Do you really want that hassle over £80 if they have in fact sorted the problem and it's not covered by the warranty.....?
(Though I'd be asking why it's not warranty work.....)
Plus they're entitled to exercise a lien over your car until they're paid, so you don't have much of a negotiating position anyway. If you want to dispute it, the onus is going to be on you. Do you really want that hassle over £80 if they have in fact sorted the problem and it's not covered by the warranty.....?
(Though I'd be asking why it's not warranty work.....)
Not sure if it has fixed the problem. I'll find out in the morning when I go to collect the car. My issue is that they have carried out work without informing me first. The form signed was stating the we agreed to diagnostic costs if not covered by warranty. Nothing at all about carrying out any repairs.
I also agree with the warranty thing. I'll be asking them to explain why not covered.
I also agree with the warranty thing. I'll be asking them to explain why not covered.
you took a car in for a diagnostic, and got it fixed for less than the price of they quote for a diagnostic, this would hardly be cause for complaint on a car with no warranty, or for an issue that clearly falls outside the warranty.
The only issue is why this falls outside the warranty
The only issue is why this falls outside the warranty
Warranty work is exactly that, warranty. Customer led and charged to the manufacturer. Regardless of whether the OPs partner signed anything, a grating noise is not a "characteristic" or normal.
However, last year I had a 3 yr old Kia Ceed with worn pads, turns out the caliper slider had no grease in it. Locked solid and buggered the pads. Common issue apparently, yet not addressed in service schedules and unfortunately for the Spanish owner, had to pay nigh on £400 for a new caliper. This is one of the reasons ( along with working for Mazda when Kia were imported new to the UK by the same importer and seeing how s
t they were) why I won't consider one.
However, last year I had a 3 yr old Kia Ceed with worn pads, turns out the caliper slider had no grease in it. Locked solid and buggered the pads. Common issue apparently, yet not addressed in service schedules and unfortunately for the Spanish owner, had to pay nigh on £400 for a new caliper. This is one of the reasons ( along with working for Mazda when Kia were imported new to the UK by the same importer and seeing how s
t they were) why I won't consider one.
I think a lot of you are missing the point. The price is irrelevant. They could have charged £10 and I still would have the same gripe. They told me they could not find the problem with the car. 2 hours later they have taken apart the brakes, greased them up and say they have solved the problem. The synic in me says they couldn't diagnose the problem so thought F it. Grease up the pads and hope that sorts it. We'll also charge the customer £80 and hope all is good.
Bare in mind, they did not call me to say they couldn't find the problem. They didn't call to say that they think they need to strip the brakes and clean them. They have undertaken work, without approval and expect me to pay for it. In the space of 2 hours it has gone from, "sorry sir, we cannot replicate the problem but we acknowledge there is one after seeing the video" to "sir, your car is fixed and you are due us £81" with no communication between myself and the dealer.
Bare in mind, they did not call me to say they couldn't find the problem. They didn't call to say that they think they need to strip the brakes and clean them. They have undertaken work, without approval and expect me to pay for it. In the space of 2 hours it has gone from, "sorry sir, we cannot replicate the problem but we acknowledge there is one after seeing the video" to "sir, your car is fixed and you are due us £81" with no communication between myself and the dealer.
I get your point. Your partner signed to authorise £108 for diagnostics which I presume is an hour's labour. So if they spent an hour of their time, decided to call you and say we've incurred an hour of labour at £108 and think the brakes need rebuilding at a cost of £81, can we go ahead, I presume you'd be happy?
To be fair, you're still saving £27 as they haven't charged you for their diagnostics fee.
Obviously, this is presuming they have actually fixed the problem.
To be fair, you're still saving £27 as they haven't charged you for their diagnostics fee.
Obviously, this is presuming they have actually fixed the problem.
You took your car in to diagnose a fault with the brakes, which someone was going to pay up to £108 for.
This was always going to involve someone inspecting and cleaning up atleast one of your brakes.
Would you be complaining less if they had said, we inspected and cleaned up your brakes, but it turns out you need a new caliper, that will be £108 for the diagnostic, and another £400 if you want the caliper replaced.
This was always going to involve someone inspecting and cleaning up atleast one of your brakes.
Would you be complaining less if they had said, we inspected and cleaned up your brakes, but it turns out you need a new caliper, that will be £108 for the diagnostic, and another £400 if you want the caliper replaced.
Ok, lets rephrase it.
Your 20 month old car has a horrendous knocking after some hard braking. You put the car into the dealership and the dealership make promises. They send you a video, telling you your brakes are absolutely fine and your tyres are low on tread. That's your problem.
You agree to take a technician out on a test drive and show them the problem. The dealership don't meet your agreed time, leave you waiting for 50mins and in the end you lose patience and take the car away and rebook it for another date. You drop the car back off on the agreed date and also provide them with a video of the said problem. The tyres have also been replaced by this point so they can no longer blame them.
You get a phone call from the dealer stating they have no idea what the problem is and they cannot replicate it. You agree to go in the next day and take a technician out and demonstrate the problem. The dealership agrees to this. Less than 2 hours later you get a phone call to say the problem is fixed, they don't actually know what the problem was but they have removed the brake pads, refitted them and the noise (which they couldn't actually replicate in the first place) is gone. They also want some monies for doing this as the 7 year warranty doesn't cover this nor do they (apparently) need any authorisation to carry out any repair work. I must also state that the diagnostics would only be charged if they found a problem that wasn't covered by warranty. As it stands, they cannot tell me what the problem was. Only that the have removed the brake pads, refitted them and they think that is problem solved.
Perhaps I'm just being over critical of Harnold Shark....
Your 20 month old car has a horrendous knocking after some hard braking. You put the car into the dealership and the dealership make promises. They send you a video, telling you your brakes are absolutely fine and your tyres are low on tread. That's your problem.
You agree to take a technician out on a test drive and show them the problem. The dealership don't meet your agreed time, leave you waiting for 50mins and in the end you lose patience and take the car away and rebook it for another date. You drop the car back off on the agreed date and also provide them with a video of the said problem. The tyres have also been replaced by this point so they can no longer blame them.
You get a phone call from the dealer stating they have no idea what the problem is and they cannot replicate it. You agree to go in the next day and take a technician out and demonstrate the problem. The dealership agrees to this. Less than 2 hours later you get a phone call to say the problem is fixed, they don't actually know what the problem was but they have removed the brake pads, refitted them and the noise (which they couldn't actually replicate in the first place) is gone. They also want some monies for doing this as the 7 year warranty doesn't cover this nor do they (apparently) need any authorisation to carry out any repair work. I must also state that the diagnostics would only be charged if they found a problem that wasn't covered by warranty. As it stands, they cannot tell me what the problem was. Only that the have removed the brake pads, refitted them and they think that is problem solved.
Perhaps I'm just being over critical of Harnold Shark....
Easty-5 said:
Ok, lets rephrase it.
No need, we get it 
Easty-5 said:
Perhaps I'm just being over critical of Harnold Shark....
I think so, all of these types of situation are usually fairly annoying (even buying the sodding thing in the first place, with the checklists and optional protections etc) but the outcome - if it's fixed - is at less cost than already agreed inspection cost so smile and get on with your life (it's really too short) 
Brake components are not covered by the Kia warranty as they are deemed to be service items which wear out. My daughter had the same problem with the rear disc brakes on her Kia. Due to her car only being used for short journeys the sliders get sticky and bind the brakes. This is a well known condition with these cars and a strip and clean cures the problem. Dealership will charge for 1 hours labour and new pads.
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff