EV - what is the point of a dealer service?
Discussion
Had my EV now for 20 months with about 20K miles. It is just out of its 3 years warranty with now 55K miles. Just before the warranty it had a coolant pump failure which is something major since it pumps coolant around the battery. When this happened I stopped using the car and used my spare one which is a diesel.
I don't use the diesel much. It is nearly 10 years old but in great condition.
I don't follow the cars service schedule but follow my own schedule based on how many miles it has done since the last service. In addition tyres, brakes and fluid, transmission oil, coolant have all been done within the last 3 years.
I would like to do the same thing for my EV. I have changed the cabin filter already and rear tyres have been replaced. I am keeping an eye on the fronts. Brake pads are all fine since the regen braking works really well (its not quite one pedal).
What is the collective thoughts of just resetting the service light and keeping an eye on the car. Obviously a dealer service will be testing the HV circuit but I am not sure that the dealer will be proactively informing owners apart from when there is an obvious issue and the car isn't running.
BTW - the car has had a couple of glitches / dash warnings but they have just been temporary. My research has shown that they could be at times when there have been over-the air updates.
I don't use the diesel much. It is nearly 10 years old but in great condition.
I don't follow the cars service schedule but follow my own schedule based on how many miles it has done since the last service. In addition tyres, brakes and fluid, transmission oil, coolant have all been done within the last 3 years.
I would like to do the same thing for my EV. I have changed the cabin filter already and rear tyres have been replaced. I am keeping an eye on the fronts. Brake pads are all fine since the regen braking works really well (its not quite one pedal).
What is the collective thoughts of just resetting the service light and keeping an eye on the car. Obviously a dealer service will be testing the HV circuit but I am not sure that the dealer will be proactively informing owners apart from when there is an obvious issue and the car isn't running.
BTW - the car has had a couple of glitches / dash warnings but they have just been temporary. My research has shown that they could be at times when there have been over-the air updates.
Greenmantle said:
Had my EV now for 20 months with about 20K miles. It is just out of its 3 years warranty with now 55K miles. Just before the warranty it had a coolant pump failure which is something major since it pumps coolant around the battery. When this happened I stopped using the car and used my spare one which is a diesel.
I don't use the diesel much. It is nearly 10 years old but in great condition.
I don't follow the cars service schedule but follow my own schedule based on how many miles it has done since the last service. In addition tyres, brakes and fluid, transmission oil, coolant have all been done within the last 3 years.
I would like to do the same thing for my EV. I have changed the cabin filter already and rear tyres have been replaced. I am keeping an eye on the fronts. Brake pads are all fine since the regen braking works really well (its not quite one pedal).
What is the collective thoughts of just resetting the service light and keeping an eye on the car. Obviously a dealer service will be testing the HV circuit but I am not sure that the dealer will be proactively informing owners apart from when there is an obvious issue and the car isn't running.
BTW - the car has had a couple of glitches / dash warnings but they have just been temporary. My research has shown that they could be at times when there have been over-the air updates.
Without knowing the car its very hard to comment. For example if it's an old Audi e-tron then probably pretty stupid, but others maybe perfectly fine. One factor as you point out depend on what/how the battery is cooled. You MOT should cover the tyres/suspension inspections. I don't use the diesel much. It is nearly 10 years old but in great condition.
I don't follow the cars service schedule but follow my own schedule based on how many miles it has done since the last service. In addition tyres, brakes and fluid, transmission oil, coolant have all been done within the last 3 years.
I would like to do the same thing for my EV. I have changed the cabin filter already and rear tyres have been replaced. I am keeping an eye on the fronts. Brake pads are all fine since the regen braking works really well (its not quite one pedal).
What is the collective thoughts of just resetting the service light and keeping an eye on the car. Obviously a dealer service will be testing the HV circuit but I am not sure that the dealer will be proactively informing owners apart from when there is an obvious issue and the car isn't running.
BTW - the car has had a couple of glitches / dash warnings but they have just been temporary. My research has shown that they could be at times when there have been over-the air updates.
ashenfie said:
Greenmantle said:
Had my EV now for 20 months with about 20K miles. It is just out of its 3 years warranty with now 55K miles. Just before the warranty it had a coolant pump failure which is something major since it pumps coolant around the battery. When this happened I stopped using the car and used my spare one which is a diesel.
I don't use the diesel much. It is nearly 10 years old but in great condition.
I don't follow the cars service schedule but follow my own schedule based on how many miles it has done since the last service. In addition tyres, brakes and fluid, transmission oil, coolant have all been done within the last 3 years.
I would like to do the same thing for my EV. I have changed the cabin filter already and rear tyres have been replaced. I am keeping an eye on the fronts. Brake pads are all fine since the regen braking works really well (its not quite one pedal).
What is the collective thoughts of just resetting the service light and keeping an eye on the car. Obviously a dealer service will be testing the HV circuit but I am not sure that the dealer will be proactively informing owners apart from when there is an obvious issue and the car isn't running.
BTW - the car has had a couple of glitches / dash warnings but they have just been temporary. My research has shown that they could be at times when there have been over-the air updates.
Without knowing the car its very hard to comment. For example if it's an old Audi e-tron then probably pretty stupid, but others maybe perfectly fine. One factor as you point out depend on what/how the battery is cooled. You MOT should cover the tyres/suspension inspections. I don't use the diesel much. It is nearly 10 years old but in great condition.
I don't follow the cars service schedule but follow my own schedule based on how many miles it has done since the last service. In addition tyres, brakes and fluid, transmission oil, coolant have all been done within the last 3 years.
I would like to do the same thing for my EV. I have changed the cabin filter already and rear tyres have been replaced. I am keeping an eye on the fronts. Brake pads are all fine since the regen braking works really well (its not quite one pedal).
What is the collective thoughts of just resetting the service light and keeping an eye on the car. Obviously a dealer service will be testing the HV circuit but I am not sure that the dealer will be proactively informing owners apart from when there is an obvious issue and the car isn't running.
BTW - the car has had a couple of glitches / dash warnings but they have just been temporary. My research has shown that they could be at times when there have been over-the air updates.
kambites said:
cliffords said:
I wonder if cars with over air updates will eventually prevent use of the car ,if it's not been plugged into dealership software within a timescale.
I'm pretty sure that would be illegal. Well no, they got the new module but it needed programming, but of cause the OBD was not working. China tried dialling into the car with no luck, the car turns out to be "Network locked". Then the dealer is told about the "smart key" is need (rather than the dumb key?) supplied with the car. They are currently waiting for the smart key to be delivered and hope more than know this will allow them access to the ODB and program the module.
That coolant pump failure just before warranty expiry is a bit ominous - it's exactly the type of expensive component failure that might have warning signs a dealer inspection could catch.
HV battery health checks and thermal management system inspections aren't things you can easily DIY. Also, software updates and diagnostic checks might catch degradation before it becomes a roadside failure.
Given you've already had one significant cooling system failure, I'd be inclined to do at least an annual dealer inspection - not necessarily their full service schedule, but enough to get the HV systems checked and logged. The battery thermal management is the one area where preventative monitoring might genuinely save you from expensive failures.
HV battery health checks and thermal management system inspections aren't things you can easily DIY. Also, software updates and diagnostic checks might catch degradation before it becomes a roadside failure.
Given you've already had one significant cooling system failure, I'd be inclined to do at least an annual dealer inspection - not necessarily their full service schedule, but enough to get the HV systems checked and logged. The battery thermal management is the one area where preventative monitoring might genuinely save you from expensive failures.
Do most EV's need an annual "check" to keep up with the battery warranty or could you in theory never have it serviced (assuming something like a coolant change isn't part of the schedule), have a heavily degraded battery in year 7 and then get a new one under warranty? Although I don't own an EV the batteries generally seem to be a none issue. It's other expensive parts like the coolant system in Audi's that seems to fail on them.
ashenfie said:
The EU only made it mandatory in 2024 that EVs have ODB ports and sadly it's not all sorted yet. There is a saga going on with an Omoda. The owner broke down and the RAC came out, they are the official Omoda recovery service. They could not read the OBD data, so shipped the car to the dealer. The dealer also could not read the ODB data, but managed to diagnose a faulty module., so all good?
Why on earth aren't they covered by the existing legislation? I doubt it specifically mentions combustion engines because when it was originally mandated, there would have been no other choice. I don't think that's relevant to the point though. A manufacturer could not remotely "turn a car off" if it hasn't been main-dealer serviced, or even if it hasn't been serviced at all.
Edited by kambites on Friday 30th January 10:50
Goatwidcoat said:
Do most EV's need an annual "check" to keep up with the battery warranty or could you in theory never have it serviced (assuming something like a coolant change isn't part of the schedule), have a heavily degraded battery in year 7 and then get a new one under warranty? Although I don't own an EV the batteries generally seem to be a none issue. It's other expensive parts like the coolant system in Audi's that seems to fail on them.
It would depend on the wording of the warranty. Ultimately the warranty is a contract and if the buyer fails to uphold their side of the contract, the manufacturer cannot be legally held to theirs so the buyer will have nothing to fall back on beyond their statutory rights, which wouldn't cover a seven year-old battery.There is legislation in place to ban that contract containing a requirement for servicing to be done at a main dealer, but it still can (and usually does) require servicing to be performed on schedule using OEM parts by a VAT registered garage. Some manufacturers get around even the former limit by selling the car with a minimal warranty then including a year's "extended warranty" in the cost of each main-dealer service.
"Dealer" service, no, not really essential, block exemption rules years ago mean any competent garage can look after your car
"Service", there's a lot more to an EV than just a battery and motor. There are radiators so looking for cooling leaks before they start to cause an issue is no bad thing, as is clearing away any debris thats starting to block them, there are plenty of bushes which can start to wear, seals especially around sensitive electrrical components, brakes, tracking etc If you're competent you can keep an eye on these things up to a point.
When I had a Model S I took it to cleverly for a service and MOT. It passed the MOT, but also cleaned and replaced various filter, sorted a misaligned seal, and lubricated the steering universal joint because it;s a know issue, none of which were required for the MOT. If I'd still had the car I'd have probably looked at the fuse around the pyro fuse as its a known weakspot, and there's a rear coolant delete or something like that which is a worthwhile change. I could of course wait until the car says "you have a problem" and possibly a suitable bill to address. Preventative maintenance is always beneficial.
"Service", there's a lot more to an EV than just a battery and motor. There are radiators so looking for cooling leaks before they start to cause an issue is no bad thing, as is clearing away any debris thats starting to block them, there are plenty of bushes which can start to wear, seals especially around sensitive electrrical components, brakes, tracking etc If you're competent you can keep an eye on these things up to a point.
When I had a Model S I took it to cleverly for a service and MOT. It passed the MOT, but also cleaned and replaced various filter, sorted a misaligned seal, and lubricated the steering universal joint because it;s a know issue, none of which were required for the MOT. If I'd still had the car I'd have probably looked at the fuse around the pyro fuse as its a known weakspot, and there's a rear coolant delete or something like that which is a worthwhile change. I could of course wait until the car says "you have a problem" and possibly a suitable bill to address. Preventative maintenance is always beneficial.
kambites said:
ashenfie said:
The EU only made it mandatory in 2024 that EVs have ODB ports and sadly it's not all sorted yet. There is a saga going on with an Omoda. The owner broke down and the RAC came out, they are the official Omoda recovery service. They could not read the OBD data, so shipped the car to the dealer. The dealer also could not read the ODB data, but managed to diagnose a faulty module., so all good?
Why on earth aren't they covered by the existing legislation? I doubt it specifically mentions combustion engines because when it was originally mandated, there would have been no other choice. I don't think that's relevant to the point though. A manufacturer could not remotely "turn a car off" if it hasn't been main-dealer serviced, or even if it hasn't been serviced at all.
Edited by kambites on Friday 30th January 10:50
Petrol Vehicles (Passenger Cars): Mandatory for all new types from 1 January 2000, and for all new vehicles sold from 1 January 2001 (under Euro 3 standards).
Diesel Vehicles (Passenger Cars): Mandatory for all new types from 1 January 2003, and for all new vehicles sold from 1 January 2004 (under Euro 4 standards).
Light Commercial Vehicles (Vans/Trucks): Mandatory from 1 January 2002 (petrol) and 1 January 2007 (diesel).
ashenfie said:
Mandatory Implementation Dates
Petrol Vehicles (Passenger Cars): Mandatory for all new types from 1 January 2000, and for all new vehicles sold from 1 January 2001 (under Euro 3 standards).
Diesel Vehicles (Passenger Cars): Mandatory for all new types from 1 January 2003, and for all new vehicles sold from 1 January 2004 (under Euro 4 standards).
Light Commercial Vehicles (Vans/Trucks): Mandatory from 1 January 2002 (petrol) and 1 January 2007 (diesel).
Ahh, I didn't realise petrols and diesels mandated it at different times (I've never really had any interesting in diesels Petrol Vehicles (Passenger Cars): Mandatory for all new types from 1 January 2000, and for all new vehicles sold from 1 January 2001 (under Euro 3 standards).
Diesel Vehicles (Passenger Cars): Mandatory for all new types from 1 January 2003, and for all new vehicles sold from 1 January 2004 (under Euro 4 standards).
Light Commercial Vehicles (Vans/Trucks): Mandatory from 1 January 2002 (petrol) and 1 January 2007 (diesel).
). That explains it then. Seems a bit of an oversight that they didn't just add EVs to the list when the Leaf started to become mainstream! I'd imagine the huge majority of pre '24 EVs do actually have an OBD port anyway? Our MG4 certainly does.
T_S_M said:
I had my Polestar 'serviced' yesterday at a Volvo main dealer. On the invoice the only job they did was replace the Pollen filter, plus a visual inspection.
Company car so didn't pay for it, but I'd be well miffed if I was charged a few hundred quid for it.
We have a Gen 2 Hyundai Kona in the family and I took that for service just before Christmas and feel like the dealer stole £200 off me.Company car so didn't pay for it, but I'd be well miffed if I was charged a few hundred quid for it.
Car is on 2yr/20K intervals but both local dealers and Hyundai UK were adamant that the car needed to visit the dealership annually for the warranty.
So as the car does about 15K/yr I took it for a 20K service the day before it was a year old.Worst thing was, the dealer was clueless about what needed doing to the car - they said they never change key batteries or rotate the wheels, both of which are items on the service schedule (which Hyundai had sent me and is on the website). They didn't charge for a can of brake fluid so I'm convinced they didn't change it. Really, the only actual work in the service is changing the brake fluid and rotating the wheels and they didn't do either of those.
They also sent a VHC for an ice car so had none of the EV stuff on it like battery state etc.
Basically I paid £200 for a stamp in the book, and they ticked the wrong box for the service done!
T_S_M said:
I had my Polestar 'serviced' yesterday at a Volvo main dealer. On the invoice the only job they did was replace the Pollen filter, plus a visual inspection.
Company car so didn't pay for it, but I'd be well miffed if I was charged a few hundred quid for it.
Have you got to 20k already?!Company car so didn't pay for it, but I'd be well miffed if I was charged a few hundred quid for it.
andrewpandrew said:
T_S_M said:
I had my Polestar 'serviced' yesterday at a Volvo main dealer. On the invoice the only job they did was replace the Pollen filter, plus a visual inspection.
Company car so didn't pay for it, but I'd be well miffed if I was charged a few hundred quid for it.
Have you got to 20k already?!Company car so didn't pay for it, but I'd be well miffed if I was charged a few hundred quid for it.
Service is every 2 years or 18k miles.
T_S_M said:
andrewpandrew said:
T_S_M said:
I had my Polestar 'serviced' yesterday at a Volvo main dealer. On the invoice the only job they did was replace the Pollen filter, plus a visual inspection.
Company car so didn't pay for it, but I'd be well miffed if I was charged a few hundred quid for it.
Have you got to 20k already?!Company car so didn't pay for it, but I'd be well miffed if I was charged a few hundred quid for it.
Service is every 2 years or 18k miles.
My P2 had free servicing for the first three years, but I can't see anything about it for the P4.
Sheepshanks said:
T_S_M said:
I had my Polestar 'serviced' yesterday at a Volvo main dealer. On the invoice the only job they did was replace the Pollen filter, plus a visual inspection.
Company car so didn't pay for it, but I'd be well miffed if I was charged a few hundred quid for it.
Basically I paid £200 for a stamp in the book, and they ticked the wrong box for the service done!Company car so didn't pay for it, but I'd be well miffed if I was charged a few hundred quid for it.
Reading the above I'm inclined to use my local independant for both servicing and MOTs if this is sufficient to support the warranty. Cynically I have more faith in MOT inspections flagging up issues than service checks.
Gassing Station | EV and Alternative Fuels | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff