Dealership Customer Service GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

[ElmoP5]

I took my car to the dealer because i've been having a problem with the driver's side headlight for about a year now and the service manager is a complete IDIOT! About a year ago I took my car in for service, they cut the wiring harness off the driver's side and put two connectors there. I took my car Weds. because my light was not going on at all, and they said that I spliced the wiring. What sucks about all this is that the service manager who was there before this new idiot retired. So the new service manager insists that I did it myself because it is not in the computer. They have the plug that connects to the back of the bulb that was fried but they swear up and down that this happened due to some aftermarket bulb and I cut the wiring. The problem that exists is theres a short somewhere in the driver's side wiring and they said its not covered under warranty because of this "after market bulb that made me cut the wiring". I have HID' now and he wouldn't even look at it because of the "spliced wire". For one its a plug and play system, you can clearly see this from the passenger side wiring. Plus the ballast has a relay built in so there is no power that goes back to the harness if there is a problem w/the bulb or the ballast itself. I'm assuming its going to cost me over $1,000 to get fixed @ the dealer.

Any advice?? Should I get my attorney involved because this is rediculous. My attorney costs are covered by my job, so attorney cost vs. report charges is not an issue.

For me to pay for something that they have known about for a year now is crazy. This will be the 3RD time i was there with the same issue!!!

 

[Turbo Matty P]

your first mistake was going to the dealer for service work. If you have free legal I'd use it....but don't EVER expect a dealership to treat you fairly. They live to screw you out of money.

 

[MP5 Tuner]

your first mistake was going to the dealer for service work. If you have free legal I'd use it....but don't EVER expect a dealership to treat you fairly. They live to screw you out of money.

I agree with Turbo Matty, wait did I just say that.

Have someone else look at it.

 

[ElmoP5]

The only reason why I went there was because of the service manager. He is the type of guy that will listen to you 100%, properly analize the problem w/out assuming you voided the warranty. When I went there the first time I did not pay a dime. They figured out the problem, fixed it and sent me on my way. This guy is a complete ASSHOLE! I'm taking it to another place and have them fix it. I spoke with one of my friends who works for a BMW service department and I found out that they get more commission for people who pay for service that is not covered under warranty. I knew there was a reason why they push so much to say "You Voided Your Warranty".

 

[AlbinoMuntjac]

But you also admitted that you have HIDs in there, so it goingot be a lot harder to prove that they screwed up. Having them in there gives the dealer something to point to and say "He did it and there's the proof." It just gives them an easy out. If it's at all possible, put the stock lighting assembly back in there before you get an attorney involved.

 

[mypfizzle]

they arent going to do any warranty work on your hids.. the reason is you altered the stock lighting system so they are no longer going to help you. -=\
it sucks.
put your stock lighting system in and go from there. -=P

 

[PeaB0dy]

If you are a person concerned about warranty, modding is not a good thing to do, they will use it as a scape goat..

 

[ElmoP5]

But the problem has occurred before my HID's. They knew about it before I changed my bulbs back in November of 2001. They still did nothing about it. I doubt it was the HID kit for a few reasons, 1. The passanger side headlight still works fine, 2. HID ballast have a relay inside to eliminate any overheating of the wires if there is a problem (they tested this against the HID when it turns on the HID flickers and then shuts off however from the stock connection to the ballast there is constant power and no flicker but from the ballast to the HID bulb there is a flicker then no power), 3. HIDs use 35 watts of power vs. the stock bulbs being 55 watts. They just want to be dicks because of the HIDs and they knew about the problems way before I installed them.

 

[323CiP5]

you should try and find the old service manager.

 

[ElmoP5]

Can't he's retired.

you should try and find the old service manager.

 

[AlbinoMuntjac]

No one said that it was the HIDs that caused it. We are saying that they are the reason that you are getting denied service. Read what the other posts say a little more carefully next time. You obviously don't have the stock lighting asembly in there, so if there is a problem, all they have to say is that it's your fault since you changed it from stock. What it boils down to is you telling the dealer "Look, this is broken, but that happened before I went in there and modified it. Trust me." Apparently they didn't fix it the first time, so I wouldn't even waste your time going back to that dealer. Put your stock lights back in and go to another dealer. Don't try and get an attorney involved. It will just be a waste of everyone's time and the outcome won't be favorable for you.

 

[ElmoP5]

The dealer said it was because I put "aftermarket lighting" oh well, eff the dealers. I have several recommendations for this guy in Union, NJ. He's supposed to be able to fix any wiring problem. I was surprised because I went to different shops to see if they can fix it but they all said no they can't and referred me to this one guy.

Anyway as far as the attorney costs go, I have a corporate attorney so the cost is covered.

Thanks for the help everyone and I'll post the issue and what caused it.

 

[SHOEL1CK]

Is it Ramsey Mazda because I am having a problem with them too?

 

[alexlitov]

You not going to get anything accomplished by your attorney.

You clearly voided the warranty when you installed your HID.

My suggestion to you,

- you either live with this problem
- try to fix it yourself

 

[ZoomFive]

No one said that it was the HIDs that caused it. We are saying that they are the reason that you are getting denied service. Read what the other posts say a little more carefully next time. You obviously don't have the stock lighting asembly in there, so if there is a problem, all they have to say is that it's your fault since you changed it from stock. What it boils down to is you telling the dealer "Look, this is broken, but that happened before I went in there and modified it. Trust me." Apparently they didn't fix it the first time, so I wouldn't even waste your time going back to that dealer. Put your stock lights back in and go to another dealer. Don't try and get an attorney involved. It will just be a waste of everyone's time and the outcome won't be favorable for you.

I agree with this suggested approach.

- ZoomFive

 

[ElmoP5]

Problem fixed! There was a short in the fusebox, my tech replaced the wiring and the fuse. WORKS 100%!!! Costed me almost nothing, I went to a shop because of all the recommendations.

I know it was probably my fault, messing around with the wires and all that stuff. Maybe I didn't want to admit to it, but either way I would've paid for it to get fixed. However I still say the customer service manager is a dick @ the dealership. He talked to me like i was stupid and didnt know what i was saying. Disregarded any customer service training or whatever he had. Maybe he felt like I was trying to scam them, when I just wanted them to find the problem and fix it and I told him I would pay for it......

I would NOT recommend going to SANSONE AUTOMALL (MAZDA) FOR SERVICE!!

Thanks everyone!

 

[Bijou-MP5]

Not just your dealer. almost 100% any other dealer will deny warranty if you have something besides factory ones. whenever I take my car to dealer for some maintainance check, they always say, HID is illegal... this that blah blah... but I always say "so what?"