Car under warranty, Dealer charging for Diagnostics?

[nickg123]

Morning all,

Just a quick question really, but one of our company cars (2007 Octavia TDi) is under Skoda Extended Warranty, and had an Airbag light appear and stay on.

The car was booked in with Fish Brothers (Swindon) and they've checked it out to find sporadic faults, but no actual need to replace anything (Basically they've just turned it off).

They're charging for 0.5 hrs labour to diagnose the fault (Even though the car is under warranty) - Is this normal??

Seems a bit wrong to me, the car has a fault and is under warranty surely that should be covered?

[countryboy]

I've heard about this too, if the dealer do not actually fix a fault then you will be charged for diagnostics time, irrespective of if the car is in warranty or not. If they actually fix a fault as a result of the diagnostics then tha will be covered under the warranty. Strange but true, unless someone who knows different for certain can correct me.

Ian

[nickg123]

I've heard about this too, if the dealer do not actually fix a fault then you will be charged for diagnostics time, irrespective of if the car is in warranty or not. If they actually fix a fault as a result of the diagnostics then tha will be covered under the warranty. Strange but true, unless someone who knows different for certain can correct me.

Ian

They haven't actually changed anything, but they've turned off the light so that's about as close to fixing as you can get................

Does that mean when the light comes back (i'm sure it will), they will then have to change a part - Would they refund me the Diagnostic fee?

[Hauptmann]

This is clearly wrong - although I know dealers do try to get away with it.

If the light came on then there was a faulty code stored. Ask for a print-out of the diagnostic, it should show a code and then you can probe a little deeper.

I guess they're charging something like £50 for this, which is no small amount.

[nickg123]

This is clearly wrong - although I know dealers do try to get away with it.

If the light came on then there was a faulty code stored. Ask for a print-out of the diagnostic, it should show a code and then you can probe a little deeper.

I guess they're charging something like £50 for this, which is no small amount.

They're charging £41.71 for 1/2 hour labour....

I called the local dealer (Ashmore green / Whitequay) and they said they would never charge for this sort of thing but obviously they couldn't speak for other dealers. I also called Skoda Customer Services, who basically said the Dealer are allowed to charge for Diagnostics, but when / if the fault returns and they have to change a part, they will be able to claim that work back PLUS the initial diagnostic fee that we've just had to pay.

All seems a bit backwards, especially as not all dealers work this way - it doesn't exactly take more then 10 mins to run a diagnostic check but never mind, i will definitely be claiming it back when the fault no doubt comes up again.

Thanks for the responses.

Edited 8 September, 2010 by nickg123

[countryboy]

If/when the light does come back on, then you can tell them that there is an obvious fault that needs to be corrected under warranty, this should have been done the first time the light came on and ask for a refund on the original diagnostic time, showing the reciept. No guarantee you will get the money back, depends on if you want to go to the top and complain. Good luck with this.

[m0bov]

Surely the light coming on IS the fault, light gone, fault fixed under warranty, no charge. ??

[wantaskoda]

This seems to happen with most manufacturers now.

I think it is down to 'cost cutting', as people used to take cars in for every rattle/squeak/oil warning light.

With new cars, it is much easier to put it on the diagnostic machine, but this means that whilst it is on the diag machine, they cannot put another car on it, which in turn costs them time.

The way of the world I am afriad.

[carisbrook]

Morning all,

Just a quick question really, but one of our company cars (2007 Octavia TDi) is under Skoda Extended Warranty, and had an Airbag light appear and stay on.

The car was booked in with Fish Brothers (Swindon) and they've checked it out to find sporadic faults, but no actual need to replace anything (Basically they've just turned it off).

They're charging for 0.5 hrs labour to diagnose the fault (Even though the car is under warranty) - Is this normal??

Seems a bit wrong to me, the car has a fault and is under warranty surely that should be covered?

Nick,If you ever need diagnostic fault scanning I'm based just outside Swindon and can hook it up to VCDS.

[darrenw]

Get thee into Ashmore Green.

Never been charged for diagnostics or a "quick look at..."

[silver1011]

Don't go back to Fish Brothers, and more importantly make sure you tell them why you won't be returning.

The fault was the light coming on.

They have reset the light therefore fixed the fault.

A warranty claim pure and simple, regardless of if any parts were replaced.

[rwbaldwin]

Don't go back to Fish Brothers, and more importantly make sure you tell them why you won't be returning.

The fault was the light coming on.

They have reset the light therefore fixed the fault.

A warranty claim pure and simple, regardless of if any parts were replaced.

I would agree, but would add that the airbag(s) would have been disabled if the light was on. In resetting the airbag controller they were re-enabling the airbag - they weren't just turning off a light.

This is not a subjective call. It isn't as if you had said that you felt something, somewhere was wrong.

I wouldn't pay or would seek to recover the money.

[essexskoda]

Very much sounds like a dealer who is just trying to make money rather than offer any kind of decent customer support !

I would go elsewhere.

[silver1011]

As they are company cars Fish Brothers know that they can get away with it, especially if they are leased.

The costs are often just charged back to the lease company or some central account and paid automatically. £42.00 is unlikely to be questioned.

I'm sure that if the person in charge of your fleet rang them up to query it they'd be more inclined to waiver the charge.

If not, back to my original comment, take your business elsewhere, but make sure they are aware of why you'll never use them again.

[iggy]

i would never trust a main dealer diagnostic again........second opion would be a good thing,dont let them walk all over you!!!!

[harveys]

Our local dealer tried to stitch us up with this scam last year (think I posted that effect on here at the time)...but that was with our Mazda. I got the invoice quashed by the Service Manager after an extended debate on the matter ! (in his office, as he clearly didn't want to continue the conversation in front of the rest of the customers!)

We are due to take it back in next week, so I expect they will try the same thing again (I am stuck with them as we bought a service plan, which makes it all the more galling that they try it !) I'll be fighting my corner again that's for sure.

We are still putting up with the rough/juddery idle once the car is warm, that they marked as NFF last year. I'll be asking them to check that again & the mould that's growing in the rear light clusters.

Have to say my local Skoda dealer now seems like a world apart from the Mazda place...Skoda being much more personal, helpful etc...I'd use them again if changing the Vrs but will likely buy our next MPV online (unless it's a Skoda !)

[philipfruit]

This diagnostic charge is just a con.

The car goes up on the ramp for an oil change, do they charge you for the use of the ramp? The car has its air filter changed, do they charge you for the use of the mechanic's tools? or the disposable gloves; seat covers; the compressed air for the impact wrench? The diagnostic tool is just that, a tool just like anything else you will find in a garage, but it's become a convenient means of making a buck out of the dumb customer.

It's a nice business to do people with...

 

[Ootohere]

Good thread revival.

 

It is a 'business' thing, not a 'Charity' organisation.

They are charging for their time and facilities, Labour & VAT charge while using the 'tools'  human or hardware / software,

and Warranty T&C's will tell you what is what.

If the Warranty claim is valid the Warranty Underwriter can pay for the diagnostics if that is in the T&C's.

 

'Some' will waive the diagnostics charge if the Job will be getting done and paid for, 

so the Reception Staff and Workshop staffs time, the disposable seat cover, gloves, licensed equipment / tools use is covered and the rates / utilities gets paid for, 

and the courtesy cars / lift someplace, coffee etc.

Edited 16 July, 2019 by Roottootemoot

[J.R.]

Welcome back!

 

Are you out on license?

[Tech1e]

3 hours ago, philipfruit said:

This diagnostic charge is just a con.

The car goes up on the ramp for an oil change, do they charge you for the use of the ramp? The car has its air filter changed, do they charge you for the use of the mechanic's tools? or the disposable gloves; seat covers; the compressed air for the impact wrench? The diagnostic tool is just that, a tool just like anything else you will find in a garage, but it's become a convenient means of making a buck out of the dumb customer.

It's a nice business to do people with...

 

 

Of course they charge you for putting it on the ramp for the service and use of the tools. It’s called an hourly labour rate.