ACC woes and legal action

[robski90]

Skoda are refusing to cover the recalibration of my ACC system despite there being no damage. 

 

It doesn't look like they'll do the decent thing and fix something that has failed for no reason so I'm considering legal action. 

 

Just wondering if anyone has gone down this route before? 

 

Sadly, if this isn't resolved, this will be my final purchase of a VAG car. They were terrible on a claim for an aircon system a few years back too, a pattern of terrible service and running for the hills is quickly emerging. 

 

Very disappointed! 

[penguin17]

What are the symptoms of the issue with the ACC? 

 

Have you got a report/diagnostic scan showing that something related to the system has failed?  An ideal scenario would be fault code or error that could manifest without any impact occurring, e.g a sensor fault or similar. 

 

Have you tried a different dealership? 

Based on my experience some are very poor at signing off on warranty work, whereas my current local dealer has been very proactive in authorising and completing warranty work on my Superb.  

[penguin17]

@xman would be a good person to offer some advice on handling the (lack of) warranty claim. 

[robski90]

It's ACC Unavailable on the dash. Took it to the dealer, they said its a code which means it needs recalibration. But, that it's odd as there's no damage to the car and there's usually a stone chip of something that would have caused it to move. 

 

So my point is, no damage = defect =warranty work. 

[Ootohere]

??

Have Skoda the warranty provider refused or a Tech or Service Manager at a Skoda dealership refused,

 

Talk with the Warranty Provider if the Dealership employees are not supporting you with After Sales and Warranty care.

 

http://skoda.co.uk/about-us/contact-us

& have everything in writing from the Dealership Warranty Manager and Skoda Customer Care and a Resolution Manager not a Communications Manager or Call Handler.

[xman]

Do as Offski says. This is a dealer blocking you and you should complain about them. Another dealer might be an option.

Contact Skoda UK and complain, get a case raised.

 

Here is the new car warranty details. Have a read, if anyone is refusing you, refer them to the warranty document and ask for written clarification how you case is not covered as per Skoda official warranty documentation.

 

Warranty-Booklet-single.pdf

 

SKODA_Warranty_Terms_August_2018_New_Car-1.pdf

 

Edited 27 November, 2018 by xman

[Speedman]

Out of interest, what is the cost of re-calibration?

[robski90]

Thanks all. I have a case manager. He's stating that the dealership have said its not a warranty repair. When I pointed out that they only carry out the work on behalf of Skoda UK and that SUK can veto payments to cover work we got tangled! It's a stitch up. Dealers dare not carry out work in case they're not reimbursed. 

 

Cost of recalibration is around £450.

[robski90]

1 hour ago, xman said:

Do as Offski says. This is a dealer blocking you and you should complain about them. Another dealer might be an option.

Contact Skoda UK and complain, get a case raised.

 

Here is the new car warranty details. Have a read, if anyone is refusing you, refer them to the warranty document and ask for written clarification how you case is not covered as per Skoda official warranty documentation.

 

Warranty-Booklet-single.pdf

 

SKODA_Warranty_Terms_August_2018_New_Car-1.pdf

 

As they're calling the recalibration and adjustment they're saying it's not covered on the 6 month 6500 mileage rule. I'm over a year and 10k.

 

My argument is that there is no damage to the car whatsoever, I don't accept that such an expensive recalibration should be required on such a young age car. 

[xman]

Normal wear and tear is for items that would be expected to wear out and be a service/maintenance item. As are brakes, tyres, clutches etc.

 

ACC is an electronic accessory that is expected last the life of the car and with the exception of physical damage to a part of the system, no further work would be expected. Or are they saying that calibration is now expected to be a regular service/maintemance item? I think not.

 

The calibration equipment is expensive for a dealer to purchase and to train someone to use. The dealer you have seems to want to recoup his money.

 

A successful warranty claim is ultimately paid for by Skoda UK.

 

However as Adrian5555 has explained, many sloppy Skoda dealers are being refused payment and in some cases face heavy financial penalties for bad work carried out.

 

You need to bypass this dealer who is stonewalling you, if there is an alternative dealer available, approach them, and if still no joy, ask to raise a case with Skoda Uk and speak to a relations manager.

 

Request everything in writing, ultimately Skoda IK need to know about bad dealers.

 

And at the end, name and shame. A letter to the Daily Mail may get action and set a precedent. Title "Skoda refuse to honour their new car warranty" 

 

Edited 27 November, 2018 by xman

[PMA_Bob]

I too had this issue "ACC Unavailable" . I was also told that it could be related to damage. For which there was none. Within 24 hours ACC sprang into life. However I kept with the Garage check up. The outcome. There was a fault with the sensor. Even though the ACC was now non longer faulty, they offered to replace under warranty. The car will be 3 years old on 11th Dec, so it was just in its warranty period. Sensor changed and so far no issues. For info the garage I used was skoda Winchester. 

[robski90]

On 27/11/2018 at 11:32, xman said:

 

I knew I could rely on you guys! This is awesome advice!! I hadn't thought of it in this way. Off to a new dealer I go! 

 

I'll keep you updated as I'm sure I won't be along in this looking across other VAG forums! 

[robski90]

Update. Skoda have fobbed me off and given me details of the ombudsman if I want to take it further. 

 

I'm appalled at their response. Still no explanation as to why the work needs to be done at all. 

 

This will be the 5th and last skoda I ever own, or any other VW group car for that matter! Not that I'm finished with them yet. But I'll never again invest in a company that so openly couldn't give a toss about loyal customers. 

[newbie69]

So an owner gets an error message in his dash about a car's system, while there is no evidence of physical damage/tampering that would invalidate it's coverage by the on-going warranty and somehow this is being rejected by both the dealership (i could understand up to that point as some dealers are just clueless) but also the official Skoda UK you say?  Absurd...

Edited 5 December, 2018 by newbie69

[robski90]

1 hour ago, newbie69 said:

So an owner gets an error message in his dash about a car's system, while there is no evidence of physical damage/tampering that would invalidate it's coverage by the on-going warranty and somehow this is being rejected by both the dealership (i could understand up to that point as some dealers are just clueless) but also the official Skoda UK you say?  Absurd...

Exactly right. With zero explanation as to why even though I set out reasons for failure being;

 

Damage

Faulty parts

Incorrect assembly 

 

I don't see any other way it could go wrong and we've ruled out damage. 

 

They've lost me as a customer over 450 quid. 

[daveo138]

You could try emailing the MD, Rod McLeod

 

https://www.ceoemail.com/s.php?id=ceo-8986

[robski90]

2 hours ago, newbie69 said:

So an owner gets an error message in his dash about a car's system, while there is no evidence of physical damage/tampering that would invalidate it's coverage by the on-going warranty and somehow this is being rejected by both the dealership (i could understand up to that point as some dealers are just clueless) but also the official Skoda UK you say?  Absurd...

 

13 minutes ago, daveo138 said:

You could try emailing the MD, Rod McLeod

 

https://www.ceoemail.com/s.php?id=ceo-8986

Thanks, I'll add that to the list of places to go. 

[Doughnut]

On 27/11/2018 at 12:43, robski90 said:

Thanks all. I have a case manager. He's stating that the dealership have said its not a warranty repair. When I pointed out that they only carry out the work on behalf of Skoda UK and that SUK can veto payments to cover work we got tangled! It's a stitch up. Dealers dare not carry out work in case they're not reimbursed. 

 

Cost of recalibration is around £450.

Hi, I paid £340 Inc VAT 2 weeks ago. There does seem to be some inconsistencies with the cost. I think we have had 9 done out a fleet of 19.

[DBT85]

.

Edited 6 December, 2018 by DBT85

[robski90]

13 hours ago, Doughnut said:

Hi, I paid £340 Inc VAT 2 weeks ago. There does seem to be some inconsistencies with the cost. I think we have had 9 done out a fleet of 19.

 

So over 50% of Superbs required this to be fixed by cost on these stats. That's a nice little 3k earning on a part which, in theory requires no servicing.

 

It's very clearly not fit for purpose and Skoda are profiting from that.

[BriskodaJeff]

16 hours ago, robski90 said:

Exactly right. With zero explanation as to why even though I set out reasons for failure being;

 

Damage

Faulty parts

Incorrect assembly 

 

I don't see any other way it could go wrong and we've ruled out damage. 

 

They've lost me as a customer over 450 quid. 

I can certainly understand the frustration, but reading through the thread it occurs to me that the warranty / not warranty question is being answered via fault reporting (evidence, if you will). If there is a faulty sensor or other fault within the system, a scan would show that. What code did the dealer scan come up with? There are some VCDS experts on here who could probably help decode it for you. Without that, you are trying to prove a negative, which of course is impossible. For example, when you say "we've ruled out damage", who do you mean by "we" and how was it done? As an example, I might hit a curb at low speed, that without causing any visible damage knocks the wheel alignment out. No visible damage, I didn't even notice the bump, but I wouldn't expect the re-alignment or tyre replacement due to uneven wear to be a warranty job. Similarly, someone *could* have bumped the front of your car, leaving no visible damage but knocking the calibration out. You can't *prove* it didn't happen, just like Skoda can't prove it did. You need evidence, and a scan would provide that. To badly misquote Sherlock Holmes, "when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Not trying to troll the thread, just to give the opposite argument and suggest how you could counter it.

[robski90]

2 hours ago, BriskodaJeff said:

I can certainly understand the frustration, but reading through the thread it occurs to me that the warranty / not warranty question is being answered via fault reporting (evidence, if you will). If there is a faulty sensor or other fault within the system, a scan would show that. What code did the dealer scan come up with? There are some VCDS experts on here who could probably help decode it for you. Without that, you are trying to prove a negative, which of course is impossible. For example, when you say "we've ruled out damage", who do you mean by "we" and how was it done? As an example, I might hit a curb at low speed, that without causing any visible damage knocks the wheel alignment out. No visible damage, I didn't even notice the bump, but I wouldn't expect the re-alignment or tyre replacement due to uneven wear to be a warranty job. Similarly, someone *could* have bumped the front of your car, leaving no visible damage but knocking the calibration out. You can't *prove* it didn't happen, just like Skoda can't prove it did. You need evidence, and a scan would provide that. To badly misquote Sherlock Holmes, "when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Not trying to troll the thread, just to give the opposite argument and suggest how you could counter it.

Sadly, I don't have the code information at this time. I may, after I've visited another dealer.

 

When I say we've ruled out damage, I mean that the dealer told me there is no damage.

 

I understand your points about hitting a kerb or someone bumping into me but leaving no damage. However, if a light knock is enough to cause the system to require recalibrating, then I'd argue that it's entirely unfit for purpose. Surely the design must spec being able to withstand more than a light knock. I think that Doughnut's stats of 9 of 19 cars needing it tells you everything you need to know. It's a botch job that Skoda are making a packet from.

 

Either which way, Skoda's attitude has been well below par for a very loyal customer. Their, 'it wasn't us it was you, end of story, no discussion, here's the ombudsman' take on it is appalling, particularly from a company which such a terrible public image for lying. I'm going elsewhere next time. Volvo has never looked more appealing.

[GoneToBeemer]

@robski90 how old is the car? Do you own it outright or is it on PCP? If you’re on PCP and nearing the point of VT, then that may be worth considering if you can’t get to a resolve.

 

The new Volvos are cracking cars - I test drove an S90 when I was looking and it was very impressive.

 

Back to the thread, albeit there’s no visible damage there could be internal damage to the sensor that you can’t see, but the issue is they couldn’t prove that, and therefore to me should be a warranty fix.

 

Good luck with whatever happens! 

[BriskodaJeff]

19 hours ago, robski90 said:

Either which way, Skoda's attitude has been well below par for a very loyal customer. Their, 'it wasn't us it was you, end of story, no discussion, here's the ombudsman' take on it is appalling, particularly from a company which such a terrible public image for lying. I'm going elsewhere next time. Volvo has never looked more appealing.

This bit I absolutely agree with. I would have expected something in writing from Skoda UK along the lines of "We have investigated and found code XXXXX which means it is  not a warranty repair because [justification for it not being a warranty job]. If you disagree with our findings, you can contact the ombudsman [name and address]." Takes all of five minutes to do, demonstrates they have actually bothered to think about it and gives you something to either convince you they are correct or to take to the ombudsman for a ruling. Basic customer care - sadly seems to be lacking in this case. Good luck with getting it sorted and please let us know how you get on.

[silver1011]

1) Try another dealer.

2) If that doesn't work, pay the money to get it sorted. Keep the invoice.

3) Do as Skoda UK recommend, contact the ombudsman. Await their outcome.

4) If that doesn't work then take them to the small claims court. It would be worth the £35 just to **** them off...