Hi, I want to ask if anybody had any problem with the Steering column being snapped?

my care is less than 2 years old, they said it is not covered by the warranty?

Sounds ominous and can't fathom out how something that drastic isn't covered by a warranty claim!

How did it snap, surely not in normal usage ?

Was it a dealer who said it's not covered by the warranty and if so, who was it that said it ?

I bought this car March 2021 from Skoda dealer , Stockport as approved used car.
I took the car to have the regular service to you dealer at Morecambe on 05/08/21.They told me there is a strange sound and asked me to bring the car to them on 19/08/21. On that day they told me my car has Snapped Steering Column.
They refused to repair it under the cover of the warranty .

the car just covered 19000 mile.

Well I could be wrong, but I can't imagine this isn't covered by the warranty, unless the dealer thinks the  car has been misused and mistreated. If that is the case then they should tell you that.

Some dealers are not as good as others, so if you're happy that the car hasn't been mistreated, I would take it to another dealer for a second opinion. If they say the same, then get them to show you the warranty condition that states this isn't covered, and if they can't contact Skoda UK to make a complaint.

Edited 25 August, 20214 yr by olderman1

????

Did Skoda UK have a Warranty Claim made with them, or did the Dealers Master Tech decline to support it was a Warranty matter?

 

 

Skoda UK & Skoda CZ need to be involved not just a Tech or Warranty Manager at a Branch.

 

The part will need examined to see if there is a Design, Manufacturing or Material Fundamental Fault. 

 

The Warranty T&C's are really rather helpful if read. 

 

Skoda might have an issue that VOSA / DfT need made aware of, and something Skoda / VW will need a TPI on for Technicians to check. 

 

 

Edited 25 August, 20214 yr by e-Roottoot

So if you drove the car to the dealer, the steering column couldn’t have been “snapped “  If they are now telling you it’s snapped then they must have snapped it.

Is the car still at the dealer as it will be un drivable if the column really is snapped.

I really think there is a mix up in terminology here, have you actually seen what is broken, or have any pictures?

Hi,

 I went to the dealer and insisted to give me a written reason for their decision. Their reason is that: the Steering Rack is completely snapped but they wrote that they can not specify if this item has been damaged due to external factors or is a defect in manufactory.

@Amrhldw  So the Dealers Warranty Manager or the Area one needs to arrange that the component can be examined by a qualified person that can decide.

 

They can not just dismiss it as not covered by the Manufacturers Warranty.  Skoda UK can arrange the examination by the VW Groups technical department.

 

The Dealership is acting as your agent and not just a Skoda Gate Keeper who can reject warranty claims.

 

PS

So Steering Column, or Steering Rack.   

Is this what the Master Tech is telling you in person or someone on the Service Desk or the Workshop Manager?

Edited 26 August, 20214 yr by e-Roottoot

Ahhh, so it’s the steering rack, not the column. Did you notice this “strange sound” as you took it to the dealer? 
My experience with dealers and damage caused whilst in their possession is that it’s never covered by anything.
A dealer broke the driver door handle on our MKI; they denied they’d done it and said it was like that when I brought it in; I had to pay for the replacement. 
A dealer failed to replace the oil filler cap on the MKII and the bay was covered in oil. Apparently it must have “fallen off”. Really? Well, I pointed out that’d be their fault and yet they still refused to pay for a replacement and bay clean. 
I took the 280 to a dealer to replace the right-hand side steering wheel controls. On trying to open the bonnet to disconnect the battery, they broke the cable release. Ahhh, well, there must’ve been something wrong with it and in any event, that wouldn’t be covered by warranty and they then refused to fix it and, thereby, the warranty work too, until I paid for it to be fixed!
And SUK and their dealers wonder why they they’ve got such an unfair reputation for ripping-off customers… 

When I took the car to the dealer for service on 5/08/21 , there was no sound. But, they asked me to come back to them as there was sound , was not before.

The report came SREERING RACK not the column.

 

You need to contact Skoda UK today, 

do this online, there is the contact on the website,    https://www.skoda.co.uk/discover/contact-us

Call now if suitable and they can have a Responsible Adult call you back.

 

then a Communications Manager can call you, then have them confirm in writing what they say.

 

They might dismiss this as a Dealership issue, you must insist you need to know if a Safety Issue,  did a Steering Rack fail.  

Did it fail only after the car was in for a Service.

 

The dealership sent the car out to you with a noisy Steering Rack or something and had you return with that.

 

Someone is taking the Michael, and it looks like the Dealership.   So Skoda can get a Resolution Manager on it, or send in an Engineer to the Dealership or get the Steering Rack delivered to them for inspection.

Edited 26 August, 20214 yr by e-Roottoot

??????????

Did a fully qualified technician doing an Oil & Inspection Service fail to identify a Broken Steering Rack,  or having picked up on a noise just sign off a Service and send a car out on the road at risk to the Customer and other innocents?

No further inspection or investigation into the noise while they had the car and had been road testing it!

 

 

 

 

 

I purchased a nearly new car from Skoda Stockport 18 months ago. Long story short they had hidden damage to the car with just 1500 miles on the clock which I found the week following the purchase. A long process of resolution followed thereafter however I found their ethics, honesty and quality of work to be highly suspect. I would personally find another dealer. 

I did contact Skoda UK for this. The case manager told me that she can not change the decision of the dealer . 

Yes, the dealer did the service on 5/08/21 and allowed me to drive the car with noise that did not exist before. 

A dealership are not underwriting the Warranty Claim so has the Dealership submitted a Warranty Claim.  If you pay for a part you will want the broken one checked.  They might say it is an Exchange Unit so will cost you more if not Exchanged / returned.    Back onto Skoda UK.  ?  Did they reject a Warranty Claim?  Has a Warranty Manager seen the part,,?  Do not take the word of a call handler at Skoda UK.  

The reason I loathe most car dealers (not exclusively Skoda, every single car dealership I have had "dealings" with has taken the Michael at some point).   A BMW dealer wanted to charge me £3000 for "essential safety work"  After I politely declined (much to the amazement of the service manager) my car passed it's MOT a month later (at a different place of course)  with no problems whatsoever.  I kept it for a further 5 years without any of the work needing to be done.

 

Another dealer wanted to charge me £400 for some work that I fixed myself for £1.46.

 

I just don't trust them at all.  Any of them.

Indeed, it always saddens me that the worst service is likely to come from the two most expensive things you ever buy in life: a house and a car. The former is actually getting worse (houses get progressively smaller, more expensive relative to incomes, and lower in build quality) and I don't see much improvement in estate agents. The latter? The cars themselves continue to improve and consumer protection has (mostly) got better, but the culture in the motor trade remains atrocious (unless, evidently, you buy a Lexus). We've all got horror stories, and will continue to accumulate them it seems, as the OP has amply demonstrated.

I almost can’t believe what I’m reading. 
Had a quick look at steering rack cases on the motor ombudsman site, few interesting ones which talk about how long they should reasonably last etc. Might be worth contacting them if Skoda UK refuse to replace it under warranty. 

 

https://www.themotorombudsman.org/?sfid=11896&_sf_s=Steering rack

Well, I've never known a steering rack break except through active abuse. Even then the track rod usually bends first.

I'm not sure what is happening with SKODA UK. I'm not getting anything positive from them. They do not want any of their engineers to re-examine the fault. They want me to take the car myself, while it is not safe to drive now, to another dealer to have another opinion. 

I gave to refer the case to the motor ombudsman. I do not know how long it will take to have a car to drive now.

Guessing if the dealer gave you the car to drive home in, they think it's safe to drive to another dealer?? If you get it to another dealer + arrange a courtesy car, at least you'll have something to drive. Or if you've got breakdown cover they may be able  to transport it to the garage. Failing all that maybe ask the ombudsman if they think it's a good idea to get an independent report done at this stage, never done it myself but I think they can come out to your home and do it. 
 

Quote

 

When should I get technical evidence? 

• When a manufacturer has declined your warranty claim because your vehicle has been assessed and they don’t think the issue is because of a manufacturing defect;

 

 

 

https://www.themotorombudsman.org/consumers/independent-vehicle-reports 

On 03/09/2021 at 04:12, Amrhldw said:

I'm not sure what is happening with SKODA UK. I'm not getting anything positive from them. They do not want any of their engineers to re-examine the fault. They want me to take the car myself, while it is not safe to drive now, to another dealer to have another opinion. 

I gave to refer the case to the motor ombudsman. I do not know how long it will take to have a car to drive now.

Don't mess about.  The steering rack is a safety critical component!  Give them a week to respond, in writing, or tell them that you will be reporting it to DVSA as a potential Vehicle Safety Defect.  It's quick and easy to do online here:

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-recalls-and-faults/report-a-serious-safety-defect

 

DVSA are obliged to investigate.  I work for a car manufacturer (not Skoda or even VAG).  Trust me, we don't want visits from DVSA's recalls branch!