Help on car warranty repair & consequence please!!

Timmne

Hi all, wonder if you could help me please?

I took my Renault clio into the Renault dealer this morning as it had a fault light coming up saying my airbag wasn't functioning correctly. When I was there I asked if they could also quote me on fixing one of two bulbs behind the heating/air con dials as it was only half lit. They called me later on and said it would be ~£60, so I declined as I could manage without the repair and more with the money at the moment!

I picked up the car and the airbag fault has been fixed, but as I was driving away I noticed that none of that particular part of the centre console was working, so both bulbs look like they've gone! After a mile or two the bulb that was working before the work had been done came back on.

I thought I'd test it by turning on the aircon (a small button to the left of the centre console bit), and to my surprise that cut out the bulb again!

Where do I stand with this? As far as I was concerned I was due to pick up the car with the airbag fault sorted but not the bulb, only to find that the bulb bit is actually worse off than it was originally, with a new weird connection problem!

In my eyes the bulb repair should have been under warranty anyway as its something I never thought would need to be repaired, but I was willing to pay for it if necessary (albeit at a later date). Turns out I would have to pay, and now the problem is worse. Am I in the position to be able to demand their error be fixed, and even better that they repair the bulb that was broken all along as I reckon it should be under warranty?

Cheers in advance!

Tim

brazilianwax

Bulbs are never covered by warranties as they are consumables.

Could just be a loose connection behind the dash - get hold of a Haynnes manual. It's an easy job.

Timmne

.....for an accountant?!!

I'm dubious about doing DIY repairs as I will ruin something - my car's about to become 3 years old and therefore out of warranty so want to use any possibility to not have to break something with my own hands!

brazilianwax

Timmne wrote:

.....for an accountant?!!

I'm dubious about doing DIY repairs as I will ruin something - my car's about to become 3 years old and therefore out of warranty so want to use any possibility to not have to break something with my own hands!

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Even an accountant!!! My hubby is an IT consultant with no idea whatsoever about cars (I bought him his first Haynes manual for a car he'd owned for a few years). He's just learnt how to replace bulbs.....! :rolleyes:

Anyway, it probably will be a bit of a pain (they deliberately design cars to be confusing so you have to take them in) but it's a good way to learn about your car. I'm guessing you'll need to remove the steering wheel to get to the dash.

Alternatively you could just live without that bulb.........

(PS - I thought there was no such thing as a poor accountant? £60 isn't really that much money.......!!!)

Whereabouts are you? If you're in London/Cardiff I'll come and do it for you!

brazilianwax

Is this a bad joke or what......

How many accountants does it take to change a lightbulb.....??


:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Timmne

You sound like the best woman in the world - you even contemplate such things as REMOVING THE STEERING WHEEL???!!!

Crikey I'm already quite uneasy about it!

£60 is good for so many more things than s0dding bulbs! I can possibly live with it, but I may go and see the nice lady at Renault and play the pathetic useless male professional card and see what I get!

Problem is, three years ago when I went there to "look at the cars" they ended up selling me one - I should resist it!

Timmne

brazilianwax wrote:

Is this a bad joke or what......

How many accountants does it take to change a lightbulb.....??


:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

How many cars will an accountant !!!! up before the original problem gets fixed? Many I tell thee.

:rotfl:

Timmne

It changed my f e c k up to !!!!'s!! God darn it I can't even type.

brazilianwax

Timmne wrote:

You sound like the best woman in the world - you even contemplate such things as REMOVING THE STEERING WHEEL???!!!

Thank you! I'm a proper petrolhead. Been tinkering with cars since I was a nipper (thanks Daddy!).

Timmne wrote:

£60 is good for so many more things than s0dding bulbs! I can possibly live with it, but I may go and see the nice lady at Renault and play the pathetic useless male professional card and see what I get!

And we girls get a bad name when we do that these days! Still works with my tyre suppliers though (I get quite a discount)!

Timmne wrote:

Problem is, three years ago when I went there to "look at the cars" they ended up selling me one - I should resist it!

I fell into that trap 2 years ago. Had a raging hangover after my works xmas do - hubby drags me to dealership test drive his fantasy car. Ended up buying it there and then and now I virtually live in it!!!!! Guess his plan backfired, hey??!! :rotfl: