RAC Battery Warranty

Arcticfox042

I have made a claim for a RAC supplied battery that was under a five year warranty,
My car would not start and I called out the RAC, they checked the car and said a new battery was needed, I purchased one off the patrolmam who then fitted it.
The one he took off was also purchased off the RAC and was still under warranty (5yrs).
I have made a claim but customer services say that although it was under warranty they will not refund me because of:

One of those criteria is that the voltage on the battery must not go below 11.90 volts and the readings on your old battery on 8 June 2017 were 11.09volts.

None of this is mentioned on their warranty definition on the website or on the invoice I was given, has anybody had this problem?
As far I I'm concerned the battery was faulty and was under warranty.

Carrot007

Arcticfox042 wrote: »

One of those criteria is that the voltage on the battery must not go below 11.90 volts and the readings on your old battery on 8 June 2017 were 11.09volts.

????

So they say the battery must be kept working and if it fails then you are not covered?

Surely a low voltage will be an indication of a battery failing to keep a charge thus failure not something you can avoid.

AdrianC

Carrot007 wrote: »

Surely a low voltage will be an indication of a battery failing to keep a charge thus failure not something you can avoid.

Chicken or egg?

A battery that's failing may very well hold an adequate resting voltage, but simply not be able to supply sufficient current.

OTOH, flattening a battery - say, leaving lights on - is one of the best ways to kill it.

Arcticfox042

Thanks for your replies, I'm awaiting a final response from the RAC then I can take it further.....

deanos

Where does it state that in there terms ??

https://www.racshop.co.uk/advice/rac-car-battery-guarantee

Guarantee conditions

Please be aware that battery replacement guarantees do not cover the following:

Accidental damage
Battery failure caused by an electrical or mechanical fault associated with your vehicle
Batteries where the vehicle covers less than 1,000 miles a year
Where an RAC fitted battery has been transferred to another vehicle, without notification of the new vehicle details and date change.
The replacement car battery will have the benefit of the remainder of the guarantee period of the first battery supplied

AdrianC

deanos wrote: »

Where does it state that in there terms ??

https://www.racshop.co.uk/advice/rac-car-battery-guarantee

Guarantee conditions

Please be aware that battery replacement guarantees do not cover the following:

Accidental damage
Battery failure caused by an electrical or mechanical fault associated with your vehicle

Those two cover 99.9%+ of very-low-resting-voltage batteries. Lights left on = accidental damage. Dead alternator = fault associated with your vehicle. An internal failure of a battery that led to a low resting voltage would typically take one of the six cells out completely, so would be 10.5v or so, not just over 11v.

deanos

AdrianC wrote: »

Those two cover 99.9%+ of very-low-resting-voltage batteries. Lights left on = accidental damage. Dead alternator = fault associated with your vehicle. An internal failure of a battery that led to a low resting voltage would typically take one of the six cells out completely, so would be 10.5v or so, not just over 11v.

But the OP states

One of those criteria is that the voltage on the battery must not go below 11.90 volts and the readings on your old battery on 8 June 2017 were 11.09volts.

It does not mention that in the terms, so that's a counter argument i would have thought ?

AdrianC

That seems a perfectly reasonable test of "accidental damage", tbh, assuming they don't knock out a claim for a dead cell under that. The OP's battery clearly doesn't have a dead cell, given the 11.09v resting voltage.

Arcticfox042

The RAC has come back with a NO, they make the allegation of misuse without any evidence, my mileage is on average the same each year as evidenced by my MOT's

I'll be escalating this to the financial ombudsman if I get no joy there the man has won this one, I'll be £120 down.

I'll be changing emergency assistance cover to another company.

AdrianC

£120 for the battery? <blink> What car?

wgl2014

AdrianC wrote: »

£120 for the battery? <blink> What car?

One from the RAC at the side of the road. Not the best price but convenient!