RAC battery warranty issues

greencar

Yes I do have At Home cover. Not sure how I could be clearer.

Hermione_Granger

AdrianC wrote: »

So some cars, when broken, don't do what all cars have been legally required to for decades.

Gotcha.

If you are going to try the "gotcha" argument, you should make sure that what you post is totally correct as the requirement you refer to doesn't apply to all cars (3 wheelers don't need a steering lock) but I accept your point that the lock I was referring to was faulty.

Now, how about the rest of the points I mentioned?

shaun_from_Africa

Hermione_Granger wrote: »

1/ Take one hand off the steering wheel to put the car into neutral,
2/ Switch the ignition off, something that would have a 50% chance of requiring them to take hold of the steering wheel with both hands then take their other hand off to turn the key.
3/ Coast to the side of the road with no engine power, no power steering and no brake servo assistance,
and depending on the class of road and the lane they were in at the time, possibly do all of the above whist having to navigate through 1 or 2 lanes of moving traffic.

You forgot a couple of things.
Apart from those above, once the ignition has been turned off, the headlights may well go off and the indicators stop working so not only could you have someone who is in a bit of a panic, trying to maneuver a car with no power steering and heavy brakes, they might also be doing so with little or no illumination from their lights and no indications being given to other drivers.

Still think that turning the ignition off would be a sensible move Adrian? because once you look at the possible downsides, I think that leaving the engine running for a few more seconds until the car has been moved to a position of safety would be the best thing to do.

AdrianC

<shrug> You do as you please. I really don't actually care that much about twisted hypotheticals, not least because the things you're trying to claim are impossible are all things you're going to be doing if the engine simply stops running anyway.

I'm going with the "Fighting chance to save the engine". As for the indicators - sorry, but them hazards is on, remember?

Jumblebumble

AdrianC wrote: »

Yes, I got that bit.


Ah, sorry - I misunderstood. That sounds very odd indeed.

It's academic, though, because the garage collected for free. Good garage.

And it doesn't affect the battery warranty. If the battery is dead, it's been killed by being flattened after your car stopped charging because the belt stopped driving the alternator.

I am a bit surprised to hear that if one left ones lights on on a car it would kill a one year old battery so much that it could not take any charge. In my dim and distant past of running old bangers this never happened to me
Also i am surprised that the electronics of the car do not stop before the battery is completely dtrained

I assume the garage used the right type of charger as some chargers won't charge totally flat batteries

It is certainly taking the Mick for the RAC to charge many times the going rate for a battery and then wriggle out of the warranty.

AdrianC

Jumblebumble wrote: »

I am a bit surprised to hear that if one left ones lights on on a car it would kill a one year old battery so much that it could not take any charge.

Basic lead acid battery chemistry.

Also i am surprised that the electronics of the car do not stop before the battery is completely dtrained

"Oh, look, my broken-down car is suddenly completely dark even though there's a shedload of battery left. Computer says no"

I assume the garage used the right type of charger as some chargers won't charge totally flat batteries

It'll take a charge - maybe. It won't necessarily hold it, or if it does, it won't keep it.

It is certainly taking the Mick for the RAC to charge many times the going rate for a battery

You're paying for the convenience of it being changed at your door.

and then wriggle out of the warranty.

The battery isn't faulty. Warranties never cover things that have been broken, and are/were not faulty.