Car Recall Expenses before found out about recall

MayMark

Hiya

I'm wondering if anyone can offer any advice please? My 2015 Citroen C3 has killed two batteries in the space of 6 months costing a total of £220 plus on top of the new batteries 2 lots of recovery. While investigating why this is happening the independent garage that I take it to realised it’s probably a fault with the cars engine software rather than anything to do with the car parts. I emailed Citroen and 3 months later they got back to me telling me that actually my car is part of a recall with the engine software failure being the reason for the recall. So this is booked in now for the engine software to be fixed. My question is where do I stand on the new batteries cost that I only had to purchase because of the software failure on the recall (but I didn’t know that at the time) can I claim these costs against Citroen as it was on recall and they only got in touch with me when I emailed them? Or do I have to just grin and take those costs at my own costs? Many thanks if anyone can offer advice. I know nothing about cars or the car world 😂

KimJongUn88

Depends if it was a proper recall. If it was, they should have contacted you and use the details the DVLA hold for the registered keeper.  Are all those details up to date.

If it was just a technical bulletin to be rectified when your car was in for service at a main dealer, perhaps you have less rights.  You may have missed the technical bulletin if you don't use a main dealer for the servicing. 

MayMark

KimJongUn88 said:

Depends if it was a proper recall. If it was, they should have contacted you and use the details the DVLA hold for the registered keeper.  Are all those details up to date.

If it was just a technical bulletin to be rectified when your car was in for service at a main dealer, perhaps you have less rights.  You may have missed the technical bulletin if you don't use a main dealer for the servicing. 

Thank you, I did wonder that, they’ve given me literally no details about it so I’m not sure. All my car details and owner details are up to date with DVLA but it’s. A second hand car that I didn’t buy through Citroen themselves so that could be why I didn’t get told but not sure. Will they cover the cost of the software update? I assumed they would at least cover this but after reading what you wrote actually I’m not sure they will.

daveyjp

Enter your reg and see if it flags a recall.

https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/?_ga=2.54397934.754259653.1510992878-1178968403.1508537624

My car had a recall last year which flagged on the above site and it was fixed by the dealer at the service a few weeks later.  I didn't mention it, but they had the part in stock ready for the work to be done.

sheramber

When was the  recall?
Could it have ben before you bought the car and thus went to the previous owner?

chrisw

It could be worth contacting Citroen customer services at their head office and seeing what they say. If you approach them the right way they might at least offer a goodwill contribution.