Electric windows not working - warranty advice

Hepy8

Hi there,
I purchased a 2008 Skoda Fabia from a used dealer at the end of October with a three month warranty (provided by an external company).

Everything has been fine until around Boxing Day, when the electric windows for the front two doors (rear doors are winding) stopped working completely. So I phoned up the warranty company - they said it should be covered and to take it into a garage, where I would just have to pay for diagnostics. Fair enough I thought.

After diagnosing the issue (door wiring looms), the garage said it would cost £299 to repair all in. They then got in touch with the warranty company who said it would NOT be covered as it is a "wear and tear issue".

Is this fair? I don't consider the electric switches that control the windows to be a frivolous "wear and tear" component. I've also hardly used the windows given the time of year.

Where do I stand on this? I think it's reasonable to expect the windows to still be working after less than three months.

Thanks in advance.

AdrianC

You said that the "door wiring looms" are the problem, not the switches. They've almost certainly fractured where they flex every time the door is opened and closed.

If that isn't wear on a 12yo car, I'm not sure what you think would be...

Alter_ego

It's a manufacturing defect, Fabia and Roomster models (inc mine)  suffer. The looms are too tight.

Hepy8

AdrianC said:

You said that the "door wiring looms" are the problem, not the switches. They've almost certainly fractured where they flex every time the door is opened and closed.

If that isn't wear on a 12yo car, I'm not sure what you think would be...

Maybe so but shouldn't the warranty cover this? If the brake pads go then fair enough, that's reasonable wear and tear, but the internal wiring after two months?

AdrianC

Hepy8 said:

AdrianC said:

You said that the "door wiring looms" are the problem, not the switches. They've almost certainly fractured where they flex every time the door is opened and closed.

If that isn't wear on a 12yo car, I'm not sure what you think would be...

Maybe so but shouldn't the warranty cover this? If the brake pads go then fair enough, that's reasonable wear and tear, but the internal wiring after two months?

It's not after two months.
It's after twelve years.

TadleyBaggie

Both door looms faulty at the same time, sounds unlikely to me. 

Ectophile

Aftermarket warranty companies will do everything they can to get out of paying claims.

Check the policy very carefully, to see if wiring faults are on the extensive list of things that aren't covered.  You may be surprised at how many things they exclude.

If you still think it should be covered by the warranty, make a formal complaint to the warranty company.