Forced to use Dealer for servicing, car isn’t even in warranty

TedFather

Hi, this is my first post here and just wondered if anyone could help or even share similar experiences.

To save reading through what would probably be a rather rambling post, post Brexit have EU laws, such as the BER or similar competition rules in regards to vehicle servicing been carried over into UK law and if so would they apply to the following situation:

The reason I ask is I’ve recently found that my fresh out of warranty/service contract car can only have its oil service light reset by the dealer, it cannot be done with anything other than specific dealer diagnostics tools which most independent garages do not have.  The problem, most of the dealers I’ve tried have refused to do it, unless I pay to have the car serviced by them which is something I'd like to avoid.  The bigger problem and my reason for wanting the service light out is that the manufacturer, instead of using a dedicated service light they used a warning light which the manual has listed as a fault warning light, which can also be interpreted as a service light, obviously I dont want to drive around with a warning light permanently illuminated on my dashboard. 

Are there any laws or guidelines which prevent this kind of practice?

Belenus

What car and model is it?

My local small independent garage can reset my now 6 year old BMW Series1 and could reset a VW Golf before that.

You may be able to buy an OBD reader and do it yourself. Google for that.

I would expect laws on restraint of trade or similar would prevent manufacturers and dealers only being able to do such work but I am no expert in that area.

Someone with more specific knowledge should be along soon.

Welcome to the forum.

BOWFER

Oil service lights don't often need a special tool to be reset, it's too time consuming for mechanics to have to seek out a tool.
So they make it a 'secret' combination of buttons on the dash instead, and youtube is full of videos of how to do it.
I've done it myself on loads of cars.
Search google for "(insert car make) reset oil service light" and see if any instructional videos come up.

Indout96

Have you tried googling it ? I have not had a car yet that there is not a way (very specific) to reset the service light 
such as
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?view=detail&mid=FD8E1E5B51D3C75AB176FD8E1E5B51D3C75AB176&q=volvi+v40+reset+service+light&shtp=GetUrl&shid=6b15dd67-25d1-43d7-8fd4-423131e51e29&shtk=Vm9sdm8gdjQwIG1haW50ZW5hbmNlIGxpZ2h0IHJlc2V0IDIwMTU=&shdk=SG93IHRvIGVhc2lseSByZXNldCB0aGUgc2VydmljZSBtYWludGVuYW5jZSBtZXNzYWdlIG9uIGEgVm9sdm8gVjQwIDIwMTUr&shhk=XGzYAUWDpr2HCiEg8yqJvxjhnmg4ZoPKfaRCNDlePv4=&form=VDSHOT&shth=OSH.3n5%2FFhH4MUjZ%2FwslMKh2Ww

AdrianC

TedFather said:

To save reading through what would probably be a rather rambling post, post Brexit have EU laws, such as the BER or similar competition rules in regards to vehicle servicing been carried over into UK law

Yes.

ALL EU directives were made into UK law at the time - that's how it works - and very little has been repealed in the last three months since we left the transition period.

and if so would they apply to the following situation:

The reason I ask is I’ve recently found that my fresh out of warranty/service contract car can only have its oil service light reset by the dealer, it cannot be done with anything other than specific dealer diagnostics tools which most independent garages do not have.

The block exemption rules require the manufacturer to make the diagnostic kit available.
They do not require garages to buy them...

Are there any laws or guidelines which prevent this kind of practice?

That prevent indie garages from not buying manufacturer diag kit? No.

I'm sure the third-party diag kit most indies have will catch up with your car soon enough. What is it?

TedFather

AdrianC said:

TedFather said:

To save reading through what would probably be a rather rambling post, post Brexit have EU laws, such as the BER or similar competition rules in regards to vehicle servicing been carried over into UK law

Yes.

ALL EU directives were made into UK law at the time - that's how it works - and very little has been repealed in the last three months since we left the transition period.

and if so would they apply to the following situation:

The reason I ask is I’ve recently found that my fresh out of warranty/service contract car can only have its oil service light reset by the dealer, it cannot be done with anything other than specific dealer diagnostics tools which most independent garages do not have.

The block exemption rules require the manufacturer to make the diagnostic kit available.
They do not require garages to buy them...

Are there any laws or guidelines which prevent this kind of practice?

That prevent indie garages from not buying manufacturer diag kit? No.

I'm sure the third-party diag kit most indies have will catch up with your car soon enough. What is it?

You'd think it was a Maserati or similar exotic, but no, its a Dacia Sandero and its apparently a well know issue with facelift versions of the car 2017-2021.  They need the Renault CAN clip to reset the service light, most indys don't have them due to the cost.  The issue is the dealers are refusing to reset the light unless you pay for a full service with them, meaning you cant service your car independently or yourself which I thought would maybe fall foul of some competition rule. 

AdrianC

I'm not surprised dealers are refusing to reset the service light without actually servicing the car.

That's separate from indies having access to the tools to reset it, but choosing not to buy it.

TedFather

Belenus said:

What car and model is it?

My local small independent garage can reset my now 6 year old BMW Series1 and could reset a VW Golf before that.

You may be able to buy an OBD reader and do it yourself. Google for that.

I would expect laws on restraint of trade or similar would prevent manufacturers and dealers only being able to do such work but I am no expert in that area.

Someone with more specific knowledge should be along soon.

Welcome to the forum.

Its a run of the mill 2018 Sandero, its a well known problem on this car (google Dacia Service light reset) its a dealer only fix, even OBD tools don't work.  I would have assumed there would have been some sort of consumer protection against what is basically a monopoly as I cant get this done anywhere other than a dealer and they wont do it.  Looks like I'll be paying for another service

forgotmyname

Any decent garage will have the equipment to reset the service and fault lights on virtually any car.

Its just a Renault. Whether the garage you use want to invest in the software for your vehicle is

down to whether they think they can recoup the costs. 

They are unlikely to want to splash out £300 - £1000 if they do not usually repair Renaults. But the

hardware and sofware is available at a price.

facade

TedFather said:

Its a run of the mill 2018 Sandero, its a well known problem on this car (google Dacia Service light reset) its a dealer only fix, even OBD tools don't work.  I would have assumed there would have been some sort of consumer protection against what is basically a monopoly as I cant get this done anywhere other than a dealer and they wont do it.  Looks like I'll be paying for another service

It will work perfectly well with the light on.

My Moto Guzzi is the same, the newer ones need a dealer tool to reset the service indicator via a service connector on the dashboard, rather than the OBD port, a great many simply run around with the indicator on.

greyteam1959

Stick a bit of black tape over the light.