Arnold clark have failed us with electric cars

stevo911

Around 4 weeks ago I was driving my 11 month old corsa electric car in heavy rain and the car just stopped suddenly and stuck itself in gear. Engine was dead and was in extremely dangerous position and luckily no-one was injured. The car was recovered back to vauxhall linwood for assessment and/or repairs. Two weeks later I was told the car was fixed and moved on.

2 weeks after picking it up driving again in heavy rain exactly the same issue. Car just stopped and stuck in gear. Engine dead again. Please be under no Illusion both these incidents could have caused serious injury to myself and others because of the locations of the breakdown and inability to move the car from where it stopped. If it had been the outside lane of a motorway I truly believe someone would have been seriously injured or dead. Again towed to vauxhall linwood for assessment and/or repairs which at the time of writing is where we are. It was thereafter indicated that was to be expected and that is plainy ridiculous. I mean do I have to avoid a full car wash or check the weather before any journey. Clearly there is a fault and not returned after incident 1 to me in satisfactory working order. No replacement offered, obviously!!. So a breach of my consumer rights. Paying a fortune every month and spent 4 weeks at garage before 1 year old. All indications are that I will get the car back and the stress will be palpable. Poor all round. I do not want any renumeration for this post only that the potential danger is highlighted thanks.

(Removed by Forum Team)

[Deleted User]

How did it get stuck in gear if it's electric? Electric cars don't normally have gears.

jimbo6977

Arnold Clark are "shocking"

Herzlos

[Deleted User] said:

How did it get stuck in gear if it's electric? Electric cars don't normally have gears.

I assume he means it's stuck in drive, so he can't just push it to the side of the road. Like any other automatic.

Grumpy_chap

stevo911 said:

Around 4 weeks ago I was driving my 11 month old corsa electric car in heavy rain and the car just stopped suddenly and stuck itself in gear. Engine was dead and was in extremely dangerous position and luckily no-one was injured. The car was recovered back to vauxhall linwood for assessment and/or repairs. Two weeks later I was told the car was fixed and moved on.

2 weeks after picking it up driving again in heavy rain exactly the same issue. Car just stopped and stuck in gear. Engine dead again. Please be under no Illusion both these incidents could have caused serious injury to myself and others because of the locations of the breakdown and inability to move the car from where it stopped. If it had been the outside lane of a motorway I truly believe someone would have been seriously injured or dead. Again towed to vauxhall linwood for assessment and/or repairs which at the time of writing is where we are. It was thereafter indicated that was to be expected and that is plainy ridiculous. I mean do I have to avoid a full car wash or check the weather before any journey. Clearly there is a fault and not returned after incident 1 to me in satisfactory working order. No replacement offered, obviously!!. So a breach of my consumer rights. Paying a fortune every month and spent 4 weeks at garage before 1 year old. All indications are that I will get the car back and the stress will be palpable. Poor all round. I do not want any renumeration for this post only that the potential danger is highlighted thanks.

Back to the original query, can anyone assist the OP about what they can do next?

I'd suggest a letter to the Dealer Principal outlining the issues in a clear and factual manner.  If that does not result in the acceptable resolution, then escalate to Vauxhall direct.

I'm not familiar with any EV so cannot say how the car would be released from gear (drive?) in the event of system failure.  I would have thought there would be some override function that allows the vehicle to be moved (pushed) out of harms way.  Perhaps there are forumites with experience of EV's that can advise.

Oneye12

Back to Subject: Could you not force the gear lever into 'Neutral' ?

Get onto Arnold Clark - pronto, tell them car should still perform in heavy rain.

Mr Eddie Hawthorne  Chief Executive
eddie.hawthorne@arnoldclark.com

Grumpy_chap

All updated on behalf of the OP - many thanks admin

daveyjp

Oneye12 said:

Back to Subject: Could you not force the gear lever into 'Neutral' ?

Get onto Arnold Clark - pronto, tell them car should still perform in heavy rain.

Mr Eddie Hawthorne  Chief Executive
eddie.hawthorne@arnoldclark.com

Electric cars don't have gear levers linked to the gearbox, they have an electric connection.  If power is lost there is nothing you can do.  OP if the vehicle has one get them to check the 12v battery

stevo911

stevo911 said:

Around 4 weeks ago I was driving my 11 month old corsa electric car in heavy rain and the car just stopped suddenly and stuck itself in gear. Engine was dead and was in extremely dangerous position and luckily no-one was injured. The car was recovered back to vauxhall linwood for assessment and/or repairs. Two weeks later I was told the car was fixed and moved on.

2 weeks after picking it up driving again in heavy rain exactly the same issue. Car just stopped and stuck in gear. Engine dead again. Please be under no Illusion both these incidents could have caused serious injury to myself and others because of the locations of the breakdown and inability to move the car from where it stopped. If it had been the outside lane of a motorway I truly believe someone would have been seriously injured or dead. Again towed to vauxhall linwood for assessment and/or repairs which at the time of writing is where we are. It was thereafter indicated that was to be expected and that is plainy ridiculous. I mean do I have to avoid a full car wash or check the weather before any journey. Clearly there is a fault and not returned after incident 1 to me in satisfactory working order. No replacement offered, obviously!!. So a breach of my consumer rights. Paying a fortune every month and spent 4 weeks at garage before 1 year old. All indications are that I will get the car back and the stress will be palpable. Poor all round. I do not want any renumeration for this post only that the potential danger is highlighted thanks.

(Removed by Forum Team)

Yeah thanks for all thoughts and advice re auto gears etc. Latest is that arnold clark are attempting to change the narrative to suit them and create a story that the car must have been submerged. Total fabrication and not one person including 2 x rac recovery drivers and 4 police officers and my gd self uttered that word

stevo911

It's now in week 5 that they have had my car and not once said what the issue is just that vauxhall technicians are looking into it.......utterly ridiculous 

MX5huggy

It’s not the right thing to do, but what’s the current value of the car on We buy any car? With used car prices as they are you might be quids in, sell it buy something else. 

Arnold Clark should be sorting you but they don’t have the best reputation (doesn’t seem to stop people buying).