Repeated car issue

jbainbridge

I'd be interested to hear views on the problems I've had with my car air con ...

08/2017 car first registration
06/2019 we bought car from car supermarket
06/2019 air con not working - pipe replaced under warranty at main dealer
05/2020 air con not working - condenser replaced under warranty at main dealer
05/2021 air con not working - pipe replaced under warranty at main dealer
05/2022 air con not working - car out of warranty - cost to repair £600+

The dealer acknowledge that all the faults have occurred in the same location. I have contacted the car manufacturer who have made an offer of 15% goodwill - but this still leaves a repair bill of near £600.

To me all this seems unreasonable as it feels like there is a fault that has never been properly resolved. Do I have any consumer rights??

TELLIT01

I doubt it.  If it was the same part continually failing you would be in a stronger position.  As the manufacturer has agreed to contribute, you may be able to push them to a higher figure, and possibly get the dealership to contribute too.

[Deleted User]

jbainbridge said:

The dealer acknowledge that all the faults have occurred in the same location. 

If I were you, I'd definitely stop going to that location.

tightauldgit

What have the garage said about the cause of the problems? 

If you demonstrate that it's caused by a design fault or poor quality parts or poor workmanship then you might have a claim against the manufacturer or the dealer but you'd probably have to get an independent report on the cause of the faults. 

If it's just different parts of the system failing as they sometimes do then I would think that you wouldn't have a claim as you are out of warranty. 

jbainbridge

The dealer says it's been the same pipe connecting to the condenser or I guess where it meets the condenser. Every year it has been fixed early summer. I've no idea how long it lasts as even though I use the AC in the winter you are unable to tell how effective it is. Come the spring .. it's no longer working.

There seems to be no expectation that a warranty repair should last even a day past the end of the warranty period - it just feels like there is an underlying problem that has never been addressed. Paying for the part to be replaced every year seems ridiculous.

I've no doubt getting an independent to look at it would be cheaper .. it just feels wrong that the manufacturer / dealer aren't interested (though that's what I'd expect).

born_again

So what make of car?

As very few offer a warranty after 3 years & not all will cover A/C for the full term.

TELLIT01

If the same part keeps failing it surely indicates either a design, installation or manufacturing problem.  No part should fail on a yearly basis.  If you get no joy from the manufacturer's customer service, try escalating to the Chief Exec.  I had an issue with car when still under warranty and neither the dealership nor the manufacturer's customer service were at all helpful.  I contacted the Chief Exec and had a call back from one of his minions within 48 hours.  The local dealer has bent over backwards to be helpful to me ever since.  That was pre-covid so things may have changed since.

jbainbridge

Renault - offered 4 year warranties for a period. To be fair the dealer has been great - fixed without question during the warranty period.

May well try the CEO.