Tayna car battery leaking acid.

User1Region9

Earlier this week I ordered a car battery from Tayna.

It arrived at lunchtime (I'm working from home), so I unpacked it and put it on the floor. The instructions said "remove the black vent", so I removed it, then returned to work.

After work I wanted to fit the battery to my car. However, I noticed droplets of acid and misting on the end of the battery. I called Tayna, who said "wipe off the acid, and leave it until the morning, see what happens". I wiped off the acid, put the battery in a plastic tray on the floor, and left it till morning.

In the morning, there was more acid on the end of the battery, as well as under it on the tray (misting and droplets). Took photos/video.

Called Tayna, sent video, they said they should be able to arrange a replacement. The situation was left like that until this morning.

This morning, more wetness on and under battery. Called Tayna again. A different person said remove the red vent. He also said no new battery would be sent. I was told that they deliberately overfill batteries in case some acid is lost in transit.

I am unhappy with this. I don't want to put the battery in the car, and have more acid, which is highly corrosive, leak out. It is unclear whether or not acid is leaking from the vents (it does not seem to be) or somewhere else unknown. I don't believe the battery should be overfilled for transit, because a) the courier would be very unhappy about acid leaking out, and b) the customer would be very unhappy about acid leaking out into their car's engine bay or onto their floor.

I am tempted to just send it back, but who would carry it, and I would have to pay postage!

Any comments?

User1Region9

Note, in the meantime, I cannot drive anywhere, which makes things very difficult.

Okell

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6680509/tayna-car-battery-leaking-acid

If you believe the battery not to be be of satisfactory quality under s9 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 ( including grounds of safety, durability and "freedom from minor defects") then tell the seller that you are exercising your legal right under s22 of the above act to make a short-term (witinn 30 days) rejection of the battery for a full refund.

Unless your purchase agreement makes you responsible for returning faulty goods, all you need to do is to make the battery available for collection by the seller or their agents

[Edit: if you prefer a replacement battery that works rather than a refund, ask them for a replacement. If they refuse, tell them you want a full refund. If they give you a replacement but it also fails, you are still legally entitled to a full refund]

User1Region9

It seems I am responsible for returning faulty goods:

"Faulty Items

Although faults with batteries are very
rare, we do occasionally get items that are faulty after purchase. We
aim to handle all faulty items returned to us as quickly as possible to
avoid inconvenience to you. We strongly suggest checking that your
battery is where the fault lies as in many cases it could be a faulty
alternator or boot/glovebox light sticking on that is causing the
indicated problems with the battery. As many as 50% of batteries
returned to us for test are simply flat and need recharging!"

This battery has not been fitted to the car, for reasons in my OP.

"After a faulty battery is confirmed we will pay to ship a replacement back to
to you, but where no fault is found, unlike some companies we don't
charge a test fee but we do have to charge carriage back to you at cost.
Any non-faulty items not collected within 3 months will be diposed of" (sic)

First, I can't find a courier who will take the battery back to Tayna at any reasonable cost. Next, leaving the vendor to fault find and judge seems extremely dubious. No-one I think wants a battery to arrive smeared with and exuding acid, nor expects such a thing.

I am cross about this, and have suffered a good deal of inconvenience (unable to fulfil work responsibilities, etc).

I have never tried a "chargeback", and wonder about possibilities. I also wonder about a money claim. If it costs me £40 to return a £65 item, that does not seem equitable.

Okell

Does it actually say that you are responsible for returning faulty items to them?

What you've quoted talks about "carriage back to you", not about you returning a faulty item to them.

Read s20(7) and 20(8) of the Consumer Rights Act 2015