Another tale of Woe (long)

JonTelfer

On the crab
Jan 24, 2007
187
1
Hi All,
Sorry to put another tale of woe in the altea forum, but I'd appreciate your advice (sorry for the long post as well). Here goes.....

I bought an ex-demo Altea FR Tdi (9K miles, reg in june last year) from Dealer 1 in February. About a week later it went into limp mode so it went back for visit 1:

Fix limp mode fault, fix broken button on radio, fit missing boot light, replace passenger mirror bulb which had blown (didn't they check anything before handing over the car)
Bulb replaced, parts not available to replace the radio or the bootlight, ECU software update as the fault wasn't logged

Limp mode fault came back, but this time it came up with the engine error message. Dealer 1 phoned to say that the radio was in stock so I put the car back in the garage

Visit 2
Limp mode fault diagnosed as a faulty thrust sensor (not in stock), radio not in stock despite previous phonecall, boot light fixed

Fed up of dealer 1, I went to another Seat Dealer. Phoned to book car in for new thrust sensor and replacement radio. Dealer 2 agreed to get radio in advance but needed me to pop in so they could get the part number (various different manufacturers apparently).

Visit 3 – no courtesy car as I didn't buy the car from the dealership
Sensor replaced, radio replaced

Fault comes back, and cruise control gets an intermittent fault

Visit 4 – no courtesy car again :-(
Car went in for two days, ECU needs replacing and cruise fault might be related to that

Visit 5 – no courtesy car again :-(
Car went in for a day, new ECU fitted, cruise control fixed

Limp mode comes back, but not shown on the dash. By this time I'd pretty much run out of workmates to run me up to the garage and back, so I got a bit more pushey with Dealer 2 for a courtesy car. They say no but maybe I could get one from dealer 1 (WTF?) or phone seat UK and see if they can do anything. Phoned Seat UK listed the issues, although not hugely interested they did say that they have a warranty car release program (or something similar) whereby if a car is in for warranty work then the dealer should give them a car (Eh? Have I been strung a line for my last 3 visits by the second dealer?). Seat UK puts me on hold and speaks to dealer 2 who have magically found a courtesy car for me.

So the car I've owned for five months is going in tomorrow for its sixth visit to the garage. Dealer 1 was uncommunicative and generally useless in prepping the car and then fixing the problems, dealer 2 is a lot more willing and better at keeping you informed (apart from the courtesy car issue that really pissed me off) but hasn't managed to fix the fault in 3 visits.

What do I do next? I love the car but I spent £14.5K and I've not had a month where it hasn't gone to the garage. As it's ex-demo I didn't have the same expectation as buying a new car but surely it should be better than this? (and as for dealer support?!)

Jon
 

Belly

Guest
I'm afraid I had a similar experience with a SEAT dealer, particularly the hire car issue.

Our FR ex-demo showed a airbag failure light about 2 months after we bought it. Potentially quite a problem as the car was essentially bought for my wife, who had just had our first baby and was recovering from related surgery.

Apparently the fault lay with the airbag detonators - a part would be put on order. The dealer then suggested that my wife drive off home - with no air bags. Not very impressed with the though of getting her recent area of surgery potentially crushed against a steering wheel if she had an accident. My wife therefore suggested that she should be given a hire / temporary car. This suggestion went down like a lead balloon!

Only after demanding to speak to the manager (who also wasn't interested and reported that they didn't have a hire car to give her) my wife asked him to ring Seat UK, noting that when a similar airbag problem occurred with our Audi when under warranty the dealer offered a stand in car immediately.

Seat UK obviously backed down because hey presto, a temporary car suddenly appeared - albeit a tiny Kia! (which two days later also had to be returned when the alarm went off constantly in the night). We were then swapped to a Leon.

The airbag part then took an amazing 4 weeks to appear (apparently there was a seat wide part shortage - we chased and chased and chased). In the meantime we had to go to Ireland on a family trip and it took about 7 phone calls to wake the dealer up to the fact that we would be taking their car abroad and could they please check we would be insured! They finally rang to confirm it would be ok whilst we were on route to Ireland, 50 miles form the ferry port!!!

Anyhow, the car is eventually back now. Its still pretty amazing and I'm still gutted that 'the wife's' mini MPV out accelerates my 2.0 TDI A3!
 
Last edited by a moderator:

muddyboots

Still hanging around
Oct 16, 2002
5,739
1
Sad to say but the dealer service was one of the big downsides of my Seat ownership, and plenty others too.

I'm hoping to return to the Seat fold and buy an Altea next year.
However I think I'll get all my servicing done by a local independent, as I know they'll take better care than a dealer (had various bits broken on my Ibiza by the dealers in the past). and I won't have to do a 30-40 mile round trip each time.
It's just the warranty work that worries me, can't avoid going to the dealers then :(

Maybe you could names names, perhaps in the Seat Dealers forum...
 

JonTelfer

On the crab
Jan 24, 2007
187
1
Last time I named dealer 1 it prompted "An open letter from the Brand manager of err Dealer 1" in the Dealer forum. I guess it's good that someone in there cares and maybe they've changed for the better, I just don't fancy giving them a second chance.
Dealer 2 has featured relatively negatively in the forums aswell, but they were OK in my view until this courtesy car issue.

Incidentally - I can pick up the ECU that was swapped out of my car after 3 months (has to be stored for a while in case they're audited). As it's been shown to be not at fault it will be worth hanging on to. Just wondering what to do with it.

Jon
 

Xe

Guest
Please let me know if you get this problem fixed, as you know I have a similar problem in my Leon Mk2. Mine is going back in this Monday. I have had no problems with my Seat dealer, and they want to fix the problem, they just don't know how.... yet!
 

CupraMatty

Ive been told im Special?
May 31, 2004
303
0
Huntingdon, Cambs
name and shame the dealers! maybe they will listen to the critism, or at the very least people will avoid them!

sad to say my dealers experience is SHOCKING too, *COUGH* Stoneacre, Peterborough *COUGH*
 

Smart22186

Newbie
Feb 21, 2006
353
0
Peterborough, England
Have you tried P'bro recently? they sorta trying to redeem themselfes and get rid of bad history, seemed to bend over backwards for me last time, cant say they that bad at the mo.
 

JonTelfer

On the crab
Jan 24, 2007
187
1
Well - it went in for 4 days and had the ECU software reloaded plus daily test drives. I asked if they'd actually found a fault and they hadn't.....so the last couple of weeks I've been waiting for it to come back and lo and behold I had the engine fault come on three times this weekend.

So what happens now? It seems that the dealer has no grasp of how to fix the problem.....I guess what I'm hoping is that there is some kind of Seat advanced fault finding place that the car can be sent off to.

Jon
 

cherryone

Active Member
Dec 15, 2006
60
0
Yikes, makes me grateful that i've only had 4 dealer visits in the last 9 months, three of which were warranty issues(wheel bearings) all sorted buy a helpful service desk at Spur near Hampton Court, as for advanced fault finding place that seems a bit hopeful !!

They should change that SEAT advert on the telly to someone praying that they get to their destination instead of choosing which sunglasses to put on !!
 

JonTelfer

On the crab
Jan 24, 2007
187
1
Well, it's off in to the garage tomorrow for the 7th attempt at fixing the limp mode problem. Anyone want to bet on the chances of a successful fix?
Had the first fault (boost sensor) occur 125 times and the second fault (Maf) another 10 times. Couldn't take it in sooner because my wife was 9 months pregnant.
Clearing the limp mode on the way in to take the wife for an emergency cesarean section must be my least favourite Seat moment.[:@]

Anyone have experience with recurrent faults and Seat UK customer services? After 7 attempts to fix the same problem I'd have expected them to be a bit more helpful rather than just "monitoring the warranty work" - which doesn't seem to have had much effect so far. Anyone got any ideas on forcing them to take it a bit more seriously? At the moment I can see them just reinstalling the ECU software for another 10 trips to the garage and then I'll be out of warranty.

This car was supposed to make life easier...[:@]
 

Snarks

Full Member
May 18, 2002
202
0
Lancashire
Visit site
You may have seen my tale of woe in the Leon forum. I went through the same cycle of "fixes" and faults that you had.

I had someone visiting from Seat head office looking at the car who diagnosed a faulty ECU but this didn't fix it. I also had ECU software upgrades and parts replaced.

In the end, I got a replacement vehicle. I didn't have any contact with Seat customer services, I just spoke to the dealer.

Have you not tried to reject the vehicle and get a refund? Sounds like you'd have a pretty good case. It shouldn't make a difference that you are the second owner.
 

dlm2310

Rocco Is God !!
Dec 17, 2006
164
0
West Yorkshire
Well, it's off in to the garage tomorrow for the 7th attempt at fixing the limp mode problem. Anyone want to bet on the chances of a successful fix?
Had the first fault (boost sensor) occur 125 times and the second fault (Maf) another 10 times. Couldn't take it in sooner because my wife was 9 months pregnant.
Clearing the limp mode on the way in to take the wife for an emergency cesarean section must be my least favourite Seat moment.[:@]

Anyone have experience with recurrent faults and Seat UK customer services? After 7 attempts to fix the same problem I'd have expected them to be a bit more helpful rather than just "monitoring the warranty work" - which doesn't seem to have had much effect so far. Anyone got any ideas on forcing them to take it a bit more seriously? At the moment I can see them just reinstalling the ECU software for another 10 trips to the garage and then I'll be out of warranty.

This car was supposed to make life easier...[:@]

Yes, sue them for ****'s sake [:@][:@]
 

JonTelfer

On the crab
Jan 24, 2007
187
1
Update:-
Well, it's back from the dealer (7th visit) who replaced the boost sensor and the MAF. Faults came back 3 hours later.

Service manager says he has tried all suggested fixes and doesn't know what to do next.

I've written to Seat to ask them to replace the car. Strangley they've not replied, which is odd given the prompt response for my other emails...
 

Viking

Insurance co's are crap.
May 19, 2007
2,317
4
Near Richmond, North Yorks
You should really be taking this up with the dealer who sold you the car. Your contract is with them, not with Seat. From a legal point of view, you paid money to the dealer, he accepts responsibility for the goods being of merchantable quality. If he implies that Seat UK are the ones to talk to, then he should be talking to them. You can take the dealer to court (if necessary) over this, but you can't take Seat UK as you have no legal contract with them.
 

muddyboots

Still hanging around
Oct 16, 2002
5,739
1
You should really be taking this up with the dealer who sold you the car. Your contract is with them, not with Seat. From a legal point of view, you paid money to the dealer, he accepts responsibility for the goods being of merchantable quality. If he implies that Seat UK are the ones to talk to, then he should be talking to them. You can take the dealer to court (if necessary) over this, but you can't take Seat UK as you have no legal contract with them.

What you say is of course all correct; however in the past when I've had problems with dealers, a stiff letter to Seat themselves often results in the dealers getting a much needed kick up the arse to sort things out.
 

JonTelfer

On the crab
Jan 24, 2007
187
1
As an update for anyone else that might be going through this.....

Phoned Seat UK explained that the dealer doesn't know the solution to the problem and Seat Technical have no further suggestions on what to try. It went round in circles of:

SEAT "there will be a fix, you've just got to take it into the garage"

Me "but the garage have said they've got nothing left to try, and Seat Technical have run out of suggestions"

SEAT "the car can't be fixed unless it's in the garage, let me know when it's booked in and I'll monitor the work"

Me "OK, so they've had 7 attempts to fix this, how much longer does this have to go on for before Seat will do something more drastic, another 7 dealer visits?"

SEAT " there will be a fix, there's a fix to every problem"

So there we are, I've phoned the delaer about it and they've suggested not booking the car in until they hear from Seat, and Seat currently have no suggestions to fix the issue....

Can't polish a turd.

I there's anyone from Seat who's able to supply something more than stock sentences down the phone line, feel free to drop me a PM
 
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muddyboots

Still hanging around
Oct 16, 2002
5,739
1
Well it's time for you to get into the driving seat, and TELL them what to do about it.
Whether that be to buy the car back, or replace it like for like.

Time for a solicitors letter to the dealer IMHO.
 
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