TroyO
Member
Yep, that recall was noted here.
http://www.recalls.gov.au/view_recall_detail.php?Recall_ID_Auto=14813
Troy.
Technical Is this luvduvs' 3rd (and final) official complaint?
- Thread starter luvduvs
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Technical Is this luvduvs' 3rd (and final) official complaint?
Yep, that recall was noted here.
http://www.recalls.gov.au/view_recall_detail.php?Recall_ID_Auto=14813
Troy.
you always read it here first
Ok, got the car back, and not impressed (at Ateco).
Dealer relayed this message: "An Ateco technician worked on the car, and said the steering is as good as it will get." Well if a part is faulty then of course its "as good as it will get" :bang:
Surely that can't be common across all GPs?!?! Can someone please confirm this - take a left turn, let go of the steering wheel (as long as its safe to do so of course), then note whether it returns to the center position.
Regardless I'll be calling Ateco on Tuesday to follow up, but would appreciate if someone here can confirm whether this is indeed normal.
Dealer relayed this message: "An Ateco technician worked on the car, and said the steering is as good as it will get." Well if a part is faulty then of course its "as good as it will get" :bang:
Surely that can't be common across all GPs?!?! Can someone please confirm this - take a left turn, let go of the steering wheel (as long as its safe to do so of course), then note whether it returns to the center position.
Regardless I'll be calling Ateco on Tuesday to follow up, but would appreciate if someone here can confirm whether this is indeed normal.
Sorry to hear that your car has not been fixed yet. I know this sounds too simple, but is it possible that the steering rack is not in the central position when the wheels are pointing straight ahead? If the rack is centred when the wheels are pointing slightly to the left then this is the position to which the rack will restore the steering when the wheel is released. The cause of this could be that one of the track rod ends is screwed on further than the other. I would place my bets upon it being the left hand one. If so, more screw thread might be visible (not screwed into the track rod end) on the right hand tie rod. This also would result in the car having a smaller turning circle to the left (unless the wheel hits something!) than to the right.
I expect one of the experts will rubbish this suggestion. It sounds too simple to baffle your garage. Or is it?
I expect one of the experts will rubbish this suggestion. It sounds too simple to baffle your garage. Or is it?
Seriously I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out to be something simple like what you suggested, but as the message goes, its "as good as it will get"
I actually think I have a very good chance of winning any compensation claims. Here are a few key points:
- Tracking/wheel alignment has been done at least 2 - 3 times and its perfect. Tyre pressures are perfect. But yet something is causing the front left to be worn out faster than front right. Last time I was at the dealer's they swapped the front tyres with the back - now the front left (which used to be rear left), is starting to wear out faster than the other.
- I have fulfilled all my responsibilities - reported the problem asap, took it to two different dealers multiple times (lost count) as they've requested, now Ateco's technician has examined it and can find no fault. WTF else am I suppose to do?
- Apparently this is the first case that the dealer and Ateco has come across - so for example if 100 GPs had been sold and I'm the only one with the problem, then why aren't I entitled to a replacement? Why do I have to put up with it?
They want to play? Bring it on
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Go fot it kev
Keep us informed of events.
Keep us informed of events.
Kev............kinda lost track of this all somewhat but did you ever try another GP to see what that was like?
I seem to believe this was suggested about 17 months ago wasnt it, after you had been driving the car for a month and started to whinge, sorry, i mean complain
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Does the GP have equal length driveshafts? As it doesnt have a lsd wont one tyre wear out faster than the other as on front drive cars one wheel will spin up if you accelerate hard enough to lose traction from a standstill? I get this problem a lot at work on X-Type Jag diesels as due to the torque one front tyre wears out quicker than the other due to the driving charecteristics of the car and x types do have equal length driveshafts. May be completely irrelevent but just a thought
As you can appreciate I have already wasted enough time with the list of problems, and I don't want to waste my time trying out another car, hence
Worse comes to worse I'll prove my point by testing driving another, but I know its a defect because it wasn't like this when I took delivery a year and a half ago.
To sum it up in one sentence, its fairly simple: the car I bought has a fault that seems to be unique to me, and I've taken all the steps to have this made good as requested by both the dealers and Ateco; they can't fix it, so I want it replaced.
Worse comes to worse I'll prove my point by testing driving another, but I know its a defect because it wasn't like this when I took delivery a year and a half ago.
To sum it up in one sentence, its fairly simple: the car I bought has a fault that seems to be unique to me, and I've taken all the steps to have this made good as requested by both the dealers and Ateco; they can't fix it, so I want it replaced.
Even if it was suggested surely one wouldn't be expected to test drive the same car after only a month's worth of ownership!
Does the GP have equal length driveshafts? As it doesnt have a lsd wont one tyre wear out faster than the other as on front drive cars one wheel will spin up if you accelerate hard enough to lose traction from a standstill? I get this problem a lot at work on X-Type Jag diesels as due to the torque one front tyre wears out quicker than the other due to the driving charecteristics of the car and x types do have equal length driveshafts. May be completely irrelevent but just a thought
Mmm.. but it doesn't explain the steering problem though..
HAs the car been 4 wheel aligned and the K.P.I checked as that can cause self centering issues
Yes more than once; I've gone back and forth so many times the last dealer forgot to charge me for it
Sorry to be thick but whats K.P.I?
Anyway its apparently "as good as it will get".
Kingpin inclinatinon. If the subframe is in the wrong position the wheel will not self center as it should, this may not show up on tracking gauges as the track can be perfect but if the subframe is misaligned then the problem wont go away. Any chance of a 4 wheel alignment printout being scanned in? 'd be tempted to take it to a independant garage as the machines can be easily manipulated and ask to watch it being done
Kev,
the fact that nobody else can get the same problem as you would make me suggest you need to drive another GP.
Why will you not do this? have you got it set in your head now that this car is doomed and you want rid?
it sure as hell sounds like it!
Kingpin inclinatinon. If the subframe is in the wrong position the wheel will not self center as it should, this may not show up on tracking gauges as the track can be perfect but if the subframe is misaligned then the problem wont go away. Any chance of a 4 wheel alignment printout being scanned in? 'd be tempted to take it to a independant garage as the machines can be easily manipulated and ask to watch it being done
Suggesting to them what to do, or even just which areas to focus on, is a taboo - they're just too good for that
I've told them numerous times about FF and how it could possibly help with the diagnosis, but they're too arrogant to listen. Its a bit like BHP Billiton saying "there's a gold mine right there but we're just going to ignore it" :bang:
I think you've answered that already yourself with "nobody else can get the same problem as you", plus I just don't have the time.
Yes its definitely an option on my mind, but unless I trade it in, how am I suppose to sell it to a private buyer when it has an obvious steering problem?
Update:
The guy I was dealing with Ateco was away today so dealt with another bloke, who obviously had no idea what the situation was and was actually quite poor at customer servicing.
Bloke: "We can't replace the whole steering because the technician couldn't pinpoint the problem"
luvduvs: "That's not my problem - that's yours"
Absolutely smashed him with my arguments to the point where
Bloke: "best I can do is for you to speak with Mike when he comes back"
I'm so pumped up now I can't wait till tomorrow :slayer:
The guy I was dealing with Ateco was away today so dealt with another bloke, who obviously had no idea what the situation was and was actually quite poor at customer servicing.
Bloke: "We can't replace the whole steering because the technician couldn't pinpoint the problem"
luvduvs: "That's not my problem - that's yours"
Absolutely smashed him with my arguments to the point where
Bloke: "best I can do is for you to speak with Mike when he comes back"
I'm so pumped up now I can't wait till tomorrow :slayer:
TroyO
Member
Well good luck Kev, I hope you can get somewhere with Ateco and get your problems resolved.
Troy.
Troy.
Just spoke to them again and I was told "its within the manufacturer's specifications and there's nothing that can be done", and "all cars wear out their tyres unevenly".
Is that true?
Edit: Was just about to hit the submit button for submitting a complaint on the Office of Fair Trading site when I saw this:
For motor vehicle complaints only, I acknowledge that if the Commissioner for Fair Trading determines this dispute in favour of the dealer, I may be liable to reimburse the dealer's costs for the dismantling of any part of the vehicle to ascertain the basis of the dispute.
Wtf?
Is that true?
Edit: Was just about to hit the submit button for submitting a complaint on the Office of Fair Trading site when I saw this:
For motor vehicle complaints only, I acknowledge that if the Commissioner for Fair Trading determines this dispute in favour of the dealer, I may be liable to reimburse the dealer's costs for the dismantling of any part of the vehicle to ascertain the basis of the dispute.
Wtf?
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Turbodiesel
New member
Holy moly.... I can't believe this is still going on!!
I was curious about this particular situation hence my visit, all I can say is I'm glad I didn't buy one of those cursed things... Owning a car is supposed to increase your quality of life, not the opposite.
I was curious about this particular situation hence my visit, all I can say is I'm glad I didn't buy one of those cursed things... Owning a car is supposed to increase your quality of life, not the opposite.
