Now here's a weird one, apparently Fiat don't keep a central database of car servicing!

[mj2k]

Since I've got no service history (though the car's obviously been well maintained) I was trying to get hold of some sort of service history for my Abarth to save me from needlessly re-doing a cambelt change if it was done last year, but FCA support have told me they've got no central database for servicing performed at their dealers

Assuming they're not trying to fob me off that seems a very bizarre state of affairs in this day and age. How on earth do they keep track of recalls, ensuring the necessary warranty services, etc are completed? For all their faults Mercedes have had this since the early 90s...

Anyone else managed to get prior service history from FCA Support, or is this their perfectly normal (antiquated) way to do things? Do they use carrier pigeons for communication too, or have they just about reached the fax era?

 

[vexorg]

I've never come acorss any manufacturer that keeps a record. The garage that done the work might, but even then it's unlikely beyond a year when the warranty expired..

 

[chris3234]

Since I've got no service history (though the car's obviously been well maintained) I was trying to get hold of some sort of service history for my Abarth to save me from needlessly re-doing a cambelt change if it was done last year, but FCA support have told me they've got no central database for servicing performed at their dealers

Assuming they're not trying to fob me off that seems a very bizarre state of affairs in this day and age. How on earth do they keep track of recalls, ensuring the necessary warranty services, etc are completed? For all their faults Mercedes have had this since the early 90s...

Anyone else managed to get prior service history from FCA Support, or is this their perfectly normal (antiquated) way to do things? Do they use carrier pigeons for communication too, or have they just about reached the fax era?

Why would they track services?

That's vastly different information to safety recalls

 

[mj2k]

I've never come acorss any manufacturer that keeps a record. The garage that done the work might, but even then it's unlikely beyond a year when the warranty expired..

Maybe I've just been spoilt then, but I got the full dealer service history back to '95 for my W210s and W124 from Mercedes when I had them. The Alfa had a full service history anyway so had nothing to check, and Subaru could do it, though little use for me since it was all in Japanese...

 

[mj2k]

Why would they track services?

That's vastly different information to safety recalls

It's useful for warranty repairs - "oh you haven't had your 2 year paintwork check done, therefore we can't cover you for that gaping hole in the floor which appeared after 3 years" and suchlike, and it's also a nice bit of customer care since the dealers can email you when services are due with personalized quotes, and any work done on the the car will be known if you swap dealers. Consider it like a "medical health record" for your car, and at almost zero cost to the dealer network - very easy to do if they have computers, and keep recall, security codes, etc info online for your car anyway. One extra database table and a link to the primary db key for your car, the vin number. Worked on a system for a Land Rover subcontractor back in about 2005

Plus it's impressive to the customer if you can get 20 years worth of dealer service history just by asking for it, would have thought it's a no-brainer for any car manufacturer operating in the modern world...

 

[portland_bill]

Many manufacturers now have a central database for all servicing and repair work. As said, Mercedes have had this for a long time. Franchised dealers connect to the central database, add repairs and servicing when carried out, and can see the history of any car.
Ford do this, as do VW Group. They use the data to remind when services or MOTs are due, and to send marketing information about new/used cars when they calculate you might be thinking of a replacement.
(When running Fiestas with AA Driving School, each car was registered on the Ford system as mine, with billing to the lease company that owned it. Should be the other way around, register the owner, with the keeper as an addendum. Cars were replaced annually, but I keep getting service and MOT reminders for some of them, as they must have subsequently not been serviced by a dealer. Those that get a dealer service then prevent junk mail to previous owners.)

 

[mj2k]

Many manufacturers now have a central database for all servicing and repair work. As said, Mercedes have had this for a long time. Franchised dealers connect to the central database, add repairs and servicing when carried out, and can see the history of any car.
Ford do this, as do VW Group. They use the data to remind when services or MOTs are due, and to send marketing information about new/used cars when they calculate you might be thinking of a replacement.
(When running Fiestas with AA Driving School, each car was registered on the Ford system as mine, with billing to the lease company that owned it. Should be the other way around, register the owner, with the keeper as an addendum. Cars were replaced annually, but I keep getting service and MOT reminders for some of them, as they must have subsequently not been serviced by a dealer. Those that get a dealer service then prevent junk mail to previous owners.)

I suspect Land Rover must have by now too, it was a piddly little project back in 2005 to create the databases just for commercial leasing, but there's no reason they couldn't have rolled that out across all their vehicles relatively easily. And presumably Peugeot must have it as well since they send out the service reminders for my other half's car, which is about the same age as the Abarth, and the dealers seem to be remarkably well informed about it's service history when asking for money

 

[portland_bill]

Not a surprise that Fiat have avoided the expense, but now having merged with Peugeot, I expect that will roll out sometime soon, as they can just use the same database, just create a Fiat interface. I doubt much history will be added though, unless Fiat dealers are using compatible databases.

 

[mj2k]

Not a surprise that Fiat have avoided the expense, but now having merged with Peugeot, I expect that will roll out sometime soon, as they can just use the same database, just create a Fiat interface. I doubt much history will be added though, unless Fiat dealers are using compatible databases.

Very true, especially given their acquisition portfolio over the past couple of years; integrating Alfa into FCA systems must have been hard enough, let alone Chrysler...!

And from PSA's side no doubt merging GM Europe must have been a bit of a minefield...

Similar merger issues between Austin and Morris were the start of BMC's problems, and then they rolled in other UK manufacturers to become Leyland, and the rest is nightmarish history. Though hopefully things aren't so fraught with paperwork / parts compatibility issues and having to work around militant dealers / unions as they once were. "Morris dealers insist on having their own range of models? Er, OK, let's stick a Morris badge on the back of that Austin, we'll call it 'badge engineering'"

Next rollout of dealer PCs (or maybe even just a software update) should sort the connections to a master database, the only (and no doubt REALLY big) issue will be making sure all the manufacturers under the Stellantis group keep their records in the same format going forwards.