Watch where you sign with your warranty
This straightforward scenario happens many times a day, in just about any dealership: A customer drops off a vehicle with a request (or three) they assume will be covered by the warranty. A service adviser records and confirms their concerns on a work order, and asks for a signature. The customer signs and then leaves, believing the problems will be rectified without cost.
This scenario assumes the customer and the service adviser know in advance the causes of the concerns are warrantable defects in workmanship or materials, as defined by the automaker. But if tech discovers the problem is related to something else, such as an excessive impact force or an animal chewing through a wiring harness, the time and costs associated with the repair are no longer covered by the warranty.
In cases like this, a responsible tech should report this to the supervisor, which will lead to a conversation with the customer to obtain authorization to proceed, or to leave things as they were.
If the inspection and search for the cause only takes a few minutes, most shops will waive any fees incurred until the customer approves the necessary work. And if they decline, the service department will often absorb the costs, but not always. If a technician had to spend time accessing panels, tracing a wiring circuit to a fault not easily found, or hauling out some special equipment and tools for the job, someone has to pay the piper.
If the customer isn’t a regular — either they bought the car from another dealer, or they never returned for maintenance or other repairs — things can take a different turn. If this happens, arguments are bound to happen at the service counter and the customer is usually met with the phrase, “you signed the repair order.”
When most dealers charge over $100 per hour for labour, and often have a minimum fee for diagnostic testing, these costs aren’t inconsequential. So, as a consumer, how do you protect yourself?
First, don’t assume anything that goes wrong is covered by your warranty. When your service request is being written up, make sure you indicate no retail fees are to be run up until you’re notified, and you agree. You can — and should — put this in writing above your signature on the work order. Check for any signage at the counter indicating a policy on minimum charges. Then make sure you’re accessible by phone or email to receive updates.
If your claim is denied, ask the service manager to go over the details. If that doesn’t cut it, check your options on taking your cause up the food chain to the dealer’s owner, and then the automaker’s head office, if necessary.
Driving.ca