back-up sensors/warranty

[berge]

My lovely wife reversed her Entourage into my car on our driveway and put two nice licence plate bolt intentations into her rear bumper.

about two months later, the backup sensors started working intermittently. I took it in to the dealer and a lovely man there said this bumpers been hit, it's not under warranty. I've looked through the service manual of this van and found that there's nothing than 4 sensors in the bumper, everything else is inside the van. I would do the diagnostics myself as all you need is access behind the right quarter panel but a vehicle under warranty makes me not do it on principle.

does slapping a temp. bumper sticker over the two indentations and going to another dealer sound reasonable to anybody?

(no sensors were hit, btw.)

thanks

 

[Hajoca]

Sensor wires loosened from that strike? Or could there have been subsequent damage / loose wires? Check connectors first.

 

[moribundman]

Originally Posted By: berge
My lovely wife reversed her Entourage into my car on our driveway and put two nice licence plate bolt intentations into her rear bumper.

about two months later, the backup sensors started working intermittently.


Are you saying the backup sensors did not function until after your wife hit your car? It kind makes sense that she hit your car if the sensors were not working. Or were the backup sensors working when your wife backed into your car, only to begin functioning erratically two months later?

 

[Matt_S]

To be honest with you, if I was a dealer, I'd refuse to warranty that, too. Any mechanic worth his salt will see the damage even if you cover it and refuse to do it under warranty. I don't see where a reasonable person could conclude anything other than that the sensor problem is probably a result of the collision, which makes it an insurance matter if you're going to try to claim it. Otherwise, I'd say just suck it up and pay for the repair. Warranties are given out to cover factory defects, not collision damage.

 

[ekpolk]

Get it repaired at an independent shop, and have them document everything. The dealer is playing hardball with you, from what you say, without a proper basis. Unless they took it apart already and can PROVE that the impact caused the problem, it's still a covered issue. If you get it repaired (or just fully diagnosed), and it turns out that the failure lies elsewhere, then if you had it diagnosed, present your new evidence to the dealer. If you have it fully repaired, present them the bill. If they won't fix or pay, then by all means, consult a lawyer. They are certainly free to deny your claim up front, but if they can't prove that the impact caused the failure, then they lose the court case. Read up on the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, and where it places the burdens of proof (essentially, on the manufacturer). It can also provide attorney's fees, making even the smaller denial cases viable at the outset. Again, consult a lawyer in your jurisdiction.

 

[ekpolk]

Whoops, just noticed you're from Canada. Disregard the US warranty stuff. Consult a local lawyer anyway, and see where you sit. Irrespective of who has the burden, if you can show that the defect is not a result of the impact, you should be able to get repairs covered.

 

[berge]

the backup sensors stopped working a good 2-3 months AFTER she backed into my car. her bumper has two indentations from my licence plate bolts, no visible damage anywhere near the sensors.

my issue is where is the line drawn on this stuff. how about if the bumper had the usual scuffs/scrapes from regular use. does all this automatically void warranty on backup sensors?

if someone has a scrape on their front bumper, is the horn/turn signals warranty invalid? if there's a ding on the door, are the door handles out of warranty?

anyways, I put a bumper sticker on the scrape and will try another dealer. we'll see what happens.

I would much rather just try my luck with another dealer as I see arguing with a service manager who's already made up his mind akin to arguing with a cop. even if you win, you never really win.

thanks.

 

[MrCritical]

An impact to a bumper where sensors are mounted is a perfectly legitimate reason to deny warranty coverage. The sensors aren't made to take a shock, only to sit there.

The warranty will also not cover the paint that peels from the bumper that was impacted.

If my patient and legitimate explanation for why I couldn't warranty the sensors didn't work, I always have the backup plan.

Sue me.

 

[berge]

Originally Posted By: MrCritical
An impact to a bumper where sensors are mounted is a perfectly legitimate reason to deny warranty coverage. The sensors aren't made to take a shock, only to sit there.

The warranty will also not cover the paint that peels from the bumper that was impacted.

If my patient and legitimate explanation for why I couldn't warranty the sensors didn't work, I always have the backup plan.

Sue me.


2nd dealer said sensors were fine. diagnosed faulty control unit, changed it. everything is working now.

thank you for your patient and legitimate explanation as to why back-up system warrantees are automatically voided immediately if there are any indications of shock to the vehicle's bumpers. you were most helpful and I hope that you continue to give out fabulous advice to the next worthy person on your list.

 

[ekpolk]

I'm going to stop this one before it gets ugly.

And having the authority, I'm going to help myself to the last word. Mr. Critical, you are entitled to your opinion, but it is not backed up by the law. Of course, the dealer can attempt a wty denial, but ultimately, the mfr will bear the burden of proving that something other than a defect caused the problem. That would have been virtually impossible here, unless an engineer took the system apart and found bump damage that was responsible. Without that, they pay or repair. Neither you, nor the mfr, is entitled to ASSUME that the bump caused the failure, without PROOF to that effect.

berge, yes, his last post ended sarcastically and with needless, senseless antagonism, after which you neatly snapped up his bait...