Warranty work

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You guys ever take a car under warranty to a dealer multiple times and continue to get no problem found...can you take it to another dealer? Will they still provide a loaner?

It's a Mazda. Mazda's site states they provide Mazda loaners for service or warranty work. But my question is with a history of "no problem found" are they going to refuse providing a loaner?

I have two front end noises that I would like to think are from the same thing but sound completely different.

I also have a forward camera that doesn't work in the hot...a TSB applies to this but they refused to repair it due to me not bringing it in with an active fault code.

I've worked in a dealer 2003-2013 and we never have our customers as much trouble as they've been giving me. I even worked for this family of dealers. They're just really frustrating me and I'm almost out of warranty.

They're telling me now they've wasted too much time and covid has them down to a skeleton crew and blah blah, but keep saying they just won't look at it anymore. I get the "Mazda is a great car, we are a boutique brand that doesn't have the money to throw parts at your car" etc.
 
Not only should you go to another dealer you should leave the first dealer a bad survey when Mazda USA contacts you.
 
Some dealers are good....many dealers suck. It's a free America...go somewhere where they seem to have a clue.

My 2014 Mazda3 had a metallic rattle noise when new. The dealer kept it until they found it - the amp mount under the passenger seat was slightly bent and hitting another piece of metal. When the guy found it, he reached down and bent it the mount away from the other piece of metal. Not even sure they got paid for that work but they did it to make me happy. Never had another problem and car now has 120K miles.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by eljefino
Not only should you go to another dealer you should leave the first dealer a bad survey when Mazda USA contacts you.



They got a bad Mazda survey. Then manager called me and realized who I am, having worked for them for so long (for her husband at another brand). She said I should've pointed out who I was at drop off (I didn't want to pull something like that and have expectations). So I brought it back a third time, them "knowing who I am" then, still no problem found.

Just didn't know if a manufacturer draws the line at some point with a customer repeatedly complaining about the same things. I never dealt with that side of things, I have always been a tech.
 
Would you guys just directly call another dealer or call Mazda customer service first?
 
Originally Posted by t1snwrbrdr12
Would you guys just directly call another dealer or call Mazda customer service first?


It appears the issue here is finding and identifying this mystery problem- if that's the case

You need to go to someone who can identify it and get that done in a fashion the warranty dealer can review.

If they balk then- its time for an attorney

You aren't the first to have a problem not easily found but nobody is obligated to address a problem they cant find so that effort has to be first.
 
Originally Posted by ABN_CBT_ENGR
Originally Posted by t1snwrbrdr12
Would you guys just directly call another dealer or call Mazda customer service first?


It appears the issue here is finding and identifying this mystery problem- if that's the case

You need to go to someone who can identify it and get that done in a fashion the warranty dealer can review.

If they balk then- its time for an attorney

You aren't the first to have a problem not easily found but nobody is obligated to address a problem they cant find so that effort has to be first.


Just didn't know if calling Mazda USA would get someone assigned to the issue. If dealer continued to say no problems, maybe a field rep would show up to take it more seriously. With the makes I worked on we just fixed it. Subaru had a local classroom so they would send their guy out quite often, but Chrysler Jeep and Hyundai never really did, we just fixed things. If customers knew of common problems or TSB that applied to a problem we couldn't even replicate, we just did it to keep them happy. We could figure everything out. Maybe these cars really are that good that they don't see any common problems, but I find that a little hard to believe.
 
Originally Posted by t1snwrbrdr12

Just didn't know if calling Mazda USA would get someone assigned to the issue. If dealer continued to say no problems, maybe a field rep would show up to take it more seriously. With the makes I worked on we just fixed it. Subaru had a local classroom so they would send their guy out quite often, but Chrysler Jeep and Hyundai never really did, we just fixed things. If customers knew of common problems or TSB that applied to a problem we couldn't even replicate, we just did it to keep them happy. We could figure everything out. Maybe these cars really are that good that they don't see any common problems, but I find that a little hard to believe.


Put simply ( according to your testimony) you have a command decision to make

Let the warranty run out and be stuck with "whatever"

Have it at least diagnosed by someone ( dealer or not but obviously the dealer can't find it or wont acknowledge it)

What Mazda will or wont do is based on the terms of the franchise agreement with the dealer and written warranty policy.

That may or may not work in your favor.

Back to the beginning- a decision to accept the fate or deal with it has to be made

Then the problem has to be identified ( by someone)

This is where the attorney comes in because different states have different laws concerning how to handle things like this.

The choice is yours and the clock is ticking
 
Originally Posted by PowerSurge
Dealers are paid less for warranty work.


It depends on the manufacturer.
 
I understand the dealers situation because if there is no error code and no TSB then he will be doing free diagnostic work, He probable has only one guy who has a electrical knowledge and is busy making the shop money. This is a situation to contact the area service rep who will give the OK to the service department. I'd be nice but, firm that you want this fixed. Ed
 
Originally Posted by ABN_CBT_ENGR
Put simply ( according to your testimony) you have a command decision to make

Let the warranty run out and be stuck with "whatever"

Have it at least diagnosed by someone ( dealer or not but obviously the dealer can't find it or wont acknowledge it)

What Mazda will or wont do is based on the terms of the franchise agreement with the dealer and written warranty policy.

That may or may not work in your favor.

Back to the beginning- a decision to accept the fate or deal with it has to be made

Then the problem has to be identified ( by someone)

This is where the attorney comes in because different states have different laws concerning how to handle things like this.

The choice is yours and the clock is ticking

Well this sums up the situation quite well.
Time for the OP to make a choice and then act on that choice.
 
Originally Posted by MCompact
Originally Posted by PowerSurge
Dealers are paid less for warranty work.


It depends on the manufacturer.


List the ones that are paid the same rate as a retail walk-in customer. I'd like to know. Thank you.
 
Originally Posted by Imp4
Originally Posted by ABN_CBT_ENGR
Put simply ( according to your testimony) you have a command decision to make

Let the warranty run out and be stuck with "whatever"

Have it at least diagnosed by someone ( dealer or not but obviously the dealer can't find it or wont acknowledge it)

What Mazda will or wont do is based on the terms of the franchise agreement with the dealer and written warranty policy.

That may or may not work in your favor.

Back to the beginning- a decision to accept the fate or deal with it has to be made

Then the problem has to be identified ( by someone)

This is where the attorney comes in because different states have different laws concerning how to handle things like this.

The choice is yours and the clock is ticking

Well this sums up the situation quite well.
Time for the OP to make a choice and then act on that choice.


Problem with legal action is that an attorney most likely won't take the case unless he's going to clear at least 10K. You'd probably have to represent yourself in small claims. What I would do is call Mazda corporate and file a complaint against the dealership.
 
If the vehicle is new enough to lemon law it, and you can lemon law it, just the threat to the dealer that you will lemon law it if it is not fixed may get the dealer to put the effort into it to get it fixed.
 
I had a neighbor who had a new car that had the windshield leak and the dealer worked on it several times and it still leaked. She told the dealer she worked of a large law firm and it it was not fixed she would get the law firm involved. The dealer fixed it.
 
Originally Posted by JimPghPA
If the vehicle is new enough to lemon law it, and you can lemon law it, just the threat to the dealer that you will lemon law it if it is not fixed may get the dealer to put the effort into it to get it fixed.


Call the car maker and get them involved. They maybe can help the repair along and also technical knowledge support.

What kind of issue are you experiencing and is it intermittent?
 
Originally Posted by MCompact
Originally Posted by PowerSurge
Dealers are paid less for warranty work.


It depends on the manufacturer.

It is called "warranty time," the labor reimbursement is generally 30-40% lower. BMW is no exception.
 
Originally Posted by t1snwrbrdr12
You guys ever take a car under warranty to a dealer multiple times and continue to get no problem found...can you take it to another dealer? Will they still provide a loaner?

It's a Mazda. Mazda's site states they provide Mazda loaners for service or warranty work. But my question is with a history of "no problem found" are they going to refuse providing a loaner?

I have two front end noises that I would like to think are from the same thing but sound completely different.

I also have a forward camera that doesn't work in the hot...a TSB applies to this but they refused to repair it due to me not bringing it in with an active fault code.

I've worked in a dealer 2003-2013 and we never have our customers as much trouble as they've been giving me. I even worked for this family of dealers. They're just really frustrating me and I'm almost out of warranty.

They're telling me now they've wasted too much time and covid has them down to a skeleton crew and blah blah, but keep saying they just won't look at it anymore. I get the "Mazda is a great car, we are a boutique brand that doesn't have the money to throw parts at your car" etc.


Get a dash cam or use your cell phone to record the front end noises. Show them the videos, they should be able to take the diagnosis from there.

As for the camera issue with the TSB, what are the criteria listed in the TSB? Is an active fault code one of them? If so, their hands are tied. Doing the work without satisfying the TSB's criteria could bite them in the butt, they are just following the rules.
 
Originally Posted by aquariuscsm


Problem with legal action is that an attorney most likely won't take the case unless he's going to clear at least 10K. You'd probably have to represent yourself in small claims. What I would do is call Mazda corporate and file a complaint against the dealership.


Not exactly but quite true depending on the following- let me clarify.

The "question" that needs answering to determine the best course of action is currently unknown.

I was referring to counsel ( not necessarily an actual litigation) first because (depending on individual state laws) this is a potential lemon law action, a potential breach of contract action (the warranty proper) and if damage or injury were to result a possible liability attachment. Granted that's far fetched extreme issue but they do happen.

Then of course is the actual problem, the effect on the vehicle, the eventual repair cost and where all this sits with the actual warranty.

All of these are hypothetical until the problems are identified. According to the OP they dealer has already done "due diligence" in attempting to find them so there is now an impasse. ( there is no hinting from the OP of any unethical conduct- they just cant seem to find or replicate the claimed issues) That's why I question the logic ( at this time anyway) of filing a "complaint" because it would be a complaint of what" exactly?

Apparently even the OP doesn't know where or what the problem is at this point- if they have done due diligence and acted properly and discovered nothing- there's little legitimate basis for a complaint. That doesn't exclude things like human error, lack of training/equipment of a very "unique" problem . None of these are known at the moment.

That's why I said 2 things need to happen. Defining the problem(s) and identifying the options.

"Somebody" needs to isolate and at least identify or diagnose the "alleged" problem. ( which can be within his rights under a specific state law under an implied warranty regardless of OEM warranty stipulations because the "other party" does have a "vested interest" in not finding a "problem")- an attorney in that state needs to address that. There are times a warranty can be breached when things don't always go according to the written word.

Without the "problem" being solvent (yet anyway)- there's no "issue" for the warranty to cover and it just runs out and the OP holds the bag at the snipe hunt.

At that point a qualified decision can be made.

"race tracking" is fine going around a drop zone waiting for a green light but eventually the plane runs out of gas. That's where the OP is at according to his claims and attempts.

That's what I was saying.
 
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