Statutory Warranty Problems...

riverrat321 · 05-09-2010, 12:33 PM

Hi Guys, I purchased an AU XR8 from a dealer and was told it had a 3 month statitury warranty. It has a problem with a ticking noise. I'm hoping its not the engine and it's the exhaust. It also has a problem with the ABS light coming on intermittantly. Thay have had 3 attampts to fix the ABS light. They replaced 1 bracket on the exhaust and said that would fix the noise. They then said I would need to take it to an exhaust person to heat up and straten the exhaust and also have them attach it with more brackets to the car because there is a lot of movement.
1. I'm annoyed because it is still making the noise.
2. The ABS light is still coming on
3. It has an issue with the revs that stay up for a few seconds when you push in the clutch
4. The front headlight is loose.
They have succeeded in fixing a small oil leak for me but have not fixed the above issues. When I spoke to the sales manager today he said thats what you get when you buy a second hand car. he said he would look at it but it will only be covered by warranty if it stops working. He said the exhaust will only be a warranty job if it falls off or has a whole in it. he said the engine would be fine and the abs light is just a reset and nothing to worry about. ...Whatever that means.
Should all this stuff be covered in the warranty??? I work long hours and dont have time to keep going back. Any advice would be appreciated. again let me know if i'm being fussy with this. Personally I would never sell the car like this to anyone. I'm sure I can get this all sorted by a good mechanic, but I figure why have a warranty at all if its not going to be useful.

Kryton · 05-09-2010, 12:52 PM

ABS light is a warranty issue as it is a safety issue - possibly just a reset and its fixed.
The revs are your problem, not a warranty job at all.
Headlight is also a warranty job as it should have been bought up in a RWC.
The exhaust is not a warranty item - it is a consumable, just like brake pads: it wears out.

cant · 05-09-2010, 12:55 PM

Many people seem to forget that "we" (as consumers) have to work to enable us to buy their products

Going back and forward all the time costs, furthermore it just isnt fair that you paid for one thing and got another.

take it for your RWC, then take it back and leave it with them "for repairs"

dont accept it back until all is rectified or your money refunded !!

what state are you in ??

riverrat321 · 05-09-2010, 01:11 PM

Thanks for the input. I'm in NSW. I took it to a mechanic to get a pink slip just after purchase and it passed ok. They must have missed the light. You dont realise until you push on it. The ABS light is intermittant and they probably didn't see it. The ticking noise probably wasn't there when I got the pink slip. It has also gotten more noticable now. If they arn't obliged to fix it mabe I should just take it to a decent mechanic and be done with it. I just dont have the cash because I spent everything on buying the car and rego...

GT-E · 05-09-2010, 02:15 PM

I would take it to a good mechanic for a 2nd opinion, but not repair. Make sure they put in writing the faults they find.
The dealer is partly correct as far as what is covered and what is not. A ticking noise could be ana lternator/waterpump/aircon/idler pully or a complete bottom end, only an expert can tell.
Having an independant report will clear up the unknown and allow you to either get it fixed under warranty or find out how much it will cost.

Yellow_Festiva · 05-09-2010, 02:27 PM

Before you return, have in hand what exactly is and isn't covered under the stat 3 month warranty.

Document your visits, and get a receipt for work already done as well if possible.

Also, I think it's 3 months / 5,000km? If so, keep under the 5,000km. Don't give them an easy out to the claims.

When there's a few weeks to go, and your yet to be satisfied get on the phone with whatever governing authority would help you out. Fair trading perhaps?

Also... I don't think things have to completely fail to repaired. I had a faulty fuel gauge repaired under this same warranty that was only 'half working'. Same with a faulty air venting switch under the dash.

riverrat321 · 05-09-2010, 03:29 PM

Thanks for that guys. Im working 12 hr shifts for the next 8 days but I will get a decent mechanic to go over the car. will probably cost me a couple of hundred I assume. seems to be the only way to go though. I will also contact the department of fair trading to see if they can outline exactly what is covered by the warranty. I called them last week and the girl didn't have a clue. Hopefully I get someone else next time. Thanks heaps and let me know if you have any other ideas. Cheers.

Bushbasher · 05-09-2010, 06:11 PM

Can't speak to the rest of your issues but the ABS light coming on intermittently won't just be a "reset", there's usually more to it than that. Does your car have traction control? If so, there is a common fault where the light comes on intermittently and also related to the same issue is that a diagnostic unit won't read the ABS module. First thing you need to do is get a diagnostic unit plugged into the car and see if the ABS is able to be read and what codes it throws up; it may just be a wheel sensor, if it won't read then it needs fixing. I just had the same issue with my Fairlane and it cost me $250 to get it repaired/modded to cure the problem and ultimately replaced as when the read problem was rectified the diagnostic unit said the module had an internal error and I had to then get a replacement. Talk to a bloke called Antony Pazin at Specialised Automotive Electronics HERE for the lowdown on AU ABS modules and the fix or replacement. He modded mine and I had it back to me in less than 3 days and when it still wouldn't work he sourced me a replacement and then modded that too and didn't charge me for my dud as it never ended up working. (which wasn't anything to do with what he did but a separate issue)

Just so you have an idea, if you have to chase a traction control version of the ABS module expect to pay $300 from a wrecker and don't expect too much change from $1000 for a new one from ford.

Non traction control units are a dime a dozen but still may have an internal issue( although not the bad read issue the TC version has, I'm lead to believe) so the same procedure applies, plug in and check for codes and go from there. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but if it's a dud module then surely that has to be a warranty job as it's a safety issue and you won't get a pink slip for it if the light is on. Been there, done that, got the headache to prove it.

Bushbasher

irdonn · 06-09-2010, 12:13 AM

Hi mate,

Where's the ticking noise coming from? If it's around the area of the front left (when sitting in the car) wheel arch there's a good bet it's tied up with the solenoid for the charcoal canister. Pretty common fault on these beasts. If you are looking for a bit of background on it a search on here will give you a bit of info. Unfortunately not much you can do if it is the case. Either unplug it (not recommended) or wrap some sound deadening insulation or something similar around it. A new one will probably do the same thing.

You can access it by removing the plastic lining of the wheel arch if you want to have a look.

Cheers and good luck with it all.

Ian

Cooper69S · 06-09-2010, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PANUP

Hi mate,

Where's the ticking noise coming from? If it's around the area of the front left (when sitting in the car) wheel arch there's a good bet it's tied up with the solenoid for the charcoal canister. Pretty common fault on these beasts.

exactly my thought after reading the first line of this thread... Fixed that problem in my AU with some sound deadener - easy and effective

billkara · 06-09-2010, 01:10 AM

Yeh i think you got nothing to worry about with the ticking noise. Most likely the charcoal canister as stated above. Maybe illegal to completely remove it due to emissions, and not sure if you can buy a new one?

Anyway goodluck with the car... AU XR8s are a good thing!

riverrat321 · 07-09-2010, 08:34 PM

Thanks for that guys. The car does not have traction control to my knowledge. Thanks for the contact bushbasher, I will give them a call if the dealer cannot rectify the fault (and I dont think he will). Yeah I did a good search on the forum and saw all that stuff about the front LHS of the car. I think if anything it is actually from the front drivers side more than anything. I hear it most with the windows up and revs from about 1500 onwards. With windows down the exhaust note drowns it out.

olfella · 07-09-2010, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davway

ABS light is a warranty issue as it is a safety issue - possibly just a reset and its fixed.
The revs are your problem, not a warranty job at all.
Headlight is also a warranty job as it should have been bought up in a RWC.
The exhaust is not a warranty item - it is a consumable, just like brake pads: it wears out.

Using that analogy everything on a car is consumable as they all wear out. I also had a problem with my exhaust (cracked due to not being supported properly) and found out there was a TSB issued and a fix supplied. So everything is not as straight forward as we would like and I would argue the case to have it repaired/replaced under the warranty.

I also think this is a roadworthy issue that should have been rectified before the car was sold.