service actions. How do you know that the car needs a visit to an authorized service station?

Despite hundreds of hours of testing, new cars are not without flaws. Sometimes these are rusty locks on the engine cover that can open it while driving, sometimes it is damage to the fuel system and the possibility of fire. In this case, companies decide on service actions aimed at eliminating all defects.

In 1989, the Lexus LS400 limousine was released to the American and Japanese markets. The car is known to this day for a high culture of engine and suspension operation. The manufacturer made them visible in advertising by putting the vehicle on rollers and placing a glasses tower on its hood, and then accelerating the car to 250 km / h. Not a single glass was broken. This pattern is also associated with an unusual service promotion. In the fall of 1989, the owners of the brand decided to intervene immediately after two owners reported malfunctions in their cars. In just three weeks, 8 cars were repaired. cars. It was about problems with a faulty cruise control lever and overheating of the third brake light. Everything was taken care of by the manufacturer, who did not require vehicle owners to visit authorized service stations. The cars were taken from the houses and left there, washed and refueled. In addition, customers received replacement cars as compensation, and some repairs were carried out right at the owner's driveway.

Invitation to the OOC.

Today, in the event of a defect caused by a manufacturer's oversight or a defective part supplied by the cooperator, the customer becomes aware of these problems for two reasons. First, it is a concern for the reputation of the brand. The second is a legal obligation, according to which the automotive group is compelled by regulations to report defects that threaten the health and life of users. In our country, the Office for Competition and Consumer Protection is responsible for fulfilling this obligation, it is on its website that data on faulty cars is published, taking into account brands and models, as well as forms of contacting the client. In 2016, 83 messages were published on the need for necessary repairs. They concerned more than 100 car models from 26 manufacturers - from Dacia to Maserati. (Table below). And the point is not at all trivial, because it is possible, for example, the possibility of a car catching fire as a result of a starter failure, a sharp drop in tire pressure while driving due to a faulty valve, or an automatic explosion of the driver's airbag.

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“Our customers are informed about a possible service event directly by the official dealer from whom they purchased the vehicle. The service assigns a meeting to the client, during which the necessary elements are checked and, if necessary, the necessary repairs are made. Information about the service action carried out is recorded in an electronic system,” says Wojciech Osos, director of public relations at Opel. BMW treats its customers the same way. As Monika Vyrvikka, representing the Bavarian brand, told us, in the case of organizing a service campaign, BMW representatives select the method of communication for a specific case, informing the owner by correspondence or during a visit to the service. “In addition, the owner can check open stocks in his car at any time at any authorized BMW service center,” Monika Wyrwicka adds, pointing out that the stock has different mileage – some require maintenance, while others only check if everything is in order. It also indicates that all corrective actions are free of charge to the extent provided by the manufacturer.

However, the question remains whether there is a chance to learn about the promotion of the service from people who bought a car abroad, including those who are not the first owners of the vehicle. According to BMW Polska: “Information about open service promotions can be obtained from all BMW dealerships and the brand hotline. On February 1, BMW Polska launched a contact form through which the customer receives information about open activities in his car.” On the other hand, Opel owners must create an account on the MyOpel portal, where they can follow all the information about the car to keep up to date with the latest developments. After authorization, you can see the service history, notifications about periodic checks, as well as information about service promotions. This applies both to users who have bought a car in Poland and abroad, and to those who are not its first owner. In the case of other brands, you should contact an authorized dealer or use the brand's hotline.

Theory and practice

Using the Skoda Octavia 58 TSI as an example, we could see for ourselves how a service campaign looks in practice (2D1.4-door from the inside) and how a visit to a Dealership looks like. The company received a letter with an invitation to an authorized service center. “To inform car users about the promotion, traditional mail, active communication of partners when visiting a website, web search engines or a hotline are used,” said Hubert Niedzielski from Skoda Auto Polska in an interview with Motofaktami. During a telephone conversation with the nearest service center, an appointment was made and it was ensured that the modification would take about 30 minutes. To our surprise, it turned out that ASO employees organized three more cars for the same hour, which increased the waiting time for the completion of work to 1,5 hours. Finally the problem was fixed, as evidenced by the sticker in the trunk. This is the standard in the case of Audi-Volkswagen shares, which are recorded not only in the central database, the car's service book, but are issued in the form of the aforementioned sticker.

Useful links

On these pages you can check if the car is eligible for a service promotion.

https://uokik.gov.pl/powiadomienia.php

http://www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/advice/safety-recalls

https://www.recalls.gov/

https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls

http://allworldauto.com/tsbs/

http://alldatadiy.com/TSB/yr.html

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Source: TVN Turbo / x-news