After Mr. [redacted] declined to have the repairs completed on his vehicle, we charged his battery for him and advised that we were not sure how long the charge would last since there was an intermittent issue with the alternator output (we also specifically advise him that since his braking system is...
electronically assisted, if his battery power went low, his brakes would have very little power assist. He told us he was going to replace the alternator himself and it would be fine. We cannot confirm if any wires were loose at the alternator but we did verify that the alternator output was testing at 10.2 volts compared to the specified 13.6 - 14.2 volts. We tested the component on the vehicle, with the engine running. Mr. [redacted] stated that he took the alternator off and had "bench tested" at [redacted].Mr. [redacted]' level of hostility, vulgar language and abrasiveness (not to mention his stated doubt of our integrity and competence) led us to make the decision not to work on his 14 year old, 187,000 mile vehicle in the future.
I am rejecting this response because: The dealer is correct that I declined service. My reasons for doing so were twofold. First, the costs associated with the service were extremely high. Second, due to the fact that the alternator was relatively new and due to the fact that this dealer misdiagnosed a previous problem, I had little faith in their ability to correctly diagnose this problem. The dealers response however, glosses over the critical issues.Point 1: They stated the alternator was bad but when removed from the vehicle, the alternator passed all tests. Removing the alternator eliminates all other considerations, such as vehicle wiring problems or problems with the battery control module. Testing the alternator in the vehicle introduces additional variables that could easily result in the lower voltage reading. The dealer stated they do not even have the capability of testing an alternator out of the vehicle. When I eliminated all other variables buy removing the alternator, I confirmed the alternator was not the problem. The service manger I spoke with refused to acknowledge there was even a possibility that their diagnosis could be wrong. This is the less serious of my concerns.Point 2: The intermittent electrical problems I was experiencing occurred over a period of two months. During that time, the battery never died, the brakes never failed and the vehicle never stopped functioning. After leaving the vehicle with the dealer in question for less than two days, the battery was dead and the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The reason for this was the wires on the alternator were disconnected. The dealers response stated something about lose wires. The wires were completely disconnected meaning the alternator was doing absolutely nothing to charge the batteries. When I corrected the problem, the braking and core functionality problems stopped and the vehicle returned to the state it was in before dropping it off to the dealer. The dealers inability to confirm whether the wires were disconnected or not is irrelevant. The significant difference in problem symptoms proves the problem. I can recreate the exact problems I experienced with the vehicle by simply removing the alternator wires. I can correct the problems by simply attaching those wires. I have two witnesses who were present when I attempted to remove the alternator who can confirm that the wires were disconnected when I got the car back. I have four witnesses who can confirm the alternator passed bench testing. The dealers unwillingness to accept any responsibility for turning over a vehicle to me insignificantly worse shape that when I delivered it to them is extremely troubling. At best, it indicates an attempt to cover up a mistake. At worst, the wires were intentionally removed in an attempt to force me to perform an expensive and unnecessary repair. One last point. The dealer's response stated that I was hostile, abrasive and vulgar. I did use a bad word out of frustration. While that was regrettable, I would expect that anyone under similar circumstances would be upset. Any good customer facing individual would have the ability to empathize with the angry customer and help to resolve a serious customer satisfaction issue. In this case, the service manger responded highly defensively, escalating rather than defusing the situation. Finally, the dealers statement about my car being 14 years old with 187,000 miles is concerning. Is an official representative from Mercedes stating that a 14 year old car with 187,000 miles is too much trouble to try to fix? In summary, the dealers response to my complaint was exactly what caused my complaint in the first place. I have evidence of two separate cases of misdiagnosed problems on two separate occasions. I have a complaint about the dealer returning the car in an unsafe condition that was significantly different from when it was dropped of and was the direct result of either incompetence or intentional fraud. The dealers response was to gloss over those issues, restate the points of my complaint that I don't debate and to gloss over the real problem. This response reinforces my complaint rather than settling it.
we issued a refund of the diagnostic charge and an additional $50 on the same day Mr. [redacted] called back to tell us he had broken down. Since then, our General Manager has offered to allow Mr. [redacted] to bring his vehicle in for the recommended repairs (replace alternator). Mr. [redacted] side he would let him know in the next few days if he wanted us to repair his vehicle.
After Mr. [redacted] declined to have the repairs completed on his vehicle, we charged his battery for him and advised that we were not sure how long the charge would last since there was an intermittent issue with the alternator output (we also specifically advise him that since his braking system is...
electronically assisted, if his battery power went low, his brakes would have very little power assist. He told us he was going to replace the alternator himself and it would be fine. We cannot confirm if any wires were loose at the alternator but we did verify that the alternator output was testing at 10.2 volts compared to the specified 13.6 - 14.2 volts. We tested the component on the vehicle, with the engine running. Mr. [redacted] stated that he took the alternator off and had "bench tested" at [redacted].Mr. [redacted]' level of hostility, vulgar language and abrasiveness (not to mention his stated doubt of our integrity and competence) led us to make the decision not to work on his 14 year old, 187,000 mile vehicle in the future.
I am rejecting this response because: The dealer is correct that I declined service. My reasons for doing so were twofold. First, the costs associated with the service were extremely high. Second, due to the fact that the alternator was relatively new and due to the fact that this dealer misdiagnosed a previous problem, I had little faith in their ability to correctly diagnose this problem. The dealers response however, glosses over the critical issues.Point 1: They stated the alternator was bad but when removed from the vehicle, the alternator passed all tests. Removing the alternator eliminates all other considerations, such as vehicle wiring problems or problems with the battery control module. Testing the alternator in the vehicle introduces additional variables that could easily result in the lower voltage reading. The dealer stated they do not even have the capability of testing an alternator out of the vehicle. When I eliminated all other variables buy removing the alternator, I confirmed the alternator was not the problem. The service manger I spoke with refused to acknowledge there was even a possibility that their diagnosis could be wrong. This is the less serious of my concerns.Point 2: The intermittent electrical problems I was experiencing occurred over a period of two months. During that time, the battery never died, the brakes never failed and the vehicle never stopped functioning. After leaving the vehicle with the dealer in question for less than two days, the battery was dead and the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The reason for this was the wires on the alternator were disconnected. The dealers response stated something about lose wires. The wires were completely disconnected meaning the alternator was doing absolutely nothing to charge the batteries. When I corrected the problem, the braking and core functionality problems stopped and the vehicle returned to the state it was in before dropping it off to the dealer. The dealers inability to confirm whether the wires were disconnected or not is irrelevant. The significant difference in problem symptoms proves the problem. I can recreate the exact problems I experienced with the vehicle by simply removing the alternator wires. I can correct the problems by simply attaching those wires. I have two witnesses who were present when I attempted to remove the alternator who can confirm that the wires were disconnected when I got the car back. I have four witnesses who can confirm the alternator passed bench testing. The dealers unwillingness to accept any responsibility for turning over a vehicle to me insignificantly worse shape that when I delivered it to them is extremely troubling. At best, it indicates an attempt to cover up a mistake. At worst, the wires were intentionally removed in an attempt to force me to perform an expensive and unnecessary repair. One last point. The dealer's response stated that I was hostile, abrasive and vulgar. I did use a bad word out of frustration. While that was regrettable, I would expect that anyone under similar circumstances would be upset. Any good customer facing individual would have the ability to empathize with the angry customer and help to resolve a serious customer satisfaction issue. In this case, the service manger responded highly defensively, escalating rather than defusing the situation. Finally, the dealers statement about my car being 14 years old with 187,000 miles is concerning. Is an official representative from Mercedes stating that a 14 year old car with 187,000 miles is too much trouble to try to fix? In summary, the dealers response to my complaint was exactly what caused my complaint in the first place. I have evidence of two separate cases of misdiagnosed problems on two separate occasions. I have a complaint about the dealer returning the car in an unsafe condition that was significantly different from when it was dropped of and was the direct result of either incompetence or intentional fraud. The dealers response was to gloss over those issues, restate the points of my complaint that I don't debate and to gloss over the real problem. This response reinforces my complaint rather than settling it.
we issued a refund of the diagnostic charge and an additional $50 on the same day Mr. [redacted] called back to tell us he had broken down. Since then, our General Manager has offered to allow Mr. [redacted] to bring his vehicle in for the recommended repairs (replace alternator). Mr. [redacted] side he would let him know in the next few days if he wanted us to repair his vehicle.