Faulty new car

AnthonyGrady · 25-01-2021 5:14pm #1

I bought a new Peugeot 8 months ago, but In the last month I've been having lots of different problems like the headlights stopped working, the radio screen wouldn't turn on. Then the heaters control panel turned off. I took it to Peugeot who seemed to fix it a few days ago. But now everything that was fixed is broken again or such as the lights will only turn on sometimes. The garage don't seem to know how to fix this. What are my rights in this situation/ What should I do?

Isambard · 25-01-2021 5:19pm

if it's new, it's under warranty, take it back.

biko · 25-01-2021 5:24pm

As said, as long as it's in warranty just keep bringing it back.
Is the car a 2020? What's the actual model?

pippip · 25-01-2021 5:35pm

Sounds like a dodgy electrical ground(s). But yeh just keep bringing it back.

road_high · 25-01-2021 5:37pm

Well they had better find out. Or send the car elsewhere to be repaired. Or replace it. Not good enough on a new car

thelad95 · 25-01-2021 5:40pm

Jesus I know Peugeots are known to be unreliable but to be giving problems like that after 8 months is bizarre.

Dealerships are scummy and often lazy in the work they do but happy to charge for it. Keep bringing it back and respectfully ask the receptionists (no disrespect to them but they often know very little about cars or what work was even done) to speak to the after sales manager (often an arrogant, hard to deal with individual) and threaten to throw the book at them if they don't sort it. Got to play dealerships at their own game in my opinion.

Del2005 · 25-01-2021 5:40pm

Read the sale of goods and supply of services act, then go back to the dealer and reject the car as they haven't done a permanent repair.

Isambard · 25-01-2021 5:54pm

re-inforces the stereotype in my head of Pug electrics being problematical.

colm_mcm · 25-01-2021 6:08pm

Del2005 wrote: »

Read the sale of goods and supply of services act, then go back to the dealer and reject the car as they haven't done a permanent repair.

What do you reckon the success rate is for this approach?

mickdw · 25-01-2021 6:40pm

Del2005 wrote: »

Read the sale of goods and supply of services act, then go back to the dealer and reject the car as they haven't done a permanent repair.

They will be entitled to 3 goes at fixing it at least - considering the dealer will likely say it is a differing repair each time, its likely they will need to fail more than 3 times before rejecting.
I would keep dates and info of issues and supposed fixes and keep an email record of it all too between yourself and dealer.
If they repeatedly fail, then you can look at replacement but generally it should not be too hard to fix considering they will be able to throw whatever it needs at it.

Dirty Nails · 25-01-2021 9:48pm

AnthonyGrady wrote: »

I bought a new Peugeot 8 months ago, but In the last month I've been having lots of different problems like the headlights stopped working, the radio screen wouldn't turn on. Then the heaters control panel turned off. I took it to Peugeot who seemed to fix it a few days ago. But now everything that was fixed is broken again or such as the lights will only turn on sometimes. The garage don't seem to know how to fix this. What are my rights in this situation/ What should I do?

So it was in the garage only once & returned with a presumed repair?
Return the car & the master tech in that garage will open what's known as a "ticket"with the importers technical division. And believe me,the manufacturers tech division are looking over their shoulders

That's how reporting works,if that's going to be an issue in a chassis number batch,there will be a recall and/or modifications in manufacture.
The fighting talk & blaming the dealer isn't the way to go.

fryup · 25-01-2021 10:45pm

is it the new 208 ?

AnthonyGrady · 25-01-2021 11:19pm

biko wrote: »

As said, as long as it's in warranty just keep bringing it back.
Is the car a 2020? What's the actual model?

Yes it has 5 year warranty it's 201 Peugeot 2008 but previous model, not current model. Everytime I take it back They seem to fix it and all is good for a couple of hours... Until it isn't again!

mickdw · 26-01-2021 12:16am

AnthonyGrady wrote: »

Yes it has 5 year warranty it's 201 Peugeot 2008 but previous model, not current model. Everytime I take it back They seem to fix it and all is good for a couple of hours... Until it isn't again!

How many times have you taken in so far?

AnthonyGrady · 26-01-2021 12:44am

mickdw wrote: »

How many times have you taken in so far?

2x and will be making another visit

mickdw · 26-01-2021 1:59am

AnthonyGrady wrote: »

2x and will be making another visit

Ok well its time to be recording everything and keep everything written between yourself and dealer.

jetfiremuck · 26-01-2021 2:03am

I would gather up my paperwork from the repairs and get on to head office. They may have you go to another dealership who are specialists or have a mechanic that knows his stuff. You cant keep doing the over and back to the place you are going to.

26-01-2021 2:27am

colm_mcm wrote: »

What do you reckon the success rate is for this approach?

In fairness.. regardless of how practical it is, by the book, it should work. If you can bring a TV back because it has developed a recurring fault that hasn't been successfully fixed, despite two attempts, I'm not sure how a dealership can talk their way out of addressing the same with a car..?

Cookie_Monster · 26-01-2021 2:32am

AnthonyGrady wrote: »

Yes it has 5 year warranty it's 201 Peugeot 2008 but previous model, not current model. Everytime I take it back They seem to fix it and all is good for a couple of hours... Until it isn't again!

Sounds like they can't find the fault and are just resetting it all and clearing any stored codes. Or are following warranty steps in order but not getting tot he actual problem yet.

if it continues that they cannot solve it talk to someone at their Irish head office directly as a complaint. At the least the technical team gets a heads up to take more interest, the dealer principal will probably even get an alert which they have to then action and resolve to both your and head office satisfaction (thats how it works in the brands i deal with anyway)

endacl · 26-01-2021 2:42am

French car. It’s just resetting itself. No point in fighting it. It just delays the inevitable.

You’ll know the process is complete when the accelerator switches the wipers on and the doors flap in and out when you turn the radio on. Then it’s just a matter of learning the system and getting used to it.

Well wear. Bon chance.

And don’t go near Bluetooth! It’ll actually turn your teeth blue!

Del2005 · 26-01-2021 8:05am

mickdw wrote: »

They will be entitled to 3 goes at fixing it at least - considering the dealer will likely say it is a differing repair each time, its likely they will need to fail more than 3 times before rejecting.
I would keep dates and info of issues and supposed fixes and keep an email record of it all too between yourself and dealer.
If they repeatedly fail, then you can look at replacement but generally it should not be too hard to fix considering they will be able to throw whatever it needs at it.

Not under consumer law. There are 3 options for faulty goods repair, replace and refund. The 1st repair should be permanent and it hasn't been so replace or refund are now the options the OP should be looking at.

colm_mcm · 26-01-2021 10:41am

Deleted User wrote: »

In fairness.. regardless of how practical it is, by the book, it should work. If you can bring a TV back because it has developed a recurring fault that hasn't been successfully fixed, despite two attempts, I'm not sure how a dealership can talk their way out of addressing the same with a car..?

In reality, the number of people who successfully reject and hand a car back is tiny.

jimgoose · 26-01-2021 10:44am

It's a dud. A Friday job. Hork it back to them and tell them to give you a proper one.

firstlight · 26-01-2021 10:50am

Definetly keep recording everything
Dont let up until they take the car back or properly fix it

The french do electrics like the germans do a sence of humour
Family member had one from new
Nothing but issues

Henry Ford III · 26-01-2021 3:59pm

AnthonyGrady wrote: »

2x and will be making another visit

On your 3rd visit I'd be asking to meet the dealer principal.

Tell them you aren't happy with the car. Detail the problems verbally, and then give them a written copy of your concerns in letter form to back this up.

Tell them if the car isn't fixed properly this time you intend to hand it back for a full refund or new replacement.

Markcheese · 26-01-2021 4:22pm

There's not point in winding yourself up with this ...
You don't need to go in screaming ( and giving yourself a heart attack ) and laying down the law , they probably know it , plus they'll get paid by peugeot Ireland for any warranty work ..
So know what you want , be firm and clear ...
If you don't like the dealers attitude/ response see if there another dealer you can deal with ...
And remember this happens with all car brands not just your pug , ( look at the reliability stats )

Are the dealership providing you with an appropriate "loaner" car ?
Are they picking up dropping off your car from you?
Best of luck

Wishbone Ash · 26-01-2021 4:29pm

thelad95 wrote: »

....Dealerships are scummy and often lazy in the work they do but happy to charge for it. Keep bringing it back and respectfully ask the receptionists (no disrespect to them but they often know very little about cars or what work was even done) to speak to the after sales manager (often an arrogant, hard to deal with individual) and threaten to throw the book at them if they don't sort it. Got to play dealerships at their own game in my opinion.

:rolleyes:

A good example for the OP of how not to deal with the situation.

26-01-2021 4:39pm

colm_mcm wrote: »

In reality, the number of people who successfully reject and hand a car back is tiny.

I'm sure it is, but it's likley due to a customer just caving in and settling. If I spent any serious money on a car, and had issues like this, I'd be very strong in my response of fix it, and if you don't get it right after two goes, replace or refund.

Whatever about putting up with issues on a car you picked up for €2k, with 7 previous owners and squeaky fan belt, you'd accept issues with that. But if you spent 30k on a brand new car, to avoid all those hassles and heartaches, here's no way would I, personally, be letting up, if it had to go back a third time for the same thing.

I'm sure most dealerships would consider that reasonable, too, surely?

Toyotafanboi · 26-01-2021 5:11pm

Something often forgotten is, in the nicest possible way, the dealer staff dont want you back either.

Locally and following the rules of the manufacturer, there is nothing to be gained by not fixing the car, first time.

The dealer will want it fixed as bad as the owner.

Unfortunately, sometimes there needs to be a bit of give and take on the owners side (provided the dealer is making all the right moves in terms of customer service) and if playing devils advocate, we would need clarity on the nature of the first two visits to really determine if this is the third visit and attempt at the same repair.

Sale off goods this, intend to hand the car back that. Better off going in level headed and working with the dealer for the best chance of an actual resolution.

fryup · 26-01-2021 5:45pm

firstlight wrote: »

The french do electrics like the germans do a sense of humour

ah come on now, i had citroen c3 for years never once let me down

*and not all germans are dryballs

26-01-2021 5:56pm

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

Something often forgotten is, in the nicest possible way, the dealer staff dont want you back either.

Locally and following the rules of the manufacturer, there is nothing to be gained by not fixing the car, first time.

The dealer will want it fixed as bad as the owner.

Unfortunately, sometimes there needs to be a bit of give and take on the owners side (provided the dealer is making all the right moves in terms of customer service) and if playing devils advocate, we would need clarity on the nature of the first two visits to really determine if this is the third visit and attempt at the same repair.

Sale off goods this, intend to hand the car back that. Better off going in level headed and working with the dealer for the best chance of an actual resolution.

Your post further amplifies, though, that surely the dealer would/should also consider it reasonable that the car should be replaced or refunded, if the same issue returns three times in a row, though (unless I'm reading it wrongly?).

I can understand the owner having to settle with some 'give and take' over a minor or trivial issue, but the OP's issue is majorly problematic, is also a safety issue (headlights turning off?!) and he's now lost confidence that the car can be fixed as the same issue has had two attempted repairs, now by an authorised dealer and he is no further on.

Car should be taken back, and OP given a new one, or refunded.

If you were talking about any other product, you'd completely agree. I don't see why a car should be treated differently.

NewClareman · 26-01-2021 5:58pm

firstlight wrote: »

The french do electrics like the germans do a sence of humour
Family member had one from new
Nothing but issues

Bit of a generalisation, there. My trusty Fluence is now ten years old, with 200K+ miles on the clock, and has never let me down.

On the other hand, my previous car was a Nissan Primera, and it broke down on the M7, with only a few 100km on the clock. (In fairness, it was a sensor problem and it never gave any other problem.)

Toyotafanboi · 26-01-2021 6:13pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Your post further amplifies, though, that surely the dealer would/should also consider it reasonable that the car should be replaced or refunded, if the same issue returns three times in a row, though (unless I'm reading it wrongly?).

I can understand the owner having to settle with some 'give and take' over a minor or trivial issue, but the OP's issue is majorly problematic, is also a safety issue (headlights turning off?!) and he's now lost confidence that the car can be fixed as the same issue has had two attempted repairs, now by an authorised dealer and he is no further on.

Car should be taken back, and OP given a new one, or refunded.

If you were talking about any other product, you'd completely agree. I don't see why a car should be treated differently.

Like i say, we'd need to know the exact nature of the first two visits to confirm that this is the third attempt at a fix.

Even at that, the difference between a faulty TV is the total cost of a TV is €250, handing back a 6 month old car will cost the guts of €10k on a €40k car, it's much higher stakes.

It's more practical and cost effective to replace a white good that costs a couple of hundred euros in total than to entertain a repair but on a product worth tens of thousands, you can't just go dishing our replacements willy nilly.

26-01-2021 7:36pm

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

Like i say, we'd need to know the exact nature of the first two visits to confirm that this is the third attempt at a fix.

Even at that, the difference between a faulty TV is the total cost of a TV is €250, handing back a 6 month old car will cost the guts of €10k on a €40k car, it's much higher stakes.

It's more practical and cost effective to replace a white good that costs a couple of hundred euros in total than to entertain a repair but on a product worth tens of thousands, you can't just go dishing our replacements willy nilly.

Oh I appreciate that there are bigger 'stakes' when it comes to a car VS a washing machine, but the OP also invested in the car. If the dealership lose 10k in depreciation, I am sure they'd be covered by Renault for their loss? Not that the customer should care.

If I'm spending €300 on a washing machine, I expect it to work as it should. If I'm spending 30k on a car, I expect it to work as it should. Whether you're buying off Curry's or Renault, both should have ways of dealing with issues and a protocol of what to do if the issues aren't being addressed correctly, to, at the very least, try to retain a customer, and at the most, try to prevent threads like this appearing about their inability to fix their own products.

Although I'm sure the manager of the local Renault dealership will be adamant that 'one more visit will sort it', there's only so many times a customer can be expected to go around in circles hearing that.

firstlight · 26-01-2021 8:33pm

fryup wrote: »

ah come on now, i had citroen c3 for years never once let me down

*and not all germans are dryballs

It was a joke
Much like boards users
A sence of humour is like hens teeth
I had a citreon myself. It was a ball of scrap
Glad u had a better experience

Wishbone Ash · 26-01-2021 8:46pm

Deleted User wrote: »

... but the OP also invested in the car....

Almost no one invests in a car. 99.9% of them lose value.

(PS - it's a Peugeot - not a Renault)

26-01-2021 9:16pm

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Almost no one invests in a car. 99.9% of them lose value.

(PS - it's a Peugeot - not a Renault)

Putting 30k into something that's set to last 15+ years is an investment. It doesn't matter if it gains or loses value in that time, you've still put the money into it.

Wishbone Ash · 26-01-2021 9:35pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Putting 30k into something that's set to last 15+ years is an investment. It doesn't matter if it gains or loses value in that time, you've still put the money into it.

You're confusing investment with expenditure. If it was an investment, I'd be expecting a profit at the end.

26-01-2021 11:20pm

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

You're confusing investment with expenditure. If it was an investment, I'd be expecting a profit at the end.

If I invest in your coffee making business, and it loses a fortune, I still invested in it.

Not that it has any relevance to the op, but it's a common saying, regardless of how pedantic you'd like to get about it.

Del2005 · 27-01-2021 1:20pm

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

Like i say, we'd need to know the exact nature of the first two visits to confirm that this is the third attempt at a fix.

Even at that, the difference between a faulty TV is the total cost of a TV is €250, handing back a 6 month old car will cost the guts of €10k on a €40k car, it's much higher stakes.

It's more practical and cost effective to replace a white good that costs a couple of hundred euros in total than to entertain a repair but on a product worth tens of thousands, you can't just go dishing our replacements willy nilly.

The nature of the previous visits are irrelevant. It's the symptoms that matter and the OP has had them twice, so the 1st repair wasn't permanent and the next two options are now open to the OP refund/replace.

The complexity of the repair has is to be sorted out between the retailer and the importer/distributor after the OP has been sorted with a new car/refund.

gearoidol · 28-01-2021 5:27pm

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm sure it is, but it's likley due to a customer just caving in and settling. If I spent any serious money on a car, and had issues like this, I'd be very strong in my response of fix it, and if you don't get it right after two goes, replace or refund.

Whatever about putting up with issues on a car you picked up for €2k, with 7 previous owners and squeaky fan belt, you'd accept issues with that. But if you spent 30k on a brand new car, to avoid all those hassles and heartaches, here's no way would I, personally, be letting up, if it had to go back a third time for the same thing.

I'm sure most dealerships would consider that reasonable, too, surely?

Having successfully rejected a car i can tell you from experience it was one of the most stressful processes of my life.

Cliff Notes:

12 month old car developed serious safety issue that both me and the dealer could not be confident would not happen again and was incredibly dangerous and serious

Me & Dealer
"I want a new car" ,
"No,we have to fix it "
"Can you guarantee it wont happen again and the car is safe for my family"
"No sorry and i agree i wouldn't leave my family in it either"

Onto Manufacturer
"I want a new car"
"No,we have to fix it "
"Can you guarantee it wont happen again and the car is safe for my family"
"No sorry and i agree i wouldn't leave my family in it either"
" I will leave it to my solicitor"
"Ok so"
Solicitor " They are ignoring my letters ,i have hired an engineer and he agree's the car isnt safe,due to cost of car we have to get it heard in high court
and need a barrister and they want the loan car back so you need to hire your own"

Fast forward 2 months of agony and they finally agreed to replace .I paid my solicitor. Could have gone to the high court but wasnt risking 100-200 k.

Faulty new car

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