New Car TSB's (Technical Service Bulletins)

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: Garak
That's pretty much what the Infiniti TSB says. It tells the tech to get some sort of interior noise kit, which has things like double sided tape and wedges and so forth.


Rotunda makes an awesome Squeak and Rattle kit what is just that with a huge assortment of little things to stop noises. I think you can guess what we jokingly call it at the dealer.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Rotunda makes an awesome Squeak and Rattle kit what is just that with a huge assortment of little things to stop noises. I think you can guess what we jokingly call it at the dealer.


Or one could be cheap like my dad was when the taxi dashes started rattling. He'd shove business cards in all kinds of gaps. It worked, but wasn't pretty.

 

[MrCritical]

If the dealer can't duplicate your complaint, there's a pretty good chance they aren't going to perform TSB's.

Recalls are an entirely different animal.

Performing warranty work when no problem is indicated is considered preventative maintenance at the least, and warranty fraud if the manufacturer really wants to push it. Having seen a GM dealer in my area do hard time along with the service mangager and warranty administrator, I can tell you it's no laughing matter.

 

[hounddog]

In 20 or so years in auto dealer service depts I never had a rep get hickey on TSBs. I'm told since the buyouts the manufacturers are very pro customer and like to impress them with their being pro active. There are manufacture customer service and the auto/truck forumns these days participating and buying out of warranty repairs on known issues.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: MrCritical
If the dealer can't duplicate your complaint, there's a pretty good chance they aren't going to perform TSB's.


Agreed. I'm sure if I went to the dealer the day before the warranty expired and claimed my muffler was rattling again, they'd be making sure. In any case, they did choose to verify my complaint. That does make sense, after all. If it wasn't the muffler, and say merely an exhaust hanger, and they replaced the muffler and the noise was still there, I'd be ticked, free of charge or not.

 

[MrCritical]

Originally Posted By: hounddog
In 20 or so years in auto dealer service depts I never had a rep get hickey on TSBs. I'm told since the buyouts the manufacturers are very pro customer and like to impress them with their being pro active. There are manufacture customer service and the auto/truck forumns these days participating and buying out of warranty repairs on known issues.


I'll bet you never turned in a warranty repair order consisting of nothing but performed TSB's at customer request, either. Talk about red flags. If the claim merely got denied, you'd be the luckiest guy on the planet.

Of course you could word the claim to where the customer complaint matched the TSB wording for the fix. But that would be warranty fraud as well.

Most people that work for the manufacturer in claims have been where you are in submissions years ago. They've seen every trick in the book x10. You're not going to put anything over on them. If they don't call you on it immediately, be worried. They're building a case against you.

 

[hounddog]

I also booked warranty for years. But yes I have had tickets that were all recalls and Tsbs. Tons of them on things like Dodge Caravans etc. It was never a issue with any reps I ever had. Had ONE warranty audit ever and had nothing of significance kicked back. I'm told that in this era it is pushed to take care of the customer. Lots of out of warranty being bought buy the manufactures. I heard tell of dealers getting busted for thousands of dollars on audit.I never had that issue or worked anywhere it was a issue.

 

[MrCritical]

Let's put it this way-by the manufacturer's "book".

If the customer complained about a problem, and the TSB fixed it fine. If the customer merely requested a TSB be performed, that's warranty fraud. If the customer merely requested the TSB be performed and you wrote it up that they had a complaint and the TSB fixed it, that's warranty fraud.

Getting paid doesn't mean jack. It's keeping it that counts. Now you know immediately when the claim is submitted if you're gonna get paid or not. Warranty claims are at an all time low. You're judged by the amount of warranty you submit vs what other dealers are submitting.

There is a push to take care of the customer. At the cheapest cost to the manufacturer. A rep that has a dealer who has out of line warranty costs that can't find something to charge back is soon looking for another job.

As for the out-of-warranty-repairs being bought, that comes with a carrot too. IF the customer has spent some money with the dealer on maintenance or accessories, and if they participate percentage wise in the repair, then yes, the factory will step up in a lot of cases. They usually will not extend powertrain warranty, never emissions warranty.

 

[hounddog]

They are extending all aspects of everything. Dealers can even 'give' Factory Extended service contracts away at ANY mileage right now. I have a few good acquaintances that are dealer owners.

 

[chris67]

This is correct and I would also like to add that "Goodwill Warranty" usually will not be given on second owner vehicles{used} as well as customers who do not have a maintenance or repair relationship with their dealer.