Replacing Driver's Seat to Original Position After Service

[KneeGrinder]

I'm not interpreting anything nor putting words in your mouth. Calm down....


Now you're just whining - sorry. If you can't look for traffic, wait if necessary, then adjust the seat, no one can help you. As many have joked, "first world problems" here !!

Customers vehicles should not be parked on the street. Not sure what your first world problem deal is, if a customer leaves a vehicle with a service writer, then that vehicle is the dealerships responsibility until the customer takes possession of it.

Rule number 1 of working on someone else's car : never touch the seat settings (unless you have to as you're working on said seat)
Rule number 2 : never touch the electric windows.

Rule number 2 : never touch the electric windows.

Rule number 2 : In my body shop, driver window down until a tech takes possession of vehicle and is responsible for the keys.

I've had to deal with more than a few dozen lock outs, and it pisses me off as a shop owner cause I don't get paid to break into someone's car! "I don't even get to steal anything" lol, I just get to kick some tech butt. I don't get paid for that either. Owner/Management is not a baby sitting position.

 

[KneeGrinder]

OH, and I prefer manual seat adjustments for the record. Faster, cheaper, more reliable, and better in every regard. I hate the "zzzzzzzzzzz" grind of a electric motor seat adjuster that will fail and cost $$$$$ to fix.

Do you have sand in your seat rail tracks, out of the 1000's of vehicles I've worked on and owned I have yet to experience what you describe. I have also never seen an electric seat motor failure in my 35 year career in the automotive industry, just sayin...

 

[Accent Abuser]

Recently, my car was serviced at a local shop. The technician who worked on the car moved the driver's seat to accommodate his short stature. The seat was moved to the full forward position. That made it very difficult for me to get into the car as I keep the seat in the full rearward position due to my long legs.

My feeling is that the techs should replace the seat to the position in which they found it before delivering the car to the customer. What are your thoughts?

I'm 6'5" and have to put my seat as far back as it will go, nobody ever returns the car with the seat pushed back. If I were an elderly person who had trouble bending to adjust the seat I'd make note of it with the service advisor.

Half the time I'm lucky if the work is done properly (or at all), let alone my seat returned back to it's original position. I go out of my way to avoid having anyone work on my car except myself unless I'm physically unable to do something or it requires space/tools I don't have.

 

[MattPersman]

The expectations of people blows us all away on a weekly basis. Everything should be perfect for the lowest possible cost and the fastest turn around time. Like there is some huge bag of gold thrown to the shop by an outside source to cover all expenses and we are doing this just to stay out of prison. No other customers have their vehicle there with a problem first, that is not a priority.

Also I’ve already spent 100s or 1000s of dollars at my normal shop or crappy chain that hasn’t fixed it they told me I needed to take it to the dealer there’s a simple fix for it.

If you unhook my battery the presets and volume better be exactly what they were before. My seat can’t be moved. Although you need to test drive my vehicle for a concern safety is not my problem. We will make sure not to leave you any fuel in it either so you can have that test drive that only happens “after you drive it for a while”. However if I want you to replace my fuel pump I’ll fill the tank to the max on the way in.

The lunch run we are taking is to give you FREE test drive miles on your car for a complaint we are trying to address and duplicate. The amount of charity work the average tech gives is crazy. I know you think we should be dedicated to your vehicle 8 hours a day and only change you like a half hour to an hour for whatever we did.

 

[skyactiv]

I am so much happier as a fleet mechanic so I don’t have to put up with any of this nonsense.

 

[Hall]

Customers vehicles should not be parked on the street.

Try and focus - I'm discussing the seat position, nothing more.

 

[Popsy]

Do you have sand in your seat rail tracks, out of the 1000's of vehicles I've worked on and owned I have yet to experience what you describe. I have also never seen an electric seat motor failure in my 35 year career in the automotive industry, just sayin...

My Mazda 6 electric seat is shot (not the motor but the mechanism actioned bumy said motor). And yes, I don't care (it's blocked in the right position for me), it's a beater

Same if you try to lower the windows, they will go down, but not up, you're in for a surprise!
But that's not a car you'll see in a body shop, so that probably doesn't apply.


And that is why, when I used to work in a country where the average age of vehicles was probably higher than in the us, I learned the hard way never to touch seats and windows
(the locking the keys inside is new to me, never had that problem)

 

[DGXR]

I think that would be asking too much to put the seat back to position. Most shops can't even avoid getting greasy fingerprints on the hood and doors. Pick your battles.

 

[Gladtojoin88]

Recently, my car was serviced at a local shop. The technician who worked on the car moved the driver's seat to accommodate his short stature. The seat was moved to the full forward position. That made it very difficult for me to get into the car as I keep the seat in the full rearward position due to my long legs.

My feeling is that the techs should replace the seat to the position in which they found it before delivering the car to the customer. What are your thoughts?

If he did a good job don't complain about such a minor inconvenience

 

[KneeGrinder]

I am so much happier as a fleet mechanic so I don’t have to put up with any of this nonsense.

Your correct, I've never heard so much bs from dealer Techs in my life, test drive for lunch. OK...It takes 4 of you to do a test drive. "Believe me, I understand you do not get paid for a test drive in most cases" unless its diagnostic's. That does not entitle you to take a customers car to lunch. Ask your service writer if your test drive includes 4 tech's going to lunch. If so, please name the dealer so other members can decide if they wish to have their vehicle serviced taken out for lunch by 4 techs.

I'm not interpreting anything nor putting words in your mouth. Calm down....


*****Now you're just whining - sorry. If you can't look for traffic, wait if necessary, then adjust the seat, no one can help you. As many have joked, "first world problems" here !!

*****

Try and focus - I'm discussing the seat position, nothing more.

"Now you're just whining - sorry. If you can't look for traffic, wait if necessary, then adjust the seat, no one can help you."

Sorry bro, your post above is what I was referring to. Customers vehicles should not have been parked on the street, it was left by the customer with the service writer and should have remained on the dealership premises except for any necessary test drive, The vehicle should have been returned back to the customer "AT" the service writers check in/check out Desk or area. Then you mentioned a customers lack of ability to check for on coming traffic when the vehicle should have been parked on the dealers lot, and returned to him in exactly the same place he dropped of said vehicle to the service writer. Check in/check out are at the same point of any reputable dealership or even independent repair shop, I'm sorry if you do not understand this process, I'm not sure of the shops you have worked in, but this is the standard, end of story.

As far as myself Focusing! I think your missing the point, my view had nothing to do with seat positioning, only where the vehicle was parked after the Tech finished with his work and turned in his flag time ticket. End of story. "TRY and FOCUS" The issue is larger that what your stating, and your disrespecting a BITOG member. The vehicle should have been brought to the customer at the service writers desk exactly where he dropped it off and relinquished possession to the dealership

Maybe you don't agree, but maybe you have not been in the OP's position before. I repair my own **** so I don't have to pay for this crap, or deal with it. I'm not trying to degrade anyone here, but there are 2 side to the story, and I fully understand some customers can be wacko, but I don't see that to be the case here.

 

[MattPersman]

We just got a bad review/survey because the evic/cluster screen was not set back to the Speedo and was on the “Oil Life 100%”.

Now trying to put myself in a customers shoes that can’t apparently do anything for them selves and is better than the average joe… I would rather see that than 2 weeks from now my oil is telling me to change it and I have to reset that myself or bring it back to get reset

You seriously can’t make this stuff up.

 

[Timmastertech]

My Mazda 6 electric seat is shot (not the motor but the mechanism actioned bumy said motor). And yes, I don't care (it's blocked in the right position for me), it's a beater

Same if you try to lower the windows, they will go down, but not up, you're in for a surprise!
But that's not a car you'll see in a body shop, so that probably doesn't apply.


And that is why, when I used to work in a country where the average age of vehicles was probably higher than in the us, I learned the hard way never to touch seats and windows
(the locking the keys inside is new to me, never had that problem)

At least one window down in the shop is standard procedure in every shop I have ever walked into (I do some mobile diagnostics and programming so I am in shops other than mine plus). Cars that lock automatically or god forbid you hit the lock button getting in or out of the car. If a window goes down and not up and it takes me more than 5 minutes to get it back up I am probably going to charge you for putting it back up if you didnt tell me. Yeah, I have legitimate reasons to open windows. Convertible tops are another thing. I will never ever touch a top or sunroof unless it has to be moved for the service procedure (lowering the top on a car when pulling a dash or doing some interior work gives a lot of extra room) or is the customer complaint

 

[KneeGrinder]

At least one window down in the shop is standard procedure in every shop I have ever walked into (I do some mobile diagnostics and programming so I am in shops other than mine plus). Cars that lock automatically or god forbid you hit the lock button getting in or out of the car. If a window goes down and not up and it takes me more than 5 minutes to get it back up I am probably going to charge you for putting it back up if you didnt tell me. Yeah, I have legitimate reasons to open windows. Convertible tops are another thing. I will never ever touch a top or sunroof unless it has to be moved for the service procedure (lowering the top on a car when pulling a dash or doing some interior work gives a lot of extra room) or is the customer complaint

Yea, I learned it back in about 90/91, I worked for a film support company contracted to Toyota and Sochi n Sochi advertising that when a Toyota Avalon or some other upper end Toyota had a dead battery, when jumped with a battery charger would lock the doors automatically. That started my policy of driver window open until Tech took possession of keys. Used to piss me off...O.E.M. Interface. Not aftermarket. When the Body shop works on the vehicle there comes a time when all windows have to go all the way up.

 

[Popsy]

At least one window down in the shop is standard procedure in every shop I have ever walked into (I do some mobile diagnostics and programming so I am in shops other than mine plus). Cars that lock automatically or god forbid you hit the lock button getting in or out of the car. If a window goes down and not up and it takes me more than 5 minutes to get it back up I am probably going to charge you for putting it back up if you didnt tell me. Yeah, I have legitimate reasons to open windows. Convertible tops are another thing. I will never ever touch a top or sunroof unless it has to be moved for the service procedure (lowering the top on a car when pulling a dash or doing some interior work gives a lot of extra room) or is the customer complaint

I recently disclosed "don"t touch the windows" when having tires changed and got stupid comment "can I at least touch the steering wheel?". That and they put grease on the cream interior. Also they lost a client, next time I'll just bring the wheels to Costco. Actually I should just remove the fuse for said windows and call it a day. Or fix them, but I'm lazy and cheap

Never saw that windows down policy before in Europe, but that was in another era where electric windows weren't the norm! Makes sense with auto locking doors and that kind of s***.

Edit : I realize how it is culturally different in the US. If I bring my car for say an oil change and you "break" my window, where you had no business to be per the service record sheet, then yes I will pay the parts, but legally you can sit on anything else.

 

[chainblu]

When I was turning wrenches, sometimes I'd get the service writer to drive the vehicle into the shop. If he/she moved the seat, I would have no idea. But being of average height I rarely had to adjust the seat. If anything, I'd move it back so my knees weren't on the steering wheel.

 

[mightymousetech]

At least one window down in the shop is standard procedure in every shop I have ever walked into (I do some mobile diagnostics and programming so I am in shops other than mine plus). Cars that lock automatically or god forbid you hit the lock button getting in or out of the car. If a window goes down and not up and it takes me more than 5 minutes to get it back up I am probably going to charge you for putting it back up if you didnt tell me. Yeah, I have legitimate reasons to open windows. Convertible tops are another thing. I will never ever touch a top or sunroof unless it has to be moved for the service procedure (lowering the top on a car when pulling a dash or doing some interior work gives a lot of extra room) or is the customer complaint

ALWAYS at least one window down, standard practice.

As for moving seats, the car is typically driven by four different people during a visit. First the drive through employee drives it from the indoor drop off center to park it. Then the tech gets it and does their thing. Then the car washers bring the car in, wash it and put it outside. Then the drive through staff or service advisor will bring it back into the client center for the customer.

The odds of everyone being able to operate the car safely with the seat where it is, is pretty slim.

 

[Hall]

If I bring my car for say an oil change and you "break" my window, where you had no business to be per the service record sheet, then yes I will pay the parts, but legally you can sit on anything else.

The "culture" is partly why shops try and avoid touching anything that they don't have to. Many people (customers) have an attitude of "you touched it last, so it's your fault" no matter what was involved. For example, shop does an oil change and 2 weeks later the customer's car's TPMS lights up, so the shop must have done something to cause that... My personal example I tell is I "cleaned" a co-worker's computer and it was so infested I told him the only option was wiping it clean and starting over, which he agreed to. After he got it back, he complained about programs missing, etc and I told him to take that up with your son (he's the one that screwed up the PC). Anyway, a week or two later, his mouse died .... and he asked me "what did you do to the computer ? The mouse quit working yesterday."

 

[mightymousetech]

“Ever since……”

 

[PimTac]

I get calls all the time...ladies leaving the lid open and accidently dropping an item in the juice..they flush it hoping it goes away...usually not. I have to explain to them to always close the lid to keep objects from falling into the juice.

(no sarcasm included)

Bug juice?

 

[mightymousetech]

“Ever since……”

Actually, the best “ever since” I have seen is a customer accusing the tech of moving his house with the customers car (it was in for an oil change). The customer said he found a chair, like a dining room chair, in the back of his X3 that absolutely did not belong to him.

LOL, ya, OK.