Good problem resolution by dealer.

Submitted: Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 16:02

ThreadID: 69033 Views:3033 Replies:5 FollowUps:6

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stretchlizard

I was driving my NP Pajero across a 100mm deep ford at the weekend and as I was about to drive out, a loud scraping sound was heard under the vehicle. I thought I had snagged a branch etc. and drove out with the noise continuing. I stopped and SWAMBO looked underneath and found a panel hanging down. I reversed and the panel dropped to the road. The panel was the engine splash shield and is normally held on by two bolts to the bash plate at the front and two bolts at the rear. When I looked underneath I found the two forward bolts were not there and the water had pushed the shield backwards and folded it.
I took it to the dealer in Newcastle as they were the only ones to ever take the splash shield off for each oil change. They quickly acknowledged their mistake and ordered a new shield. I took it back yesterday for the shield to be refitted while I waited and was called into the workshop to see where the forward bolts were sheared off. The mechanic who had done the previous service remembered seeing that they were sheared when it came in so it went out the same way. The workshop manager and I agreed that they would replace the shield and I would pay to have the broken bolts removed by a specialist.
I took it in this afternoon for the work to be done and when I returned to pick it up was pleasantly surprised to find that they had done it for free. This was because it was their fault as the mechanic should have spoken up during the service and had the bolt replacement done then and not costing them a new shield.
A good swift outcome to resolve a problem.

Cheers Stretchlizard

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Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 16:31

Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 16:31

A technical advisor from a motoring organisation once told me that Mitsubishi have the best Customer Support.

AnswerID: 365973

Reply By: nath888 - Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 16:34

Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 16:34

that's good service

AnswerID: 365974

Reply By: Wayne (NSW) - Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 16:46

Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 16:46

Stretchlizard,

A good out come from a problem that could have been worse.

What does concern me is that the mechanic can remember the vehicle coming in with broken bolts hold the guard on but could not remember to fix the problem.

If they were the only people to remove and replace the guard, what is to say that the bolts were not broken on the service before the forgetful mechanic saw the broken bolts.

I am not familiar with the bolts that hold the guard on but I would have thought that they would have been not that big, 8x 1.25 might be the size. I am guessing here so if I am wrong I doubt that they would be much bigger.

Now I am not a mechanic but have serviced an apprenticeship as a tool maker and I would have thought any tradesperson worth they pay should be able to remove and replace broken bolts from the chassis of the vehicle.

A good out come but could have been avoided.

Wayne

AnswerID: 365977

Follow Up By: stretchlizard - Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 18:37

Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 18:37

Wayne
I believe that that you are right about any tradesperson should be able to drill and ezyout the bolts. You and I can as we are tradesmen who were taught these skills amongst thousands of others. I suspect that the people we have doing our regular maintenance to ensure our continuing warranty are not tradesmen but staff who are trained to the minimum standard to perform their routine tasks.
This is borne out by the workshop getting an outside specialist to do the task as they have probably been bitten by previous mistakes by their staff causing other secondary damage as they attempt the task.
I asked the workshop manager if the bloke had learned from this and would keep his eyes open and report problems. He said that he hoped so but doubted it.

Really gives one a warm feeling when you drop the truck off.

Stretchlizard

FollowupID: 633734

Follow Up By: Geoff (Newcastle, NSW) - Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 20:17

Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 20:17

Wayne & Mr Lizard,

The trade as we 3 now it is dying.

I've a mate who teaches TAFE, carpentry to be precise.

Bob often laments over a few beers the death of real tradesmen, good old fashioned ones.

In his world a good tradesman can mark out the footings, have them dug, get the peers on the footings, build the frame, clad it and fit the thing out. A complete job, they build a house.

What is happening now days is the young blokes are being taught one thing and one thing only.

Be that framing, drill bit sharpening, oil changing or some other single skill extracted from a real trade.

Apparently that is progress??

Geoff

Geoff,
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FollowupID: 633753

Reply By: Member - DOZER- Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 21:39

Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 21:39

I put it to you this way....the mechanic who remembered them broken, remembered them because he broke em, and didnt think any more of it (didnt want to get laughed at-thought he may get away with it) and when you returned, he went ....DOUh....
Andrew

AnswerID: 366043

Follow Up By: Member No 1- Friday, May 22, 2009 at 07:15

Friday, May 22, 2009 at 07:15

you are probably correct dozer.... how else could they have been sheared?

FollowupID: 633807

Follow Up By: stretchlizard - Friday, May 22, 2009 at 11:54

Friday, May 22, 2009 at 11:54

Dozer and #1

The reason they were sheared by me is that they are at the back of the sloping bash plate. I hit the bash plate hard enough to dent it and in the process sheared the bolts. But saved the alloy sump casing of the motor so it was a good outcome for me.

Cheers

Stretchlizard

FollowupID: 633851

Follow Up By: Member No 1- Friday, May 22, 2009 at 14:31

Friday, May 22, 2009 at 14:31

what size (diameter) are these studs

FollowupID: 633884

Follow Up By: Member - DOZER- Friday, May 22, 2009 at 16:44

Friday, May 22, 2009 at 16:44

Um....in your original story, the sheared bolts were up front, and the last person to do an oil change stated he saw but forgot to mention.....however it happened, someone has overtightened, someone else has tied to undo, and snapped the heads...and left it because they had other work...i am glad they fixed it for free...if you got stuck on a rock in the water i bet they wouldnt have....
Andrew

FollowupID: 633909