Bad experience with my local Mazda dealer
#1
02-18-2009, 06:04 PM
Bad experience with my local Mazda dealer
Yesterday my Mazda5 battery was dead. I could not start the car. The battery was only 26 months old. I checked the battery cells with a hydrometer and it indicated it was dead. So I recharged it over night and in the morning I checked it again with the hydrometer and it was 25% charged. I was able to start my car and I dropped it off at my local Mazda dealer to have the battery test over. The did a AVR test. This is what they indicated on the service invoice.
Cause: Checked charging system - charging at 80 amps.
Checked battery - load tested at 550 cca. Checked ground terminals - ground connection loose.
Correction- cleaned and tightened battery terminal and charged battery - All OK. And they charged me $51.00 for it.
I remembered all the terminals were cleaned and tightened by me before I took it to the dealer.
So I drove the car home and checked the battery with the hydrometer again. To my suprise it was still at 25% charged. I then called the dealer, they checked the test report and said my battery was fine and passed with flying colors. I told them my hydrometer test result. They said may be something wrong with my hydrometer and suggested if I could drop of my car again so that they could test it with their hydrometer. When I walked in and asked for the test they said I had to pay another $51.00. Noway that I had to paid agian. So they test it for free. After 15 minutes later the service guy told me that I needed a new battery and I was right about gravity test. My battery was dead. What the XYZ!
The battery is still under warranty and I have to pay another $25.00 for a replacement. I talked to the service manager afterwards and he insists that they only performed an AVR test on dead battery and no hydrometer or any visual test at all. So I end up paying a total of $75.00 with a new battery with so much BS and no apology from the dealer service department.
Cause: Checked charging system - charging at 80 amps.
Checked battery - load tested at 550 cca. Checked ground terminals - ground connection loose.
Correction- cleaned and tightened battery terminal and charged battery - All OK. And they charged me $51.00 for it.
I remembered all the terminals were cleaned and tightened by me before I took it to the dealer.
So I drove the car home and checked the battery with the hydrometer again. To my suprise it was still at 25% charged. I then called the dealer, they checked the test report and said my battery was fine and passed with flying colors. I told them my hydrometer test result. They said may be something wrong with my hydrometer and suggested if I could drop of my car again so that they could test it with their hydrometer. When I walked in and asked for the test they said I had to pay another $51.00. Noway that I had to paid agian. So they test it for free. After 15 minutes later the service guy told me that I needed a new battery and I was right about gravity test. My battery was dead. What the XYZ!
The battery is still under warranty and I have to pay another $25.00 for a replacement. I talked to the service manager afterwards and he insists that they only performed an AVR test on dead battery and no hydrometer or any visual test at all. So I end up paying a total of $75.00 with a new battery with so much BS and no apology from the dealer service department.
Last edited by yellowcat; 02-18-2009 at 06:20 PM.
#2
02-18-2009, 11:00 PM
The service departments only care about MONEY and nothing else!!!!! I would find the service manager's boss and present your paper work and let them know they have dishonest techs if that doesn't get you anywhere write a letter to the BBB.
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