Warranty Problems, Consumer Complaints, Recalls and TSBs

Warranty Service - Whether you have an original manufacturer's warranty or an extended warranty, make sure you read them carefully.   A full manufacturer's warranty provides all service necessary, free of charge to the vehicle owner.  It also allows for diagnosis of all covered systems, and removal and reinstallation of all covered parts within a system.   Make note of all time and mileage limitations and look for information on deductibles (on extended warranties).   See if the warranties depend on the manufacturer's maintenance schedules (typically they do) or on schedules contained in the warranty itself.  Keep all receipts for all scheduled maintenance, or your warranty coverage may be denied.  You may need to contact your state's Attorney General's Office if the warranty company remains uncooperative.

Unresolved Service Issues - Direct any unresolved service problems to your service writer.  If the problem remains unsolved after a second visit, ask to speak to the service manager.  If the problem remains you'll need to meet with the dealership's general manager or owner.  If their response is less than enthusiastic, a letter or phone call to the manufacturer's district manager should garner some type of response.  Next try calling the manufacturer's toll-free help lines listed below.   Under Lemon Law legislation, most states allow new vehicle purchasers to choose either a replacement or a refund if the vehicle can't be repaired after a reasonable number of attempts.  You may need to contact your state's Attorney General's Office and your attorney if the manufacturer remains uncooperative.

Recalls & Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) - Check the sites listed below to look for possible recall and technical service bulletins for your vehicle. 

All Data TSB Database at http://www.alldata.com

Crahstest.com Recall Database at http://www.crashtest.com

Highway Loss Data Institute Recall Information at http://www.hwysafety.org 

NHTSA Recall Database at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/recmmy1.cfm

NHTSA TSB Database at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/tsb/servicemmy1.cfm

Consumer Complaint Clearinghouses & Information - These sites offer a quantity of automotive information.  You'll find sites for consumer complaints, accident reporting, lemon laws, fair credit reporting procedures, and leasing regulations.

AutoPedia Lemon Law Information at http://www.autopedia.com/html/HotLinks_Lemon.html

Better Business Bureau Car Complaint Center at http://www.bbb.com

Car Talk at http://www.cartalk.com

Fair Credit Reporting Act Brochure at http://www.webcom.com/~lewrose/brochures/fcba.html

Federal Trade Commission Leasing Laws at http://www.ftc.gov/cgi-bin/AT-globalsearch.cgi

Highway Loss Data Institute at http://www.hwysafety.org

Lemon Law Car Page at http://www.mindspring.com/~wf1/lemonlaw.htm

Lemon.org at http://www2.lemon.org/mz/lemon

NHTSA Complaints Query Form for Cars at http://www-nsa.nhtsa.dot.gov/nquery.shtml

NHTSA Investigations Query Form at http://www-nsa.nhtsa.dot.gov/iquery.shtml

Manufacturer's Phone Numbers are on the next page >

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