[Resolved]  Skoda India — Octavia battery

Address:

Mumbai City, Maharashtra, 400026

Trust this mail finds you well.
I am writing to you about a serious concern which has been unaddressed from last friday – 27th may’16.

My octavia (Mh01 bk 6535) was 1.5 yrs old when one morning it refused to start. This was june’15.
The sewri service centre replaced a battery given by skoda india.

8 months on and the same problem occurred. The car was dead on the 27th may’16 morning.
I called the service centre hotline, answered by a mr. Satish, who by the way was extremely rude, a very condescending tone and was outright a goon on the phone, leaving me no solution to go to the service centre personally and speak with a mr. Nadrakni.
He sent a low level tech back with me to altamount road (My residence) where my car stood dead, to jumpstart the vehicle.

He took the car at 11.30, for which i did not hear from the service centre till 16.30. I called nadkarni to which he told me they are taking the car in at 16.30.
He calls me back 1 hr later to tell me i have to pay for the battery. I told him that he should speak with the company as in 8 months, we do not expect skoda supplied parts to just give up. After a lot of back and forth, he placed a temp battery from their end with the assurance to send in my car on tuesday.

I send in my car this morning, now the new tune is that skoda has rejected that the battery be replaced and i am supposed to be paying 7500 for a new battery.
Make me understand mr. Borkar, how does a battery supplied by skoda india go defunct in 8 months. Are we looking a sub-standard component supply by skoda india or are we looking at the sewri service centre changing something and giving something else all together to a customer.

To a service assurance of 24 working hours since by complaint registered (Spl118996), i have not received a solution nor a call from skoda india.
Is this how the service standards at skoda india and its appointed authorised service centres are?

It’s a shame that the service centre tells me that they will jump start my car and i can take it out of there, or pay 7500 and take a new battery as skoda india has not approved. An 8 month old battery supplied by skoda india goes defunct, then there is something seriously wrong.

Why am i to be held at ransom like this? I am in the midst of a working day, now i am wasting my time over less than mediocre service with an international auto brand and its appointed sub-standard service centre.

I trust three serious issue will be addressed by you kind sir.
• the battery, why this should be happening into something which you supplied 8 months ago
• the poor quality of after-sales service, the obnoxiously rude individuals are not held accountable
• why skoda india has not called me back neither provided me an adequate solution despite 4 calls to[protected] on my complaint (Spl118996)

Looking forward to hearing from you with a prompt solution, as my car is still standing dead in the sewri workshop.

Post this i got a call from vikram swaroop - west manager for after-sales service and he told me to go buy an exide battery. To which i put the answer and conversation on record


Dear mr. Swaroop,
Thank you for your call.

Unfortunately, we are yet on a stalemate situation on the battery.

If you say that that battery’s warranty (Supplied by skoda india) starts from the time of import (1 year) and the battery itself has a shelf life due to all batteries by nature having a self-discharge/life

• then the battery provided to me 8 months ago could be way older than a year. If so, and the warranty standing a year from the date of import, this could very well be a situation where a component was intentionally supplied despite knowing of its nature of giving away
• your advice of me taking a exide battery (Longer warranty) should come as a future cautionary advice from your end, not at a time where my car is dead. Service ethics and in general good business demands that you ‘stand responsible’ change my battery and then advice me for the future to go and buy an exide battery.

My good sir, if this was the case when i first went through the problem within 1.5yrs of me buying the car, why was the company not transparent in conveying me all what you brought to my attention. (All my details are in the draft which i addressed to mr. Borkar, below).

For me to spend my own money on a new battery, i would be most willing. What i feel out of this situation is cheated and frankly a bit harassed.

Do advise me to what stance does skoda india wishes to take on this please. My car is still lying dead at the service centre and hopefully i would like to go home in the evening in my own car.

I thank you for your time and patience gentlemen. Have a good day.


I received a reply from swaroop below

Dear mr. Mody

Thank you for writing to us.

Vehicle warranty is for 2 years or unlimited km whichever is earlier from the date of sale.

Since vehicle is out warranty we cannot support with new battery under warranty.

We request your understanding on the above and not to carry any apprehension in regard to your product and services.


Regards
Vikram swaroop
Regional service manager-west