[Resolved]  Tata Motors — RUSTING OF MUFFLER - TATA INDICA - WITHIN 11500 KM

21-01-10


To

Mr. Ratan Tata
Chairman
Tata Motors and Tata Sons
Mumbai

Sub: Customer Complaint:Jobcard no JC -CcdHyd-SN[protected]

Ref: My tata Indica GLS Petrol – Reg. No AP9BL 2610. My communication with concorde Motors and Tata Service Manager.
Date of purchase: 22 Sep 07 Km clocked: 11293 KM

Dear Sir

I didn’t want to take a customer complaint to your level. But I seen in news papers u wanted to take TATA MOTORS to a new level where u want to sell “TATA cars” in Europe and U.S. and I thought it will be a great input for you if I can give some inputs on the “part quality level” of your Product. Pls. Note I’m also basically from automotive background and worked for Honda Motorcycles and TVS Suzuki for 10 years in Vendor development.

I was noticing some disturbing noise for more than a month in my car when I started my engine. I taken my vehicle to the dealership. Technicians found that it was a problem due to exhaust leakage. When they analyzed why exhaust leakage was happening, it was due to rusting of the complete exhaust. I taken photographs with my mobile phone and I was shocked to see the exhaust system completely rusted.

My vehicle is covered under extended warranty and I thought I can replace my muffler under extended warranty. I approached the extended warranty division of the dealership and they refused to entertain the extended warranty claim for the muffler telling me that “muffler not covered under extended warranty”

I was surprised to hear this. If a non moving, mechanical part like muffler not covered under extended warranty, why should a customer take extended warranty?. The extended warranty is provided by a third party insurance agency which is getting paid from customer.

“Is the occurrence data of the muffler warranty is so bad that no insurance agency wants to take claim of tata vehicles ???”.

It is a big question mark on product reliability and durability

In fact I checked with other vehicle dealerships and they are covering exhaust system under extended warranty. Is tata’s quality is so bad ? or your sales guys not negotiated deal with the III party agency properly ?

I then written to the dealership and dealership in turn taken up this issue with the regional manager ( Mr. Sunil Reddy) and finally what I’m getting is Rs. 2000 + labour as a goodwill claim.

I’ve to spend 3000 Rs. From my pocket because of the substandard quality of your product

I have some basic questions which I feel u can only answer ( your service people / regional manager not able to answer):

• I have Maruti 800 vehicle. I ‘m using for 6 years . Why exhaust system not rusted even after 6 years for that low end car ?
• Hyderabad is a place where there is no sea breeze also. So no environmental condition for rusting
• If you see except muffler, other parts are not rusted. How is it. ? I know you will be buying this exhaust system from suppliers like JBM / any body…… Can’t u take it up strongly with supplier about this product / process defect ? Why customers are getting Penalized.?
• If you feel that exhaust system of Euro III / IV will have more water clogging, then u should’ve designed a muffler coated either with heat resistant powder coating or a stainless steel parts so that u take care of design faults also.
• My point of view is this unfortunate thing which has happened to me should not happen to other customers.
• I will be needing a good reply from you how u are going to correct your internal process and product so that no other customer is suffering like me
• If you’re not able to take this complaint seriously, I’m very sure that your dream of capturing Europe and U.S. Market will remain as a dream forever and even centuries later also Indian manufacturers will not be able to compete for international quality.

With regards
c.srikrishna
[protected]