Honda — High cost of repairs due to changing entire assembly by Honda Cars

Address:

Honda Cars India Ltd. Customer Relations / Technical Support Centre, Old no 26/New No46, Opp ICICI Bank, Ambattur Industrial Estate, Ambattur, Chennai - 600058

----- Forwarded message -----
From: matthai john
To: Customer Relations
Sent: Friday, 11 December, 2020, 11:00:44 pm IST
Subject: Re: Communication ID: 1-[protected] Kind Attn.: Mr. Matthai John V

Dear Sushil Thakur,

Kindly treat the matter as closed . The information I got was quite different from your reply . It has authenticated the fact " HONDA DOESNT CARE" . I got information that the technical team has opted out of any repairs other than "CHANGE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY RULE " because it is "HONDA" that has made this rule that service agents like Sundaram are forced to follow :-

1) First they are being pulled up By HONDA and reprimanded if minor repairs initiatives are undertaken by them and they cannot give a guarantee.
2) Second in your work schedule contract itself there are no codes for billing such repairs and HONDA is has job codes other than to do a full change charge only . There is no provision to bill such work.

Any other car company, first thing they would have done would be for Honda to inspect the car to see the problem . Thanks for finishing with a mail after a month . thee will be no more correspondence on this complaint as the cause of the issue is clear.

So much for your services. Your feedback mail will be quoted in appropriate forums.

Regards

Matthai John V

On Friday, 11 December, 2020, 10:04:06 am IST, Customer Relations wrote:

Dear Sir,

This is in reference to your trailing communication.

With regards to your concern, we understand our dealership has provided the required detailed explanation for resolution of abnormal noise concern being raised with due consultation from the technical team.

Further, we would like to would like to restate that in order to resolve the abnormal noise concern it is recommended to replace complete rack assembly.
We seek your kind understanding on the above.

Thanking you for patronizing Honda and assuring you best of our Products and service at all times.

Should you have any comments/ questions or queries with us, please do write to us [protected]@hondacarindia.comor call us at [protected] /[protected].

Kind regards,

Sushil Thakur

Regional Manager-Escalations-South 2

Customer Relations Management

Honda Cars India Ltd.

From: matthai john
Sent: 09 December 2020 11:25 AM
To: Customer Relations
Subject: Re: Communication ID: 1-[protected] Kind Attn.: Mr. Matthai John V

Dear Sushil Thakur

Its one month after I got your message " HONDA DOES NOT CARE " ??? for its customers. No reply no feedback ?

The 45, 000 Rs quote for steering assembly change for my BRIO steering slight noise, was too costly .The car has run over 1500 km after quote was given without any major problem. If Honda itself feels that "changing entire assembly" for minor complaints is your policy for Sundaram Motors, So be it .

I give up. I don't expect any further reply after ONE MONTH of writing to you and matter can be closed.

You must have seen it reflect further even in your Nov car sales when others also realize and markets know that maintenance cost is very high .

I will also be informing appropriate social media platforms on of lack of response and customer care on high cost maintenance of Honda cars.

Thank you

Your sincerely

Matthai John V

On Tuesday, 3 November, 2020, 01:44:08 pm IST, Customer Relations wrote:

Dear Sir,

This is in reference to your trailing communication.

At the outset, we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to you.

With regards to your concern, we have taken up the matter with the dealership and are investigating on the matter so that necessary resolution could be provided to you.

We seek your kind understanding on the above.

Thanking you for patronizing Honda and assuring you best of our Products and service at all times.

Should you have any comments/ questions or queries with us, please do write to us [protected]@hondacarindia.comor call us at [protected] /[protected].

Kind regards,

Sushil Thakur

Regional Manager-Escalations-South 2

Customer Relations Management

Honda Cars India Ltd.

From: matthai john


To
Team Customer Relations
Honda Cars India Ltd.

Dear Sir / Madam,

I am sure Customer Relations team of Honda cars have not fully understood the implications of my complaint . I may be forced to pay for changing entire assembly, but HONDA has already spoilt its market name as "a high maintenance cost" cars.

GM did what HONDA is doing and had to close. SCODA made this mistake and are facing the issues. FORD corrected and are improving but HONDA has not understood. This chart explains why my complaint has to be treated seriously.

Inline image

Kindly note the following important points to your senior management.

a) People are today cost conscious and maintenance cost is being considered as a factor for purchase. Honda is loosing market share

b) Being active in Social Media, the common knowledge spreading is " Give a Honda car for service and you will receive a fat bill " . Please study the following big data to understand . Just see the interval gap increase between service increase in number of days from 2018 to 2020 ( till march ). People don't want to send it for service or repair other than free service.

c) Is it a mere coincidence that both HONDA and VOLKSWAGEN which have lost market with high maintenance cost are serviced by Sundaram Honda. ?

d) Study the data on money earned in replaced spare parts sold to market and you will see a big spike in value/ unit of spares sold . When entire assemblies are sold there are many good parts also included as scrap which a servicing agency can take advantage to realize value .

e) Mechanics outside now ask openly do you want to repair with Honda original or "parts from secondary market" with big cost difference.

f) A car repair is a long process as service companies are not keeping even ONE set of spares for regular vehicles . It is a multiple trip and time consuming process for every repair.

g) Because of point "f" above easy way out is CHANGE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY RULE at Sundaram Honda.

My Brio Car TN06J 4065 is running now with a complaint where Sundaram has asked for Rs 45, 000 to change entire steering assembly, and after spending Rs 25, 000 for changing entire front suspension. Above for your information only.

Regards

Matthai John V
[protected]

----- Forwarded message -----
From: Customer Relations
To: matthai john
Cc: [protected]@sundarammotors.com ; honsermgr_chn
Sent: Friday, 30 October, 2020, 03:12:35 pm IST
Subject: Acknowledgement: Communication ID: 1-[protected] Kind Attn.: Mr/Ms. Matthai John V

Dear Mr/Ms. Matthai John V,

Thank you for writing to us, we acknowledge your trailing E-mail.

Your communication has been registered with HCIL, and a unique Communication ID as mentioned in the subject field has been generated.

We are forwarding your details to the concerned teams for necessary action. In the meanwhile, we solicit your kind cooperation.

You may kindly write to us by quoting the above mentioned communication ID in case you have any further query about your trailing concern. We assure you of our sincere endeavor to achieve your satisfaction.

Assuring you of our best services at all times.

Kind regards,

Team Customer Relations
Honda Cars India Ltd.


================================================

Our email response Timings- 09:00 AM to 05:30 PM – Monday to Friday.

In case you need any urgent support, we request to please contact our 24X7 support at[protected] or[protected]

================================================

From: matthai john
Sent: 30 October 2020 03:00 PM
To: honsermgr_chn
Cc: [protected]@sundarammotors.com ; PSiworkshoplive ; honbusshead_chn ; Customer Relations
Subject: Oct 30th Meeting on Complaint. SERVICE QUALITY DETERIORATION AT SUNDARAM HONDA AnnaSalai... ref HONDA BRIO TN06J 4065

To
Sundaram Honda,
Anna Salai,

Dear Sir,

Today Mr R Kannan Service Manager was kind enough to call for a review and to explain the issues . Kindly treat the matter as closed as following statements explain matters which the concerned technical people can understand.:-

a) The initial Steering noise complaint could have been because of the suspension or steering .
So entire suspension was changed at cost of Rs 25, 000. Now that problem is NOT solved we have to see the steering noise .
b) Cant identify specific parts in Steering assembly hence change the entire assembly for Rs 45, 000 and the parts will have to be ordered .
c) In items like the suspension rocker arms the rubbers are all molded with the casting ?, and rubbers alone in suspension cannot be changed and all parts were changed
d) In the suspension parts changed, the shock absorbers were dismantled from the fittings only today to test .Hence was not done earlier as everything was changed.

The complaint as a formality has been completed and thank you for the same. "Change the entire assembly" seems to be a company directive.
Have to live with it and pay for it as a customer.

Thanks and Regards

Matthai John V

On Thursday, 29 October, 2020, 10:33:43 am IST, matthai john wrote:

TO
TVS SUNDARAM Pre Owned Solutions

Dear Sir,

This is to inform you that I have purchased Brio car TN06 J 4065 last month form your Anna salai office. Please read the following letter to TVS Sundaram motors.. They informed that entire suspension has to be changed and after doing that for Rs 25, 000 now they say entire Steering box has to be changed.

Sad to note that though you people inspected and we did test drive the car, such preowned defects recorded in your data was NOT informed. They say your history record showed non original steering and also weak suspension .

I have bough the car on the trust of TVS SUNDARAM motors and as a user these issues were not visible and came after starting to use the vehicle within a week of driving after vehicle insurance was transfer to us.

I raise the issue on two points :-
a) Hiding information known to you during sales .
b) Tendency on part of Sundaram motors to change entire assembly without even checking if suspension the relevant part that needs change and in ability to find out a problem .

Now that we have bought the car and you collected the feedback on day of sale I cannot come back to you for any redressal. I can only make a request to ask you to

1)CHECK IF THE ENTIRESUSPENSION REALLY NEEDED A CHANGE ? ( the spares are retained with me )

2) TO OPEN THE STEETING AND REPLACE ONLY THE EXACT PART THAT IS CREATING THE PROBLEM . NOW THEY WANT ME TO SPENT ANOTHER 25, 000 for entire steering box assembly

WE hope you can atleast do this as a service for selling a defective preowned car HONDA BRIO TN06J 4065.

I have no other go but to spend the money to keep the car running as there is a steering noise.

Regards

Matthai John
ph [protected]

Sundaram motors is yet to reply to my email as below

----- Forwarded message -----
From: matthai john
To: [protected]@sundarammotors.com
Sent: Thursday, 29 October, 2020, 09:42:49 am IST
Subject: Fw: Renider -1 : SERVICE QUALITY DETERIORATION AT SUNDARAM HONDA AnnaSalai... ref HONDA BRIO TN06J 4065

----- Forwarded message -----
From: matthai john
To: [protected]@sundarammotors.com
Cc: Honda
Sent: Wednesday, 28 October, 2020, 08:13:53 pm IST
Subject: Renider -1 : SERVICE QUALITY DETERIORATION AT SUNDARAM HONDA AnnaSalai... ref HONDA BRIO TN06J 4065

REMINDER _ 1

On Saturday, 24 October, 2020, 02:16:16 pm IST, matthai john wrote:

Dear Sir

I have been a owner of Honda city for last 14 years and the car has been doing well and am a satisfied customer . Car TN01AC0330.

Recently trusting HONDA and the name of Sundaram I bought a USED CAR from Sundaram Honda BRIO car no - TN06J4065 for my daughter Rebecca Mathai in September 2020 on confirmation that car was in good running condition and I purchased the same last month trusting Sundaram.

This week there was severe steering noise and I took the car to your Anna Salai service center. They test drove the car and only said Steering assembly has been replaced by previous owner with non original parts but no complaint was informed. They said noise is because of front suspension. With insistence that performance cannot be guaranteed till all parts including shock absorbers are changed . Hence entire front suspension parts were changed and with other minor other repairs the bill came to Rs 25, 604 . After driving the car outside after repair I called and informed today itself that there was no change to the steering noise and AMOUNT SPENT FOR REPAIR was on wrong diagnosis and now they want to change the STEERING ASEMBLY For another 25, 000. (I must concede that entire front suspension assembly change was done well and fast. )

I am writing this letter to bring to your attention on following aspects.

a) A car owners money does not grow on trees to change entire assembly without even opening and checking the small parts actually required.

b) Sundaram Honda has lost its expertise in Diagnostic capability to find the cause of a simple problem . We went with steering noise and they wanted to change suspension assembly fully. Now when problem is not solved they say change the full Steering assembly for another 25, 000/-

c) Just because you don't keep stock of spares, you don't allow any opening up in your repair shed to check, because it will use up your car park place till parts come. We have to bring the car again on another day after likely parts the advance is paid for and it comes .

d) Sad to note of Serious deterioration in technical capabilities in HONDA CAR repair and unable to identify a problem. An earlier report only said both sides damper bush cute replacement.

e) Fleece customers with entire assembly change costs. Invoice SR[protected] dt 24-10-20.

This was not what SUNDARAM MOTORS was earlier . Disappointed with Sundaram Honda.

Regards

Matthai John Vettath
ph [protected]