topic Re: Car problem rant in Community Chat

Car problem rant

september — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 02:55:26 GMT

Most of my afternoon today was spent dealing with an unexpected car problem with my 2015 suv that has just over 25,000 miles on it. I just had a major servicing done last month and thought all was well.

I have short legs so use the electronic seat adjuster to move the driver seat back and forth when I get into and out of the car.

When I tried to move the seat to drive home after lunch today, the seat wouldn't move forward. I drove home with my leg stretched out to its limit.

I got home and started playing with the seat while checking underneath to see if anything was jamming it from below. Then the seat got stuck in the most forward position possible! I'm not so short that this would be okay with me.

I called the dealer and got a snotty response from the receptionist, telling me that they had no openings until the 22nd of the month, but I could have the car towed there and they would try to fit me in when they could.

I called a local service station and the manager told me it seemed this was under warranty and I should take it to the dealer.

I got in the car and manipulated the height of the seat to the lowest position (that function still worked) and drove to the dealer. My knees were right up against the dashboard, but traffic was light and it didn't take too long for me to get there.

The service manager tried to be helpful, although he said the staff was just about to leave and they couldn't look at it today. He managed to get the seat moved back to where it would be okay for me to drive until they have an opening next week to examine it and find out the issue.

I told him that I've owned cars in the past with electronic seat controls that still worked flawlessly after 10-15 years of use and he said "they just don't make them as well as they used to".

Then he told me that the warranty covered 36 months or 36,000 miles,whichever comes first. I was well under with the mileage but just a few months over with the 3 years (bought a 2015 model in 2014)

Have no idea what this will cost! I got the car home and placed duct tape over the seat controls, so I won't inadvertently try to adjust the seat and get it stuck again.

Re: Car problem rant

SeaMaiden — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 03:04:54 GMT

@september Sounds so frustrating! I am glad you got the seat adjusted so at least you can drive it. Hope it is not too expensive to fix☹️

With life it is either car troubles or teeth troubles and expensive to get fixed!

Re: Car problem rant

Zhills — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 03:06:51 GMT

Unbelievable! I just had this happen to my 2010 Lincoln Towncar! Mine got stuck in the "all the way back" position and I couldn't reach the pedals to drive. I was an hour away from home, shopping!

My warranty covered it BUT I was without a car for 2 weeks because it had to be ordered from Lincoln (they do not normally go bad!) and you really don't want to know what it would have cost. The part from a used, wrecked vehicle was several hundred dollars plus labor!

Hope your warranty covers this and you have better luck than I did.

Re: Car problem rant

september — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 03:16:41 GMT

@Zhills. Maybe you should give me an estimate as to what this might cost so I can be prepared!

I may take it up with the manufacturer over the warranty issue. For the first year I owned this vehicle, I alternated using this one with another car I owned (driving that one most of the time) until I got a good offer on that one. So in my mind, I'm driving a 2 year old car. Too soon to be having problems like this.

Re: Car problem rant

NorthernLights — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 03:20:15 GMT

I'm kind of glad I have an older v8 suv with low miles. My friend just had to go into the dealership because her suv decided it wanted to be programmed in all french.

Re: Car problem rant

september — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 03:26:52 GMT

@NorthernLights wrote:
I'm kind of glad I have an older v8 suv with low miles. My friend just had to go into the dealership because her suv decided it wanted to be programmed in all french.

Lol! I'd be okay with that and would even enjoy it. My GPS uses an Aussie voice, and well as lingo. It's kind of fun!

Re: Car problem rant

NorthernLights — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 03:28:48 GMT

@september wrote:
@NorthernLights wrote:
I'm kind of glad I have an older v8 suv with low miles. My friend just had to go into the dealership because her suv decided it wanted to be programmed in all french.

Lol! I'd be okay with that and would even enjoy it. My GPS uses an Aussie voice, and well as lingo. It's kind of fun!

lol, it sounds like fun except that she doesn't speak or read french! I could totally deal with an Aussie or British accent!

Re: Car problem rant

Moonchilde — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 03:39:51 GMT

Bummer, @september :-(

I’m someone who drives low miles, so the months/years thing and whichever comes first is always important to me, and I feel my low mileage puts me at a disadvantage.

When I bought my 2016 car in January of 2017, it was my first new car in almost 16 years, and I knew it would be my last car - certainly my last new car. I have a Hyundai, and they have 5-10 year warranties (10 yr powertrain) to start with.

I don’t believe in doing this, never have before, but I bought the “for as long as you’re driving your car” extended every-inch warranty on the new car, just because being on SS, I will not be needing any expensive car repair surprises several years from now, and won’t have to deal with “oops, sorry, you’re just outside warranty” thing. It was a ridiculous amount of $$ but at my age and for as long as I expect to keep driving the car, I felt it was worth the piece of mind; kind of like paying for repairs in advance :-(

Now watch - nothing will go wrong with this car....

Re: Car problem rant

september — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 03:47:27 GMT

@Moonchilde. A friend of mine bought one of those warranties for her Ford Escape, then decided she needed a slightly bigger vehicle. But she's keeping that one, just lets various family members drive it at times, because it's running so well and she doesn't want to lose out on that deal.

Re: Car problem rant

Carmie — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 04:33:34 GMT

It could just be a fuse that needs replaced. Look in your owners manual to see where the fuses are located. they are usually under the front dash by the drivers door, but could be under a console or seat.

Buy a a pack of fuses from Auto Zone and see if that works. It’s as easy as replacing a battery in a toy.

it can’t hurt to try. It’s happened to me a few times and now I keep extra fuses handy.

If it’s not the fuse, it’s probably the switch.

Re: Car problem rant

september — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 04:54:49 GMT

@Carmie wrote:

It could just be a fuse that needs replaced. Look in your owners manual to see where the fuses are located. they are usually under the front dash by the drivers door, but could be under a console or seat.

Buy a a pack of fuses from Auto Zone and see if that works. It’s as easy as replacing a battery in a toy.

it can’t hurt to try. It’s happened to me a few times and now I keep extra fuses handy.

If it’s not the fuse, it’s probably the switch.

Hmm...thanks for some new thoughts on this. I would hope it's something easy, but the service Manager as well as the local mechanic ( who didn't inspect the car, just talked to him on the phone) thought a motorized part needed replacing. I have a few more days ( until Tues) to look at this more, on my own.

Re: Car problem rant

CelticCrafter — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 10:50:16 GMT

We had a Mitsubishi, we were out on a Saturday night when the rear passenger window decided to roll itself down. I thought my husband had opened it, so when were getting out I asked him if he was going to close the window.

The mechanism had gone bad, it being the weekend, we were able to tape plastic over it until our mechanic was able to get the part.

A few years later it happened with the drivers side window. We couldn't tape plastic over that, our mechanic was able to get it back up for me until that part came in but in the meantime, I had to put tape over the up/down buttons so I wouldn't forget and open it.

Re: Car problem rant

ID2 — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 11:01:42 GMT

I've been driving my car for 8 years and haven't moved my seat once! Every single day use could make it break. Why not just set it and leave it?

Re: Car problem rant

CelticCrafter — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 12:13:47 GMT

@ID2 wrote:
I've been driving my car for 8 years and haven't moved my seat once! Every single day use could make it break. Why not just set it and leave it?

One car, two drivers. I have short legs, he does not.....

Re: Car problem rant

Blingqueen023 — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 12:21:01 GMT

Doesn't anybody take out extended warranties anymore? Heck, my new Camry is warranted for just about life with no deductible and covers everything on the car. It's well worth the money spent when purchasing a vehicle. Just to replace a strut is 1500 dollars and when I needed one on one of my Camry's at 90,000 miles it was covered 100 percent.

Re: Car problem rant

Imaoldhippie — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 12:35:45 GMT

If it were me I would contact the car manufacturer, explaining just as you did here and see what they have to say about it.

Re: Car problem rant

Financialgrl — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 14:42:25 GMT

I hear ya - I'm short too and I adjust the seat and leave it and don;t touch it., ever. This is problem I have when I get the car serviced and someone messes with the adjustment.

They have to be the ones that drive it into the bays and I understand that and I'm symathetic to the fact that for them to use those adjustments means their knees are up around their chins - but in past cars I had a "set" button that allowed me to push for the adjustments set just for me but this one doesn't.!

Re: Car problem rant

Zhills — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 14:51:03 GMT

@september wrote:
@Zhills. Maybe you should give me an estimate as to what this might cost so I can be prepared!

I may take it up with the manufacturer over the warranty issue. For the first year I owned this vehicle, I alternated using this one with another car I owned (driving that one most of the time) until I got a good offer on that one. So in my mind, I'm driving a 2 year old car. Too soon to be having problems like this.

Don't know what you drive buy my rails and motor are one unit in the Lincoln. My seat moves everytime you get out of the car or into the car.

If it makes a noise it should not be a fuse.

My part was over $500. Hope that is not the case with you. Warranty should cover it. It is something that just doesn't break! None in stock anywhere!

Re: Car problem rant

Silver Lining — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 15:07:21 GMT

I bought a Hyundai Santa Fe Limited that was about a year old, Certified Pre-Owned, fourteen thousand miles. I would have been very happy with it except things constantly went wrong. Some of them were relatively minor, but still a hassle to get fixed. Several were major, dangerous things. The final straw was when the drive train went bad. That is never supposed to happen, hence the hundred thousand mile warranty.

I have the prettiest little Mazda Millenia, pearlized white with British leather interior. It is loaded with electronic features that could malfunction. I have had that car for ages and it has never given me even one minute of trouble. Dealerships and practically everyone who sees it ask to buy it from me because it is so neat and no longer manufactured. I drove it when the Hyundai was in the shop, which the last time was for three weeks. It was a constant battle with them. I finally had to demand they finish the work and return it to me.

I sold that Santa Fe to an individual with full disclosure of the repairs. No problem, they are very popular. I bought a Honda CR-V EX-L......love, love, love it plus the salesman was no pressure, honest, fair and helpful. He sent me an owner anniversary e-card recently but knows I am finished buying vehicles and probably won't ever sell my Mazda (she's like family to me).

Re: Car problem rant

Ainhisg — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 17:58:43 GMT

I feel for you. I am tired of having things go wrong on new vehicles that maybe aren't major...but are definitely annoying! I have a 2016 Ford Explorer, and if it gets wet "sideways" like from a carwash or if it's sitting out in the drive and the sprinklers come on and hit it...I never know what it will do. Often times, the front sensors will go off when I come to a stoplight even if I'm many feet away from the vehicle in front of me. And it especially does it if it's a Ford that's in front of me. Once things dry out, it is fine.

The most recent (and most annoying of all) incident happened at the car wash. I was manually washing my car, and my purse and keys were inside. All of a sudden, my side mirrors folded in, which is what it does when I lock the car from the outside. I tested the handle, and yup...sure enough...I was locked out of my vehicle. I had to borrow a phone from a man who was vacuuming his car and call my husband to bring the extra set of keys. I had never bothered setting the keypad on the outside of the vehicle, because why in the heck would I need that? I always have my keys with me. HA! You can bet the first thing I did was set the keypad when I got home and then search online for what was going on. Sure enough...many, many posts on the Ford forums about this vehicle doing both of these things when it gets wet from a car wash or from the side. Nothing they can do about it. This is my second Explorer, and the one before this one did not do these things. I trade every three years, so I will get rid of it in 2019...hope the next one doesn't have this problem or one that is worse! I truly do love the Explorers...so much room, solidly built, and a good value for the money...