Car problem rant

september · ‎03-09-2010

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.

SeaMaiden · ‎03-10-2010

@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!

Zhills · ‎11-15-2011

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.

september · ‎03-09-2010

@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.

NorthernLights · ‎07-01-2016

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.

september · ‎03-09-2010

@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!

NorthernLights · ‎07-01-2016

@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!

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

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....

Life without Mexican food is no life at all

september · ‎03-09-2010

@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.

Carmie · ‎10-25-2010

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.