2023 Safari facelift owner disappointed with Tata's aftersales support

I think Tata cars have the potential to be world-class but issues like these are holding them back.

BHPian spaceunicorn recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello everyone,

It's been a while since I've been active on the forum. I've been busy, but my new Safari facelift just hit 5,000 kilometers two weeks ago and everything was running smoothly. However, things went downhill after I updated the software to the January 2024 version last Saturday (March 9th) at an authorised service centre.

Software update issue

Took my Safari to the service centre on Saturday (March 9th) for a software update. After an hour, the service advisor (CSE) falsely claimed the car was ready, despite the infotainment system still showing the outdated October 2023 version. When I questioned this, they initially provided blatantly wrong information, stating the update wasn't for the infotainment system. Fortunately, I confirmed this was absurd through our Safari owner group.

Following my complaint, they finally admitted the update failed and had to resort to a cumbersome workaround. They downloaded the update on a thumb drive and installed it separately for the infotainment system (if their explanation is even accurate). While this eventually resolved the update issue, the entire experience raised serious concerns about their service competence.

New bug

Now, whenever the lane departure warning comes on, the dashboard display automatically switches to the "Driver Assist" menu, regardless of what screen I'm currently on (fuel efficiency, maps, etc.). I've tried restarting and resetting the system to no avail. I mentioned this to the service advisor today, and they simply said it's a bug and to wait for the next software update.

Unresolved existing issues

The FM reception is still poor, and the rear AC can't be switched on from the infotainment system.

Battery draining

After the software update on March 9th, I went for a long drive on Tuesday (March 12th). The car was parked for the rest of the week until Saturday (March 16th). When I tried to start it for a family outing, the battery was completely dead! I called roadside assistance (RSA) and they confirmed a drained battery. They advised me to at least use the car once a week (didn't waste time narrating my trips). Check engine light was lit and I took the car for a drive to ensure the battery was fully charged. Magically the check engine disappeared the next day morning!

Service concerns

No seat cover used - the service technician arrived without a seat cover. This resulted in grease stains on my pristine white interior. Only after raising my voice about this unacceptable carelessness did someone finally bring a seat cover.

Battery checked and concluded no issue

Although they checked the battery health and said it was fine, they couldn't identify the cause of the drain. They suggested it might be a light or accessory left on, but I always use the automatic settings for headlights and wipers. Finally, after removing the engine bay cover (which I wasn't too happy about), they concluded everything looked fine but couldn't pinpoint the cause of the drain.

Overall, I'm quite disappointed with Tata aftersales. They couldn't diagnose the battery drain issue, and the service experience left a lot to be desired. There's a new Tata service provider in town and I'll definitely be considering them if these problems persist.

Tata needs to improve the reliability of their cars and provide more robust service with proper supervision. Their products have the potential to be world-class, but these issues are holding them back.

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