[alpha1]

How could any manufacturer offer warranty for products that have undergone accident?
Can you determine with 100% accuracy which all the parts that have been affected by accident (perhaps not even visible to eyes)?
And do you replace all such parts?

[S.Vats]

Originally Posted by thanixravindran

Hello S.Vats - This is precisely the same delivery note I have signed when I took my Kushaq delivery in Jan 2022 at Chennai. So I don't believe this is done at dealer level. This is very much coming from Skoda itself.

This proves that the delivery note is indeed at the company level and I was lied to my face that this is done at the dealer level. The extent to which Skoda has gone to save their rears is surprising. The dealer hasn’t sent me an updated delivery note till now and I’m assuming that he’ll not ask me to sign it now because I’ve raised an issue at the company level.

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

Just thinking randomly, if an electronic gadget suffers a physical damage due to a drop or whatever, warranty would be void right? Would that same logic be applicable here since an accident is well, a physical damage?

Originally Posted by alpha1

How could any manufacturer offer warranty for products that have undergone accident?
Can you determine with 100% accuracy which all the parts that have been affected by accident (perhaps not even visible to eyes)?
And do you replace all such parts?

Here’s what I think. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
Warranty does not cover accidents anyway, we have insurance for that. But it covers manufacturing defects or any part that malfunctions prematurely.
Taking the example of an electronic device, if it suffers any damage, the damaged part would be replaced at my cost and the warranty remains intact. Similarly, if a car, under warranty, meets with an accident in which, say, the rear bumper, the tailgate and the tail light is damaged and needs replacing. Now, the company would thoroughly check if anything else is damaged, replace those parts, through insurance or whatever, and the warranty again remains intact.
One cannot drive on Indian roads without facing any accidents and I find it absurd that warranty should get “nullified” because of it. Unless, of course, the car is completely wrecked.
I feel that mentioning only accident is very vague and in no circumstance should be mentioned in the delivery note.

[poloman]

Originally Posted by S.Vats

One cannot drive on Indian roads without facing any accidents and I find it absurd that warranty should get “nullified” because of it. Unless, of course, the car is completely wrecked.
I feel that mentioning only accident is very vague and in no circumstance should be mentioned in the delivery note.

It is clear that the company is not mentioning about superficial accidents which require denting or painting of a panel. If so, no one will be able to make any warranty claims in our cities.

In major accidents, there may be so many undiagnosed issues which may not be repaired with insurance cover. If there is a bent chassis or such severe issues, the car will never run like earlier and many parts can fail later due to stress from accident and other related causes. The same reason why people advise to dispose the car after major accidents. Why should warranty cover such expenses once the factory integrity is compromised?

[arun_josie]

Isn't there a similar condition for mobile phones as well?!. 4 years back when I had a battery issue with my mobile phone (Motorola), warranty was denied because it had a scratch and they considered it as a physical damage. I escalated it to higher management but in vain. So, I had to pay for battery eventhough it was just 4 months from the purchase date.

[Scorpio80]

Just realized that this was in the delivery note for the delivery I took in Mumbai in Dec 2020. Didn't realize it then.

For folks who did not notice this, what are the next steps?

[adisan]

Originally Posted by S.Vats

Spoke to Skoda directly about this and they agreed that none of it should be mentioned in the delivery note.

Is the concern about the delivery note or about warranty being voided after an accident? If it is the latter, it sounds reasonable that the OEM cannot offer warranty on parts that malfunction as a result of an accident.

[r24x7]

Originally Posted by adisan

Is the concern about the delivery note or about warranty being voided after an accident? If it is the latter, it sounds reasonable that the OEM cannot offer warranty on parts that malfunction as a result of an accident.

Well I think it's pretty obvious that the manufacturer need not cover replacement of parts that failed due to an accident.

The question arises when after a car is fixed at owners cost for all needed replacements , then on warranty should remain intact until end of agreed warranty period.

If the warranty is nullified regardless , then why bother getting it repaired / serviced at the authorised center anymore? I'd rather start visiting an FNG where fixing would be way more economical.( Now that vehicle is no longer under warranty)

[reinhardt93]

This is strange. I've never seen such clauses before. I remember when my mom's Mitsubishi Nativa had a minor collision as someone had backed into her right hand door. They had to get the entire door replaced but her warranty was still in tact.

Maybe this clause could be in cases where there is a major accident such as a rollover or where the chassis of the car is affected.

[H_Dogg72]

Have claimed insurance every year for the past 8 years and had no problem with any warranty claim on my VW or Hyundai. All repairs were done at the dealership. If they can’t warranty repairs done at their dealer, they should shut down operations.

[fazayal]

If it is established that part has failed due to an accident or physical damage, OEM can refuse warranty. Also, they can technically refuse warranty on parts changed after an accident.

[r24x7]

Originally Posted by fazayal

Also, they can technically refuse warranty on parts changed after an accident.

Just a thought that struck me.

Doesn't this forfeit the very reason why someone would want to stick with authorised service centre for an after accident repair work of their still in-warranty vehicle? ( Assuming they do have a very reliable FNG known to them )

[Guna]

It is understandable that if the car meets with an accident and the repair is carried out at a non-authorised service center, the warranty goes void. But if the repair is carried out at an authorised service center, they are supposed to bring it back to the original stock condition. How can they not honor the warranty then?

[fazayal]

Originally Posted by r24x7

Just a thought that struck me.

Doesn't this forfeit the very reason why someone would want to stick with authorised service centre for an after accident repair work of their still in-warranty vehicle? ( Assuming they do have a very reliable FNG known to them )

Originally Posted by Guna

It is understandable that if the car meets with an accident and the repair is carried out at a non-authorised service center, the warranty goes void. But if the repair is carried out at an authorised service center, they are supposed to bring it back to the original stock condition. How can they not honor the warranty then?

Take an example of a laptop. Imagine your laptop got damaged after falling from your hands. You got the damaged part repaired at an authorised service centre, would standard warranty of your laptop be applicable for the damaged parts? It won't be.

Same is the case with car. The standard warranty would definitely be applicable on unaffected parts after the accident. However, OEM would be within their rights to refuse standard warranty on replaced parts. Spare parts warranty would still be applicable though.

All said and done, with my experience in four wheeler industry, I can say with confidence that warranties are given very liberally to the customers and rarely such disputes arrive. Even dealership warranty manager is empowered to take a call on small value parts themselves and OEM gets involved only for high value parts. I doubt if such liberal warranties are given in any other industry (mobile handsets, White goods, electronic items etc).

I was only talking about the technicalities of warranty terms and conditions.

[adisan]

Originally Posted by r24x7

If the warranty is nullified regardless , then why bother getting it repaired / serviced at the authorised center anymore? I'd rather start visiting an FNG where fixing would be way more economical.

After an accident, it would be best to go to the ASC to ensure that the vehicle remains as reliable and safe as possible.

Even for regular maintenance and running repairs, visiting the ASC gives better results. Alternatively one can source original spares, recommended lubricants etc and go to an FNG for labour.

For tinkering and painting works on minor dents, FNG would be better and more economical.

[Guna]

Originally Posted by fazayal

Take an example of a laptop. Imagine your laptop got damaged after falling from your hands. You got the damaged part repaired at an authorised service centre, would standard warranty of your laptop be applicable for the damaged parts? It won't be.

I don't have a first hand experience but I assume that the damaged part (ex: screen), now replaced with brand new part would carry a fresh 1 year (or whatever applicable) warranty while the rest of the laptop would carry the remaining part of the original warranty (ex: 9 of 12 months).