[GTO]

Sucks to hear about your predicament, bud. This is not something any customer should go through, whether he spends 20 lakhs on a car or 20 grand on a smartphone. Very sad.

You basically have two options:

- Sell the car. The used car market is hot right now and Tata has steadily increased Harrier prices. A diesel SUV in a hot used car market will fetch a good price. You could sell it and do a lateral upgrade. Meaning, sell used and buy used to lessen the depreciation blow. Because you loved the Innova Crysta so much, you should just get a pre-owned Innova Crysta 2.8L AT. It is a phenomenal van, premium enough, fast and reliable. It's so competent that Toyota discontinued the 2.8L AT variant as it was eating up the Fortuner's sales. Other than butch styling & 4x4, I consider it to be a superior car to the Fortuner.

- Or you can get the car fixed from a competent independent workshop. Your Tata dealer seems to be useless. Problem is, the early Harriers were very unsorted machines. If you have faced so many problems in just 30000 km, who is to say what will happen by the time you get to 75,000 km...or 100,000. How many more breakdowns can you handle? Expect a lot of time, effort & frustration in owning this car long-term. Our Tata Indigo was the same; too many problems & was falling apart by 40000 km. Didn't have the time or patience, so we just sold it.

@ BHPians, please, please, please adhere to the below advice:

Originally Posted by GTO

1. NEVER buy a fresh new model in the first year of production. Wait for 1 - 2 years. In fact, I usually buy cars from even later model years (C220 was after 5 years of model production but the fresh C180 was problematic, Civic was 4 years, 5-Series was ~4 years, Superb was 5 years). The more you wait for the model to mature, the better its reliability will be. Wait for the carmaker to sort out issues.

Manufacturers can do all the testing they want, but the real testing only happens with real-world diverse ownership experiences. No OEM can simulate actual ownership & driving conditions. All manufacturers suffer teething issues - we saw it with the mighty Toyota Innova too. Anyone who is buying a 2021 XUV700 laden with complex electronics = all I can say is, "my best wishes" to you, and "thank you" for volunteering as a beta tester for the rest of us. Ditto for all the new Skoda Kushaq owners who are having nightmares of their own.

2. Even after the model has been in production, be sure to read ownership reviews on Team-BHP. E.g. the Harrier has been around for 2+ years now, but it's still far from niggle-free (ditto for the Safari). On the other hand, there are several ownership reports of car models that have been delivering excellent reliability. Invest some time in research; every hour you spend reading ownership reports could save you 10 (hours) in the longer run.

[pradheepsr]

I will always go by your mantra “ never buy a new product atleast within the first year of its launch”
It makes a lot of sense and have been following it since we got the 1st edition of the Indica, we had to go through a lot with it.
But sadly though, the Harrier is well over 2 years and a bit in to it’s life cycle and worrying to see owners still facing niggles. I feel the issues are partly accentuated by the pathetic ASS in various cities.
Hope a V2 version of the harrier/safari comes out soon just like it did for the Indica years ago. Otherwise the Koreans and Chinese will take over the market share.

PS : I did get myself the Innova crysta recently after having considered the Tata safari. Now I don’t regret one bit.

[Kosfactor]

My take is this.

IF this vehicle can be fixed to a degree that it won't leave you on the side of the road - Keep it till warranty / EMI lasts and then it is someone else's problem.

IF this doesn't give you the confidence to go places, please think of replacing it at the earliest.

[Livnletcarsliv]

Originally Posted by shancz

- Was the angle of battery acid damage probed and struck off ?
- The melted scar marks suggest its rubbing/touching against something hot, I don't think its plastic.
- Did the protective sheath they put on the line also rupture ? Can you share the pics ?
- Was the sheath made of metal or just usual plastic/rubber ?
- Try wrapping the impact area on the line with layers of
- Ask the SC/TML if they can use the aluminium tape or install some mounting/hook which can hold the line in place and prevent it from vibrating/rubbing against other components.
- The whitish stuff in the blue circles, is due to battery acid corrosion or something else ?
- The red rectangle shows the impact area and the pattern to me shows either chemical corrosion or proximity(may not be a contact) with a hot surface.
- the orange rectangle shows some pinch marks not sure if they are due to routing or happened while taking out the line.

- The battery acid leakage was not there during the first two times. It happened only this time. So I am sure it was due to poor service quality and process - the SC to be blamed for it.
- They did not provide the protective sheath during the first two times. This time they did (metal pipe). And the most important point to be noted this time is that the location of the cut is different (the last two times were at the same point). So only time will tell.
- The acid spillage and the damage happened only during this time. I don't think this is an acid spillage issue coz the location of the cut is nowhere in the reach of the acid itself. This is purely a rub and rupture issue.

Originally Posted by GTO

Because you loved the Innova Crysta so much, you should just get a pre-owned Innova Crysta .
- Or you can get the car fixed from a competent independent workshop. Your Tata dealer seems to be useless. Problem is, the early Harriers were very unsorted machines. Our Tata Indigo was the same; too many problems & was falling apart by 40000 km. Didn't have the time or patience, so we just sold it.

I like the Innova but I don't love it. My heart never accepted Innova, neither will it. But my head is trying to convince my heart. As usual, head vs heart war. As mentioned, I am not a fan of Innova for these reasons - looks, size, and most importantly it's not an enthusiast/driver's car.

Originally Posted by pradheepsr

But sadly though, the Harrier is well over 2 years and a bit in to it’s life cycle and worrying to see owners still facing niggles. I feel the issues are partly accentuated by the pathetic ASS in various cities.
Hope a V2 version of the harrier/safari comes out soon just like it did for the Indica years ago. Otherwise the Koreans and Chinese will take over the market share.

PS : I did get myself the Innova crysta recently after having considered the Tata safari. Now I don’t regret one bit.

As you rightly said, it's been close to 3 years now, and still, Harrier is not sorted. And adding to the woes of the customers is the launch of Safari which is just a Harrier with a 3rd-row extension with minor modifications. It is really frustrating and depressing to the attitude of Tata. Happy and good for you (in all sense) that you chose Crysta over Safari - Safari over and above the reliability issues, is too expensive, and doesn't justify the price at all.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by Livnletcarsliv

I took delivery of the car on 10 Jan 2020.
Done 32K on the ODO so far.

Now, here goes the list of my bad experience with Tata. [/list][*]These are replaced in my car so far - My timing belt, belt tensioner (twice), A-mount, full steering column, etc.[*]Now my clutch pedal is dead AGAIN while driving (for the third time). And it is the same issue of clutch fluid/oil hose cut[list=1][*]I was struck in the middle of the road AGAIN with my family. This is going endless.

I need your suggestions/advice/recommendations for two of my stresses.[list=1][*]Should I continue with my car or should I sell it immediately?[*]If I have to sell it, my concern is what should I buy that will be my only car (Budget around 25-26 lakhs). The following are the only options available[list=1]

Firstly, you clearly clock a lot of mileage, so reliability is paramount.

I would say before this depreciates anymore, sell it ASAP. There is no point constantly having doubt and issues in your mind every time you are on the road. Also, while your running is high, these are not par for course failures.

Secondly, I would suggest going in for the Innova Crysta. It will give you a hands down predicable and reliable ownership experience. Go for a pre owned if budget concerns or alternately consider a new one at whatever variant fits the budget. That car will clock 150,000 kms plus easily and will give you complete peace of mind and reliable ownership experience, which is what someone with your kind of mileage needs.

[shancz]

Originally Posted by Livnletcarsliv

- The battery acid leakage was not there during the first two times. It happened only this time. So I am sure it was due to poor service quality and process - the SC to be blamed for it.

- They did not provide the protective sheath during the first two times. This time they did (metal pipe). And the most important point to be noted this time is that the location of the cut is different (the last two times were at the same point). So only time will tell.

- Has happened to me as well.

- Like you said this proves its an abrasion cut due to faulty routing. They can cover the entire thing in a metal sheath/tape but that will just delay the issue not solve it.

Understand that you're done chasing after TML and if you've decided on it then sell it off, BS4 diesels would be in high demand.

Then comes your question, what next ?
Discounting 700 as a new vehicle and sourcing from your initial post and your heart not allowing the Crysta, the only remaining contender is Creta. Try some other dealer if possible.
Probably re-visit your needs and options ?

[Indian2003]

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

Your car has turned out to be a lemon. That’s a hard pill to swallow, but that needs to be done. Sell it off as soon as you can for whatever money you can.

This is selling your problems over to an unsuspecting buyer. I hope that you expected him to give the full story to a new buyer so that he can decide if he is willing to take the risk.

My car after a fire swallowed petrol, about 2.5 liters for 10 kilometers. When I tried to sell the car nobody wanted it. Many people asked me not to tell and a young couple with a small child came to see the car. They were buying their first car. They liked it and just before we sealed the deal, I asked them not to buy the car.

Finally I scrapped it

[shancz]

Originally Posted by Indian2003

They were buying their first car. They liked it and just before we sealed the deal, I asked them not to buy the car.

Good One

That's the dilemma, I had scrapped my Dad's scooter after concluding that it was a safety hazard but nothing close to what you did.

In case of the OP he can get it repaired and personally sell informing the buyer of the issue and fix or exchange.
Exchange is a grey area though. We had exchanged our old car and got scrap value, the dealer told that they would send it to be "cut" but as it later emerged that it was sold.

Just eases a lot of headache in a sea of grey areas.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Originally Posted by Indian2003

This is selling your problems over to an unsuspecting buyer. I hope that you expected him to give the full story to a new buyer so that he can decide if he is willing to take the risk.

It is the OP’s personal decision if he wants to disclose the car’s history openly to a direct customer. For what it is worth, the car is still in warranty. Any casual glance at the car’s service record will anyway reveal its entire ordeal in full detail. Nobody buys a pre owned premium car unsuspectingly, certainly not a Tata. OP may sell it to a dealer. How that dealer sells the car later on is not his prerogative.

If I were him, I would have explored the idea of selling it off at the dealership itself, exchanging it for a new Harrier automatic or Safari. I would have tried to get Tata Motors involved to sweeten the deal a bit, based on case history and loyalty.

[Livnletcarsliv]

Originally Posted by Indian2003

This is selling your problems over to an unsuspecting buyer. I hope that you expected him to give the full story to a new buyer so that he can decide if he is willing to take the risk.

My car after a fire swallowed petrol, about 2.5 liters for 10 kilometers. When I tried to sell the car nobody wanted it. Many people asked me not to tell and a young couple with a small child came to see the car. They were buying their first car. They liked it and just before we sealed the deal, I asked them not to buy the car.

Finally I scrapped it

It's a buyer's process & responsibility to evaluate a car. And this is not a safety hazard/life-threatening issue that I will be hiding from the buyer. And, it is always the seller who is on the upper hand compared to the buyer in any used car transaction globally.

Tata did not tell me that I will be facing all these problems when I bought this car. Who knows, the buyer (if I decide to sell it) may never ever encounter this problem at all.

And the most important point here is that my frustration or anger is not with the product (Harrier) itself. Instead with the brand and the attitude of the brand.

[shancz]

Originally Posted by Livnletcarsliv

And the most important point here is that my frustration or anger is not with the product (Harrier) itself. Instead with the brand and the attitude of the brand.

Ignore if already answered but have you tried some other SC as well ?
Maybe that SC is just making things worse ?

Either way do try the Aluminium Tape solution if feasible, have the SC do it and if you're still interested.
While not to forget that as a customer you shouldn't have been going through this in the first place.

PS : Still baffled as to how such a simple looking issue has been dragging on for so long !
If I was around I would've dropped in to see it for real.

[karanddd]

Originally Posted by Hayek

You have driven 32,000 kms with this car. It surely can’t be that it keeps breaking down all the time. As I have said on some other threads, expecting cars to never break down in our road conditions, with the kind of rampant fuel adulteration that takes place is not reasonable.

Between friends and family, just off the top of my head I think I know more than 10 people with Altos/Swifts/Dzires etc. who've literally never had a breakdown, irrespective of where they've gone and what sort of fuel they've used. They are normal people who get their cars serviced once a year and don't take any other preventative measures, no underbody rust coating or paint protection or extended warranty or anything else. I don't think any of them even believe that it's possible to just have a breakdown whilst driving, that's the level of their lack of anxiety about this kind of thing. It's probably not even the downtime or cost due to breakdowns, but the constant anxiety of not knowing when and where it's going to happen, whether you're going to be with your family or kids or something. It's ridiculous in my opinion to rationalise it by saying it only happens sometimes and one must learn to live with it. OP's frustration is very valid and what carmakers today are doing is inexcusable. Skodas breaking down due to EPC, Tatas for no good reason, new diesel cars due to to DPF. When you cannot even be sure that your car will get you there or not, you're not gonna want take a road trip in it I don't think. This is why it comes as no surprise to me when month after month 8 or 9 out of the top 10 cars sold are Suzukis. And it's a fact that makes glad, as ordinary people can at least buy some car they can just fill and forget and not have it become a massive headache.

[IshaanIan]

1st gen Tata products are usually a no no for me the issues you have faced are quite shocking. One can take the legal route here as well. That said, there are only two ways about this:

1. Either you understand your car better physically see why parts are failing, and more often than not you will be able to then decide if the problem is solvable or not.

2. Sell it and seriously consider a Tuscon.

Originally Posted by Hayek

You are likely to face similar issues with other cars too.

Is this statement derived from any comprehensive personal experience that you can share?

Originally Posted by Hayek

So the choice is clear - do you want to look at the 32,000 km (presumably 500+ hours) of driving time that the car worked or the few occasions when it stranded you on the road. If the former, stick with this car. It has been used A LOT - and so the occasional breakdown should not be a big deal. If you disagree, the Crysta is the car to get.

I honestly do not understand why the car is allowed to breakdown often when it is brand new just because it has driven 32k kms. My WagonR is currently at 2.3 lac kms and has never ever left me stranded. Heck even my 1st gen (infamously unreliable) KTM RC390 has covered nearly 50k kms and has never left me stranded. Infact I am struggling to think of any one I personally know who has experienced a break down in less than a lac kms of driving. This is the 21st century things are no longer glued together and powered by hopes and dreams. Breakdowns I would say is something that can be expected out of cars engineered in the 1980s but not from anything post that period.

[TechSavvy]

I would say find a used Tucson AT. For the amount you sell your harrier you’d get a Tucson AT and since it’s a spacious reliable car which has good performance it’s a win-win

[A_KP]

@Livnletcarsliv, I am also an owner of BS4 2020 XZ. Reading your plight has scared me as well. Request you to please share the following to clear my doubts:

1) What is the date of manufacture of your Harrier?

2) Did you experience a rubbing sensation/noise on clutch pedal while engaging clutch?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
A_KP