Inconsumercomplaints.com » Cars & Transport » Review / complaint: Maruti SX-4 - Defect | News #398351

Maruti SX-4
Defect

Dear All,

Will Maruti recall SX-4 for rectifying software/ ECM Snag?

Severe Manufacturing/ Technical Defects in SX-4 delivered to me on 30.05.2010.

I have experienced a ‘rare problem’ and ‘horrified experience’, which could have resulted ‘fatal’ also with my 3 day old SX-4 (purchased on 30.05.2010).

Just using a brand new SX-4 for about 35 Km in 3 days, on 02.06.2010 on a clear and comfortable stretch/ road, I started getting “un-usual problem” with the vehicle.

1. The vehicle started giving jurks and eventually the engine stopped working.

2. After 2-3 minutes, I started the vehicle and found that the speedometer has started malfunctioning (in ideal condition - randomly it was touching extreme Right).

3. Even in ideal condition (engine on), the “Kilometer counting” kept on increasing.

4. Although I was able to move the vehicle but with full of jurks.

5. Power steering started functioning randomly and I felt that the engine was over heated too.

After encountering above mentioned problem (s), immediately I approached an authorized workshop. For about 3 hours, they tried every thing by changing the speedometer, sensor and even the ECM and reconnecting the harness/ connectors and in between also consulted Maruti’s Territory Service Manager (TSM) for a remedy.

As the problem still persisted, they told me that Maruti people will visit the vehicle in the morning and the wiring of the vehicle also needs to be thoroughly checked to ‘diagnose the problem’ before delivering the perfect vehicle to me and advised to collect the vehicle next day only. The problem (faced by me) was reported to Maruti through e-mail instantly and very next day through a letter delivered at their Delhi office.

Through 1st communication, Maruti’s engineering department told me that the RPM problem has already been solved and when countered that RPM meter was perfectly all right at that time and for RPM related problem, was there a need to change the ECM of the car? Interestingly, by changing sensors, ECM etc the problem was as it is.

Through another communication a day after, they told me that ‘coupler’ has played a villain role in giving the problems, faced by me. If a ‘Coupler’ can create such problem (s), any other thing i.e. functioning of Power windows, Central Locking can also get affected and such a situation could have resulted fatal also.

As I have already faced a ‘rare problem’ (which could have resulted fatal also) in this SX-4 piece (delivered to me) and the type of ‘horrible experience’ I had, and also with the increasing numbers of FIRE cases in cars, I insisted for a written surety/ assurance from Maruti in regards of;

a) That such an incident will not take place in this piece of SX-4.

b) Future safety of occupants from Fire etc in this particular piece of SX-4.

As the vehicle has already been exhaustively experimented, surgeried, test driven for 6-8 days and repaired for the damage which it got at Rana Motors, a request was made to change the vehicle.

Through telephone and e-mail, I was assured that the vehicle has been tested by a team of exports from Maruti and is road worthy. I insisted for an assurance about the Fire etc also. Through subsequent e-mail from Regional Service Manager - Maruti, taking the challengeable excuse of already signed ‘Warranty Terms & Conditions’, my request for change of vehicle was turned down.

After hearing this challengeable verdict, I have taken the ‘under protest’ delivery of the vehicle on 13.06.2010 and a written assurance on fire as well as the safety of occupants in this SX-4 is still to be received from Maruti.

How many users read and understand the ‘Warranty Terms & Conditions’ before signing and taking the delivery of the vehicle? In case of fire or any such fatal happening, can Maruti take such a challengeable excuse and be spared of? Does our constitution permit such ‘one sided warranty terms’?

Fire in cars has become a regular feature now days in India. As reported in many of such fire cases, other gadgets were improperly installed. There are many cases that new car also caught fire. In my particular case – nothing extra was installed and the car was ‘as it is’ as provided/ sold by the car dealer.

Certainly, a coupler can malfunction and ECM/ Software should have taken care of such type of malfunctioning of speedometer, improper functioning of power steering and over heating of car engine. If the ECM/ software is not good enough to take care of/ control the ‘coupler signals’ and this ‘Snag/ Bug in ECM or software’ can lead to a situation/ problem I confronted with, such ‘Snag/ Bug’ could have affected the working of power windows, central locking etc and may have lead to any other untoward happening including FIRE in the car also.

When there are warning signals for many other things, why the ‘coupler malfunctions’ warning is not given to the driver? If the car is experiencing ‘coupler malfunctioning’, why the car is allowed to start by the ECM?

I requested Maruti management that if ECM of present version SX-4 is not managed/ controlled by a ‘proper software’ (which can have such types of basic checks), certainly this type of software requires a re-look in the interest of safety of all users/ occupants of SX-4 (having same software/ ECM).

In the better interest of all SX-4 users/ occupants, I also made a request to recall all SX-4 (having similar ECM/ software) for replacing the defective parts, not only from India from elsewhere also, to overrule any possibility of such ‘rare happening’ which could result fatal also. Even after 12 days of such a request, Maruti has not denied the allegations made by me.

All over the world, the defective cars are being re-called for replacing the defective parts by almost all car producers. Maruti has also recalled its A-Star/ Alto in the Europe recently.

Will Maruti wake-up for the safety of Indian SX-4 users?

Has the challengeable ‘Warranty Terms & Conditions - already signed by a Indian consumers’ not played a vital role again, in giving Maruti Suzuki a ‘questionable right to treat the Indian customers, on its shoe tips’?

Had such an incident reported in US or Europe, what could have been its consequences? Alas, this is a case involving ‘Maruti India’ and has been reported in India.

I would also like to invite your kind attention towards a news item of Times of India (date: 17.06.2010 Page No. 21) titled: ‘Suzuki recalls Vitara in US, not in India’.

This news item point out a steering problem in Vitara (2006 model year onward) and as a result about 47, 000 Vitaras are being called for rectification/ replacing the defective parts from US market. ‘Vehicle sold in India is not affected by this problem’, a statement of Maruti’s spokesman, has been quoted in this report. Has the Vitara sold in India, a different type of steering column?

This report shows, how Maruti – Suzuki treats Indian consumers? When a particular type of vehicle has already been called for rectification of a fault and/or replacing the defective part (s) from US market, why this type of vehicles are not being called from the Indian Market?

Rahul Gupta

158, Munirka Vihar,

New Delhi – 110067

Mobile: 09811071782

E-mail: [email protected]


Company: Maruti SX-4

Country: India   State: Delhi   City: South Delhi

Category: Cars & Transport

0 comments

Information
Only registered users can leave comments.
Please Register on our website, it will take a few seconds.




Quick Registration via social networks:
Login with FacebookLogin with Google