Man Who Publicly Destroyed his Jeep,,Jeep wants an apology!!!

[LyleXR8]

A mate at work has a new grand Cherokee, as said its get in the 7s/100 on the highway doing 120, in the 8-9/100 in town on the work and school runs, the v6 diesel destroys his xr6, another workmate has the SRT8 300C and it is a wicked car, interior is better than any ford or Holden offering, and I thought we might have heard from Mr Herrod, he pilots round a SRT Jeep these days

[XW-BAXR6T]

This too big to fail mentality by some big companies is what will be the end of them. Good on to Mr woods i say

[LoudPipes]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/q...-1227354609418

Family’s problem 4wd finally bought back after nine months of company waffle

John Rolfe Public Defender
The Daily Telegraph
May 13, 2015

“THIS is a masters dissertation on how not to handle a problem.”

That’s how former NSW Fair Trading Minister Anthony Roberts sums up the treatment of John and Sandra Jordan, who, as the picture shows, bought a Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit in July 2014 for $80,000 but almost immediately wished they hadn’t.

Now, following my intervention, Jeep will buy back the Jeep in a full refund.

Mr Roberts’ assessment came before that, but after he had tried to help the Jordans, who are friends of his family.

The day after buying the car, the Jordans reported a whirring sound. The dealership said it could be fixed at the 1000km service. But after the service it was still there.

They took it back again in August. And October. It stayed at the dealership for testing into November then went back again in December.

And January, where it’s been ever since. Work on the vehicle has ranged from replacing the windscreen to installing a new cylinder head.

Mr Roberts tried to intervene quite early. He rang Jeep’s then-CEO. He wasn’t trying to apply pressure. Even though his ministerial portfolio is now Resources and Energy, Mr Roberts still considers himself a consumer advocate, and told me that in ringing Jeep’s CEO he was just bringing the Jordans’ treatment to her attention.

Put it in writing, he was told. So he did. He never heard back.

The Fair Trading department got involved in December, but was unable to resolve the matter.

I first spoke to Jeep on Monday night. By lunchtime Tuesday, executives called me back and said Jeep would buy the Jeep. That has since been confirmed with the Jordans.

“We are very grateful for all your help,” Mrs Jordan said yesterday. “Thanks to you we have an excellent result.”

A spokeswoman for Jeep’s parent company, Fiat Chrysler, said: “After a thorough internal investigation we have discovered that, due to a regrettable lack of communication between the dealership and our head office, this customer faced what we consider to be an unreasonable delay in having his vehicle query satisfied.

“Under normal circumstances this would not have been the case, as the vehicle in question required only minor mechanical work carried out under warranty. Customer satisfaction is our number one priority, and we recognise the delay was due to an internal issue. As a result we have offered to buyback this vehicle as a goodwill gesture.”

The ACCC’s product safety website lists five separate Grand Cherokee recalls on the 2014 model, including for “unintended acceleration”, “potential fire hazard” and “unintended electrical interference (which) can cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) to become disabled and the ESC warning lamp to illuminate (which in) certain driving conditions could cause a crash without warning”.

Mr Roberts and his wife are also in the market for a 4WD because they expecting their third child.

He told me they had been planning to buy a Jeep. They’re not now. But he is pleased that Jeep has bought a Jeep.

[blueoval]

You can't buy back the time wasted from the dealerships negligence after all this. If what the head office says is true and it was poor communication, this should have been resolved within weeks, not months.

I am afraid to say, that while the Jordan's have come to a successful outcome, the damage is already done as far as I'm concerned.

Even if I was in the market to buy a new Jeep, the negligence of the dealership's communication to head office would be a massive turn off.

This is bloody scary too

The ACCC’s product safety website lists five separate Grand Cherokee recalls on the 2014 model, including for “unintended acceleration”, “potential fire hazard” and “unintended electrical interference (which) can cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) to become disabled and the ESC warning lamp to illuminate (which in) certain driving conditions could cause a crash without warning”.

[tasdex]

Once you own a car ...you " should " be able to do what you want with it ..
Will makers make such a fuss about folks buying stat right offs ....then destroying them at demo Derby's ,,???
Old school speedway nights will be at a loss ...

I would have drove it through the showroom dealership window ...
" must have been that ....unintentional acceleration ...that they know about ....officer ,!?! "



What if a focus owner with the 6 select tranny did something along this line ...
Would ford " publicly " announce there really is a problem ...
Rather than sending out letters for extended warranties to owners ,?

[TheSneakiness]

You could not pay me enough money to even get my mind to consider a Jeep. I have heard so much about them going wrong (not just in the media) that it wrote them off completely as a potential purchase.

Yes a lot of you will say the same about Ford as well and that I'm being brand biased, I'm not, I base it off views I've formed from my own research.

[csv8]

I would consider any Ford more reliable than any Jeep...

[Harrison]

http://fordmotorhistory.com/factorie...ford_jeeps.php

[Kieron]

Originally Posted by Rapid_Axe

You could not pay me enough money to even get my mind to consider a Jeep. I have heard so much about them going wrong (not just in the media) that it wrote them off completely as a potential purchase.

Yes a lot of you will say the same about Ford as well and that I'm being brand biased, I'm not, I base it off views I've formed from my own research.

Presumably then, you haven't purchased a Ford due to doing your own research and forming an opinion?

If I was objective and researched say FG Falcons, i'd view the "YOUR FG-What problems have you had" thread and be scared away from them for life

[chevypower]

Originally Posted by csv8

I would consider any Ford more reliable than any Jeep...

Cool story bro. EA Falcon? 6.0 Power Stroke diesel? The latter was the engine that nearly bankrupted the whole company.

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by csv8

I would consider any Ford more reliable than any Jeep...

7th position vs 35th position in Europe apparently!

http://www.reliabilityindex.com/manufacturer

[LoudPipes]

Originally Posted by new2ford

7th position vs 35th position in Europe apparently!

http://www.reliabilityindex.com/manufacturer

Bugger, now I’ll never risk buying a new Bentley.

[SumoDog68]

Originally Posted by new2ford

7th position vs 35th position in Europe apparently!

http://www.reliabilityindex.com/manufacturer

Your link is for UK :-)

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by chevypower

Cool story bro. EA Falcon? 6.0 Power Stroke diesel? The latter was the engine that nearly bankrupted the whole company.

Nice heads gasket and EGR issues lol.

Wasn't even a Ford engine, Navistar engine I believe?

[aussie muscle]

"the vehicle in question required only minor mechanical work"

If that were the case, wouldn't the dealer have just fixed it? it doesn't gel with the rest of the story.

[LoudPipes]

Jeep the Sequel: More reader complaints as a Fiat owner joins the chorus

EXCLUSIVE John Rolfe Public Defender columnist
The Daily Telegraph
May 21, 2015 12:00AM

•Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party senator Ricky Muir gets behind “lemon law”
•Jeep case studies reveal scary stories and persistent faults
•We detail seven Jeep case studies plus one Fiat and a Chrysler


MOMENTUM is building for a national “lemon law” to help owners of dodgy cars, with a key federal senator declaring support for increased protection amid revelations the consumer cops are examining “vehicle manufacturer conduct”.

Following the unprecedented response to last week’s column — and ahead of an official review of existing legislation — a Public Defender probe of the case for a lemon law reveals:

* influential but rarely-heard-from crossbench senator Ricky Muir of the Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party wants the review to consider “greater consumer protection … in the area of motor vehicle sales and repairs”;

* the highly regarded Consumer Action Law Centre wants a law that defines a lemon as “a vehicle that has been repaired at least three times by the manufacturer or importer and the vehicle still has a defect or if the vehicle is out of service for 20 or more days in total due to a defect;

* the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is “actively investigating … vehicle manufacturer conduct in the context of consumer guarantee obligations” and is “increasingly concerned about reports of consumers having difficulty with their new cars”; and

* there is no evidence that any new car owner has obtained a refund or replacement using the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), introduced in 2011.

Last week’s column on Jeep refunding a customer has led others to raise their car’s problems with your correspondent. Seven complaints about Jeep and one each about sister brands Fiat and Chrysler are covered today. I am still probing two about Kia and one each for Holden, Toyota, Ford, Audi and Mazda. There is no suggestion the ACCC investigation is focused on any of these brands.

Consumer Action CEO Gerard Brody said in the ACL review it would also argue for a switch in the “onus of proof” for at least the first six months of ownership.

“The trader should be required to prove that the goods are of an acceptable quality rather than this burden sitting with the consumer,” Mr Brody said. “We find that recalcitrant traders repeatedly repair cars and say they are working when they aren’t. This requires consumers to complain and complain and end up at the tribunal which can mean they give up.”

The federal minister responsible for consumer affairs Bruce Billson revealed the ACCC investigation to Public Defender yesterday. Of the existing law, he said: “If you buy a motor vehicle and it has a major failure, you have the right to choose between a refund or a replacement product. While not called a ‘lemon law’, consumer guarantees can provide similar redress.”

That said, the review of the ACL later this year “will be an opportunity to test how well the law is working and to see if changes are needed”.

Top consumer group Choice’s spokesman Tom Godfrey said the ACL review was timely.

“Too often we hear of consumers being driven into the aftermarket and given the run around by dealers when they seek redress,” Mr Godfrey said. “Some consumers are wondering how car companies are getting away with off-loading lemons”.



Jeep the Sequel: More unhappy customers

Lock problem

THE Sifniotis family say their Jeep Grand Cherokee’s steering locked — while in motion — in August last year, five months after purchase.

In a September email the dealer said it had fixed what it called “a wiring concern”. But in November, while Mary Sifniotis was doing 100km/h on the M5, it happened again. She says she had to stop the car to unlock the steering wheel.

This, and 15 other less significant faults, led her and husband Con to request a refund. They had no success so contacted me after last week’s story.

A Jeep spokesman said the steering wheel locking again was only raised by Mr Sifniotis last week. Emails suggest this is not the case.

The Sifniotis have had access to a loan car at Jeep’s expense. However, they say they have also spent $12,000 on another car, because they do not want to drive the Jeep.

“My wife is too scared to even look at it, let alone sit in it or drive it,” Mr Sifniotis said. He said they believe the “vehicle is not roadworthy”.

The family intends to pursue a refund through the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

However, Jeep wants to conduct further testing on the vehicle.

Damaged car

SIMON, who asked that his surname not be used due to his occupation, says he wasn’t told his new 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee had been damaged and repaired. He wants a refund and, while Jeep hasn’t agreed, it is “more than happy to work with (him) to reach a suitable outcome”.

Noisy engine

LAURA Puig and Jim Chitsos say they have taken their 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee back 14 times in six months for a noisy engine. Jeep says it is a “commonplace characteristic” of that engine and claims the owners “attest to this”. The owners disagree and still want a refund.

Noise and mirrors

PETER Curran says his 2013 Chrysler 300 SRT8 has many problems including a ticking sound from the engine and faults with the side mirrors. Jeep says “all required repair work has been carried out under warranty”. Mr Curran says this is not the case and he still wants a refund.

Won’t start

MATTHEW Good says his 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Blackhawk fails to start. It happened in November, February, April and May. He says there have been failed attempts to fix the fault and he wants a refund. Jeep told Public Defender last night it would contact the customer.

Unable to tow

KARL Boos says his 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee cannot safely tow a three-tonne caravan and that he has a statutory declaration from an expert to this effect. He says the vehicle is not fit for a normal purpose and wants a refund. Jeep said last night it would get in touch with the customer.

Water Pump

COURTNEY Murray had her 2012 Jeep Patriot serviced regularly but not by Jeep. A week after the warranty ran out, Jeep had a special on servicing. Jeep found the water pump was leaking but wouldn’t fix it because it didn’t do all the servicing. Now it is “happy to work with this customer”.

Leaking roof

CORY McMillan found his 2013 Jeep Wrangler’s roof was leaking. He says he took it to get fixed and Jeep said keep driving it until new seals came in. During the recent storms water got in, causing extensive damage. Jeep said it wouldn’t fix it. Now it says it’ll repair it as “a standard warranty claim”.


Skye’s limit was brake failure due to frame flaws

WHILE driving her Fiat down a steep hill at Mount Ousley in February, Skye Rowan applied the brake. She says the steering wheel shook violently and so did the brake pedal as the brakes made a grinding noise.

She thought it was a one-off but it happened again when her husband was driving.

When part of the engine was replaced in March, the dealership discovered a section of the metal frame had not been welded together properly.

Ms Rowan has now been without the car for 11 weeks. She has been given a hire car but has also purchased another car in case the rental is taken back.

She has been seeking a refund but, before Public Defender’s involvement, Fiat and the dealership said a replacement would be provided instead.

Yesterday, Ms Rowan again told the dealer this was unacceptable. I said the same to Fiat, which is part of the same company as Jeep.

We are hopeful a refund will be provided this week.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/new...-1227362164327

[Sabantien]

Originally Posted by new2ford

If Jeep really demanded an apology it's s company I wouldn't go near with a long pole, just on attitude alone. If that's their attitude, then it could come out in any dealings you have with them. On top of the stories about faults and spare parts prices I can't understand why people buy them.

Mind you, that guy might have gone from the frying pan to the fire with a RAV4. When Wheels managed to roll a Kluger during a road test, Toyota's response was not to admit that something could be wrong with the car's stability but to get all litigious, iirc suggesting they would take action against anybody who rolled a Kluger! This sort of thing separates the sheep from the goats among manufacturers.

Well with everything I've read in this forum, Ford are just as bad.

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by Sabantien

Well with everything I've read in this forum, Ford are just as bad.

I've never seen Ford aggressively and litigiously defending its wrong-doing like Jeep and Toyota. Like VW and some others, Ford's worst appears to be to passively pretend the problem isn't there for as long as possible before doing something about it.

Waving a lawyer at your customers is about the worst PR thing a company can do.

[4vxc]

shame about all these dramas, I've driven the Grand Cherokee diesel and found it pretty impressive

[MercurySilver]

"due to a regrettable lack of communication between the dealership and our head office"

yeah

sure, ok

[LoudPipes]

I know this has nothing to do with the thread but it is an interesting side story.

Big spending Jeep boss a king of Melbourne's party set


Date May 24, 2015 - 12:15 AM
Mark Hawthorne


There is little doubt Clyde Campbell and wife Simone loved the high life.

From champagne and canapes at Crown, to hosting the extravagant Jeep marquee at the Portsea Polo, they were regular faces at the best parties in town and around the world, from the Olympic Games in Rio deJaneiro to the Monaco Grand Prix.

As the boss of FIAT Chrysler Australia, Campbell also became one of the biggest-spending marketers in the country.

Lucrative rights deals were struck with Richmond, Essendon and Gold Coast in the AFL, and St George-Illawarra in the NRL.

As part of the marketing campaign, Campbell signed contracts to sponsor horse racing, the Portsea Polo, Crown Resorts, sporting clubs and superstars.

Harry Kewell became a Jeep ambassador, as did a whole host of star footballers, including Richmond's Trent Cotchin​ and rugby league internationals Dean Young and Wendell Sailor.

Celebrity chef Ben O'Donoghue drove a Jeep after signing on as an ambassador. When Lance Franklin famously crashed into parked cars at Rose Bay, it was while driving the Jeep given to his partner, model JesintaCampbell. Even the polo team of AFL boss Gillon McLachlan sported the Jeep name.

The largesse of the company knew few bounds. It's hard to think of another car maker in the world that would book a luxury retreat for three years solid, at a cost of $5 million. According to court documents, Jeep did.

Now that spending spree is under the scrutiny of the courts, with FIAT Chrysler Australia taking legal action against Campbell.

FIAT Chrysler has appointed Leon Zwier​ of high-profile law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler to lead the legal case against its former employee.

Zwier is the man Daniel Andrews turned to when he wanted to extricate Victoria from the East West Link contract.

Representing Campbell and his wife is Sam Bond, lawyer for billionaire Solomon Lew.

At stake is more than $30 million FIAT Chrysler claims went in transactions to related parties of Campbell and his associates.

It's a case Melbourne's social set will be watching with interest.

http://www.smh.com.au/business/big-spending-jeep-boss-a-king-of-melbournes-party-set-20150523-gh80t7.html

[In Focus]

Looks like he didn't "hold back..."

[Davehoos]

A few years ago it was claimed that the reason chev suburban was sold with holden badge was that it would cost bucket loads for brand recognition advertising. Jeep was given as an example of buckets of dollars per car sold to establish the brand in OZ.

Im obviously a dill because I know that GM built Chev and JEEP had been part of Chrysler.

[LoudPipes]

Amazing, another one.

Fiat Chrysler claims CEO used company money for home renovations

Date May 24, 2015 - 6:13PM
Mark Hawthorne
Mark Hawthorne is Senior Editor at The Age.

Fiat Chrysler claims former Australian chief executive Veronica Johns used company money to help fund renovations to her family home.

In documents filed with the Federal Court, Fiat Chrysler claims cars that were meant to be donated to charities and sporting foundations were gifted to her husband and to the owner of the building company that worked on their family home.

Ms Johns, who was the first female CEO of an automotive company in Australia, unexpectedly quit her job late last year, citing "personal reasons".

On Sunday, Fairfax Media revealed that Ms Johns' predecessor as boss of Fiat Chrysler, Clyde Campbell, has been accused of misappropriating and misusing more than $30 million of company money.

Fiat Chrysler claims that corporate funds were directly or indirectly used to pay for a $400,000 yacht, a plane, trips to New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro, Victorian Racing Club memberships worth $244,800, and more than $380,000 in gift vouchers.

Fiat Chrysler paid $3.1 million to Madok Group, a construction company controlled by Mitchell Knight, to renovate the company's Melbourne head office. It is claimed Madok Group also performed work on thehome of Ms Johns and her husband, Gregory Hede. It is alleged Ms Johns sent an email to Mr Knight on November 21, 2013, asking that he issue an invoice to Fiat Chrysler for work done to her home.

Fiat Chrysler claims that it paid for three cars to be used as prizes for the Shane Warne Foundation, the Prostate Cancer Gala Dinner and the St George Illawarra Dragons NRL club. Instead, those cars were registered to Mitchell Knight, a company called Domato Pty Ltd, which is controlled by Mr Knight, and Gregory Hede.

According to the writ, "Knight sold his vehicle back to the City Chrysler Jeep Dodge dealership in September 2013 and was paid $80,000 for the vehicle, in excess of its fair value of approximately $60,000". It is alleged Ms Johns, as an executive of Fiat Chrysler, agreed for the car company to provide the extra $20,000 of the repurchase price.

Just months later, in May 2014, Ms Johns was appointed CEO of the company.

Fiat Chrysler claims the cars were channelled through a company called Motorworld Australia, which operates Chrysler dealerships in Brighton, Mentone and Oakleigh, owned by Ernst Leib and his business partner David Piva.

Between 2003 and 2006 Mr Campbell was general manager at Daimler-Chrysler, under the leadership of Mr Leib, who was president and CEO.

Fiat Chrysler claims Mr Campbell authorised the payment of $1.2 million for Motorworld to buy land for its Oakleigh dealership, when "usual practice is not to contribute to the acquisition of properly upon which dealerships operate".

Fiat Chrysler also paid $2.49 million of "marketing assistance" for Motorworld. when 11 other dealerships received marketing assistance of just $220,000 each.

After Ms Johns became CEO in 2014, she authorised an all-expenses paid holiday for Mr Campbell, Mr Piva and Mr Leibto attend a golf and spa resort in New Zealand, even though Mr Campbell was no longer an employee of the company.

Fiat Chrysler is seeking compensation and a declaration by the court that Mr Campbell had breached his fiduciary duties, acted in bad faith and improperly used his position.

High-profile commercial lawyer Sam Bond, who is representing Mr Campbell, said "the allegations in the statement of claim are not only completely denied but considered scandalous".

"We are confident that, in due course, the allegations will be shown to be wrong and will be embarrassing for FCA," Mr Bond said.

"The fact that internal politics within FCA has caused it to want to tarnish the name of Mr Campbell who took the business to enormous levels of growth is as unfortunate as it is unfair."

Fiat Chrysler is not at this point seeking compensation from Ms Johns.

Ms Johns did not return calls.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/fiat-...24-gh8jr4.html

[LoudPipes]

ACCC investigating whether Jeep’s carmaker has misled owners about rights to refunds or replacements

John Rolfe Cost of Living Editor
News Corp Australia Network


Ashton Wood gets help to destroy the Jeep he claims was a lemon from the moment he purchased it. Picture: Megan Slade

EXCLUSIVE: Consumer cops are investigating whether the maker of Jeep has misled car owners about their rights to refunds or replacements.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has been gathering evidence from angry customers since at least January, and is now grilling dealers. Jeep’s parent company Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is aware of the probe, which is understood to also cover Fiats. No other carmaker is under investigation.

If the ACCC believes FCA customers have been misled, it could ask the Federal Court to impose multimillion-dollar fines, as well as other sanctions.


An FCA spokesman said “we have always dealt with Mr Wood in a fair and professional manner, and we will continue to do so”. Picture: Megan Slade.

But for FCA the even-more-significant consequence of an adverse finding would be its effect on what have been rapidly growing sales. Australians spent about $1.5 billion on new Jeeps alone last year, up 37 per cent on 2013.

An ACCC spokeswoman told News Corp Australia the focus “of our inquiries is to determine whether claims are being handled consistently with the consumer guarantee provisions and ensuring consumers are not being misled about their rights”.


Ashton Wood had no qualms setting his Jeep alight in October last year. Picture: Megan Slade.

The spokeswoman said the ACCC could not name the carmaker under investigation, but she did say there was only one.

News Corp Australia has spoken to four FCA car-brand owners who have been interviewed by the ACCC as part of its probe.


Troy Fisher was pleased when the ACCC contacted him in January about what he says is a problem-plagued Fiat 500, sold to him in 2012 for nearly $40,000. Picture: Jack Tran.

Furthermore, FCA has confirmed it is the subject of the ACCC investigation.

A spokesman told News Corp Australia that “FCA Australia President and CEO, Patrick Dougherty, has referenced his significant global experience in aftersales and customer care in personally addressing any potential issues in the Australian business, increasing resources, improving logistics, and streamlining our process of working with dealers.”

“We are encouraged by the positive response from our dealers around the country and the huge majority of owners who tell us that the investment we have made, and are making, in boosting our customer service is paying off.

“We will continue to work with all of our customers to ensure they are happy in their vehicles. We are unable to comment on the actions of the ACCC.”

Federal laws that took effect in 2011 provide consumers with guarantees that new vehicles are of “acceptable quality” — meaning they must be safe, durable and free of defects — and fit for any purpose the customer or supplier has specified. They must also match their description.

If there is a “major” failure to meet any of these guarantees, a customer is entitled to choose between a refund, replacement or compensation. The Federal Government has told the motor industry a major failure is when “a reasonable consumer would not have bought the motor vehicle if they had known about the full extent of the problem. For example, no reasonable consumer would buy a new car with so many recurring faults that the car has spent more time off the road than on it because several mechanics have been unable to solve the problem”.

Being unsafe is considered another major failure.


A spokesman for FCA said it is “aware of Mr Fisher’s concerns, and will of course continue to work with him to resolve any queries he feels remain unaddressed”. Picture: Jack Tran.

Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Gerard Brody — who believes Australia needs a so-called “lemon law”, as exists in California — said: “This issue demonstrates that the consumer guarantee regime works when businesses are amenable to providing repairs, refunds or replacements, but if they are not it can be challenging if not impossible for consumers to assert their rights”.

FCA sells about 50,000 cars a year in Australia. Jeep is its most popular brand, with sales of more than 30,000 in 2014. Jeep’s flagship is the Grand Cherokee, which is the nation’s most popular large SUV, bought by nearly 17,000 families last year alone.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/bus...-1227367527297

[chevypower]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

Nice heads gasket and EGR issues lol.

Wasn't even a Ford engine, Navistar engine I believe?

Yep that's correct! Injector issues too.

[Elks]

To be fair the much loved 7.3 PowerStroke Deisel was also a Navistar product.

[LoudPipes]

ACCC to include Mazda in its investigations over allegations it misled some customers

John Rolfe Cost of Living Editor
News Corp Australia Network
May 28, 2015 12:00AM

EXCLUSIVE: Consumer cops investigating carmaker conduct over requests for refunds or replacements will assess whether Mazda has misled customers.

Owners of problem Mazdas claim they have been told they have no chance of getting a different car or their money back, which could be considered misleading.

A letter from Mazda Australia to top-of-the-line 2012 CX5 owner Samantha Badger says they provide repair vehicles under warranty and consider “goodwill requests ... however, this does not extend to refunding or replacing the vehicle”.

Her car needed a new transmission after six months. It required extensive engine repairs and a brake vacuum pump.

A letter to another top-of-the-line 2012 CX5 owner says “a refund or replacement is not an option into which Mazda Australia will enter”.

After his car twice lost all power on the same trip — including on a steep hill — a new transmission was installed. Recently, the engine was rebuilt.

Last night, Mazda agreed to replace the vehicle.

The top-of-the-line 2012 CX5 owned by Leanne Saldern had its engine replaced last year as well as a vacuum pump to, as Mazda said in a letter, “rectify a concern experienced with the braking system”.

Ms Saldern sought a refund. This was denied, verbally. This week she recalled being told “Mazda does not refund or replace vehicles, it repairs vehicles under warranty”.

Earlier this month Ms Saldern was driving at 110km/h on a bend on the M1 when the car lost all power. She was still able to brake and managed to avoid a rock wall. The car had to be towed to the dealer where the battery was replaced.

Ian Moult’s 2013 BT50 has had a new engine, transmission and other parts. It was off the road in May 2013, February and September 2014, plus from December 2014 to April 2015. He bought it to tow a 2.4-tonne caravan. The BT50 claims a towing capacity of 3.5t. Yet there is no evidence Mr Moult’s is fit to tow his caravan, despite the repairs. Mazda won’t do a test, he said.

Mr Moult requested a refund or replacement. That was denied verbally, with a Mazda representative saying “that as long as his rear end points to the ground ... we will never get refund/replacement”.

When these matters were raised with Mazda, a spokeswoman said it “takes its obligations to its customers under both its factory warranties and the Australian Consumer Law very seriously”. “Mazda Australia does not enter into debate in the media regarding its obligations to, and the rights of, individual owners of Mazda vehicles, and, accordingly, declines to comment.”

Thomson Geer consumer law expert Josh Simons said the defects seemed “pretty major”.

Speaking generally, Mr Simons added: “The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has made it abundantly clear that you can’t say you don’t give refunds because there are circumstances where you have to.”

The Mazda matters have been raised with the ACCC, which News Corp Australia this week revealed is investigating the maker of Jeep. An ACCC spokesman said: “We acknowledge the information provided and will consider it in the context of our broader investigation.”




Fiat bows to pressure on lemon

SKYE Rowan will be refunded over her lemon Fiat.

Ms Rowan contacted Public Defender two weeks ago after being unable to get Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to give her $34,000 back.

FCA offered a replacement. Public Defender advised rejecting this because she had a right to choose a refund.

FCA took “full responsibility”.

“We have informed Ms Rowan that FCA Australia will buy back this vehicle,” FCA said

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/new...-1227371753948

[XG_Falcon]

Well at least they got their apology.

[csv8]

Australia needs lemon laws...