Triple-D

Any advice on rejecting a newly delivered car?

It lasted 18 days and 971 miles before EML came on when I was 400 miles from home. Took to local dealer, they reset it, said it was a faulty CAT sensor stored fault but nothing to worry about. Drove car off, got 1 mile light back on.

Car went back today for sensor replacement, they had the car for an hour, then told me the wiring is corroded and that they'll have to strip the car out to replace it.
The car is a 2016 66 plate C250d, only 20 days old currently.

I'm now driving around in a Passat estate hire car, and that was a mission to get too!

Now thinking I don't want this car anymore, and that I should reject the car. Who else knows what's wrong, corroded wiring already sounds like more problems to come, and a strip out of the interior means squeaks, rattles and creaks!

All this and I'm meant to be on holiday

Bueller178

Sorry to hear about your troubles.


Not sure where you live, but "rejecting" a car you've already taken delivery of generally is not an option.


If you live in a lemon law state in the US for example you may have recourse if you have to have repairs made on the same issue over and over again but other than that, I'd say keep pushing the dealer for solutions.


Good luck.

PeterUbers

Google

"peterubers mbworld first service visit"
"peterubers mbworld replacement e550"

takes ALOT to get Mbusa to buyback a car

good luck -- it's about a one year process

Mike5215

Here in the US once it rolls off the lot and money has changed hands there's no way to "return" the car. The dealer has been paid and the car is yours. Hopefully they'll get it sorted out for you.

Triple-D

I'm in the UK and have heard of people doing this before as the car is not fit for purpose.

It's a thought at this stage, but I'm sure it's possible.

kowyzg0moo

I definitely didn't have the same experience. My process was less than 1 month, and I was left a very happy, returning customer. @OP if you need some insight, I'd be happy to PM you more details about the California Lemon Law process I went through - although this varies drastically by state and by country.

PeterUbers

your experience is the least common one

DBOC205

Sounds an awful lot like what happened to my car. CAT sensor errors twice (with replacement) only to find out that wiring had corroded. The cause was an incorrectly fitted air-con drain pipe which led to water accumulating in one of the wiring harnesses. They had to take the whole centre section out and fit a new patch harness.

Triple-D

Interesting, thanks for the reply, sounds very much like the same thing!
How long did it take to repair? Any consequences from the strip out?
Water accumulating on a wiring harness inside the car would cause wet carpets, fogging and other things surely?

essiii

Have a read up on the Consumer Rights Act 2015 - this replaced the old Sales Of Good Act (1979 or something like that).

Specifically, if you're within 30 days of delivery, read up on your "short term right to reject". Essentially, if you can prove that there is a fault, and prove that it was there at the point of delivery, then you can reject the car without giving the dealer an opportunity to repair. That's within the first 30 days.

Once those 30 days are up, it's trickier but not impossible. After 30 days you have to give them at least one opportunity to repair it. If the repair is unsuccessful, then you again have the right to reject.

That's a summary, as you can imagine the Consumer Rights Act is a little more wordy; but in short the sooner you act, the better your chances!

Triple-D

Thanks Essiii,
I read through that this morning, and have formally rejected the car, although the car is currently being repaired it's not going to be finished until next week at the earliest, they have had to strip out the interior of the car.
So I look forward to a 400 mile trip in a base level VW Passat to get home. Dealer has offered a "good will gesture, and my car fully repaired" but have declined this. Will see what happens from here.

DBOC205

The actual work will only take a day in the shop. There's not enough water to worry about carpets, fogging etc. I never noticed any water or smell, and the first couple of times the car was in the shop for the CAT sensor fault they never found it either. It probably only just trickles into a harness connector which isn't waterproofed (i.e. an internal one).

I had to wait a week for mine to get done - only because the patch harness which was ordered had to come out of Singapore. None were in stock in Australia anywhere at the time. Everything has been fine since.

essiii

No probs and good luck .

vic viper

We have had these errors before, the bulkhead connector for the rear NOX-sensor located in the floor is also the lowest point in the front footwell, the reason for corrosion is either a misaligned AC condensation hose or a leak from the bottom part of the front window.


My guess is that the entire car has been full of water, make sure it hasnt!

Triple-D

Is there and easy way to tell, the car looked and felt dry, but if it was wet I thought I might have seen something?
I did notice the windows fogging after I washed the car, maybe this was a tell tale?

vic viper

Lift the front plastic door sill, it will snap right out, then you can fold the floor liner, stick in your hand and look for moisture on the floor and in the dense liner foam.

Triple-D

Cheers