Subj : Re: Product Recalls (Real!) To : All From : Robert Richards Date : Tue Jul 10 2001 01:46 am Monday, July 9, 2001 Your Auto Repair May Be Covered by a Hidden Warranty • Find Your Car's Hidden Warranty http://www.seattleinsider.com/partners/kirotv/consu http://www.seattleinsider.com/partners/kirotv/consumer/2001/07/warranties.html • The Center for Auto Safety http://www.autosafety.org/autodefects.html • Electronic Diagnostic and Repair Information Bebe Emerman KIRO 7 EYEWITNESS NEWS CONSUMER REPORTER Most people have heard of car recalls. But there's another list of car problems and defects you probably never heard of. It's what's called a "hidden" warranty." And what you don't know about it could wind up costing you plenty. You're driving down the street. Suddenly, your car starts making a funny noise -- or worse -- stops running altogether. Does this mean you're stuck paying for a costly repair? Not necessarily -- but you may have to do some detective work to protect your rights. "It was flaking huge sheets of paint ... it looked pretty bad," said Kirk Haugaard. When paint started peeling off the roof of Haugaard's 1988 Ford Ranger, he was shocked. "Just because it's old it doesn't mean the paint should be coming off in sheets." But when he called Ford's customer assistance number... "They said they weren't aware of the problem." And they weren't going to fix it. But Haugaard isn't one to give up easily. He got on Internet, did research and found page after page of documents about widespread paint problems in some Ford vehicles, including his truck. "And they had Ford bulletins from managers about how they were going to attack the problem," he said. In other words, a hidden warranty. Each year, car makers uncover thousands of defects -- everything from engine surges to faulty head gaskets -- but there's no law that compels them to tell you, the car owner, anything about it. Automotive expert Ashly Knapp says most people find out about hidden warranties by chance. "Only if you're lucky enough to go in for dealer service, and the dealer happens to remember that your car happens to be involved in a service recall of some kind, then you'll be notified," Knapp said. But don't despair, there are lots of ways to learn if your vehicle is covered by a hidden warranty. When car makers spot a widespread problem, they issue what's called a technical service bulletin to their dealers. These bulletins must be reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and you can find this information on NHTSA's Web site. Or you can contact non-profit groups -- like the Center for Auto Safety -- for help. But simply knowing about the existence a problem doesn't guarantee a free repair. When Kirk Haugaard couldn't get Ford to budge on his paint problem. He wound up taking the company to small claims court. "They found in my favor -- just over $1,800," he said. His advice to others? "Stay persistent, if you know you're right see it out." Going to court, of course, is a last resort. Depending the age of your vehicle and what's wrong with it, you may be able to ask your dealer for a "goodwill adjustment." If you're a loyal customer, your chances of getting it are much improved. But if the dealer says no, don't give up; try the manufacturer's customer assistance line. As for Kirk Haugaard's situation: a Ford spokesman told us "We try to keep our customers happy and we regret when any of them are not satisfied." © 2001 Cox Interactive Media ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only. [Ref.http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml] -. -. -. -. -. -. -. -. -. -. -. -. -. -. -. -. -. -. --- CNet/3 * Origin: Alpha's Attic - Tacoma WA - (253)272-8083 (1:138/258) .