The consumer’s issue:
“I took my vehicle into the dealership for a two-hour diagnostic following which a repair was carried out at a cost to myself. However, upon the collection of my car, the same fault persisted. After a further five-hour diagnostic, again at my cost, the business successfully diagnosed the fault and repaired it at my expense. I wish to be reimbursed for the cost of the five-hour diagnostic and the first repair that had failed.”
The accredited business’ response:
- The consumer had requested the ECU to be fitted in the first repair, despite our advice against it.
- Upon further investigation, we were able to diagnose the wiring harness failure and applied a goodwill discount of £100 to the subsequent repair (these symptoms were not present during the first repair).
The adjudication outcome:
- Consumer legislation and the Service and Repair Code of Practice require that a business carries out a repair exercising reasonable care and skill.
- If it’s a repair at the consumer’s expense, this must be evidenced in a written format with a signature from both parties.
- The Motor Ombudsman adjudicator considered that it was not correct that the consumer should have paid for the diagnostics twice, and it appears the further diagnostic of five hours was indeed the correct diagnostic – the outcome of the first two-hour diagnostic was only to carry out the installation of the ECU at the consumer’s own request.
Conclusion:
- It was considered by the adjudicator that there was no reason to refund the five-hour diagnostic which successfully repaired the fault.
- Therefore, the adjudicator awarded the consumer a refund of the cost of the two-hour diagnostic only.
