Sharing my appalling experience with Hyundai Motors:

I bought i20 (MH01 BG1623) in February 2013 from Sharayu Hyundai Mumbai; within a year its engine broke down i.e on February 01, 2014 (Melting of ‘SKURT’ part in engine, due to rising temperature) near Pune and the car is still in the service center (Garve Hyundai Service Center, Vadgaon, Pune – Avinash, Service Manager) for warranty claim. This is literary a kind of harassment while dealing with Hyundai.

Today its 45th day and counting; I still have no idea when my car will be ready. I have called several times in last 40 days to customer care and service manager; but I feel there is no intent to provide satisfactory services to the customers.

My car broke down at Vadagaon near to Pune; I had no choice other than taking it to the service center. After all the discussion I handed over the car to Pune Service Center. They filed warranty claim within 5 days with Hyundai head office; and were waiting for all the approvals (as told to me by Mr. Avinash three consecutive approvals are required i.e. Pune, Mumbai and finally Delhi) to come before ordering the parts. Subsequently I confirmed with the Hyundai customer helpline (Sharafat – Mumbai); who told me that there is no requirement to obtain all the three approvals and parts can be ordered even after first approval is in place. This was to my surprise that two Hyundai people/associates telling me different things; I requested Sharafat to speak to Avinash and guide him about the process and order my parts. Finally, parts were ordered on February 07, 2014.

Till date, parts have not come to the service center as told to me parts have to come from Delhi head office to Pune; which I believe is a real repulsive policy. Whatever would be the case 5 weeks are more than enough to order/deliver/manufacture any item from one place to another in this World, provided there must be intent to provide such kind of service. I believe even Hyundai won’t be taking more than 5 weeks to manufacture a new i20.  

I spoke to, Service Manager in Pune and Sharafat - Customer Care, both told me that some parts are not in stock and have been ordered to suppliers from head office that why it’s taking time. Being one of the major automobile player in this country, if you don’t have parts in stock or can’t order/deliver parts within 5 weeks; then providing services to customers is ofcourse a big question mark, and customers satisfaction will be unimaginable.

Also, I enquired in the market; that automobile industry provides back-up vehicle in case of warranty claims or engine break down. I checked for the same at Pune Service Center; they told they don’t have any back-up vehicle so they can’t provide. Then I called up Sharaft (Customer Helpline) and requested him to arrange for a Back-up vehicle till my car is in service and he told me that the onus to provide back-up vehicle is with Pune Service center; since my car is with them. It was certainly a shock that Hyundai quoting that the “Onus of providing the back-up vehicle is of Service Center where car breaks down and not of Hyundai”.

I really want to question this irrational policy; consider me driving my car from Mumbai to Chennai for a day work and my car breaks down in Chennai, and I give the car for repair to XYZ service center and come back to Mumbai after completing my work. Now I request XYZ to arrange a back-up car for me since my car broke down; will this be sensible that I first go to Chennai again from Mumbai to pick up that back-up car and drive back to Mumbai and use it for a month (with Chennai number plate and registration), and then again drive it back to Chennai from Mumbai to hand it over and collect my repaired car. I believe it’s surely a way of saying NO to customers.

In such a case, Hyundai can every time keep their hands up and say – that onus is on the Service center or dealer or some other party. However, I have purchased the Hyundai Car and not a dealer car; I have every right to ask Hyundai for my discomfort and harassment, it has caused me in this process.

I understand that it takes time to repair a car, but my question is more on the lapses in their system of arranging/ordering/manufacturing. When we talk of Hyundai, we expect that after sale services has to be prompt to their esteemed named in the market however my experience with Hyundai was not at all good to cherish and I would make sure that I and my near ones never buy a Hyundai product in future.

I have complained the above harassment to Hyundai on March 12, 2014, and to my surprise there has been no response from the Company.