When Car Servicing Goes Wrong: One Malaysian's Electric Vehicle Experience

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Buying a car is exciting, but what happens when the after-sales experience doesn’t live up to the sales pitch?

One Malaysian electric vehicle owner recently shared his story online, highlighting the challenges some consumers face with automotive servicing.

The story begins with what should have been routine maintenance.

After sending his newly purchased electric vehicle to an authorised service centre, the owner drove home, thinking everything was fine.

The Display Screen Discovery

A few days later, he noticed something alarming – a crack had appeared on the upper left corner of his car’s display screen.

Naturally, he returned to the service centre, expecting them to take responsibility.

However, the response wasn’t what he hoped for.

The service centre staff insisted they don’t touch internal components during routine maintenance and suggested the damage was the owner’s fault.

Their advice? Contact the head office directly.

A Call That Made Things Worse

When he reached out to the company’s headquarters to explain the situation, things took an unexpected turn.

Instead of corporate support, he received a call from the original service centre manager: if he wasn’t satisfied with their service, he could try another authorised centre instead.

Adding insult to injury, they sent him a repair quotation for the cracked screen at his own expense.

But the screen wasn’t his only problem-the owner discovered that during his visit, the service centre had updated his car’s system without asking for permission.

While system updates might seem routine, this one had consequences.

Upon closer inspection, he realised his car’s memory seat function, which previously offered three different settings, had disappeared entirely.

This feature was one of the main reasons he’d chosen this particular vehicle model in the first place.

Round Two: More Problems

Hoping for better service elsewhere, he took his car to a different authorised service centre for his next maintenance appointment.

Unfortunately, his troubles weren’t over.

About a week after the service, he noticed strange friction sounds whenever he opened or closed his car doors.

When he returned to report this issue, the service centre’s response was puzzling: they claimed too much time had passed since the last service to be related.

Apparently, one week was considered “too long ago.”

Different Perspectives Emerge

The social media discussion around this experience has generated varied responses from other vehicle owners and observers, highlighting the complexity of consumer experiences in the automotive sector.

Some observers have questioned whether specific reported issues might be attributed to factors beyond the service centre’s control, including:

One long-term owner reported covering nearly 20,000 kilometers since November, primarily on highway routes between major Malaysian cities.

The owner acknowledged minor issues but praised their local service centre’s responsiveness and quality of care.

These mixed experiences reflect a typical pattern in automotive discussions – service quality can vary significantly between different locations and individual cases, even within the same brand network.

The Bigger Picture

This owner’s experience raises important questions about consumer rights and after-sales service standards in Malaysia’s growing electric vehicle market.

While this represents one individual’s experience, it underscores the importance of conducting thorough research and having a clear understanding of warranty terms before making a major automotive purchase.

For consumers facing similar situations, automotive experts generally recommend:

DISCLAIMER: This account represents one individual’s reported experience and claims. Service experiences can vary significantly between customers, locations, and circumstances. Readers are encouraged to conduct thorough research and make their own informed decisions.

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