schiker
Well-Known Member
What are some strategies on fighting with dealer/service department for sporadic issues they can't duplicate?
My wife drives a BMW X5 (smaller SUV) and we have (2) issues
1. The fasten seat belt for passenger seat reminder dings and screen warning light illuminates but no one is sitting in seat. Wife is belted in and no other passengers.
2. Front passenger side fog lamp sometimes doesn't come on or sometimes delays coming on when the switch is on. The drivers side immediately comes on with switch on. The bulb out indicator on dash sometimes comes on sometimes not.
The car is still currently under warranty but going to run out in a few months.
I have taken it to the dealer and they claim they cannot duplicate the issues. And if they have to try and fix it want to charge me a diagnostic fee. I said NO to diagnostic work and log as a complaint if problems aren't apparent at the time. Today I took it back for an unrelated trim warranty claim. And showed a video clip from phone of the seat issue. Also a picture of the front passenger fog light off and the drivers on.
The service mananger says they will look at it but BMW won't allow them to "throw parts at it". Also not sure what they may do to fix it but won't know if they do unless it happens again.
So what is next logical step. Start a claim with regional service rep. How do I do this?
Also since the problem may happen tomorrow or not for a month how do I extend the warranty or keep them liable to fix it since it happened under warranty.
Note: I have a friend that works for BMW and they told me BMW does have a high number of warranty /service claims for the seat issue and it doesn't appear they know the root cause. And there was a customer behind me that overheard me explaining my issue and he told me he had to have series 7 car pressure mat sensor for passenger seat replaced 5 times for a similar restraint safety warning or something. I don't know if they use a similar system.
My wife drives a BMW X5 (smaller SUV) and we have (2) issues
1. The fasten seat belt for passenger seat reminder dings and screen warning light illuminates but no one is sitting in seat. Wife is belted in and no other passengers.
2. Front passenger side fog lamp sometimes doesn't come on or sometimes delays coming on when the switch is on. The drivers side immediately comes on with switch on. The bulb out indicator on dash sometimes comes on sometimes not.
The car is still currently under warranty but going to run out in a few months.
I have taken it to the dealer and they claim they cannot duplicate the issues. And if they have to try and fix it want to charge me a diagnostic fee. I said NO to diagnostic work and log as a complaint if problems aren't apparent at the time. Today I took it back for an unrelated trim warranty claim. And showed a video clip from phone of the seat issue. Also a picture of the front passenger fog light off and the drivers on.
The service mananger says they will look at it but BMW won't allow them to "throw parts at it". Also not sure what they may do to fix it but won't know if they do unless it happens again.
So what is next logical step. Start a claim with regional service rep. How do I do this?
Also since the problem may happen tomorrow or not for a month how do I extend the warranty or keep them liable to fix it since it happened under warranty.
Note: I have a friend that works for BMW and they told me BMW does have a high number of warranty /service claims for the seat issue and it doesn't appear they know the root cause. And there was a customer behind me that overheard me explaining my issue and he told me he had to have series 7 car pressure mat sensor for passenger seat replaced 5 times for a similar restraint safety warning or something. I don't know if they use a similar system.
