Must-Do Post Car Servicing / Repair Checklist


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After entering the service centre politely wish everyone on the service team. Before starting anything first talk to the service manager pleasantly (if not possible, mildly) about who carried out the repair and the supervisors name. knowing the service mechanic and supervisors name may help in future if you are not satisfied or happy with the service carried out. Based on your satisfaction you can recommend/complain about the mechanic/supervisor during your next service.

Don’t forget to bring with you a checklist to help you do an on-spot investigation of details of complaints mentioned by you and the service carried out in your car..
Feel the car first..it may whisper something in your ears (if you can understand it the list is below)
Check list before and after Service/delivery

Checklist for Exterior:
Exteriors:

1. Check for scratches. Scuffs, dents especially in the bumpers, underneath front and rear bumpers side doors.it may have accidentally hit something inside esp. the garage tools, adjacent car doors, speed breakers or a mechanic slumping over your car

2. Check headlights (for hawk wing style test the Headlight scale), fog lamps, parking indicators, light cases for crack/scratches or any extra LED accessories you have installed outside your car

3. Check if front and rear Wiper blade units along with the windshield assembly are working and their condition (since the car may have been exposed to sunlight for a long duration)

4. If you have remote keyless entry installed: then Check remote keyless entry/alarm/light signal by locking and unlocking. Try to open the dickey/front bonnet door with keys after locking the car using the remote (it should raise an alarm). If it doesn’t sense it then please immediately check with the service person.

5. Check with the external LED lights if you have installed it. Water wash may have damaged the LEDs for instance, last time somebody removed a part of the LED light in my car which I noticed it during my night drive.

6. Check wheel tyre pressure, wheel cup, wheel tag and mud flaps (with screws intact) and keenly look for black powdery stuff from the disk brakes on the wheel which means that your car was not water washed..demand a water wash if possible before taking delivery (its free)

7. Check the emission of your car at the exhaust pipe and its colour. Excessive smoke and white/grey colour smoke is a warning sign (if it continues even after 3-5 min after you start the car)

Checklist for car interiors:

1. First start the car and look if it starts at one click. Whether all the lights in the odometer console lights up and goes off except the seat belt and the parking light sensors. Wait for few minutes after closing the door to hear the seatbelt alarm and especially check for door ajar warning lights/alarm and if any of the doors remain open (last time left side door lock knob was missing and I couldn’t see it as it was hiding behind the front passenger seat (beware).

2. After starting the car, let it run for few minutes (idling) and check the music system for the settings. If they have reset the ECM then the settings will be gone by now. Reset the frequency and the speaker configurations to your taste and listen keenly for sounds other than the song..because if they have used your music system with extreme loudness then your speakers must have fried ..and hence the woofer noise..check if your antennae is working by tuning to FM stations.

3. Check if the windshield washer assembly unit is working by flushing some to the front/rear windows and if the wiper blades are sensing the fluid running over the windshield. Sometimes rodents may spoil the tubes by chewing them.

4. Check the body interiors carefully for dirt, scuffs, plastic sometimes breaks when not properly handled. Check If the ORVM mirror and assembly is working and in good condition, reading light is properly functioning and sensing if the doors are open, any interior LED lights are in good condition. Look for door lock knobs, screws on the doors, speakers and other accessories fitted onto your door (like door visors)

5. Check seat belts assembly along with the seat upholstery and whether the rear seats have all the seat fastners (sometimes we forget to look close)

6. Check A/C and heater settings. Run the compressor in cooling mode starting from the fan speed setting no 1 to final..feel if the cooling was similar to as it was before
leaving your car (unless you have any problems with it) check the fan speed/motor for increase in speed and A/C in cooling. Now turn off A/C and turn on the setting to heater mode and immediately change the fan settings and to heat mode (turn from blue to red side of the knob) and feel if the heat mode is working..(your compressor will be turning on automatically when changing to heat mode).

7. Check if there is any water clogged inside the car (I would recommend installing a floor mat which is water resistant) since leaving the doors/window open during rainy season may allow water to enter in to the cabin and moisture will spoil your precious interiors and head units.

8. Check the brakes, gear, and clutches. If you feel something is wrong then ask the mechanic.

Now is the time for test drive:
Don’t hesitate to drive your car atleast 4 -6 miles before you say anything to the mechanic.

1. First start your car and let it idle for 2-3 mins. Hear if any abnormal noise from the engine or doors is coming. Slowly move the car at first, second and third gears..check the RPM and should be okay it they are within the limits (since Chevy Sail UVa is having a digital RPM display, I never go beyond the 1700 RPM range in any gear). Excessive noise and increase in RPM at low speeds is a warning.

2. This part is usually done by the mechanic and you will be sitting next to him. Please wear your seatbelts whenever you sit on the driver seat and be responsible. Also ask your co-passengers to do the same. Now increasing your speed to a maximum of 100-120 (only if you are on a deserted highway) see if there is any wobbling in the steering control, now slowly loosen your grip on the steering, if the car shakes or swerves to your left or right you have to do the tire rotation immediately (for every 2500 Km you must do tire rotation-cheaper Rs.200-300/-)

3. Now check the brakes, clutch and your gear by driving the car slowly into a city road (with traffic) and check for gear ply/clutch and brakes. (Note: Immediately after starting the car slowly pump the brakes to fill in the vaccum).

4. Now park the car away from traffic on the side of the road and test, what happens if you open the door-does indicator light comes on flashing, door ajar warning signal/alarm, seat belt alarm all lights up. Check the front bonnet/rear door is opening and closed (both detected by your remote alarm).

5. Finally take the car back to the service center and THEN ONLY ASK THE SERVICE MANAGER TO GIVE YOU THE REPAIR SHEET/BILL TO SIGN AND DON’T FORGET TO MENTION THE SATISFACTION LEVEL AND ABOUT THE MEECHANIC BEFORE SIGNING IN THE CUSTOMER SIGNATURE[evil].

It will definitely help the service team and the mechanics to sort out/follow up the issues during your next or successive visits to the service center and also to assign or not the same mechanic next time based on your appreciation/complaint.

6. Dont forget to ask for the repairs carried out and the cost of each repair/spare parts changed and duly make a not in the owners manual of all the above mentioned services and if there is any malfunctioning during the test drive after the service.[glasses]


Guys if I have forget to add anything you are most welcome to add that to the list and help fellow TAIans to have a wonderful and successful car service at your dealer service centre or workshop.

Thanks and safe driving
 
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Re: Must do car check-up list after every service/repair

Also check out the Stepney tire,jack & tools, mats, battery and any valuables in case you kept in the storage like sunglasses, car documents. These are the main things usually go missing. Sometimes they will repleace them with older/worn out ones.
 
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Re: Must do car check-up list after every service/repair

Also check out the Stepney tire,jack & tools, mats, battery and any valuables in case you kept in the storage like sunglasses, car documents. These are the main things usually go missing. Sometimes they will replace them with older/worn out ones.
Right. And great article, cjdavid. I was just wondering how come I missed this article. But you posted this today :stupid:. My 2 cents: Check the windscreen, front and rear. Usually, they clean it with an ages old sponge, which has many traces of oil and has been used to clean the exteriors. Also check the engine oil level and quality. If it's a scam, they will relive you of your hard-earned money for something they did not replace. Check the coolant fluid and battery fluids. Check all the smaller components in the engine bay. If the guys do jugaad, they just spray their high-pressure water into the bay. My security system almost fried when the non ASS guys did that. Be more vigilant if you own a VAG car. An infamous Skoda dealer replaced genuine parts in an Octavia (e.g. Old brake rotors and pads, timing belt, rusted steering rack, battery, etc.), and the owner did not get the car for >6 years due to the court case. And was he paid back? No. Flashback: When he met with an accident, and knew that the fake parts caused it, he quarreled with "infamous" dealer, in vain. So he went to another dealership. who replaced the fake parts in the car with genuine parts. But the infamous dealer (a.k.a. Nummer Eins) got the fake parts delivered to them on request to the good dealership. Started the court battle. [end of flashback] That's on dealer level, but whatever car you own, you have to face the situation where you have to quarrel with the manger or some executive, on some point of life. Rest you have already mentioned [clap]
Mods: Please remove the dealership name if inappropriate.

Thanks for the great article!
Shrid.
 
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Thread Starter #4
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Re: Must do car check-up list after every service/repair

Also check out the Stepney tire,jack & tools, mats, battery and any valuables in case you kept in the storage like sunglasses, car documents. These are the main things usually go missing. Sometimes they will repleace them with older/worn out ones.
Yes I removed all the jack and tools but forgot to note if the stepney tire is new or old(as mine is a new car).
thanks.
 
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Re: Must do car check-up list after every service/repair

...An infamous Skoda dealer replaced genuine parts in an Octavia (e.g. Old brake rotors and pads, timing belt, rusted steering rack, battery, etc.), and the owner did not get the car for >6 years due to the court case. And was he paid back? No. Flashback: When he met with an accident, and knew that the fake parts caused it, he quarreled with "infamous" dealer, in vain. So he went to another dealership. who replaced the fake parts in the car with genuine parts. But the infamous dealer (a.k.a. Nummer Eins) got the fake parts delivered to them on request to the good dealership. Started the court battle. [end of flashback]...
:offtopic:
Just read his update, the case got settled on 19-Aug-14. He was paid back for the car, legal fees, and some extra. Due to his bad publicity directed towards Skoda, Skoda has faced big losses. So much so, that the older M.D. was fired. We can expect Skoda coming up again. JUSTICE PREVAILS!!![clap][clap]. BTW, he was battling with Skoda in the court from early 2008. Now he's got full compensation. But that does not mean you should be fear/careless.
 

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