Can a dealer refuse warranty work due to missing records?

[johnny.r1.lee]

District Parts and Service Manager for Mazda Canada is refusing to replace my engine under warranty (low compression on a rotary) because I am missing service records from 13 000 kms to 34 000 kms.
My car is previously from the US and I am the second owner. I was able to get some service records (new till 13 000) but the dealership my car was serviced at between the gap has gone out of business and I have had no luck finding records...

Are they allowed to do this?

I also noticed an engine related recall has been open on the car since 2008. I've had this car serviced at North Hill Mazda since I bought it and it has 74 000 kms now. Maybe this open recall helped my engine get to it's current low compression state...

[revelations]

I believe there are many threads about this here, but basically, yes youre screwed.

Mazda dealers are ULTRA anal about records for these specific vehicles as skipping ANY service on a rotary is liable to damage the engine permanently - regardless of recalls.

[johnny.r1.lee]

how can i possibly provide records from a dealer that went out of business...
I've been a pretty loyal customer to North Hill since bringing this vehicle to calgary. I guess that doesn't really mean shit.

[chkolny541]

i too was under the impression that there are MANY loopholes the dealership can use to get out of warrenty work, and im pretty sure records are one of them

[gcoap]

look at it from there point of view. It is possible that there was nothing done to it durring that time period, which if true would void the warranty. So they have to look at it as such.

Cliffs your screwed unless you can prove that it was done.

[revelations]

I could be wrong, but I always thought the onus was on the OWNER to prove that maintenance has been done to the car.

[Redlyne_mr2]

Originally posted by chkolny541
i too was under the impression that there are MANY loopholes the dealership can use to get out of warrenty work, and im pretty sure records are one of them

It's not a loophole, why would the dealer not want the work? It's billable hours for them and their techs. Problem is if the dealership here gets audited by Mazda Canada they won't have any records to back the claim and the dealer would end up having to pay for the engine replacement. Have you tried calling Mazda USA? I know with Toyota service records can be viewed nationwide by any Toyota dealer, I would assume Mazda is the same.

[Weapon_R]

Have you checked the carfax report? Most dealership services show up on Carfax too so that might help you with your search. Just because the dealership went under, doesn't mean that there is no evidence of the service (if there were any).

To answer your question, yes they can. In order to maintain your warranty, you are expected to service the car regularly even if it means going to an independent mechanic.

[DC2]

Originally posted by Weapon_R
Have you checked the carfax report? Most dealership services show up on Carfax too so that might help you with your search. Just because the dealership went under, doesn't mean that there is no evidence of the service (if there were any).

To answer your question, yes they can. In order to maintain your warranty, you are expected to service the car regularly even if it means going to an independent mechanic.

Or even if you maintain the vehicle yourself. As long as you have receipts for parts to prove that the work has been done.

[heavyD]

IMO your first mistake was buying a rotary not realizing that you will have to rebuild the engine down the road. 74,000 km's is actually pretty high mileage for one of those engines. Buying a rotary is like marrying the town slut. The sex is good but you know the marriage just won't end well.

[HondaKid]

Mazda USA HQ ought to have a copy of all service work done on the vehicle. Have you tried to call them in the USA?

Why all the bashing on the OP and differing car makers? It is a wonder some of you are able to take time off from cleaning the windows in those glass houses you live in.

[Team_Mclaren]

Originally posted by heavyD
IMO your first mistake was buying a rotary not realizing that you will have to rebuild the engine down the road. 74,000 km's is actually pretty high mileage for one of those engines. Buying a rotary is like marrying the town slut. The sex is good but you know the marriage just won't end well.

thats what warranty is for? I'm at over 120KM btw....

go back to your subaru bashing where the wrx engine only lasts 5k...

[heavyD]

Originally posted by Team_Mclaren


thats what warranty is for? I'm at over 120KM btw....

go back to your subaru bashing where the wrx engine only lasts 5k...

I hope you have started a fund for your new engine.

Oh and by Subaru you mean this 161 page thread that still has more failures added weekly? Well I haven't brought it up a while nor very frequently lately however thanks for reminding me to check the ongoing status of failures at NASOIC. Really it's not bashing more informing consumers of bad products. I mean really take the time to read all the hassles people had to go through in there before you take a shot at me. To Subaru's credit they do a good job of replacing the engines for most of the hundreds of people unfortunate enough to buy a defective product.

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...48372&page=161

[crapstixs]

this happens all the time, even try to dig up bank statments. that might be enough. if you show them a visa statment saying you have them x amount of money on what ever date they might take it. i guy i work with needed 8 injectors under warrenty, they wanted service records all he could dig up was a old work order for a lof and a fuel filter and it was enough. but ide say calling the us is your best bet.

[Alak]

Dont talk to the service manager. Talk to the Owner of the dealership. And if that doesnt work, keep climbing the latter. Service manager told me to fuck off (In a nutshell). I called his boss and I had my truck in the next day. It didnt even have a warrenty.

Originally posted by heavyD
IMO your first mistake was buying a rotary not realizing that you will have to rebuild the engine down the road. 74,000 km's is actually pretty high mileage for one of those engines.

I had to laugh at that.^

[Hakkola]

WARRANTY It's correct in the thread title, why do you guys have to fuck it up?

^^ He said the car is bought second hand, he wouldn't have bills to show for it, and what if it's work done under warranty? The last time I brought my car in for service I didn't have to pay anything.

[johnny.r1.lee]

I have only had good service from North Hill for the past 4 years and I can say this isn't the service managers fault. I saw the emails he wrote to the district parts/service manager and his responses. It was simply "NO, if it's missing records not a chance."

I've tried calling Mazda USA but failed to ask if they themselves have records, I only got the contacts of the dealers (according to dealer codes from recall history sheet) then started contacting them.
I will definitely try them again and try to dig up the old carfax I ran prior to purchasing

Originally posted by heavyD


Really it's not bashing more informing consumers of bad products.[/url]

So I should be driving a Mitsubishi?

[2002civic]

Originally posted by DC2


Or even if you maintain the vehicle yourself. As long as you have receipts for parts to prove that the work has been done.

Not quite true, some now require that a shop does the work to to prove date/kms on when the service was done, purchasing oil and a filter doe snot prove that it went into the car...

[heavyD]

Originally posted by johnny.r1.lee

So I should be driving a Mitsubishi?

Well it would have saved you the hassle of replacing the engine. Mitsubishi engines are as bulletproof as they come. I'm not telling you what to buy just guidance on what not to buy and I don't recommend Mazda because of the exact issues that you have. I went through it as well with Mazda. You won't win and are stuck with a POS.

[Aleks]

You always should have hard copies of receipts. You never know when a business might go under. And yeah if you can't prove you had no service for that time period it will be very hard to get the work approved.