[stew]

Hello all,

A shame for my first post on here to be a somewhat negative one, but here goes:

I bought a used Kia Ceed from a Kia dealership, and after a day of stress-free driving the battery was flat the next morning. I had to jump start with a battery box which worked, but it subsequently lost charge and failed to start. I arranged with the dealer I bought the car from to take it to a more local Kia garage and they would then pay the difference (it later transpired I would have to pay the garage and claim the money back off the local garage, not the end of the world though).

Since then this other garage, we'll call them garage X as I'm not sure what the rules are here about making claims about levels of service are, have been very slow to get this problem sorted.

It took them a couple of days to diagnose that the battery was 'faulty', I did tell them clearly that's what I thought was most likely wrong. Then they ordered a new battery (genuine Kia part) and as they get them dry, had to charge it, which took three more days. Unfortunately this new battery is also 'faulty'. They have now sorted me out with a courtesy car, and said it will be a few days to charge this new battery.

I think I made it fairly clear I wasn't that happy with the level of service they were offering - I'm sure I could have got an after-market battery from halfords or a mobile tyre company in a day and been on my way.

Do you think I'm being unreasonable in not being satisfied with how long it is taking?

I'm also a little worried its not the battery that is the problem now, and that they might not have even considered this possibility (which they should have considering how long it took them to decide it was the battery).

Edited by: stew

 

[RichieD76]

Is you car a petrol equiped with instant stop & go??? If so the batterys are very different from the lead acid batterys and do require a dedicated charger. I'ld be suprised if they happened to have 2 faulty batterys....not as though they go wrong from new often!

 

[stew]

Its a 2007 1.6 petrol LS, and doesn't have the instant stop/start.

I do wonder if they are fobbing me off, but it could be that there's a batch of dodgy batteries I suppose.

 

[RichieD76]

I think quite frankly your best talking to kia customer services and agreeing with them that if you provide a new bosch battery (seeing as your warranty will run out in 2years anyway, which is what the battery will be covered for) they they will honour the rest of the cars warranty and get reimbursed from the garage you brought the car from.I know there purpose is for starting the car but boosters can over voltage certain batterys that make them discharge more easy over a prelonged use. Either way, if you do buy a battery from else where, get the dealer you brought the car from to fit it, then theres no come back on youif the problem is not the battery. They could point the finger at something you've done or say it must have happended when you installed the new battery

 

[stew]

Spoke to the local kia garage today and I should be getting the car back at the end of the day with a shiny new (and most importantly fully charged!) battery, I just need to claim the money off the original garage I bought it from.

I guess its just one to put down to experience and worth noting that getting a new dry battery can take several days due to charging times. If I did it again I'd take your advice and confirm about the warranty first and then get an aftermarket battery fitted instead.

 

[stew]

Said garage in question phoned some time after saying the battery is fully charged and would be installed this afternoon to tell me.... The battery doesn't fit! Apparently the cee'd has a non-standard size battery!?

The fellow I've been dealing with was at least very apologetic, but I don't think I'd take my car here again for anything whatsoever. I asked them to fit an aftermarket battery, which they've ordered in and if the dimensions are correct on this one they'll have it fitted tomorrow.

What a palaver!

 

[davy]

Pure mayhem all over a battery,

 

[stew]

Finally sorted today! Apparently Kia have changed the battery they are using for the cee'd and it is a different size, but not so different to cause problems - a more senior technician fitted it fine.

I would definitely recommend anyone getting a battery changed by a dealer to talk to them about this and advise them that the part has changed, and also to be prepared for a few days to charge a dry battery.

I will be claiming the money back off the dealer I bought it from but for now, my other half and I are happy to have our car back!