Advice: dealer refusing to fix alignment on new car

"treesmakewater" (baym)
10/15/2014 at 14:30 • Filed to: dealer woes, Subaru, alignment

My mother bought a 2014 Crosstrek a month ago and it has always pulled to the right (she test drove the model, not the specific car). We have taken it to the dealer 3 times now and each time they check the tire pressure and drive it 1-3 miles. They have not put it on the alignment machine to take measurements. Now we have a car that pulls hard to the right and we have a trip to the mountains booked Friday... Any oppos have any advice on getting this fixed?

have a gnx for your time.

DISCUSSION (26)

McChiken116 - Patrick H. > treesmakewater
10/15/2014 at 14:32

Just threaten to Lemon it, and they will come around

victor > treesmakewater
10/15/2014 at 14:32

Contact SOA @ 1-800-SUBARU3 (1-800-782-2783)

Have VIN number and dealer name and customer name ready. They will contact the dealer directly on your behalf. They are typically pretty responsive.

bob and john > treesmakewater
10/15/2014 at 14:32

uhh, take it to a freaking alignment shop. simple ass tat. then, when the alignment shop tells you: yo, you left wheel is 10 degrees off, have them print it, sign it, and take it to the dealer to be reimburshed.

deekster_caddy > treesmakewater
10/15/2014 at 14:33

Bring it back to the dealership. Talk to the service manager. Have him go on a test drive with you. Tell him if it's not fixed you don't want the car back. Be courteous, but firm. Be prepared to rent a different car for your trip.

Remember, it could be something besides alignment, like a brake dragging or caliper improperly installed... so be insistent that it gets fixed.

Tom McParland > treesmakewater
10/15/2014 at 14:35

What Victor said...you can also try a different dealer.

Arben72 > treesmakewater
10/15/2014 at 14:36

Talk to a lemon lawyer. You pay nothing. You made an attempt to get it fixed 3 times. Let the dealer know this.

ly2v8-Brian > treesmakewater
10/15/2014 at 14:37

As it turns out love is not what makes a Subaru dealer. (Well this one anyway)

HammerheadFistpunch > victor
10/15/2014 at 14:37

Lots of good responses here, but this is the best course of action in my opinion. Ask for and keep all the paperwork you can get your hands on, anything with services performed and/or numbers. If it keeps going you have several options from there.

treesmakewater > bob and john
10/15/2014 at 14:47

i don't have the time to leave the car for the estimated 4 hours without a loaner

treesmakewater > deekster_caddy
10/15/2014 at 14:51

well the service manager told me "the earliest I could see it is 3PM on Friday" when I told him that I'm leaving Friday at 9 am. As far as a rental, I wourather waste gas and drive my A6 (I go to the mountains to drive, I don't want a camery XD)

victor > Tom McParland
10/15/2014 at 15:07

Hey Tom, any opinions about my Conundrum? ( http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/to-volvo-now-o… )

deekster_caddy > treesmakewater
10/15/2014 at 15:20

Remind him that it's already been in 3 times... drop it off Thursday night and pick it up after it's been fixed. When they tell you it's been fixed, ask them exactly what was done before you go pick it up. Take it for a test drive before you accept it as repaired.

It's inconvenient, but if you have another car (and you do), this is what I'd do.

treesmakewater > HammerheadFistpunch
10/15/2014 at 15:28

They only gave me paperwork for the first "service"

TheCraigy > treesmakewater
10/15/2014 at 15:37

Bring the car in for an alignment on Friday morning, take their loaner car on your trip. ;)

Tohru > treesmakewater
10/15/2014 at 15:52

If only you were in Michigan.

Kinja'd!!!

(Apologies to both Steve Lehto and the creators of Breaking Bad.)

DoYouEvenShift > treesmakewater
10/15/2014 at 16:04

Post up the printout, did they give it to you.

treesmakewater > TheCraigy
10/15/2014 at 16:05

i don't think that they would take kindly (big bill) for driving Friday until Monday night through the mountains.

treesmakewater > DoYouEvenShift
10/15/2014 at 16:09

No, they havent even put it on the alignment rack... Here is the service manager's words, and i shit you not "you need to come in friday between 12 and 3 pm fir our master tech tobtest drive it befire we can put it on the alignment rack." How hard us it to tell that the car us out of aligbment if I have to keep my wheel turned left 15 degrees to go straight.....

bob and john > treesmakewater
10/15/2014 at 16:31

rather that then to end up in the ditch upside down with broken bones

treesmakewater > bob and john
10/15/2014 at 16:35

It would be impossible for me to take the car and wait without a loaner (classes and work)

DoYouEvenShift > treesmakewater
10/15/2014 at 16:44

Thats bs, they're just trying to get rid of you. It takes literally 5 minutes to put it on a rack and get a printout. Take it to a tire shop like a Firestone or Goodyear, they do free checks and will give you a printout before any work is done. I would do that and take the printout to the service manager.

treesmakewater > DoYouEvenShift
10/15/2014 at 16:49

My local tire kingdom told me i woukd have a 4 hour wait.. And for previous experience ibrefuse to go to tires plus.

I know they are trying to get rid of me, too bad that makes me more persistent

bob and john > treesmakewater
10/15/2014 at 17:10

then take a day off or cancel your trip. or take a different car.

that car is not safe to drive. end of story.

another thing you can check. make sure the tires are mounted right. I've heard stories of cars behaving funny with directional tires mounted the wrong way.

treesmakewater > bob and john
10/15/2014 at 17:41

1. I cant take an extra day off without notice

2. I know the car is not safe to drive

3.I will check the tires

4. I am trying my best to get the Subaru in safe condition to take it to the mountains (I'm curious of how it handles vs my a6 quattro)

bob and john > treesmakewater
10/15/2014 at 18:13

hopefully it works out. keep us updated!

treesmakewater > bob and john
10/15/2014 at 20:19

i sertainly will! I never expected a dealership to give me a hard time about alignment on a NEW vehicle. (I refuse to fill out that survey until everything is fixed)