[gavfox]

Hi everyone my first post so hang on. I bought a 2013 jimny from a 2nd hand car yard with the balance of new car warranty. On the 12 july at approx 8am I was doing 120 kph near Daly Waters when i noticed the abs light on. I slowed to 100 and check my brakes. More travel than before but pumped up. Then felt a shimmy, another then the right rear wheel bearing collapsed the axel/wheel came off and I headed for the side of the road and the axel/wheel somewhere lost in the bush. I got my car to a Suzuki dealership they declined my warranty as i dont have the faulty part and non genuine tyres fitted (kumo mud) which are 34mm wider. The other thing they have stated is external forces. I have asked for an explanation of this with none forthcoming. Heavy off road use was also cited. My insurer is repairing the damage but at 34000k I still believe its a warranty issue. Anybody else experienced this or have some advise.
Thanks.
Ps i was really happy with it till the wheel came off.
Gav

[shep]

Suzuki warrenty is pretty crap. When I bought my jimny new in 2013 i made a decision not to bother with
dealers and mechanics and to not worry about Warrenty.
I just halved the recommended service intervals and do it all myself.

[mnemonix]

Wheel bearing failure is easily and commonly attributed to the extra forces associated with running wider tyres. I'd expect any automotive dealer regardless of make would be unlikely to offer a warranty repair under the circumstances you have described, regardless of how low the km's may be.

[Gwagensteve]

^This.

Sorry, wider tyres than placarded will always void warranty. I agree that Suzuki are very reluctant to offer warranty generally, but nonetheless, no manufacturer will cover a car for wider, heavier tyres than placarded.

Steve.

[Scrawny]

We run 225/75R16 (up from 205R16) on Hilux's and 265/75R16 (up from 7.50R16) on Landcruisers and have no issues with warranty. I agree though, dealers will use any excuse to get out of warranty and bigger tyres are an obvious easy one

[shep]

My vdj70 has a constant load 600kg over stock gvm and run 265/70/16 tyres and have no issue with warranty. They even have to 1/2 empty the crap out of it so their hoist can lift it

[jdk81]

When did you buy the car?
How long and how many km between purchase and their rwc etc and your incident?
How long have the tyres been on it for? Are they legal fitment?
Do much mud and water 4x4?
A total bearing collapse isnt normally quick. It should deterioate and get worse and worse over time. Grinding, wobbles, pulsing in the brake pedal, vibrations etc. Depending how many km, it perhaps should have been picked up earlier.
Bearings have a mean time till failure, they should last for a long time, but sometimes dont. A warranty should cover it on stockies etc.

Bigger tyres, running heavy, and offroading is harsh on bearings.
On a car under factory warranty, i would like it to be covered, but when running oversize tyres on a 4x4 I would expect the answer you got.

If you presented it to the dealer on stockies it may have been easier.

[gavfox]

I agree, however the used car dealer where i bought the car assured me it had balance of warranty and have encouraged me to continue attempting to get warranty through Suzuki
They also sell new cars of a different brand and have stated that i have gone over the statutory 5k and no warranty is available through them. I have expressed that i bought the vehicle with the tyres already fitted by previous owner. They would known it would not pass for warranty. If i had known this i would have bought extended warranty from them. Looks like i will have to get legal advise and see mts.

[jdk81]

I would contact consumer affairs and see what they say.
Maybe NTCAT would be as far as you would go.

I wouldn't bother with a lawyer, as legal advice wont be cheap.
Maybe $200 for an initial 30 min meeting.
At $400+/hr, a meeting, a letter, a few emails, a phone call or two and it will easily reach $1000 before you realise.
Its possible Suzuki and the other dealer wont do anything, until you file proceedings (so more money again), and if you try to keep going you could easily spend $15,000+ and you likely wont get costs awarded if you win.

Sadly justice is often not viable or affordable for most people.

You may just have to be grateful that your insurer is covering it.

[Gwagensteve]

You are extremely lucky your insurer is covering it.
The "extended warranty" offered by used car dealers is only an insurance policy and generally has so many loopholes it's almost worthless.
Who would have thought a used car dealer would be misleading/ignorant about the condition of a car they sold? It's never happened before

The car should definitely have been presented in standard configuration if you are intending to claim warranty.

Steve.

[greenzook89]

Gwagensteve wrote:

You are extremely lucky your insurer is covering it.
The "extended warranty" offered by used car dealers is only an insurance policy and generally has so many loopholes it's almost worthless.
Who would have thought a used car dealer would be misleading/ignorant about the condition of a car they sold? It's never happened before

The car should definitely have been presented in standard configuration if you are intending to claim warranty.

Steve.

This.

Dealer extended warranties aren't worth the paper they are written on.