So I had a really bad day at work. I installed a remote start in a '02 hyundai sonata and after I was done the car wouldn’t start due to a dead battery. So I jump the car, let it run for a little while, test everything and put the car back together. After the car is back together it won’t start again. Jump it again and let it run for about 10 mins. Leave the door open while I pick up my tools (with the car turned off) go to remote start it, dead battery again.
So the owner shows up and I tell him his battery is junk (not holding charge) and he needs a new one. I meter the alternator with it running, 13.5v, ok. Test the battery with our battery tester, 9v weak, close to bad. He proceeds to get in my face and tell me that I killed his battery and I owe him a new one. I explain to him that a battery goes bad over time and it is highly unlikely that the battery would go bad while I was installing the remote start.
Now the battery never completly lost charge while I was working on it, the first time it happend the car cranked 3 times but wouldn’t turn over. Now this guy is going to be a pain in my butt for a while to come and I refuse to pay for a new battery to replace his 3 year old factory hyundai battery. I do know that running a battery completly dead multiple times will cause it to not hold charge anymore, but I have never run across it happening when the battery gets close to dead just once. Also, his son ran two wire from the battery, through the fender and door jam and pinched between the seam and weather stripping for some leds.
I have not had time to check for a current draw, but will do so in the morn. I am just wondering, who’s with me on this one? How likely is this to happen??
Sorry man, you just caught in the middle of “you’re the last person to touch it so you broke it.” Welcome to the wonderful world of customer service. Just give him what he wants, its much less painful than the alternative, and in the end he’ll probably still com yu out of a battery, you’ll just be out the same amount of money but with an ulcer instead.
you already know my thought on this one lol and theres no way that so much current would flow thru that small wiring on a remote starter that it would kill a battery that fast IF infact it really was drawing, which it isn’t. he’s full of shit and had this planned out imho
Of course you didn’t kill the battery, but trying to explain that to a person who has no idea how a car works is impossible. You have 1 of 2 options. Replace the battery, or remove your unit and tell him to pick up his car. Do you work for someone or run your own install shop? If you have a commercial account you could probably still come out slightly ahead even w/ replacing the battery, and then you won’t have someone badmouthing you on the street.
i deal with this bullshit everyday (people try telling me that we fucked thier cars up by installing a remote starter)…u just gotta stick to your guns and be firm with the customer: “sir, we did not kill your battery. the battery in the car is 3 years old, and thats pushing to life expectance of a normal car battery.” you have to figure that this guy is obviusly already pissed of at you, hes obviously not gonna come back to whereever it is that this happened, and theres very little chance of you making him a happy customer. i would get a little bitchy with the guy. dont let him argue with you. u just gotta be like 'look, there is no possible way that we could have killed your battery. it is what it is, and we’re not replacing it for you. there is an autoparts store ________ from here, and i would be glad to jump you car so you can at least get it over there, and im sure they would be happy to help you find a new battery." thats it.
o and also, just make your manager aware of the situation…if they are anything like my managers, they will ususally see waht an idiot the customer is and personally come out on the floor and tell the guy what the deal is.
yeah, people get real bitter when thier cars break…
I work for Circuit City as of now, and I will be handing it over to the manager today (since he got the position and I didn’t). I am tempted thought to just cut it out, return his money, and send him on his way. He can freeze every morning for all care. On the plus side, my managers do understand that most customers are idiots and they definatly feel the same way I do.
yeah…people are idiots. its like, if u were worried about a remote car starter or the person installing it messing up your car, THEN DONT GET A REMOTE STARTER!!! it seems as if people buy remote starters and have them installed just so they can bitch at someone…serriously, thats how i feel sometimes.
no offense to any installers here, but i would never trust anyone with my car, esp. places that do 20+ cars a day (cir city/best buy ect.) i have seen some nasty nasty jobs they have done and i would be pissed if they fooked up my car. ( i know usually they know what goin on but its alot harder IMO on some older and most newer european cars)but u cant just say “if you dont trust the installer dont get it” I buy it, read all the directions, do my research and do it myself…that way i
1.) know exactly what was done
2.) know where everything is
3.) know that it was done right and most importantly
4.) can do it again and help out friends
dude just make the customer happy. in my situation as a salesman things like this come about!. did u disconnect the batt b4 work? i imagine u did.r the connectors on correctly no corrosion?. what i would do is calmly tell the customer what happend if he gets mad tell him u apoligize for the inconvience and tell him ur willing to go half on a battery for him. its like 70 bucks at most it will cost u to please a customer. i see u take interest in mangement. u cant uninstall it and tell the customer ot leave. its not proffesional. ur goal is to please the customer. theres always an asshole out there and you take these issues to heart ur just going to make it worst on yourself.
fyi a volt meter isnt a true indicator of a dead battery.what circuit city is this? if its at the mkinnly mall bring me it and i will put it in the analyzer.
do not, under any circumstances, give this guy a new battery. You should not be paying for his ignorance. Tell him you knew more about cars when you were 12 then he will learn in his entire lifetime. Start the car and let him drive it home. If he wont pay for the starter tell him he is getting a new battery. Once he pays tell him to get the fuck out. Customer is always wrong.
At idle it takes approximately 55 minutes to charge a battery.
At cruising speed, about 20 minutes.
You can also check to see if his alternator is fucked by jumping the car and leaving it running, then WHILE THE CAR IS RUNNING disconnect the positive terminal. If the car dies, it’s the alternator. If it stays running, it’s the battery (in most cases)
Well, I tested the battery with a batter tester, and I used my meter to test current draw and alternator output. I never disconnected the battery, hell, I never opened the hood till I found out the battery was dead. We jumped the car and sent him on his way. So far we haven’t heard back from him.
Or hand this whole mess over to the manager.