UKC

The original thread (https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/off_belay/car_problem_-_manufacturer_refu...) has been archived, but to summarise:

My car plugs in via a 13A socket.  The manufacturer fitted plug was faulty - it got hot right from its first use - and has developed worrying burn marks.  On taking it to my dealer I was shown an internal bulletin with photos very similar to my plug, and the instruction that on no account is this to be admitted to be a manufacturing defect, and customers must be told that the only option is to replace the whole £800 charger.

I did the obvious thing and replaced the plug, once I had permission to do so from the lease company who technically own the car.  Problem utterly solved: it no longer gets hot while charging.  Having removed it I examined the old plug and found that parts of it had internally melted around the fuse.

I've written to Mitsubishi UK and asked for an apology for their not honouring their warranty, and for them to withdraw the bulletin so that no-one else with the same problem gets fobbed off with an £800 bill.

They've got back to me.  They are offering to replace my whole charger as an act of 'goodwill'.  I've pointed out that I don't want a new charger as mine is now working perfectly, thanks very much.  They have then said that my modifications will invalidate the warranty and that I have 30 days in which to accept the new charger.  It is not yet clear to me whether they are threatening to invalidate the charger's warranty or the whole car's.

They've also said that they will not withdraw this bulletin (which I should never have been shown) and that the dealer initially didn't offer to replace the charger because it was 'not possible to determine' that it was a manufacturing defect (absolute rubbish - the dealer took one look and said 'we're not allowed to take this because it says so here').

So, my dilemma.  Do I accept the goodwill charger, which I very much imagine will come with a non-disclosure agreement attached to it?  Or do I ask Mitsubishi to confirm that they are threatening to invalidate my warranty for the sake of an aftermarket plug, and then see what the Guardian's consumer champoins or Honest John want to make of it?  I just hate the idea that they are getting away with this with other people.

I've no idea what you should do but what a bunch of scum bags!

If it's common enough for them to have issued some kind of bulletin and the plug has worrying burn marks then surely any decent company would issue a recall quick smart.

Puts me right off buying from Mitsubishi.

I think it would be best to accept the free charger (wasteful as this is) because if they want to make you're life difficult, or you need to make another claim it's all the excuse they need. Insist on a report or similar explaining that they have the issue under control (ie, the next one isn't going to burn your house down).

I've never heard of a gagging clause for a goodwill claim before, but check before you accept anything.

Say that if you don't get a report in due time, 25 day?, (give yourself time to go to consumer protection before the 30 day limit) you'll be going to report them to trading standards for providing potentially dangerous products that could burn down peoples house.

The fact the bulletin exists tells me that your not the first (or probably the last) to have this issue, so well done trying to push it.

Mike (Currently working on the other side of warranty claims (not for MHI) 

EDIT: you could  refuse to use the phrase 'goodwill' and insist on calling it a warranty claim at any chance, that'll wind them up .

The latter. Awful treatment of a serious safety issue.

Jk

I would send a written report - with photos - to both the HSE and to the fire brigade - if there’s a division that receives and considers such things.  You’ve given Mitsubishi a good chance to do the right thing - and given your suspicions this is not a one off...

I would be surprised if they could invalidate the whole vehicle’s warranty as the use of third party charge cables and posts is perfectly normal.

If it’s just invalidating the warranty on the charge cable, it’s not like that turned out to be worth anything...!

Is the electronics unit hanging off the plug on your charge cable, or is it on a long enough flex to rest on the floor or some shelf?  If the former I would crack the plug open in a few weeks to check that the strain relief on the outer flex looks unchanged.

If they replace the charger will it not melt again? If not and they have changed the part then it's a fairly clear admission of fault, a bit like the modification used to prevent the Iphone 6 'touch disease' implemented in later batches of those phones. 

Accept the charger. At the end of the lease you modified one will get you an £800 bill and a long battle over prooving that you could repair it.

Then contact the motoring press. Is using a 13A plug common for Mitsubishi, the few plugins I looked at worked with charging stations using fixed charging cable (plug only at car end). Have you just run an 13A extension to the outside with an exterior socket?

Accept the charger - put yourself first and don’t cut off your nose to spite your face. If they put a gagging clause on you, just PM someone on UKC and ask them to send a link to this thread and the previous one, to Honest John.

Given that it's a lease vehicle, would it not be wise also to run Mitsubishi's 'offer' past them?  They may not be happy if they think you have taken any action which invalidates the warranty on the vehicle*.  Similar to what Philip said about them possibly taking umbrage at your DIY repair.

* Though I'd like to see Mitsubishi try to win that argument in court, for replacing a faulty 13A plug!

Thanks, all.  Firstly, this has reassured me that I'm not overreacting.

To confirm a couple of things - the charger hangs from a little cord so it's not putting strain on the 13A plug.  And it's a dedicated and professionally installed 13A* external socket.

I think my plan of action is:

1) write to lease company and explain the situation.  They did give me permission to change the plug, but faced with Mitsubishi threatening to invalidate warranty I am quite sure they will instruct me to accept the new charger.

2) write to Mitsubishi to ascertain exactly what they mean by invalidating warranty - of the charger or of the whole car.  Not that it'll make much difference but I'm interested to know.

3) once I have the new charger, go to motoring press.

* you can get a 16A charge station installed which charges at 3.5kW, but actually I prefer slow 2kW charging, because I charge in the daytime and it significantly increases the percentage of energy that comes from my solar array rather than the grid.  It is totally acceptable to only ever charge off the 13A cable - it's not like it's a emergency solution or anything.

I still don't understand why you're doing this yourself. It's a lease car, and a lease company will have far more clout with a manufacturer than you as an individual. It's their problem.

You might want to change your priorities, think about how you are going to feel when someone is burnt alive after the charger catches fire, because Mitsubishi haven't been forced into doing a product recall.

Do you mean why am I trying to get the charger fixed?  I could, probably, have gone to the lease company and tell them it's their charger and they need to get it sorted.  I suspect I'd have been without a working charger for some time in that scenario! 

Or do you mean why am I the one taking responsibility for trying to make Mitsubishi deal with the wider issue?  I doubt very much that my lease company will give a damn about that.

In reply to Jon Greengrass:

I think you misunderstand my intentions.  I am utterly determined to bring this to the press, because I believe Mitsubishi are acting illegally and immorally.  I'm just trying to achieve this without paying out £800.

Total rip off by the way.  

They’re not actually chargers, just extension leads with a 13 A plug on one end, a plug for the car on the other, and some ground fault monitoring etc as well as a relay that only engages the car plug when connected and grounded and a little circuit to signal to the car’s onboard charge the maximum current it is allowed to draw.

After market chargers from Zencar are about £200, and include a thermometer on the car plug to derate then shutdown if it gets hot (dodgy wiring in car or plug, or bad contacts) to prevent burning car syndrome.  I have a 6A unit with a longer flying lead to the car - as with you this is to make better use of solar - but also time shifted solar via a battery/inverter system.  A side benefit is leaving the manufacturer’s one in its bag in the boot which keeps it in good nick (handy come selling time as we are not rental) and means it’s definitely going to be there if we ever cock up our ~100 mile range (we are EV not hybrid).