Honda Jazz - Honda Servicing - Am I getting a proper Service ?

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
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Mon 25 Jun 2012 18:46
Honda Jazz - Honda Servicing - Am I getting a proper Service ? - 4myMum

On behalf of my Mum - 75 years young :-)

She bought a brand new Honda Jazz i-Shift in 2009 and also the Honda Happiness Fixed Price Servicing Plan for 5 Services. Bought the car as it got good reviews from HJ and wanted as little trouble as possible - she is very happy with the car and finds i-Shift no problem.
Most journeys are cold starts and short runs, as you would expect a driver her age.
(Btw, she only tops up with Shell V power petrol, again a HJ recommendation)


ISSUE = on her 2nd Annual Service, the Engine Oil and Oil Filter NOT changed as stated in Honda Happiness Fixed Price Servicing Plan.
Service 1 (12 months) - 6225 miles - everything done as per Service Plan
Service 2 (24 months) - 9871 miles - engine oil and oil filter not replaced
In Year 2 I believe my Mum should have got an AB2 Service, instead she only got a B2 Service.

First:
Contacted Honda Dealer where service done and I was informed that car electronic system only came up with B2 service, therefore oil and filter not changed.
I informed them that my Mum's Honda Happiness Servicing Plan does state that Service 2 should be AB2. To this the Dealer replied they could only do an AB2 service if the electronic system stated they could and if they did do an AB2 service, then Honda would not pay them.
They are the experts so left it at that.

Second:
As car is up for Service 3 (36 months) I thought I had better check what is actually covered in the Servicing Plan so went on web to get more information.

On Honda web site, see www.honda.co.uk/cars/owners/partsandservicing/fixe.../
the Servicing Plan states - at Service 1 to 5, 12,500 mile or time (12, 24, 36, etc. months), "whichever comes first", engine oil and oil filter to be replaced.

So contacted Honda directly and their Customer Relations informed me:
- after speaking to the Service Dealer, that the car did NOT need oil and filter replaced and the B2 service was correct.
- I then highlighted that Honda's own web site states that engine oil and filter should be replaced annually, besides it being in their paper Servicing Plan schedule. The Customer Relations representative then checked with Honda Master Technicians at Dealer Technical Support, and again I was told that the car did NOT need oil and filter replaced and the B2 service was correct.
I was then informed that I was confused and not clearly understood the Honda Happiness Fixed Price Servicing Plan.

Yes, I am confused as to why the Honda Dealer did not replace oil and filter at Service 2 (24 months) as stated on their web site and in their paper Servicing Plan schedule.
In Year 2 I believe my Mum should have got an AB2 Service, instead she only got a B2 Service.

Am I being stupid, missing something obvious or as Honda Customer Relations have stated "not understanding the Servicing Plan"? If I have misunderstood the Servicing Plan could someone please explain in simple language.
Also, am I wrong in my assumption that engine oil and oil filters should be changed annually, especially if low mileage?
All comments/advice/help greatly appreciated in advance.

(Have already posted this in 'Ask HJ' - apologies all round as thought I was in forum)

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Mon 25 Jun 2012 21:40
Honda Jazz - Honda Servicing - Am I getting a proper Service ? - gordonbennet

I wonder if your mum was paying for the services in the normal way, at the time with itemised billing, then an annual oil change would have been deemed necessary to keep the warranty intact?

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Tue 26 Jun 2012 12:48
Honda Jazz - Honda Servicing - Am I getting a proper Service ? - Cris_on_the_gas

Don't muck about any more, you've given plenty of chance.

Write to the dealer stating that Honda service plan specifies that Engine Oil & filter should have been changed according to schedule. Request that they perform this work within a reasonable time, say 14 days.

Tell them if they do not perform this work then you will have the work carried out at another garage and will be pursuing cost incurred from them. state that you will pursue this debt through the small claims court if they refuse to pay.

That should make them sit up and pay attention

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Tue 26 Jun 2012 15:08
Honda Jazz - Honda Servicing - Am I getting a proper Service ? - 4myMum

Thank you for the replies

@gordonbennet - she paid for 5 services upfront at the time she bought the car, as part of the Happiness Servicing Plan. She is not paying for servicing every year, so no itemised billing. Everything is included as listed in Servicing Plan

@Cris_on_the_gas - I totally agree with you, this is what I should do. BUT, I contacted Dealer Service a month after the Service 2 was done and they stated they could only do what the electronic system stated, namely B2, not AB2 as stated in Servicing Plan. As they are the 'experts' I left it at that.
I am on this forum as Service 3 is due next month - so you see I have left it nearly a year before coming to this forum for advice - my fault and I feel really stupid. What worries me most is that after contacting Honda directly they state that the Dealer Service has done nothing wrong, even after I pointed out that their own web sites states that the oil and filter should have been replaced.

So what I should I do now - foolishly I did nothing at the time and the 3rd Service is due next month. Neither the Dealer Service nor Honda believe anything incorrect has been done.

What do readers believe I should ask from the Dealer Service and/or Honda for not doing a full Service 2 (last year)? She bought the Happiness Servicing Plan for peace of mind and I did not expect this sort of action from a company such as Honda.

Will the fact that they did not change the oil and filter have damaged the engine?

(btw, I am a 'carphobe' and am dealing on this matter for my Mum)

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Tue 26 Jun 2012 15:22
Honda Jazz - Honda Servicing - Am I getting a proper Service ? - gordonbennet

I understand the servicing was pre paid, if it wasn't pre paid they would have performed the oil and filter change in order to charge you for it...in effect they have 'stolen' the cost of an oil and filter change by not doing the job which was pre paid.

I doubt there's anything you can do about it, other than vote with your feet, other than that write to the dealer principal and Honda UK so you and they have everything in writing...and you then have their replies similarly.

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Tue 26 Jun 2012 15:42
Honda Jazz - Honda Servicing - Am I getting a proper Service ? - 4myMum

By mistake, I had posted this Question first in 'AskHJ' as I thought it was the Forum. He has replied:

"I think the oil and filter should be changed every year regardless of mileage and don't understand why it has not been changed. If you can prove it should be changed by a download of the service requirements, then tell the dealer you will sue him to do what you have paid for using the small claims track of the county court."

On Honda's own web site it states that this Happiness Servicing Plan should change oil and filter every service - see www.honda.co.uk/cars/owners/partsandservicing/fixe.../

On my part, nearly a year after the event, is it worth threatening small claims when the Service Dealer will more than likely replace the oil and filter on Service 3 due next month.

MORE WORRYING is the response I got from Honda - that the Service Dealer did nothing wrong in not chaging the oil and filter at Servce 2.

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