A Small Victory in a Warranty Battle
When we last left Ewa Giera, a Hollywood representative for the Polish television system, she was locked in battle with Nissan over the defective computer in her Infiniti Q45.
The much touted new car warranty that Giera thought she was getting turned out to have a loophole that made it invalid if the car happened to be in Warsaw, where in fact she keeps it for her frequent trips.
Warranty disputes are becoming increasingly common, consumer experts warn, as auto makers extend the duration of coverage and motorists expect more of their cars.
Complex electronic failures aren’t cheap to fix, either, as Giera’s story shows. After losing her case, Giera filed a second claim in Compton Small Claims Court, making new allegations. Nissan had claimed that Infiniti warranties are valid only in the U.S. and Canada, citing language in the owners manual that states “Nissan indicates Nissan Motor Corp. U.S.A. . . . which provides consumer service for Infiniti vehicles in the continental United States.”
Giera submitted a work order from the Nissan dealership in Poland, which showed that the computer that controls the anti-lock brake system failed while the car was within its warranty mileage limit. The court rejected the idea that Nissan had the right to refuse to warranty coverage of the defect and questioned why a major corporation would draw such a hard line in such an unusual matter. The court awarded Giera $2,233.51 in damages last month.
Nissan spokesman Ed Lewis said, “We were glad we could accommodate her and we are glad to put the matter behind us. And we hope everybody is satisfied.”
Well, not quite. As Giera’s battle shows, getting results under a warranty can take many hours of painstaking effort. “It wears you out,” she acknowledged. “The money I got back does not even cover my costs. It is a matter of principle.”
Many motorists have warranty disputes, though they don’t go to court. After a recent Your Wheels column detailing the paint problems of Ford owners, I was inundated by letters from readers about their own paint problems on virtually every make of car.
Said Rosemary Shahan, president of Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety in Sacramento, “Some of these warranties are now seven years. But a lot of time that security is an illusion.”
* Vartabedian cannot answer mail personally but will attempt to respond to automotive questions of general interest. Do not telephone. Write to Your Wheels, 1875 I St. N.W. #1100, Washington, D.C. 20006 or e-mail Ralph.Vartabedian@latimes.com.
