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Another split leather seat - warranty claim rejected!

37K views 28 replies 11 participants last post by  lauriesandra 
#1 ·
I noticed a few days ago that the bolster on the base of my drivers seat had a small split in it. I know that other owners have had similar issues and it's been sorted under warranty so I gave my local dealer a call.

Happy days! They were very helpful and I popped in this morning so they could take some photos and forward them on to the warranty guys.

The warranty department have declined the claim because there is "evidence of external damage". To say I'm unhappy is an understatement.

I'm hoping that the issue is with the quality of the photos the dealer took. I can imagine they've not come out too well as they were taken on some sort of old Nokia mobile phone so I've escalated the issue to Nissan customer services and am waiting for a callback. I have taken a very clear photo of the damaged area using a decent camera which shows there is no marking/rubbing/anything around the area of the split so hopefully that'll clear things up.

Quite happy really with the service from the dealer so I'm hoping this is just an admin snafu which can be sorted out. Will report back........
 
#2 ·
Was promised a callback today by Nissan customer services, but it hasn't happened.

First rule of customer service - under promise and over deliver, not the other way round ;)

Had I mentioned Nissan want about £500 to sort it out if it's not a warranty job?

Let's see what tomorrow brings.
 
#4 ·
Thanks for the advice, I completely agree. I know I can get it fixed elsewhere for less but was honestly expecting Nissan to stand by the car - probably rather naive!

Still it's a very entertaining quote, given the price difference between the Tekna with leather and the next trim level down without leather was less than £1000 the price to replace one seat cover seems a tad excessive ;) Guess that's main dealer labour rates for you.
 
#5 ·
No callback from Nissan this morning. Gave them a call early afternoon, I was nice and cheery with them, they were very apologetic and promised a callback in the afternoon. Nothing, zilch, nada.

I'm feeling like one very valued customer at the moment..... not.

Attached is a pic of the split that Nissan's warranty department says "shows evidence of external influence". Buggered if I can spot it. If that were a cut whatever did it would have marked the area around the cut too, but there's absolutely nothing.
 

Attachments

#6 ·
Finally got my callback on Friday morning, had a chat with the customer service rep but haven't been left feeling very confident.

First they suggested I take the car to another dealer, but then when I said I was under the impression that the decision was taken centrally by Nissan's warranty department they confirmed to me that was true and the dealer has no influence in this situation. So why ask me to visit another dealer when it would just be a waste of my time? :confused:

I explained that contrary to what the warranty people are saying I did believe this was a manufacturing defect as there had been a crease in the seat there from day one which has now split. Also I made the points about there being no evidence of any damage around the split. All the way through I got no feedback as to whether this seemed reasonable or what I could do to help things along, I guess they have to be non-committal though and at least it's been referred back to the warranty department with the picture I posted as supporting evidence.

Let's see what they say, not holding out much hope and am pretty disillusioned with Nissan at the moment, but hopefully will be proved wrong. :(
 
#7 ·
I would park up outside the dealers with a sign in the window saying don't buy from here, they sell faulty goods and wont fix them, its not a lie, it is a known issue.

Also write to auto express magazine with yours and others pics on here, then write to the manufacturers asking them why they think yours is externally damaged, when it is the same as others that have been warranty repaired. It looks the same as mine did cracked along a crease.

I spoke to my cousins husband who works as a Saddler at Bentley's and he said he was amazed it held together as it was so unbelievably thin.

If you still get no joy write to Nissan UK, saying that you are prepared to get a professional to look at it to do a report, but if their findings show it is a Manufacturing error and not been damaged by you, then they will foot his bill and your expenses.

Ring everyday and ask to bypass the gatekeepers taking the calls and speak to a manager, if they are not available tell them to ring you with in 2 hours then ring back till they do ring you back. Mention that you feel Nissan have Miss-represented the seats as they are not fit for the purpose of sitting on, and you feel they miss-represented themselves by not telling you the leather was artificial by their website or the Sales rep at any time. Just be a right pain it will be fixed asap trust me

He who mithers the most and does not go away, gets sorted before him who waits to be called. I have proven that time and time again.
 
#10 ·
Yes I did ask them where the evidence of external influence was, customer services couldn't tell me and just said "that's what the warranty department have said" :rolleyes:

If I'm lucky they'll take a fresh look at the case with an open mind, if I'm not then it'll just get bounced back because they see dozens of cases a day where the customer disputes a warranty claim and there's a mentality in place for cases like that.

We shall see :D
 
#11 ·
A professional upholster ( with relevent qualifications )normally charges £70 aprox for a report which would stand up in a small claims court
Looks to me like a slit in the leather and not surface damage as they would be scuff marks at the edge of it if it had been cut eternally

You might find cracks on the leather might apear along the grain near the split where there is a weakness in the leather

Slide your hands and finger across the edges and service and tug slightly and you might find another weak spot in the leather

Is it the actuall leather or the leather match which they tend to use on the edges and bolsters
 
#12 ·
:mad:

Well there we go. The answer is no.

The warranty department are "not customer facing" (I'll say!) and Nissan will not provide me with any information as to what in the picture shows that this is not a manufacturing defect.

My point that I have had lots of cars with leather seats, that creases are just part of having them and that none of the seats in my cars has ever split before was accepted. Apparently that doesn't change anything.

Nissan "can't comment" on the evidence I provided of other people having the same problem and won't take that evidence into account, nor will they explain why they got their seats replaced under warranty but I won't.

When I pushed the point further I was told that apparently I should have told a dealer about the crease in the seat when it initially appeared (i.e. the day the car was delivered!). Even though Nissan agree that they wouldn't have actually have considered it a defect or have done anything about it..... :confused:

If Nissan could just supply me with one piece of evidence as to why this isn't a manufacturing defect I would be willing to accept why they refuse to give me the benefit of the doubt, but they can't even do that. All I'm getting is a blank refusal to contemplate the possibility that it could be a manufacturing defect without any evidence as to why.

So my first Nissan will also be my last. I don't have a supplying dealer to badger because it's a lease car but I was looking at a Qashqai when the Juke goes back in September - not any more.

Very, very bad taste left in my mouth and hopefully this will be a cautionary tale to anyone who expects Nissan to stand by their products or even provide any useful feedback in a dispute.
 
#16 ·
:mad:

Well there we go. The answer is no.

The warranty department are "not customer facing" (I'll say!) and Nissan will not provide me with any information as to what in the picture shows that this is not a manufacturing defec.....
I'm really sorry to read about this issue. It's seems a poor testimony to common sense.

I can understand Nissan wanting to protect themselves from repairs due to 'external damage' or whatever they wish to call it, but the picture looks quite clear to me that the rip follows the edges of the pattern texture.

Seems probable that an external cut or slice would cut across the grain of any grain texturing, but in the photo the rip seems to follow a rough edge along and around the grain. :(

Doesn't bode well
 
#14 ·
Thanks Maramjuke, the fact it was a lease car didn't seem to make any difference, apparently the decision is made centrally and the dealers have no say.

How true that would turn out to be if I turned up at the service department of the supplying dealer making a public fuss...... don't know.

It's not the end of the world, I've got too many other (far more important!) things going on to pursue it any further, but Nissan certainly won't be seeing £500+ from me to replace the seat base. It'll be either a smart repair which should be somewhere between £50 and £100 or if that doesn't work out I'll get a complete seat from a scrappy, already got some quotes around the £250 mark for an entire seat with airbags etc in perfect condition.

Ah well, roll on September. It's silly but this has really soured things with this car for me, every time I get into it I'm annoyed because it reminds me of this saga and I don't have any faith at all that they won't just do the same thing to me if something else fails under warranty :(
 
#17 ·
I appreciate this thread has some age to it now, and apologies if you've already posted on this but did you try Trading Standards? There's some useful advice on their site, (see previous link).

As you've already attempted a resolution direct without receiving a reasonable explanation as to why your problem is not covered, and have some good documentation you may well find that they will write to Dealer/Nissan on your behalf to request an investigation, arbitration or something. Especially if its a known issue.

I have found them very helpful in the past
 
#18 ·
Well what a result!

The Juke goes in to Nissan on Friday to get the seat cover replaced. It's all down to Deks from the Juke Owners Group using some of his contacts to get my case looked at again - I'm incredibly greatful to him.

Of course it shouldn't be a case of needing contacts to get something like this sorted out, but in the real world I guess it's always going to be the case that it's just how things are. At the end of the day this has been sorted at no cost to me so I'd call that a result.

Thanks Deks :)
 
#21 ·
Thanks guys.

I do feel a bit happier with Nissan as a company now, to the point where I might consider a Quashcow when the time comes. As for the Juke I can't honestly say I'd have another one, it's a good little car but I'm looking forward to changing it now.
 
#22 ·
great outcome , thats great of deks to help you out john :D , hope it all works out and looking forward to seeing your new qashqai when you get it
 
#26 ·
Dear John

I am having seat issues myself. I purchased in July 2013 a brand new Nissan Maxima. Listed price was $38k and we purchased for $31K. More money than I ever spent on any car in my life time. At 1,500 miles both front seats ripped, at 2,200 miles ripped again and at 3,153 ripped again. All three times Nissan didn't charge me any money since the warranty covered the cost. Just yesterday, my hearing with the BBB Auto Line and Nissan arbitrators specialists did not go in my favor. I have been seeking help for many many months. I lost my case only because under lemon law, you must have a total of 4 repairs for the same problem within 1 year, and I had a warranty. This is why Nissan will not repair my car any longer (which I have 2 full months left before my car will be 1 yr. old), because of me. Nissan has stated I am causing all the damages by getting into the vehicle the wrong way and my wearing pants, shorts etc. with rear pockets. I am 51 yrs. of age, bought my share of vehicles and this is the only reason Nissan has to give me, a consumer. I know we don't have the exact vehicle but the same brand name, Nissan. I wasn't even going to Nissan to buy a Nissan, I was going to test drive 2 used vehicles. One of which no one at the dealership could find the keys. Well they got me good. I couldn't open your photo but would love to see damaged seat. Please send to my email at damcgees@bellsouth.net. I do not mind sending you my photos if you would like to compare. If I can help you in any way please just email me. I love my car don't get me wrong. I just find it really hard to believe I am the only person having this problems according to Nissan Corp.

If you know of anyone else that could help me in this manner please forward the infor.

Penni
Mandeville, Louisiana:rolleyes:
 
#27 ·
Replacement Drivers Seat Splits Again on my '12 Juke Tekna!

Well, here we are again, 21 months after the replacement split faux leather drivers' seat, it has gone again and in exactly the same place as it went before! This might get interesting as the car is exactly 16 days out of warranty. Fortunately, I have taken out a further 1 year extended warranty. Come what may there is a serious "fit for purpose" issue here with these seats.

I shall post again and let you know how this latest problem goes.
 
#28 ·
Nissan rejected my claim. They stated that the extended warranty doesn't cover interior trim. They ignored the "fit for purpose" issue.

However, my dealer has put the claim in again, which is paramount to us begging Nissan for a goodwill gesture.

Let's see how this goes. If this gets rejected then I will escalate this further and take Nissan to task through the Courts as the seat is clearly not fit for purpose.
 
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