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Dealer and warranty service work

mr_et2

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My NC started blowing fuses the other week, and I took it in to the dealer where I purchased it back this past April. It's the only Honda dealer in the area. I've never dealt with a motorcycle dealer for any kind of service work before, so I'm not too sure what to expect. I have dealt with several car dealers for warranty work, so that's really my only frame of reference. Anyway, the dealer has had my bike for exactly one week now, and it still isn't fixed yet. Not only is it not fixed, but they tell me that they don't even know what is wrong with it yet! This is extremely frustrating for me. It's a motorcycle! There's only so many wires on it, how can it take over a week just to troubleshoot it?!

Is this normal for a dealership to be slow and inept? If not, do I have any recourse?
 
From stories I hear, this sounds normal. There are better experiences reported, and there are worse. Don’t expect any help from mother Honda, either, unless this drags on for months.

The last time I took a car in to a dealer for warranty work, it took a total of five trips to the dealer before the work was fully completed, and then I had to replace the mud flaps because the dealer damaged them putting the car on the lift.

My truck had a safety recall regarding a cover over the fuel pump. I refused to allow the dealer to touch the truck, so I ordered the needed parts and performed the recall myself.

The answer to the frustrations caused by poor dealer service is to stop using dealer service.
 
Lucky for me, I've had better experiences with my cars at the dealer, when I had to take them there. I generally do all of my own work on my vehicles, so I know for sure that it's done right, but for some things (like recalls or major issues) I feel a trip to the dealer is necessary. My NC started blowing the fuse that supplies power to the lights, horn, and guage cluster. I was an Electronics Technician for 11 years in the Navy, and I've been working with electricity/electronics since 1989. I did some quick troubleshooting and determined that the lighting circuit and horn circuit was not to blame. That leaves the instrument cluster. I'm not sure how much a replacement costs, but I don't think I should have to pay for one on a 2 month old bike, so that left me no choice but take it to the dealer. I even told the service manager the troubleshooting steps that I had already taken. I just find it baffling that it's taking over a week to troubleshoot a simple shorting issue.
 
Yup sometimes you have little choice. Sounds like it’s time for a heart to heart talk with the manager/owner there. I think, based on some of my own experiences, that the level of techs at any one dealer who can diagnose and repair some of the less common and more difficult ailments are in short supply. Your issue probably got low priority while that first level tech is fixing some more profitable issues. Worst case scenario, they give it over to a worker who truly lacks the experience to be messing with it.
 
I have very limited experience with motorcycle dealers performing warranty work, except for more than 25 years ago. Back then, it was not at all uncommon for it to take a while for them to 'get to it.' Alternatively, they 'got to it,' but only spent a very limited amount of time on it each day. Thus, a week or generally more was not uncommon to wait. That doesn't mean I liked it, but that was a common experience for me. Unlike car dealers, at that time and in that place motorcycle dealers rarely made service appointments for the future. Everyone just brought in their machines whenever they broke, so the wait time was with the machine at the dealer, rather than at home waiting for the appointment date.

I hope you get it back soon, and at this point I'd not hesitate to call or stop in and visit with them about the status.
 
I called them last Friday and again today. I wasn't obnoxious or anything but both times they told me the same thing... "we really don't know what's wrong with it, we put a new fuse in and it blows". Makes it sound like they're totally imcompetant and that they're just putting one fuse after another in it hoping that it'll fix itself.

It's soooo nice out here, I just want to ride.... :(
 
Look into the Lemon Law in your state.

I once had issues with a new 2005 Mustang GT. Under 1000 miles and the check engine light came on. It was in the dealer where I bought it for 2 weeks before they could even diagnose anything, as the new 3 valve engine required a new special tool for a compression check. They ended up having to completely replace the engine.
Even though they gave me a free rental car for over a month and an extended warranty I really should have taken advantage of the Lemon Law. But the car had been so hard to get in the color and options that I had I didn't want to have to start that all over again.
I did thrash that stupid Ford Escape though!
 
Look into the Lemon Law in your state.

I once had issues with a new 2005 Mustang GT. Under 1000 miles and the check engine light came on. It was in the dealer where I bought it for 2 weeks before they could even diagnose anything, as the new 3 valve engine required a new special tool for a compression check. They ended up having to completely replace the engine.
Even though they gave me a free rental car for over a month and an extended warranty I really should have taken advantage of the Lemon Law. But the car had been so hard to get in the color and options that I had I didn't want to have to start that all over again.
I did thrash that stupid Ford Escape though!

Lemon laws rarely applies to motorcycles. The federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act covers all consumer goods but is limited to the terms of the warranty. That can be a good thing or they can follow the terms exactly, keeping your bike indefinitely throwing parts at it until 'it fixes itself' several times until the warranty runs out. However, a quick google search shows at least one website that claims that NY lemon law covers all non-commercial motorized vehicles, which would appear to give you the same 4 strikes/30 day lemon law protection that cars would have. NY Lemon Law (198-a)

So, Mr. ET you may be in a better position than most of us would be especially since according to what I read you may be entitled to 2 years and 18k miles where the Honda warranty is less.
 
My position on warranty work is that it’s just not worth the worry and hassle of having a dealer fix the problem.

Additionally, the farther they take the machine apart, the more hardware will potentially be left out or reinstalled in the wrong place. I would not expect most service techs to have taken apart an NC700X enough times to know (or care) which of the different type screws go where. Bodywork tabs can also be broken if you don’t know how pieces interlock. Will the tech use a torque wrench on all important bolts?

I once took an ST1100 in for warranty service in 1998. When it returned, the radiator fan was left disconnected, screws were not in the proper place, three other major things I don’t recall now were done wrong, and the original problem I went in for was still not repaired. I then fixed the problem myself, which is what I should have done in the beginning.

I took a new 1999 boat in to the selling dealer for an engine problem. After weeks of delay in prime boating weather, after my pleading the dealer finally got the boat fixed. I ran it on the water and it lasted about 90 minutes before the engine quit. I then ordered up a rebuilt crankshaft for a few hundred dollars, tore the in-warranty engine down at my time and expense, and rebuilt the engine with a rebuilt crankshaft. I later sold that boat, now 20 years old, but I know the buyer, and I know that engine is still running strong today. So in the beginning, I should have ignored the warranty and just fixed it myself anyway.

I now just do the warranty work myself, as long as the parts don’t cost over a few hundred dollars. I would much rather spend the money and use up some of my time, than waste as much time going forth and back to a dealer and have a dealer muck up the bike. If I do the work myself, I’m in full control of the situation, rather than leaving control of the situation in the hands of a possibly incompetent dealer.

Fortunately, Honda’s products are fairly reliable. That didn’t happen in the OP’s case, but generally there is little chance of material and workmanship failure with these machines.
 
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My position on warranty work is that it’s just not worth the worry and hassle of having a dealer fix the problem.

Additionally, the farther they take the machine apart, the more hardware will potentially be left out or reinstalled in the wrong place. I would not expect most service techs to have taken apart an NC700X enough times to know (or care) which of the different type screws go where. Bodywork tabs can also be broken if you don’t know how pieces interlock. Will the tech use a torque wrench on all important bolts?

I once took an ST1100 in for warranty service in 1998. When it returned, the radiator fan was left disconnected, screws were not in the proper place, three other major things I don’t recall now were done wrong, and the original problem I went in for was still not repaired. I then fixed the problem myself, which is what I should have done in the beginning.

I took a new 1999 boat in to the selling dealer for an engine problem. After weeks of delay in prime boating weather, after my pleading the dealer finally got the boat fixed. I ran it on the water and it lasted about 90 minutes before the engine quit. I then ordered up a rebuilt crankshaft for a few hundred dollars, tore the in-warranty engine down at my time and expense, and rebuilt the engine with a rebuilt crankshaft. I later sold that boat, now 20 years old, but I know the buyer, and I know that engine is still running strong today. So in the beginning, I should have ignored the warranty and just fixed it myself anyway.

I now just do the warranty work myself, as long as the parts don’t cost over a few hundred dollars. I would much rather spend the money and use up some of my time, than waste as much time going forth and back to a dealer and have a dealer muck up the bike. If I do the work myself, I’m in full control of the situation, rather than leaving control of the situation in the hands of a possibly incompetent dealer.

Fortunately, Honda’s are fairly reliable. That didn’t happen in the OP’s case, but generally there is little chance of material and workmanship failure with these machines.


I 100% agree, from what I've seen at some dealers you would think they gave some vise grips to a monkey and turned him loose in the service bay. When I buy a new bike the dealer never sees it again, no matter what. But unfortunately for alot of people without mechanical skills that's not an option. That means they are in for alot of frustration.
 
I 100% agree, from what I've seen at some dealers you would think they gave some vise grips to a monkey and turned him loose in the service bay. When I buy a new bike the dealer never sees it again, no matter what. But unfortunately for alot of people without mechanical skills that's not an option. That means they are in for alot of frustration.

Thank you for the comments. We are alike in that regard.

I also wanted to add to my previous post, that if I had to depend on dealer service for motorcycle repairs and maintenance, I would probably not be a motorcyclist. The frustration would be unbearable, and I would get different hobbies other than powersports. But, that’s just me. A lot of people depend on dealers and they apparently get by.
 
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I took my bike into the Honda dealership to have a recall done that I received in the mail, yesterday. I called ahead and the dealership said they had the part in stock. Naturally, they ain’t got the part. So, now starts the long time setting of the bike at the dealership, waiting for the part. So, there goes my riding for the rest of the summer.........
 
Service work...........

mr_et2,

Hopefully things will get resolved to your satisfaction and you won't lose the whole riding season.

That having been said, about three weeks ago I took my 2018 DCT bike to the shop to have them put on a shorter sidestand and centerstand since I had installed 'Soupy's Lowering Links', and they said it should be no more than 30 minutes tops. Tops.

Two and a half hours later the service manager said that since it was a DCT model it took longer. Can't quite figure that one out but in my case it has worked so far.

Good luck and don't give up.



Slo_Rider
 
Mr ET2,
Fellow former Navy ET here as well. (too bad there is no cool ET shout out, like the Marines "Semper Fi").
I've also been frustrated with dealer maintenance. Especially when the thought process is that these guys should be the best first option for fixing our bikes. My closest dealer told me honestly that they turn around the easiest jobs first, to make the most people happy. During the riding season here, people want their oil changed and expect to be in and out in 30 minutes. For someone with no appointment, they want you to drop bike off early in the morning, and they may get to you by the end of the day. If you have a serious problem, they don't go by first in, first out; they will get to it when they can. Their first and biggest priority is of course to get the newly purchased machines out the door. If sales are good, you drop one more spot in the pecking order with your difficult to diagnose electrical issue. I made the mistake of paying them upfront for full luggage install. They quoted me 4 hours, but it took over a week to get the bike back, and that was in February. And I had no leverage, I had already paid in full. I get it though, no one wants to wait for a week for an oil change either.


My best luck has always been with independent shops, especially when you can talk directly to the mechanic doing the work. Unfortunately, I haven't found a reliable place I trust around me, so I do all my own maintenance on everything I own. I would probably still have the dealer do warranty work, but would double check everything they do. For my 600 mile service, they made the chain so tight, I thought the back tire was going to start rubbing against the front tire. Good luck!
 
Mr ET2,
Fellow former Navy ET here as well.

Hey Huey! Glad to meet a fellow ET! I was actually a DS until the Navy decided to kill the rate and force me to convert. How long were you in? I spent 11 years in, until I got injured and they forced me out.
 
So today, 2 weeks after dropping my NC off at the dealer, they finally said that they found the problem, a pinched wire to one of the front turn signals. Now they're awaiting approval from corp to fix it under warranty, even though the mechanic says that it's "obviously a build issue". So. Frustrating! What really sucks is that that's where I suspected the issue to be, but I figured that since it was under warranty that I should have them take care of it, just in case it turned out to be something else, like the guages. Anyway, I hope I have my baby back soon!
 
Hey guys! I was an AT for 6 years in the '70s. Got lucky as AT was my first choice and ET second.
Spent a little time on a carrier (JFK) but my high-level schools were P-3 Orion radar (that can't land on a carrier!)
Made second class in 2.5 years and was set to take the first class test when they changed the TIS requirement to 6 years active.
 
Hey guys! I was an AT for 6 years in the '70s. Got lucky as AT was my first choice and ET second.
Spent a little time on a carrier (JFK) but my high-level schools were P-3 Orion radar (that can't land on a carrier!)
Made second class in 2.5 years and was set to take the first class test when they changed the TIS requirement to 6 years active.

I was in during the 90's. Shore duty mostly, but did get to enjoy 3 years on a destroyer.
 
Lucky for me, I've had better experiences with my cars at the dealer, when I had to take them there. I generally do all of my own work on my vehicles, so I know for sure that it's done right, but for some things (like recalls or major issues) I feel a trip to the dealer is necessary. My NC started blowing the fuse that supplies power to the lights, horn, and guage cluster. I was an Electronics Technician for 11 years in the Navy, and I've been working with electricity/electronics since 1989. I did some quick troubleshooting and determined that the lighting circuit and horn circuit was not to blame. That leaves the instrument cluster. I'm not sure how much a replacement costs, but I don't think I should have to pay for one on a 2 month old bike, so that left me no choice but take it to the dealer. I even told the service manager the troubleshooting steps that I had already taken. I just find it baffling that it's taking over a week to troubleshoot a simple shorting issue.
Mr. Et2, does your bike have a 3rd party horn..If the horn is drawing too much current, it will blow that fuse really quick...pulling the connector to the display is quick and easy-remove windshield, 3 screws holding display, remove screws, pull display out 1-2 inches,,slide rubber boot down from the connector-pull on the connector...if display is blowing the fuse...disconnecting and putting in new fuse and starting bike...if fuse doesnt blow..bad display...
 
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