# Lifeless new battery



## 93036 (May 1, 2005)

Can anyone help? 

We have a new Talisman which we bought in July 2007 on Peugeot 2006 cab. 
Last weekend we had to call out Mayday to get the vehicle started.
After over a 100 miles non stop and a few hours later the vehicle would not start again. (Battery lifeless!) 
Again Mayday attended to start vehicle, tested and advised new battery, new battery fitted Sunday approx. 3.00 p.m. miles away from home no Peugeot garage open late Sunday afternoon)
Problem:-
Has anyone tried to claim for battery as Peugeot are not interested:-

1. I did not keep battery (which was not practical for a woman on holiday over 100 miles from home to store in van to find a Peugeot dealer to honour warranty). 

2. Peugeot unable to confirm faulty battery in spite of two call out on the same day and confirmation sheets advising new battery required. Also proof of purchases confirming battery lifeless!

Any comments please


----------



## 101411 (Oct 15, 2006)

If you didnt keep the duff battery youve no claim.

Would you go into Currys and tell them the tv you bought last year is broken and want a refund but then not allow them to inspect it??

I think batteries are exempt from most warranties anyway.


----------



## 93036 (May 1, 2005)

I had to call out a breakdown services. 
This is not a household item where you can store and return. 
This was an emergency as I was unable to go anywhere until the battery was replaced.
I would not be able to carry the duff battery let alone store it for a week, the size and weight of the battery made it impossible to store even if I had thought of it ! After all I have specialist proof the battery was lifeless! Thanks for the reply.


----------



## EJB (Aug 25, 2007)

Heather,
Your claim is with the dealer not the manufacturer.
Your evidence is the 'breakdown service' who declared the battery U/S.

I believe that you have a very strong case.

HTH.


----------



## WingPete (Jan 29, 2006)

*Assistance*

Heather, the fact that you are female is not enough of a reason to not take the battery back to the dealership where the van was purchased. 
It would have sat easily in a space, like the passenger seat footwell, or on the floor under the table. The fact that it is heavy could have been overcome by requesting the Mayday service person to place it where it would not impede the vans use during the 100 mile return journey.
However, not having the battery for further investigation by the supplier will cause difficulties in proving a case for replacement or reimbursement.
You now have another battery installed, of unknown quality, at your cost, so warranty issues have been compomised.
If the vans charging system is at fault, any battery will fail after little use.
The Mayday person ought to have run a check on the output from the Alternator, to see if the fault lay there. If that was done, there would have been some indication as to why new batteries were failing.
Good luck with your pursuit of a claim, but don't be too dissapointed if you have a hard time. Please try to comply with terms of warranties, otherwise you are likely to lose out every time.


----------



## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

No no no Wingpete you do not travel anywhere with an unsecured battery.

Unless it is in a small space where no matter how the van is driven (eg emergency stop or collision) it can not move or turn over then it is dangerous.


----------



## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

Heather,
EJB is right, your claim is with your dealer. If your van is a 2006 model and was first registered in July 2007, that is the cause of your problem. The battery, if it was connected all this time would have had a constant discharge and no charge. This situation will kill a battery. Your dealer should admit their mistake and cough up.
Under normal circumstances a battery is a consumable, but if Peugeot are like Fiat they still issue a 12 month warranty on the battery. Either way the dealer should compensate you just for customer relations sake.
Go back to the dealer with your paperwork and stand over them. 
Sallytraffic is right, never travel with an unsecured battery.


----------



## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Flat battery*

Heather

Send a letter to your supplying dealer by recorded delivery, including a photocopy of the receipt for the new battery. Ask them politely to reimburse you for this.

Russell


----------



## WingPete (Jan 29, 2006)

*Mayday*

Frank I did suggest the Mayday person do the carrying, and would expect them to make sure it is placed upright, and secured to prevent any inadverdant movement during the theoretical crash. 
There is nothing wrong in carrying a battery for the 100 miles anticipated in this instance, in a suitable manner that does not compromise the vehicle & passengers safety, but I did not think I had to spell out all that detail.


----------



## motorhomer2 (May 9, 2005)

hello

If that had been us we would not have had anywhere we could have stored a spare battery let alone safely as well. Every space in our small Timberland would be in use.

Good luck with your claim.

Motorhomer2


----------



## cabby (May 14, 2005)

May I suggest that you ask your local solicitor to write a letter for you, pressing your claim against the dealer. After this if you so wish then a small claims court could be your next step. It really all depends on how far you want to go over this.
Matter of interest who is the dealer. What exactly was their response to your claim.whom did you speak to on this matter.

cabby


----------



## bar (Aug 6, 2005)

*Lifeless Battery*

Heather. 
Ring the company who sold you the new battery and ask them to set your old battery aside. 
Write to the van dealership, tell them that for safety reasons you did not transport the old battery but that it is available for them to inspect. 
( By the way did the seller of the new battery check your old battery?) 
You will need someone to say that the battery was dead and not just discharged. If you can get a report saying this then;

You can then (in writing) tell the dealer that you believe that your rights under the Sale of Goods Act have been breached. You should ask them to reply to you within 7 days with their proposals to rectify the problem.Iwould copy your letter to your Trading Standards office, and put a note on your letter to the dealer telling them you are doing so.

As the others have pointed out, the battery or verifiable evidence of it's condition are very important to your claim

Good luck, Bar


----------



## HarleyDave (Jul 1, 2007)

I used to work for the AA and they were always very keen to sell any non-starter a new battery. (RAC were similarly keen until watchdog caught up with them both)

It got the member going and hopefully prevented a further call-out for battery problems for a while (they tend to come in bunches until the member realises the battery really is U/S)

Did Mayday sell you the battery or did they take you to Halfords (or similar) to buy it?

Cheers

Dave


----------



## Hymie (May 9, 2005)

*Battery Warranty*

The Fiat battery - like any other automotive battery (even though classed as a commercial vehicle) - is covered by the warranty on the base vehicle - Fiat told me that in April this year.

In the UK it is 3 years - if the vehicle is imported from Europe - the Fiat / Peugeot warranty is only two years - BUT this may have changed in the last 6 months.

Without the offending battery you will have little chance of any warranty claim unless they decide to allow a good-will claim - try appealing to the manufacturer directly yourself if the dealer wont help.

Remember though that if the vehicle has not been regularly used - or the battery kept charged and maintained - then the manufacturer could fairly deny warranty.


----------



## Hymie (May 9, 2005)

*Battery Warranty*

Sorry - i only scanned your post before my previous reply.

If your vehicle was only registered in July 07 - but is on an 06 chassis - although it could have been made in 2005 - then its no surprise the battery has failed due to the fact it was possibly only ever charged when you bought it.

Thats why most dealerships always have big boost starter trolleys - so they can always start a vehicle when someone wants a test drive etc.

Its a real shame you had such a problem - i hope you get it settled amicably.

Happy Travels


----------



## EJB (Aug 25, 2007)

I would like to summarise the vast number of words offered on this subject....with facts.

In July 2007 Heather bought a new battery which was attached to a Motorhome. (The chassis date is irrelevant).

Recently an 'expert witness' (Mayday) declared the battery unfit.

A few months use is not acceptable for this item therefore the supplier is obliged to replace it with a new item, or credit in lieu or some other agreed recompense.

Hopefully the poster, Heather, has spoken to her supplier and it has been resolved???????


----------



## 93036 (May 1, 2005)

*Lifeless battery - Thank you*

I am sorry for the delay in letting you all know the outcome of the duff battery!

Firstly, I would like to thank everyone for their advice and comments.

The battery problem has now been resolved with the dealers having refunded the money for the new battery without any problems.

Also the exhaust was replaced by the Peugeot dealers.

Fingers crossed that I have no more problems!!

I please to say I have now become a new member of MHF.

Thanks again


----------

