Hi,

This is to bring to your notice a bad experience that I had with one of your dealers at Kollam.
I had bought my Exide battery on 10/10/08 serial no. 05910 from ELECTRICSWAMY'S EXIDE SHOPPE, Near Rly Station, Kollam - 691 001.

On 10/06/10, my Hyundai Accent CRDi car was not starting up as the battery was down. I had called for assistance from Hyundai and started my car. I presumed that the problem is fixed and continued to use my car. Later, I faced the same problem and again had asked for assistance from Hyundai. This happened again (three times). Finally I decided to check with Exide to check my car's battery.

I approached Exide battery at Trivandrum since I reside there. The person who attended me (I don’t have his name though) advised me that they had to recharge the battery and observe for 24 hours. I had asked for a spare battery to use during the meanwhile but very bluntly he advised that they don’t have spare batteries. As it was a weekday, I couldn’t give away the battery as I drive to work everyday.

Since the battery was bought from Kollam, I called them up and they happily offered me a service battery over the phone and had asked me to take my car to Kollam. As advised I took my car to Kollam on 21/07/10 but to my surprise they said that the service battery wasn't charged and poured some kind of high density water in my car's battery and advised me that this should rum without a problem for a week and advised me to take my car again to them the next time I went to Kollam. I still faced problems and had to get people to push my car to get it started. At one instance I had to call Hyundai for help again. Please note that it costs me Rs100 each time I call up Hyundai. On Monday 28/07/10, I took my car to Kollam again, the man over there removed my battery and fixed another battery and advised me that they would replace my battery but there was no stock advising that there is enough density in water but the vehicle is not starting up.

On 01/07/10, my car was not starting up again as the battery was down and again I had called for assistance from Hyundai and started my car. This costed me another Rs100.

On 03/07/10, I go to the dealer again by 9.30am and produce my bill and warranty card. The dealer asked me to go to the warehouse in Kollam and told me that they were offloading the stock and I can collect my new battery from there.

The warehouse people ask me to wait for another one hour to test the battery again and check if the battery can be replaced. (please note that the dealer had already advised the battery would be replaced). Upon testing, it is discovered that the water inside the battery was black as a result of over charging and that the cells have been damaged. To my surprise they say that since it is physical damage this would not be covered under the warranty. I tried telling them that I am not responsible for the physical damage. They wash their hands by saying I will have to speak to the dealer and that the warehouse would not replace it. The time is about 1pm now. My wife and four months old baby is sitting in my car since morning waiting to get back to Trivandrum after sorting this issue out.

Now the dealer advises that they never recharged my battery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He says that the problem is with my car and that the car over charged the battery. At the same time they say there is a leak of charge in my car.
Now the dealer instructs the warehouse to try another battery and tells me that if the car starts with another battery, he will replace it. The warehouse tried another battery and my car was started. I call up the dealer again and advised my car started, why don’t you replace my battery.
Now as advised by the dealer I went and check my car and the reading showed 14.26 and the man who checked confirmed that the car wasn’t overcharging.

Since my wife and 4 months old baby was waiting in the car since morning, the warehouse advises me to leave to Trivandrum with the service battery they provided and advised me that they will deliver the new battery on Tuesday at Trivandrum. I call the warehouse on Tuesday 06/07/10, the man who picked up the phone advised me that he will check and call me back. I never received a call back. On 08/07/10, I call them up again, they say the service engineer is at Bangalore and he will have to come back and make a decision. I wait again…………………………………………………..

Today is the 20th of July and I still haven't received a response. Kindly take appropriate action so that my battery gets replaced.