Rain damage inside my 2001 Vet caused at dealership
07-24-2012, 09:57 AM
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Rain damage inside my 2001 Vet caused at dealership
I need the help of some experts. Being a woman I totally expect to be taken advantage of in my situation.
Last Thursday I took my 2001 Vet into a dealership to have my air conditioning repaired (compressor). The car stayed overnight when we had terrible, horrific thunderstorms accompanied by almost 3 inches of rain.
I picked up my car Friday afternoon & found my two drying towels in the floor board of the passenger side wringing wet (?????). Saturday morning I had an appointment with a detailer so I opened my glove box to remove any personal items. There was almost 2 inches of water in it. The items inside were ruined. Again.............what happened ?
When I started the car up I happened to glance over to the passenger side and saw streaks from the front of the door panel continuously to the back of the door panel where rain had drenched it. I have 2 pictures but do not have means to download them. (I can send them in a text). I am not exaggerating when I say the door was drenched. Evidently my passenger window had been down to some degree the night of the storm and no one at the dealership had told me. Who does something like that?
After taking my vet to the detailer, he called me not once, but 3 times later. He said, "the leather passenger seat was soaked, the carpet was soaked, there was almost a pool of water under the seat & there was a small amount of water in the consol." ( I had just replaced the $3,000 computer under the passenger floor board.)
I called & left messages at the dealership knowing there would be no response until Monday. I called my insurance company Monday morning and reported the incident. The dealership denies any wrongdoing (I must have a leak), but agreed to take the car, check for any damage, & provide me with a car.
My insurance agent said that after the rain was in the car & the car closed back up, it bacame a "humidifier", and possibly all of the electronics could be compromised. What about the leather seat, the carpet, the electronics in my door & seat, & possibly the computer under the passenger's foot well?
Please help. How do I protect myself from possible future problems? What should I make sure is checked for damage?
Thank you so much for any advice you can give me.
Last Thursday I took my 2001 Vet into a dealership to have my air conditioning repaired (compressor). The car stayed overnight when we had terrible, horrific thunderstorms accompanied by almost 3 inches of rain.
I picked up my car Friday afternoon & found my two drying towels in the floor board of the passenger side wringing wet (?????). Saturday morning I had an appointment with a detailer so I opened my glove box to remove any personal items. There was almost 2 inches of water in it. The items inside were ruined. Again.............what happened ?
When I started the car up I happened to glance over to the passenger side and saw streaks from the front of the door panel continuously to the back of the door panel where rain had drenched it. I have 2 pictures but do not have means to download them. (I can send them in a text). I am not exaggerating when I say the door was drenched. Evidently my passenger window had been down to some degree the night of the storm and no one at the dealership had told me. Who does something like that?
After taking my vet to the detailer, he called me not once, but 3 times later. He said, "the leather passenger seat was soaked, the carpet was soaked, there was almost a pool of water under the seat & there was a small amount of water in the consol." ( I had just replaced the $3,000 computer under the passenger floor board.)
I called & left messages at the dealership knowing there would be no response until Monday. I called my insurance company Monday morning and reported the incident. The dealership denies any wrongdoing (I must have a leak), but agreed to take the car, check for any damage, & provide me with a car.
My insurance agent said that after the rain was in the car & the car closed back up, it bacame a "humidifier", and possibly all of the electronics could be compromised. What about the leather seat, the carpet, the electronics in my door & seat, & possibly the computer under the passenger's foot well?
Please help. How do I protect myself from possible future problems? What should I make sure is checked for damage?
Thank you so much for any advice you can give me.
Last edited by yogagrannie; 07-24-2012 at 10:00 AM. Reason: spelling
07-24-2012, 10:10 AM
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I would file a complaint with GM Customer Service. Even though your car is probably no longer under warranty it is their dealership network that is responsible. C5 Corvettes do not leak like that. The dealership left the window open or the top was off. If the seat was soaked it may need to be replaced. Water plays havoc with electronics. Time will tell if anything was compromised. I would be attentive to messages on your DIC (driver information center) that may indicate trouble codes due to electrical problems. It might help to sit the car out in the sun with the roof off. After it dries out you could treat the leather with a good leather restorer/protectant.
Good luck.
Good luck.
07-24-2012, 12:54 PM
#3
I need the help of some experts. Being a woman I totally expect to be taken advantage of in my situation.
Last Thursday I took my 2001 Vet into a dealership to have my air conditioning repaired (compressor). The car stayed overnight when we had terrible, horrific thunderstorms accompanied by almost 3 inches of rain.
I picked up my car Friday afternoon & found my two drying towels in the floor board of the passenger side wringing wet (?????). Saturday morning I had an appointment with a detailer so I opened my glove box to remove any personal items. There was almost 2 inches of water in it. The items inside were ruined. Again.............what happened ?
When I started the car up I happened to glance over to the passenger side and saw streaks from the front of the door panel continuously to the back of the door panel where rain had drenched it. I have 2 pictures but do not have means to download them. (I can send them in a text). I am not exaggerating when I say the door was drenched. Evidently my passenger window had been down to some degree the night of the storm and no one at the dealership had told me. Who does something like that?
After taking my vet to the detailer, he called me not once, but 3 times later. He said, "the leather passenger seat was soaked, the carpet was soaked, there was almost a pool of water under the seat & there was a small amount of water in the consol." ( I had just replaced the $3,000 computer under the passenger floor board.)
I called & left messages at the dealership knowing there would be no response until Monday. I called my insurance company Monday morning and reported the incident. The dealership denies any wrongdoing (I must have a leak), but agreed to take the car, check for any damage, & provide me with a car.
My insurance agent said that after the rain was in the car & the car closed back up, it bacame a "humidifier", and possibly all of the electronics could be compromised. What about the leather seat, the carpet, the electronics in my door & seat, & possibly the computer under the passenger's foot well?
Please help. How do I protect myself from possible future problems? What should I make sure is checked for damage?
Thank you so much for any advice you can give me.
Last Thursday I took my 2001 Vet into a dealership to have my air conditioning repaired (compressor). The car stayed overnight when we had terrible, horrific thunderstorms accompanied by almost 3 inches of rain.
I picked up my car Friday afternoon & found my two drying towels in the floor board of the passenger side wringing wet (?????). Saturday morning I had an appointment with a detailer so I opened my glove box to remove any personal items. There was almost 2 inches of water in it. The items inside were ruined. Again.............what happened ?
When I started the car up I happened to glance over to the passenger side and saw streaks from the front of the door panel continuously to the back of the door panel where rain had drenched it. I have 2 pictures but do not have means to download them. (I can send them in a text). I am not exaggerating when I say the door was drenched. Evidently my passenger window had been down to some degree the night of the storm and no one at the dealership had told me. Who does something like that?
After taking my vet to the detailer, he called me not once, but 3 times later. He said, "the leather passenger seat was soaked, the carpet was soaked, there was almost a pool of water under the seat & there was a small amount of water in the consol." ( I had just replaced the $3,000 computer under the passenger floor board.)
I called & left messages at the dealership knowing there would be no response until Monday. I called my insurance company Monday morning and reported the incident. The dealership denies any wrongdoing (I must have a leak), but agreed to take the car, check for any damage, & provide me with a car.
My insurance agent said that after the rain was in the car & the car closed back up, it bacame a "humidifier", and possibly all of the electronics could be compromised. What about the leather seat, the carpet, the electronics in my door & seat, & possibly the computer under the passenger's foot well?
Please help. How do I protect myself from possible future problems? What should I make sure is checked for damage?
Thank you so much for any advice you can give me.
The stinks bad and it seems that they don't want to admit wrongdoing. I would demand that they make your car whole again and if they don't report them to the BBB.
Good luck!
07-24-2012, 07:24 PM
#4
Former Vendor
The real challenge is getting everything dried and quickly to avoid mold and mildew. You need to remove the seats and the carpet and allow to dry. You need to wipe down all areas that are damp until dry and likely place some fans to dry completely. I would then wipe down or clean the areas with a good cleaner prior to replacing all items in the car. The leather is coated and needs to be removed from the seats so that you can dry the inner seats and covers completely also. There are professional extractors to help remove water and insurance will likely foot some of the bill as long as you carry full insurance.
07-25-2012, 09:09 AM
#5
yogagrannie,
I'm sorry that this has happened to you. Could you PM me your information (name, number, address, VIN, current mileage, involved dealer) so I can check in on your situation?
Evan, Chevrolet Customer Service
I'm sorry that this has happened to you. Could you PM me your information (name, number, address, VIN, current mileage, involved dealer) so I can check in on your situation?
Evan, Chevrolet Customer Service
07-27-2012, 08:01 AM
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Maybe the original poster can update us on her situation?
07-27-2012, 10:30 AM
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rain damage inside my 2001 Vet caused at dealership
Update:
I left my car at the dealership to have the leaking compressor on the air conditioning replaced. I did walk around the car & glance inside for apparent damage upon pick-up. I had put the towels in the floor board days before. I always keep them in the car in case I wash it at my mom's on Sundays. The towels were black on a black floor & I did not notice them being wet. The repair was not inside the car so I was not suspicious. When cleaning the car out for the detailer the next morning, I found the "soaked, wringing wet" towels only when I grabbed them, the water in my glove box & the totally streaked passenger door panel which I have pictures of. The streaks were not there on Friday but appeared Saturday morning after the car had been closed up all night (humidifier effect). I had no clue what had happened. The first time I went to this dealership over a year & a half ago, I was told that "corvettes are kept inside at night". It was not a "rain event" that soaked the inside of my car, it was an all-night thunderstorm which dropped 2-1/2 in. of rain. The passenger window was not just cracked open. The carpet was soaked & the seat also damp.
I do not have a clue how the water got into my glove box, but I do have those "still wet" items in a baggie, thanks to the detailer, who I am working with presently on an Affidavit of Damage. The detailer also tested for leaks while the car was in his possession, even having another person getting into the car while checking for the leaks. Negative. I also had a roll of paper towels standing up behind the passenger seat for emergencies & it was also in my large baggie of wet items. I showed these items to the Service Manager when I took the car back in. I handed the wet roll of paper towels to him, he asked me if I needed them, I said no & he threw the roll away.
Everything has been documented.
I left my car at the dealership to have the leaking compressor on the air conditioning replaced. I did walk around the car & glance inside for apparent damage upon pick-up. I had put the towels in the floor board days before. I always keep them in the car in case I wash it at my mom's on Sundays. The towels were black on a black floor & I did not notice them being wet. The repair was not inside the car so I was not suspicious. When cleaning the car out for the detailer the next morning, I found the "soaked, wringing wet" towels only when I grabbed them, the water in my glove box & the totally streaked passenger door panel which I have pictures of. The streaks were not there on Friday but appeared Saturday morning after the car had been closed up all night (humidifier effect). I had no clue what had happened. The first time I went to this dealership over a year & a half ago, I was told that "corvettes are kept inside at night". It was not a "rain event" that soaked the inside of my car, it was an all-night thunderstorm which dropped 2-1/2 in. of rain. The passenger window was not just cracked open. The carpet was soaked & the seat also damp.
I do not have a clue how the water got into my glove box, but I do have those "still wet" items in a baggie, thanks to the detailer, who I am working with presently on an Affidavit of Damage. The detailer also tested for leaks while the car was in his possession, even having another person getting into the car while checking for the leaks. Negative. I also had a roll of paper towels standing up behind the passenger seat for emergencies & it was also in my large baggie of wet items. I showed these items to the Service Manager when I took the car back in. I handed the wet roll of paper towels to him, he asked me if I needed them, I said no & he threw the roll away.
Everything has been documented.
07-27-2012, 10:52 AM
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rain damage inside my 2001 Vet caused at dealership
To reiterate my main issue:
When I returned my vette for the dealership to "go through" for damage (admission), I was told water had been vaccuumed out of the passenger floor board before I picked it up on Friday. I was not told any water had been in my car anywhere previous to this. They covered it up. I had to discover all of the damage on my own, & piece together what had happened. If I had not, I would have a musty, stinky vette with bad electronics which I would not even be able to sell & could not afford to fix. They knew this would happen & didn't care. Who can I trust? Anyone know of a good dealership in the Nashville area I can go to in the future?
I thought I had a good relationship with the dealership. I never complained when my repairs took longer than promised, especially when the instrument cluster traveled from Ohio to Washington for a month for repairs while I borrowed my daughter's vehicle. My corvette is my driver. I don't listen to music in my car, I listen to the motor purr as I shift through the gears.
Supposedly the car has been give a clean bill of health. According to what I have heard from when I was in the Nashville Corvette Club, the rain sealed up in my car, left to humidify, pretty much sealed my fate. I will now watch my baby slowly deteriorate.
When I returned my vette for the dealership to "go through" for damage (admission), I was told water had been vaccuumed out of the passenger floor board before I picked it up on Friday. I was not told any water had been in my car anywhere previous to this. They covered it up. I had to discover all of the damage on my own, & piece together what had happened. If I had not, I would have a musty, stinky vette with bad electronics which I would not even be able to sell & could not afford to fix. They knew this would happen & didn't care. Who can I trust? Anyone know of a good dealership in the Nashville area I can go to in the future?
I thought I had a good relationship with the dealership. I never complained when my repairs took longer than promised, especially when the instrument cluster traveled from Ohio to Washington for a month for repairs while I borrowed my daughter's vehicle. My corvette is my driver. I don't listen to music in my car, I listen to the motor purr as I shift through the gears.
Supposedly the car has been give a clean bill of health. According to what I have heard from when I was in the Nashville Corvette Club, the rain sealed up in my car, left to humidify, pretty much sealed my fate. I will now watch my baby slowly deteriorate.
07-27-2012, 06:04 PM
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rain damage inside my 2001 Vette at a dealership
Update:
Thanks to all for your comments & advice. I have been contacted through the Forum & by cell by Chevrolet Customer Service. A conversation has started.
Thanks to all for your comments & advice. I have been contacted through the Forum & by cell by Chevrolet Customer Service. A conversation has started.
07-29-2012, 09:46 PM
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I have a 07 C6 that the same thing happened to. Took the car to the local dealer about a trans problem. Picked it up the next day and found the floorboards soggy. Apparently they left the car out all night in the rain. The battery was unhooked for the repair. They forgot to index the windows after the battery was hooked back up. Both of the windows were down a little in the rain all night. They of course denied any responsibility.
07-30-2012, 01:05 AM
#12
Drifting
Some dealers are unbelieveable......I take my C6 to a local dealer because of the mechanic there ( he use to be at another dealer and I followed him there after he switched). I NEVER let them wash the Vette.......It is a black C6 with over 130,000 miles. I spend a lot of time keeping it in nearly prestine condition. However, had a weak moment 4 months ago and when asked said go ahead and wash it. They did. I ALMOST CRIED. Swirls and scratches everywhere ! What a sad event ! I've spent 20 hours correcting their damage and still have issues. Have resorted to filling in the remaining defects which will now need to do after every 3 or so washes. If it wasn't for this mechanic I would not go to GM for service !
Money wise I change my oil at 3000 miles ($90 each time) , at 100,000 miles changed all belts, hoses and clutch ($6,000). Later did brakes then battery, starter and part of computer (around $3000). I am very heavy on maintenance and have had 6 Corvettes that keep for an average of 150,000 miles. Have had CM perform all maintenance and work to date.
I am no slouch when it comes to maintenance and, again, am on my sixth Vette.
The two things that **** me off most......(1) they offerred to have their "expert" buff the scratches and swirls out. The same guy who did the damage. NO THANKS ! and (2) When I asked for someone in charge that I could talk to about this, they contacted their in charge person who purposely walked the other way. I have had the Vette serviced there twice since then, but am trying to find a new place. Please wake up GM !! This is B S
Money wise I change my oil at 3000 miles ($90 each time) , at 100,000 miles changed all belts, hoses and clutch ($6,000). Later did brakes then battery, starter and part of computer (around $3000). I am very heavy on maintenance and have had 6 Corvettes that keep for an average of 150,000 miles. Have had CM perform all maintenance and work to date.
I am no slouch when it comes to maintenance and, again, am on my sixth Vette.
The two things that **** me off most......(1) they offerred to have their "expert" buff the scratches and swirls out. The same guy who did the damage. NO THANKS ! and (2) When I asked for someone in charge that I could talk to about this, they contacted their in charge person who purposely walked the other way. I have had the Vette serviced there twice since then, but am trying to find a new place. Please wake up GM !! This is B S
08-05-2012, 07:15 PM
#13
Instructor
I'd like an update if possible.
I work in the insurance industry as well as am a professional detailer and one of my specialties is water mitigation. In my opion from what you stated is that the dealer is responsible for this incident from occuring. The vehicle was in their custody and care and if they are not willing to take care of you, your insurance company should (and probably will) subrogate against them. Chances are that this dealership isn't equipped or educated on the right way to correct this issue. They may put a bandaide on the problem by doing an interior detail, but I am certain that much more is attention is needed. I would insist on removing the seats and carpet(as a bare minimum) and then tracing the extent of damage 1st followed up with an intense drying session and antimicrobial cleaning treatment. If this isn't properly done, problems will continue to excalate and could possibly cause greater problems to your vehicle and to your health.
I work in the insurance industry as well as am a professional detailer and one of my specialties is water mitigation. In my opion from what you stated is that the dealer is responsible for this incident from occuring. The vehicle was in their custody and care and if they are not willing to take care of you, your insurance company should (and probably will) subrogate against them. Chances are that this dealership isn't equipped or educated on the right way to correct this issue. They may put a bandaide on the problem by doing an interior detail, but I am certain that much more is attention is needed. I would insist on removing the seats and carpet(as a bare minimum) and then tracing the extent of damage 1st followed up with an intense drying session and antimicrobial cleaning treatment. If this isn't properly done, problems will continue to excalate and could possibly cause greater problems to your vehicle and to your health.