Scheduled a 2010 Buick of mine (great condition, 65k Highway and garaged miles) for a recall at a local dealership (I know, non Mopar, but a lot of us also own makes for various reasons or wants/needs/etc.)

Anyway, made this appointment three plus weeks ago. Something to do with some rear undercarriage parts rusting do to incorrect who knows what.

Show up at the service bay. Senior guy (I assume, and nice enough). Says: we’ll probably have to order parts for that.

I’m like WHAT??? I made this appointment three weeks ago!

He says yes, but we can’t order parts until the car comes in.

I’m like, so now you’ll order parts after the car leaves? [censored]?

I ask how long it will take to get the parts, foolishly thinking I could leave it.

He says: several weeks.

I’m like, stupid me! Why am I standing here? Wife and I made efforts to coordinate drop off, get me home, etc.

He says “I know, and I’m sorry… it’s just the way it is.”

Here’s why I’m kicking myself in the butt.

Why didn’t I call first??? I had this same exact thing happen on a recall some years back.

Something in the back of my mind said: CALL FIRST!

I didn’t think this level of incompetence was still out there.

And I don’t think it’s a dealership thing.

I believe it is system designed.

25 mile round trip in rush hour traffic, keeping this appointment in the back of my mind so as not to overlook, drop off and pickup planning, 2 hours out of the day, rearranging other things to accommodate, all for jack squat!

Thoughts?

If you called you would have probably contacted an "automated phone tree" that's how EVERYTHING is communicated now ........

from home warranty companies to medical appointments ....... I HATE IT ! but it's the "new normal" & it SUCKS !

I work at a dealership and there is a certain procedure for some recalls. Sometimes they need to be inspected and documented before any parts can be ordered. The factories are more and more stingy with recall parts than they used to be. Supplies are very limited and dealerships are not allowed to pre-order parts and sit on them in stock anymore since shortages started happening. Believe it or not it's not a scam

Gus

This makes sense but I wish they would have told him up front.
My dealership let me know up front when I had to get that type of work done. Told me it would have to be inspected and then they could order the parts. I had the option of leaving with the car and bring in it back which I did.

As with almost everything now a days; it is what is most convenient for 'THEM'. Our time is at their disposal.

When my son was younger, he used to say that us old guys hate change. Now he realizes that we often hate changes because it nearly always benefits the changer and comes at our expense. Bring me changes that help me and I am likely all for it. But usually, that is not the case.

Well its not a Buick, but my kid's 2007 Honda Accord had the airbag recall. I called service last month. They put me on hold to confirm the parts were in stock. Then they set an appointment for when I was available. I drove over in the morning and dropped off the car. Their shuttle had me home in under 30 minutes. The car was done that evening and they offered me a ride to pick it up, but I had my kid with me so I didn't need it. Not bashing GM, but different dealers appear to have different systems.

Systemic carcism...

That is what happened at Honda for my car the wife drives.
She went in they inspected it ordered the parts. And was called when they came in to make a second appointment to get work done.
Parts were also on short supply and took time.

The concept of a recall for "premature rust" implies there may be one or more parts that need to be replaced. Until they can inspect your car, how could they possibly know how many parts need to be ordered?
The days of just ordering everything that may be needed and use the stuff you need and let the rest of it lay on the shelf for 20 years has been gone since the 60s. Todays warranties are lucky to be able to get all the parts you need to fix the issue, you never can get more then you need, usually you have to scrimp on something.

Back in the early 80s I worked at a dealership. We had to replace a bad rod and piston in a motor. You got the one rod, the piston & pin, the intake gaskets, one head gasket, and an oil pan gasket. We were suppose to reuse the rings and the bearing inserts. You only got the parts you needed to put the piston and rod in, nothing extra.

When you take anything in for repair, to assume they can get the parts, or have them on hand is a pretty big assumptions these days. Ordering parts has really become a guessing game, and if you get the parts, you can no longer assume the parts you got are either good, or even the correct ones.
You set up an appointment to have the vehicle inspected, you bring it in for that appointment and they determine what parts they need to fix it, and order the parts. When the parts come in, you set up the appointment to determine you got the right parts and the repair begins. They are either successful repairing your vehicle, or your vehicle is tied up at their shop until the new parts they had to order come in. Welcome to the new world order.

Whenever I get a recall notice the first thing I do is call the dealer and ask about it. I've had recall notices that the parts to fix it didn't even exist yet.

LOL...I've had an active recall on my DD for over a year. They keep sending me notices. Its for the air bag thing. They already "fixed" it once. Like a normal shoddy dealership, this did a half-arsed job, broke my glovebox and shoved it out the door. Yea..they can keep sending me "Final Notice" cards in the mail. Its not going back.

When we contacted the Subaru dealer for the airbag recall a couple of years ago, they told us that when we brought the car in that they couldn't legally release it back to us until it was repaired. At the same time, the recall said NOT to have anyone in the front, passenger seat due to the risk of shrapnel in the event that the airbag was to deploy. I told them that we NEED that car for an upcoming family vacation, which was true. They told us that the parts were possibly several months out. So I had a planned vacation and no car that I could safely use.

I told the dealer that they (or Subaru) needed to provide us with a loaner at no charge and they agreed. I was excited to have a new car for several months including use for a family vacation. On the day I dropped the car off, they told me that someone else canceled and they would have our car done the same day. Crap! I was looking forward to saving the mileage on our car and having a brand new top of the line to use for several months. NOTE: every time my wife has her car in for service they ALWAYS give her a brand new, top of the line Outback (same model as hers). Yes, it's a ploy to get us to buy a new one but that game doesn't work on me.

Ed

If the recall is for something nonessential, I usually just ignore it. I had a GM product for years that was covered under the infamous ignition switch recall. Never took it in just to avoid the inevitable BS and the sad and disparate attempts at up-selling that usually occur.

This. Sending out recall notices to owners knowing full well there is no plan/parts to fix it.

Thanks guys… appreciate all the input.

For the record, no inspection was done. Zip, nada. They never even touched the car.

Service guy just disappeared for a few minutes. I think he went over to “parts.”

Came back a few minutes later, and said “The parts have been ordered.”

Car never left my sight…

Dad had an '06 DTS, he had the recall done. It was so cheap / cheesy he wished he'd never done it. It was cheaper / chessier than Ford's recall fix for the infamous burning trucks recall back in the late '90's.

You did good ignoring that one.

Our 2010 Cummins has a recall for the automatic transmission park/brake interlock. Just haven't had it done. But the mailings just kill me, "This is a safety hazard if not corrected promptly" (or something like that). Apparently it's only a safety hazard for people who never driven cars when 'Reverse' was on the far right of the transmission sector.

CYA liability letters, they've let you know it's "unsafe" so you'll have the knowledge and take responsibility.

FWIW, I had a Freightliner, it didn't have any clutch / starter interlock. When I got my '01 3500 it was so obnoxious (pedal had to be on the floor, I'm not short and had to stretch to do it) I disabled it completely shortly after I bought it. No one ever noticed.

Recalls are sent out by the manufacture not the dealer. Not surprising the dealer doesn't have parts in stock......they won't stock a ton of parts for recalls that no one shows up for. Those that choose not to have recalls performed also choose NOT to sue the manufacture if something bad happens. It's the owners responsibility to have recalls performed when requested by the manufacture.

When you get a recall notice....call your dealer w/recall in your hand including recall number and description. Also have your VIN handy...they will tell you the next steps to take. If you fail to get satisfactory info from one dealer,call the next.

My experience with all subaru dealers: they treat customers like royalty. I bought a Jeep from a subaru dealer, I will keep this very short- when it broke while under warranty, my wife and I enjoyed brand new top of the line suby's as loaners. I hate them, she liked them.