Service Information: Damage or breakdown case in international traffic

Due to recent events we hereby expressly point out that it is impermissible to invoice transit customers with repair costs for damage covered by a warranty during a vehicle's warranty period. It is also impermissible when settling a damage case or breakdown case for transit customers during the warranty period, irrespective of the claim amount, to submit a guaranteed payment facility request to the domestic market.

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As per the Service and Parts Sales Agreement, all authorized service partners and company-owned sales and service outlets are obliged to settle correctly and promptly all warranty claims with regard to expenses for labor costs, parts, transport and customs duty without invoicing the customer. It is the task of the Workshop Manager on site, to check whether a damage within the meaning of the warranty is given, and to then settle this following completion of all required work accordingly.

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Inspection of damage warranty compliance

If the workshop is unable to determine any fault on the part of the customer using the means it has available, and if the damage is deemed to be a warranty case based on the respective vehicle's operating data, then the repair must be started immediately. If a major assembly has to be replaced, and in the event of any additional expenses over any beyond the normal repair scope, it is advisable to submit a cost inquiry in advance to the national organization.

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If afterwards, during the inspection process customer, a customer fault is then determined using means that were not available to the workshop, the warranty claim shall not be charged back to the dealer. If the workshop conducting the work makes any mistakes while performing diagnosis work or while executing repair or installation measures, that are obviously the fault of the workshop, then it will assume liability for such mistakes. Any costs incurred as a consequence must not be charged to the national organization nor to the customer.

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Damage not covered by the warranty

Only where the workshop inspection clearly determines that the damage is not covered by the warranty (e.g. damage caused by customer) or the vehicle is outside the warranty period (goodwill), is any start of repair work contingent on the request of a guaranteed payment facility from the home workshop.

In the event of a goodwill commitment on the part of the manufacturer, it is at the discretion of the workshop conducting the work to request a guaranteed payment facility solely for the amount of the costs to be borne by the customer (customer share).