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Truck makers to act on warranty issues
Page 18
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• Truck manufacturers have promised to produce further guidance on the acceptability of third-party telematics systems after CM last month revealed concerns over their impact on warranties and guaranteed buyback schemes (CM 30 Jan-5 Feb).
Mike teeming, general manager of MAN Telematics and a member of the Commercial Vehicle Manufacturers' Telematics Forum, suggests residual values could potentially be affected if third-party telematics systems are fitted in a way deemed unacceptable by vehicle manufacturers, and says it is time for manufacturers "to draw a line in the sand" over the issues raised.
The forum is an informal truck manufacturers committee on telematics, consisting of MAN/ERF, Daf, DaimierChrysler, lveco, Scania and Volvo, which was set up to agree on telematics implementation in the UK.
The forum put out a statement at last year's CV Show outlining a common vehicle telematic interface protocol for providing data according to the SAE J1939 standard. In it, all six participating manufacturers agreed that telematics equipment "installed in the approved manner, and utilising the specified CV manufacturers' J1939 interface modules. will not invalidate or compromise the normal vehicle manufacturer's warranty or repair and maintenance contract conditions".
But Leeming agrees further clarity is needed after the case of Leicester-based Widdowson Group, which was told by its local Scania dealer that the way Minorplanet Systems' VMI system had been fitted to its vehicles could have Ivaco: Drilling must be done in accordance with recommendations.
invalidated its warranty.
'This goes into other areas, like cabs and antennas, which could invalidate the warranty for the cab. And if a system is connected to electrics the wrong way, that could also cause a problem," admits teeming.
Scan has yet to comment directly on the Wlddowson Group case, but has admitted that third-party telematics systems "could possibly" invalidate a vehicle warranty.
Volvo has since issued a statement saying that, if the source of a failure was proved to be the result of a third-party fitment of a non-Volvo component, then its vehicle warranty would be invalidated.
It also confirms that drilling into cabs to fit a telematics aerial could invalidate the cab's mechanical and/or paintwork warranty, And Iveco has recently issued a statement which says: "In respect of anything electrical, the increasing sophistication of systems on modern vehicles means that proper attention must be taken when working on the manufacturer's original installations. Should the bodywork be subjected to any drilling or similar type of modification, it must be treated in accordance to the recommended procedures detailed in Iveco workshop manuals." DaimierChrysler and Daf have yet to comment on the issues raised, but t. eeming says the Telematics Forum is now working on providing some answers.
"We are going to have to draw a line in the sand...we need to put in place a set of rules for people to conform to," he says.
• Francis Transport Services would like to hear from any other operators who have had problems with systems fitted by a third-party telematics supplier.
Contact: 01226 718630; Fax: 01226 718631.