Ask an expert

My husband and I bought a 2007 Honda Accord 4 months ago from a Licensed Dealer (non franchise) and have been experiencing on-going electrical problems ever since.

We initially blamed our young children for turning the interior lights on and causing the battery to drain however we soon discovered the heater would remain on at times after the ignition key had been removed.

It has just had a corroded main fuse board replaced after the alarm went off for no reason and the electric windows started to go up and down by themselves.

We have returned the car to the car yard as we have considered this to be a serious fault. They are telling us the problems are relatively minor and they have the right to carry out the necessary repairs and return the car back to us.

In your opinion, is this car going to be okay or safe if it has had extensive water damage?

How many more complications might pop up from this one fault and do you consider this to be a minor issue like the car yard is telling us?

Vicky

From the "Ask Jack" archives - 5 October, 2010

There is something seriously wrong here based on what you are telling me. These sorts of problems are certainly not normal for any car.

A corroded fuse box on a vehicle which is only 3 years old would tend to suggest the worst possible scenario, that is water damage.

You need to start making detailed written notes (including times and dates) on what exactly has happened and the rectification work that has been done to date.

When you buy from a Licensed Trader (Dealer) you are covered under the Consumers Guarantees Act and part of the Act does allow for the Dealer to be given a reasonable amount of time to sort out any problems. Your responsibilities as the buyer is to allow that process to take place however, there is a limit to how long this should take.

With the problems you are experiencing there is a possibility the car may never be repaired properly.

If you haven’t already done so I would strongly advise you hand a letter to the Dealer expressing your concerns and the expectation the car will not have any on-going water related electrical issues. Also add, if you were to experience such problems in the future, you would be seeking financial reimbursement in full.

I believe the whole electrical system needs to be checked out. This would include a strip of some interior panels to expose as much of the internal electrics as possible. Trying to repair faults as they happen is not the way forward here.

I would also suggest you ring the Department of Courts (Motor Vehicle Disputes) and ask for their advice (0800 367 6838).

Taking the car to an independent auto electrician is an option I would also consider but you would have to be prepared to pay for their labour time. A trained eye over the wiring in general may be all that is required to identify whether the car has a major problem or not.

If you do take this option it is very important you do not let the auto electrician repair any obvious faults. You are only seeking another opinion based on a visual inspection by a qualified person.

This may help confirm whether you are going to have on-going problems or not.

Purchasing a Vehicle History Report may also provide you with valuable information on the cars recent past.