The global COVID-19 pandemic has affected all facets of life and has brought the automotive industry to a grinding halt. Despite these trying times, multiple automobile manufacturers in India are doing their bit to ensure a hassle-free aftersales experience for its customers.
Also read: How coronavirus has hit the global auto industry: a timeline
Also read: How India's automakers have joined the fight against Coronavirus
Given below are all the announcements made by manufacturers regarding their aftersales services amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tuesday, May 5
Italian bike maker MV Agusta has announced a three month extension on warranties for all its motorcycles.
Thursday, April 30
Jaguar Land Rover has announced an extension on service and warranty for its customers. Service schedule intervals have been extended by two months/3,200km. The company says that retailers will honour warranty commitment for an additional two months for vehicles where “customer concern is reported and repairs could not be completed due to lockdown and the warranty would expire during this period”. Due consideration has also been given to owners whose extended warranties are expiring between March 23 and the end of lockdown. These people are entitled to claim warranty on repairs up to 1,000km or 30 days after the lockdown is lifted.
Porsche is extending new car warranties for three months for vehicles warranties expiring between March 1 and May 31, 2020. The three-month grace period will be offered beginning from the date of expiration of each individual vehicle’s warranty scheme. The same consideration even applies to customers whose ‘Porsche Approved’ warranties or extended warranties are set to expire in the same time period. These measures come at no additional cost to Porsche owners and are valid worldwide.
Thursday, April 23
The Piaggio Group has announced that warranties and free service schedules on all Aprilia and Vespa product, which fall in the lockdown period, have been extended for 30 days after the lockdown is lifted.
Wednesday, April 22
Ducati India is extending warranties till Jun 1,2020 for all motorcycles whose warranty is slated to lapse between March 24 and May 3,2020.
Friday, April 17
In an effort to alleviate customer concern, Nissan has announced a month’s grace period after the lockdown is lifted for owners whose free services, warranties and extended warranties are expiring during the lockdown. The company is also offering a special service package that includes emergency roadside assistance during the quarantine.
Thursday, April 16
Kawasaki India has announced that it will extend the warranty on its motorcycles that lapse between March 1, 2020 and April 30, 2020. In these cases, the warranty has been extended to June 30, 2020.
Tuesday, April 14
Maruti Suzuki has announced that customer vehicles whose free service, warranty and extended warranty packages were scheduled to end during March 15, 2020 to April 30, 2020 have now been extended up to June 30, 2020. The carmaker is also providing useful tips to customers via SMSes to keep their car healthy during this lockdown period.
Volvo India has announced that it has extended vehicle warranty till May 31, 2020, for those customers for whom it was expiring during the lockdown period (March 22 - May 3).
Monday, April 13
Royal Enfield has announced a two-month extension for RE owners of free services and warranties expiring between March 22 and April 14, 2020.
Volkswagen has extended special benefits towards prospective and existing healthcare professionals who own a VW car, including enhanced vehicle protection plans, benefits on purchasing a new model, as well as extended warranties. The enhanced vehicle protection plan includes a 10-point check-up, along with AC disinfectant and Germkleen treatment, all at no added cost. The benefits can be availed till June 30, 2020.
Renault has announced a relaxation of the warranty policy and periodic service schedule of its cars for the duration of the lockdown, along with launching a new online booking campaign. Under the campaign, customers can book a Renault car either via the company website or through Renault’s app, without requiring to immediately pay a booking amount.
Click here for everything you need to know about extended warranty programmes
Friday, April 10
Royal Enfield has announced an extension for owners who have free services and warranties expiring between March 22 and April 14, 2020. The national lockdown has made it impossible for owners to use these services, and hence they have been extended by 2 months. The company has also said that its Roadside Assistance and Doorstep Services have also been impacted.
Tuesday, April 7
Ford India has announced an extension of its warranty schemes and service programmes. The carmaker stated that all warranties expiring between March 15 and May 30, 2020 will now be valid until June 30. The same extension is also applicable to all scheduled services, including the free services. The carmaker is also offering 24-hour roadside assistance (RSA) to all its customers at no cost and this is available irrespective of whether they have purchased the RSA option, or of the age of the car.
Hero MotoCorp also announced an extension for its warranties and free services. All the scheduled free services (FSC), and those under Joyride (AMC), with expiry dates between March 21 and April 30, can now be availed until June 30, 2020. Hero has also said that vehicle warranties that lapse during the lockdown period will be extended until June 30, 2020. Hero MotoCorp is also offering Road Side Assistance, where permitted by local authorities.
Monday, April 6
Toyota has initiated a ‘Customer Connect’ program in light of the national coronavirus shutdown. The company has announced an extension of vehicle warranty for new vehicles as well as vehicles purchased from Toyota U-Trust, free maintenance service, roadside assistance, extended warranty, and the ‘Smiles’ prepaid maintenance package for up to two months. Toyota will also be extending free emergency support to customers who don’t have coverage till 15 days after the lockdown. The automaker says that there will be an extension till May 31, 2020 for owners whose respective programs and products may have expired during the shutdown. Moreover, services such as vehicle inspection, cabin care and tyre- and battery-related services will be provided at special prices once Toyota dealerships are operational.
Friday, April 3
Kia has announced that it will be providing extended free services to all its customers until July 2020, which should come as a relief to owners who are unable to follow the stipulated service schedule due to the ongoing lockdown.
Wednesday, April 1
Audi India announced an extension for all its customers whose service package or extended warranty ends during the lockdown period (March 15 to May 3, 2020). This means those customers will be able to avail the service, the window for which has been extended by one month or 3,000km (whichever comes first), while the window to purchase the extended warranty will be stretched by two months from the last day of the lockdown.
Honda two-wheeler customers whose free service schedule falls between March 15 and April 15, 2020 will have it extended by two months. Similarly, those warranties ending between the same dates will also be extended by two months.
Bajaj Auto announced that warranty and free services of all vehicles that are expiring between March 20 and April 30 have been extended until May 31, 2020. Bajaj has also done the same with its commercial vehicles and extended its warranty duration by two months.
Tuesday, March 31
Isuzu announced that it will extend the validity of warranties and services with expiry dates between March 15 and April 15, to May 31, 2020 for existing owners of its vehicles.
Monday, March 30
In light of the ongoing lockdown, Maruti Suzuki has announced an extension for customers who want to avail the brand’s service and warranty facilities. The free service, warranty and extended warranty programmes ending between March 15 and April 30, 2020 will now be valid up to June 30, this year.
Volkswagen India has also announced relief for customers on the service and warranty front. Standard warranties expiring between March 22 and mid-May will now be valid till July 31, 2020. Owners with standard warranties expiring between March 22 and April 15 will be given the option to purchase an extended warranty that lasts 60 days after the standard warranty ends. Meanwhile, existing extended warranty plans expiring between the same time period will be valid untill May 15, 2020. People with a valid service value package that have scheduled maintenance due in March and April can avail the same facilities till July end. Lastly, VW has also given leeway till July 31 to users whose free or paid services are due during the lockdown.
Sunday, March 29
Two-wheeler manufacturer Yamaha has announced that it will be extending its warranty and other services in India. As part of the ‘Yamaha Lifetime Quality Care’ approach, it will extend its services for an additional 60 days (till June 2020) from date of expiry. Free services expiring between March 15 and April 15 will be extended until June. Normal and extended warranties expiring between March 15 and April 15 will be extended till June too.
Saturday, March 28
The TVS Motor Company has also extended service support to two-wheeler owners in these hard times. Owners with motorcycles or scooters with scheduled free services or Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) service falling between March and April 2020 can avail of the service until June 2020. It's the same case with warranties as well which too have been extended until the end of June. TVS has also kept its toll free helpline and Road Side Assistance (RSA) facility open in these times, just in case a vehicle needs attention.
Monday, March 23
Acknowledging their customers’ inability to visit authorised workshops for service, maintenance and repairs, Tata Motors conveyed that it will be extending the time for availing the stipulated facilities. Owners whose vehicles have an OE warranty and a free service period (not kilometres) expiry date that’s between March 15 and May 31, 2020, can use these benefits until July 31.
Friday, March 20
Hyundai India will also a two-month extension to customers who are unable to avail their vehicle’s warranty / extended warranty / free service due to a health emergency or dealership shutdown in affected cities. The company will also continue to offer 24x7 Roadside Assistance and has deployed an additional 1,000+ Doorstep Advantage bikes and emergency road-service cars.
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How coronavirus has hit the global auto industry: a timeline