Your Car Breaks Down During the COVID Lockdown? What Happens?
The recently announced Movement Restriction Order to slow the spread of the coronavirus has resulted in many car brands issuing orders to close showrooms and service centres until April 2020. All car brands are expected to comply, but whether or not 100% of service outlets are closed is difficult to ascertain. But you, a member of the car-buying public, will almost certainly not have access to your local service centre and may be asking what you should do in the event your vehicle breaks down this month.
Well, for most companies, the answer is rather straightforward:
- call your brand’s specific helpline
- get roadside assistance
- if roadside assistance does not solve your issue, your car may be towed to the nearest service centre.
- wait until April 2020 for your car to be worked on.
This seems to be the default response from most car companies. Given this movement restriction order is is being taken very seriously by a number of companies, it’s reasonable that they may be a little slow in processing warranty claims and repairs.
But as a consumer, you may be left in a pretty sticky situation. What if you absolutely need your car running to buy food for your family or send them to the hospital? In those cases, car companies MAY make an exception and try to fast track your vehicle. According to the document above, service centres may be run at ‘minimum capacity’, so there’s a chance some brands have major outlets staffed.
It’s in times like these where a car subscription with 100% guaranteed uptime like GoCar, Renault Subscription and Flux might be more useful.
We’ll leave a list of roadside assistance and customer care lines if you need urgent help with your vehicle.
- Audi Malaysia: 1800-22-2834 or +603-7841-5676
- BMW: 1800-88-8808
- Citroen: 1-800-222-808
- Ford: 1300-38-3181
- Honda: 1800-88-2020 (possibly temporarily closed) or 1800-18-1177
- Hyundai: 1300-13-2000
- Infiniti: 1800-88-3330
- Isuzu: 1300-88-1133, 1800-88-8000 (24 hours business support)
- Kia: 1-800-888-542
- Lexus: 1800-88-53987
- Maxus: +603 2143 3331
- Mazda: Roadside Assistance: 1800 18 8011, Zoom-zoom line: 1800-22-8080
- Mercedes-Benz: 1800-88-1133
- MINI: 1800-88-8808 or +603-2282-8039
- Mitsubishi: 1800-88-2166 or +603-2161-0246
- Nissan: 1800-88-3838
- Perodua: 1800-88-5555
- Peugeot: 1800-88-6292
- Porsche: Roadside assistance: 1800-80-1117
- Proton: 1800-888-398, email [email protected]
- Renault: 1800-18-8663, online chat between 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
- Subaru: 012 536 0080
- Toyota: 1800-88-69682
- Volkswagen: Roadside Assistance 1800-88-2389, Customer Care 1800-18-8947
- Volvo: 1800-88-1728
For the rest of us with cars that are out of warranty, well, it appears many privately owned workshops are still keeping business going as long as they can get parts for cars. It’s an unfortunate situation and is probably discouraged. But these people are under pressure to keep customer vehicles in working order and they themselves may be struggling to make ends meet.
About the Author
Subhash Nair Written work on dsf.my. @subhashtag on instagram. Autophiles Malaysia on Youtube.
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