Can dealership employee take your car to their house??

[SD Rebel]

Based on what I've been reading, sounds like the tracker results are a bit spotty and that it's just probably a test drive to do diagnosis or repair. I would still call the dealership to confirm.

 

[mr.fusion]

Depends what the dealer is doing with the vehicle. Some things require driving the vehicle to verify the problem (or verify it's fixed). If they have a tech drive it home, it can be just as legit as if they have the same tech drive around aimlessly for the afternoon. If it's for legit reason and it's a reasonable time/distance, then what's the problem? I'd rather have them drive it home and back in the morning, if it means they really are trying to make sure it's repaired correctly.

Then again, if there is no reason for them to be driving it... THEN I would be pissed and need to have an explanation what the hell is going on.

 

[Drewster]

As mentioned earlier, dealers often have a bad habit of using customer cars to get/ store parts, run errands, etc. The techs have to have access to keys, and if the dealer doesn't actively keep track of the cars... technicians gonna be technicians. The service advisor will do their best to cover, but at the end of the day - after knowing and working with a lot of techs - that's just the situation at hand.

I remember a story where someone saw this exact thing happening - they were at a shopping center, and saw *their car* at the same shopping center because the tech took it for lunch. Their response? Use their spare key and take the car back. It puts the dealer in a beautifully awkward solution, because not only does that tech have to do the walk of shame back to work, but in calling you they kinda need to own up that:

• They took your car out for running errands
• They lost your car

...Food for thought

 

[PowerJrod]

Be careful, don't go in a huff, be tactical and park away a bit so you can see what's going on and then decide your next step.

I would avoid knocking on the door, who knows what kind of person your dealing with, maybe it was stolen from the dealership lot.

Worse case, you can call the cops and help them settle what's going on.

The word is Tactful...not tactical lol

 

[SD Rebel]

The word is Tactful...not tactical lol

No, I meant tactical

 

[PowerJrod]

No, I meant tactical

*Facepalm* lol. Personally...I'm always armed so I'd have no problem confronting the person who has my vehicle at their house hehe.

 

[SD Rebel]

*Facepalm* lol. Personally...I'm always armed so I'd have no problem confronting the person who has my vehicle at their house hehe.

Lol, I mean "tactical" in posture....

"characterized by skillful tactics or adroit maneuvering or procedure: tactical movements. of or relating to a maneuver or plan of action designed as an expedient toward gaining a desired end or temporary advantage."

 

[Wsmith]

Picking up parts doesn't hold a lot of water with me. Our fleet shop at work can get parts from any parts store in the area delivered within the hour. I understand that they have to drive them to test, but parked at a shopping center invites door dings. When I park in a lot it is done to protect the vehicle, I have my doubts the tech has that much respect for your vehicle, ding must have been there when you brought it in.

 

[Dusty1948]

Depends what the dealer is doing with the vehicle. Some things require driving the vehicle to verify the problem (or verify it's fixed). If they have a tech drive it home, it can be just as legit as if they have the same tech drive around aimlessly for the afternoon. If it's for legit reason and it's a reasonable time/distance, then what's the problem? I'd rather have them drive it home and back in the morning, if it means they really are trying to make sure it's repaired correctly.

Then again, if there is no reason for them to be driving it... THEN I would be pissed and need to have an explanation what the hell is going on.

This is a strong possibility. The OP didn't state why the vehicle was in for service, but if it's for a problem that is hard to discover, or an intermittent, the tech. might need drive time in order to uncover or understand the symptom. Or, to ensure a repair was effective. On it's face value I wouldn't jump to some nefarious conclusions.

Warranty reimbersement only allows for so much diagnostic time, so in some cases extra time is absorbed by the drive home of the tech. In a way it shows the dealer's service staff are more interested in locating the source of the problem or ensuring the issue was resolved.

I'm not aware of any auto repair center that casually allows use of a customer vehicle for arbitrary reasons. This would be especially true for factory dealerships I think, as the liability would fall on them should the vehicle be involved in an accident, and worse, somebody injured or killed because of it.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 03 June 2018. Now at: 042357 miles.

 

[Maconi]

Pretty sure it's standard practice. We've had a few threads about it on this forum alone. After you leave your car at the dealer, they can drive it anywhere they want as long as they don't add excessive miles (they're supposed to replace the used gas but I'm sure many don't). We even have dashcam footage of a tech driving another tech home from work or something like that. That's also the reason why dealers usually disable your dashcam/GPS/etc. when you drop it off (so they don't get complaints like this thread). It sounds like this dealer messed up and forgot.