I have been using my 2016 Opel Astra K model vehicle since 2021. During this period, I had all the maintenance done at the authorized service center. After the last maintenance on July 30th, my vehicle gave the "Service: Steering Column Lock" error 10 days later. The car failed to start twice, then started, and I immediately took it to the Mepa authorized Opel service where I had the maintenance done.
Upon researching online, I found that many people have experienced this problem and that it is a chronic issue. Opel Global has published a bulletin stating that this is a chronic problem and that those experiencing the issue will be repaired free of charge. However, both Mepa Opel service and Opel Turkey's response was, "When we connected the vehicle to the computer, we could not detect the problem, so we cannot replace the part. But be aware that the steering wheel may lock up at any moment. Also, since you did not have maintenance done at the service between 2018-2021, we cannot do a free replacement."
I am being held responsible for a non-existent maintenance period. I say I will pay whatever the cost is, you order the part, I cannot use this car with the anxiety of when the steering wheel will lock up, they say we cannot order because we could not detect the fault. I ask how the car's computer does not record the fault, which is an even bigger problem, but there is no answer. I show them the warning on the car's screen, they say we understand but there is nothing we can do. In the bulletin published by Opel Global, it states "this will be applied upon customer complaint." Look, there is a warning of this fault in the vehicle, there is a customer complaint, I want the part replaced and I will pay, but they hand over the car without doing any repairs, saying you may have an accident and die at any moment. They will also note when handing over the vehicle to me that "information was given that it may break down on the road."
Will you order the part only when the steering wheel locks and I hit someone or somewhere? I have to use the vehicle to go to work every day, and at the same time, I may be called in the middle of the night for an emergency patient to rush to the hospital. You are risking the lives of me, other people in traffic, and the patients I need to reach! Tomorrow, if I cannot reach a patient in an emergency due to this fault, Opel Turkey and Opel Mepa Service will be responsible. They are openly endangering people's lives.
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