AFP warns fleets of growing claims issues with VMs
The Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) has revealed that fleets operating older vehicles are facing growing claims issues with manufacturers.
It has found that many fleets have retained vans following supply shortages after the pandemic, with some models now six, seven and eight years old.
However, as a range of claims issues are emerging, some manufacturers are refusing longer-term, out of warranty claims.
Discussing the growing claims issues, Paul Hollick, APF chair, said:
“In the wake of the pandemic and subsequent vehicle shortages, many fleets were forced into extending their replacement cycles substantially and quite a few are continuing to operate aged vehicles even though supply is much improved.
“What fleets have learnt is that it is possible to keep vans on the road in safe and efficient condition for much longer than previously thought. However, this is also generating a new series of questions around maintenance and longer-term claims.”
Growing claims issues
He continued: “Especially, manufacturers have historically tended to honour out-of-warranty claims on a goodwill basis if parts failed within recommended replacement schedules. Now, we are starting to see instances of these being refused for what look like debatable reasons, even if the vehicles in question have ostensibly complete service records.”
He pointed to one widespread issue where wet cambelts are starting to fail on a popular model of van. The original recommended replacement for these was 10 years and 150,000 miles but the manufacturer recently changed this to six years and 100,000 miles not just for new vehicles, but the entire production run.
Hollick said: “It appears as though a rash of claims has prompted them to change the replacement policy several years after these vehicles have been sold in an attempt to remove responsibility for further failures. It seems a definite move away from the goodwill approach.”
