I just called Nissan Consumer Affairs to discuss my dealership's (poor) handling of the bed liner bubbling issue. They said that since all dealership's are independently owned and operated, I had to take the issue up with the General Manager or Owner. So, if the owner tells me to pound sand and won't help me, who do you call?

Can you go to another dealer?

Better Business Bureau

but i thought we were supposed to call Nissan Corporate.....

Did the owner tell you to pound sand? Or is this a "just in case"?

When I had a major problem with a shady deal at a stealership in Phoenix I set up an appointment with the GM and he cut me a check the same day. Although, I believe I did have to drop the word "lawyer" at least once. :p

I had issues with the paint on my black 350Z, went to the dealership and they told me to call Nissan directly. I called them and 12 months later (when I got rid of my car) I still heard NOTHING! I went to buy my Titan and the dealership said do not sell him a black truck! So that is a good question.....if we can't get help from Nissan or the dealer, what happens next?

LDO, it's not Hall is it?

be sure to get names and dates when you spoke to whomever.

I'd say try another dealer but BBB or your states consumer affairs. but since it's a warranty issue I'd say Nissan should have at least recorded the complaint.

im having the same problem...my bedliner is melting and the told me to pound sand....twice.....sorry sob stealership......grrrrrrrr

LDO which dealership do you go to up here Ive been to Hall and Im not happy with them at all have you tried Green Gifford

LDO which dealership do you go to up here Ive been to Hall and Im not happy with them at all have you tried Green Gifford

I also dealt with Hall when I lived there........they talk you up like they are doing everything for you but just don't come through with the promises.

Did the owner tell you to pound sand? Or is this a "just in case"?
I'ts a "just in case" question. I doubt I'll ever talk to the "Owner" because I don't think it's really ONE guy. There are about 20 dealerships of different manufacturers here that have the same owner.

LDO which dealership do you go to up here Ive been to Hall and Im not happy with them at all have you tried Green Gifford
Yes, it's Hall on Bonney Road. Here's my complete issue...

I had the TSB for the discoloration done. During that process, the bubbles in the liner were found. At that time (several months ago) there was no one local who would touch the repair. Others here and at TT had entire beds replaced because of this issue. Around here, trucks were being sent either into North Carolina or up to Richmond. Service manager tells me that he can't get answers out of Nissan because the one and only bed liner guy is moving from California to Tennessee. After some time, the story changes to "There is a shop here in town being trained by PPG or Nissan on how to fix this. Should be done by the end of August". Late August, I get a call saying the place should be certified by September 6th. September 12th I call and they're not ready yet. I'm on the road to Rhode Island on Saturday. I ask the guy to see if anyone in that area can do it. "Sure, I'll do that and call you". Two days later, still no call, so I call Nissan Consumer Affairs and get told they won't hear my complaint or answer my questions because "All dealerships are independently owned and operated". I went to talk to the guy again, this time under a head of steam, and find out he hasn't even called up there. The factory rep was on hand, so he called the Newport, RI dealership (after I trained them on how to use the internet to locate a dealer). They are unfamiliar with the repair, so can't help me.

Sorry for the rant and back to the original issue. WHO WITHIN NISSAN IS SUPPOSED TO BE THERE FOR THIS?!!! I can't believe that no one at the corporate level would stand for a (hypothetical) dealership owner who would tell a customer he didn't care about an issue. I'm not interested in going to the BBB without proof that I've been jerked around and it's not a lawsuit worthy event (yet). Why doesn't the corporate part of Nissan care about this?

I was going to post on this earlier, but my boss interrupted me for work related reasons... sorry.

Have you talked to the service manager, or only the service writer? They are usually two different people.

I would point the problem out to the SM directly.

You called the 800# and opened a case with Nissan?

3x's is the charm. After the third time, tell them you want it rhino lined or linex'd. Any of those shops have the equipment for stripping the old bedliner (solvents & powerwashers) and installing a new one.

I mean, after the 3rd complaint, you're in lemon law land. Start talking lawyer with them. Tell them if this is the goodwill that Nissan is going to have toward you that you're done with them...

Also, I don't know who is certifying what. That's BS. Putting on and taking off bedliners is a job you could train monkeys to do.

They probably can't do it in house, and don't want to pay to have someone else do it.

I was going to post on this earlier, but my boss interrupted me for work related reasons... sorry.

Have you talked to the service manager, or only the service writer? They are usually two different people.

I would point the problem out to the SM directly.

You called the 800# and opened a case with Nissan?

3x's is the charm. After the third time, tell them you want it rhino lined or linex'd. Any of those shops have the equipment for stripping the old bedliner (solvents & powerwashers) and installing a new one.

I mean, after the 3rd complaint, you're in lemon law land. Start talking lawyer with them. Tell them if this is the goodwill that Nissan is going to have toward you that you're done with them...

Also, I don't know who is certifying what. That's BS. Putting on and taking off bedliners is a job you could train monkeys to do.

They probably can't do it in house, and don't want to pay to have someone else do it.

Don't you hate it when work gets in the way of your day?!?!?

It is the service manager I've been dealing with.

This isn't a 3rd time, thing. The bubbling has yet to be repaired the first time. I was not able to open a complaint because Nissan Consumer Affairs didn't want to hear the complaint. She said I had to take the issue up with the owner/general manager of the dealership. No one else.

Again, the story I'm getting is that Nissan is training Linex or Rhino or some other company how to repair the PPG liner we have. I think I may call the various places here tomorrow and ask if they've been receiving training.

As far as removal of the liner, if it could be removed simply with solvents and power washers, wouldn't that mean the liners are easily damaged by the same thing during normal use? Seems to me it would require a much stronger method of removal/repair.

Well, so far as I would be concerned, what you need to do is make three appointments, and drop the truck off three times with the complaint all listed the same "Customer states factory bed liner bubbling" or some such.

If you've already reached that point, call Nissan back, and ask them to open a case on the issue. It then takes like 3-4 days for someone to call you back.

At that point, go in with the case # and talk to the SM again.

No go? File a complaint with the BBB.

As for removal, they use chemical solvents to soften the liner, then spray it out with a pressure washer & scrape it. It's not regular stuff, I'm guessing it's some nasty stuff. And there is a lot of scraping involved which is why most places don't want to touch it.

The general manager may, or may not be able to do anything for you, depending on how much he happens to care.

If you can try another dealer do, and make sure to keep notes on everything. Dates, who you talked to, brief snyopsis of the conversation. Could get nasty, and could take a while.

When you call those shops, ask how much to scrape out a failed liner and reline. I'm guessing around a grand.

Well, so far as I would be concerned, what you need to do is make three appointments, and drop the truck off three times with the complaint all listed the same "Customer states factory bed liner bubbling" or some such.

If you've already reached that point, call Nissan back, and ask them to open a case on the issue. It then takes like 3-4 days for someone to call you back.

At that point, go in with the case # and talk to the SM again.

No go? File a complaint with the BBB.

As for removal, they use chemical solvents to soften the liner, then spray it out with a pressure washer & scrape it. It's not regular stuff, I'm guessing it's some nasty stuff. And there is a lot of scraping involved which is why most places don't want to touch it.

The general manager may, or may not be able to do anything for you, depending on how much he happens to care.

If you can try another dealer do, and make sure to keep notes on everything. Dates, who you talked to, brief snyopsis of the conversation. Could get nasty, and could take a while.

When you call those shops, ask how much to scrape out a failed liner and reline. I'm guessing around a grand.

Steve, I know you're trying to help, but I think you're missing part of my point. The dealer will not take an appointment for the repair. They are waiting for the bed liner company in town to be "fully trained and equipped" to do the job. Can't get 3 turn downs if they won't take it in for 1.

If I'm unsatisfied with the dealer's handling of the situation, NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS WILL NOT HEAR MY COMPLAINT!!!!! They say the dealer is independently owned and operated and the corporation won't have anything to do with it.

I'm gonna call liner shops tomorrow to see who might be the "Trainee". My guess is, no one will say they are. I can't even get the SM to tell me which shop it is. He can't say if it's the Linex guys, the Rhino guys or some other schmo. That's one of the signs I've noticed that makes me believe I'm getting jerked around.

I think I would have to call the cops and report a future assault on the SM.

I think I would have to call the cops and report a future assault on the SM.

We're gettin' close to that!!!!

LDO, Call Nissan Cinsumer Affairs, and tell the idiot that answers the phone you want to speak to either a supervisor, or have a Dealer Parts and Service representative from Nissan call you back, explain your case to them, they will log it into the system, and the dealership will get a report about an open issue, mention the word lawyer a few times, these are Keywords, Nissan does not like legal situations, I am so sorry I am out of your districting area, or I would give you a rep's email who works with the forum members, because he understands the concept of the internet, and that a dealership can have a bad rep before a future customer even walks in the door.
If you get no where this way let me know, I will see if my rep can find out who is the rep in that area, and get him to say something to him.

B

Okay, Update.... I called some liner dealers around town and found the shop that is being trained by Nissan. The guys said his people had just gotten back from the training and expected to have the equipment in hand in a week or so. This confirms what the Service Manager has been telling me. I guess I can come down off my governor now. If the service manager could have just told me who was being trained, it would have put me more at ease, but he just seemed to be uninformed or bluffing. I feel better now.

Hey LDO, if this doesn't work out, I'll sell you my bed liner for cheap, lol. J/K

I hope everything goes well and you get your bed liner re-done. To tell you the truth I have nothing but good things to say about that dealer at Bonney road, but I haven't had any major issues like you're having, so I can't say much. Good luck!

Okay, Update.... I called some liner dealers around town and found the shop that is being trained by Nissan. The guys said his people had just gotten back from the training and expected to have the equipment in hand in a week or so. This confirms what the Service Manager has been telling me. I guess I can come down off my governor now. If the service manager could have just told me who was being trained, it would have put me more at ease, but he just seemed to be uninformed or bluffing. I feel better now.

The only thing that confuses me is that they are refusing service. The situation boggles my mind.

The only thing that confuses me is that they are refusing service. The situation boggles my mind.

He's not refusing to service the bed. The body shop doesn't have the facilities and, before this training was done, the closest places were somewhere in North Carolina and Richmond. Both a couple of hours away.

Had another call back from the Linex dealer. They are also being trained. Both shops said they should be capable in a couple of weeks. By then I'll be in Rhode Island. I'm wondering if someone up there is certified yet.

I would send Nissan Consumer Affairs a certified letter with your complaint. I would also mention in the letter that you MAY seek Legal advice and hold Nissan responsible for the costs. This practice usually works for myself. I have had problems with a local dealership in the past and I just raised my concerns with the SM first, then went to the GM and then to the VP of the Dealership. Once the VP was involved my issues were resolved immediatley. You can also try to go through the Sales Department as they sometimes will help.

The Nissan dealership in Newport, RI doesnt have the best reputation. Please be careful dealing with them.

The Nissan dealership in Newport, RI doesnt have the best reputation. Please be careful dealing with them.

Thanks for that heads up!!! I know there are more in the area (Providence) so I'll have choices. However, knowing that there are places here, I may wait till I get back.

Thanks, all!!!