hi guys any one know the phone number for alko ATC warrenty work on my caravan atc, phoned there number several times put on hold all the time the number i am using is 01926 818500, shocking customer service (have left them several voicemails in over a week still no answer thanks in advance) the caravan is only two years old with very little use. .
caravan ATC warranty
- Thread starter glc220
- Start date
That seems to be the correct number https://www.alko-tech.com/en_gb/Service/Contact or you could email them - but you might do better referring the issue back to the selling dealer.
Buying precowned isn’t an issue if the caravan has been maintained within warranty and the supplying dealer has a responsibility. But unlike cars caravans are difficult to get non supplying dealers to undertake warranty work. And your dealer is a very long way distant.
In the absence of a response and solution from Alko I would try an AWS technician who may be mobile or have a workshop b
In the absence of a response and solution from Alko I would try an AWS technician who may be mobile or have a workshop b
yes your right , no one whats to know if you did not buy it from them, in my opinion thats no good, my caravan has a full service record and was served two weeks ago, will try to find an AWS technician on the webb thanks for the info.
Sadly Alko does seem to have a poor reputation for supporting customer of its products, But by buying second hand from a dealer automatically gives you rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 against the seller irrespective of any dealer warranty they may have offered. So you do have some legal protection with your dealer. Unfortunately the distance is your problem to resolve if you need any work to be done on the caravan.
If the problem physically prevents the caravan from being towed, you should advice your seller and ask for their help, and they might agree to pick up the cost of a local AWS engineers repair.
If the problem physically prevents the caravan from being towed, you should advice your seller and ask for their help, and they might agree to pick up the cost of a local AWS engineers repair.
If it was serviced two weeks ago, get back to whoever did the service
If it is the ATC that is physically preventing the caravan being towed then that is quite easily addressed, though is not a cure.
The ATC can be mechanically isolated or even in the extreme removed to allow towing, albeit then obviously without the benefit of this safety improving feature. Their user instructions detail the user isolation technique.
If the OP wishes to detail the nature of the technical problem with the ATC there might be others here who could help in solving that.
Poor show Al-KO.
Not sure why they are contacting ALKO when it is the responsibility of the dealership from whom they bought to resolve the issue. Not sure if ATC is checked during a service?
I think they only check that the credit card you use works.
Dealership is 260 miles away, so unless the dealership authorised someone local to the OP to resolve the issue he’s faced with a minimum of 520 miles journey. Your own experiences are a good example of dealership support, or lack of in tge caravan industry.
My own experience of Alko when I had an axle failure was poor.
Hardly the fault of ALKO if a consumer chooses to buy from a dealership hundreds of miles away. The consumer does not have a contract with ALKO so there is no obligation by ALKO to do anything. Our experience with ALKO when we had squeaking brakes was very good, but we went through the dealer.
At the very least I would have expected Alko to respond to his calls even if they redirect the OP back to the supplying dealer. Isn’t that a minimum level of customer service that someone could expect. There must be more to business than the ever present reliance on the CRA 2015. As we read regularly on this Forum too many dealerships don’t give a fig for their legal obligations, and the makers tacitly support the inherent lack of support to customers.
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The OP has already indicated he knows his official route to help is through his selling dealer, but for reasons of distance, it is impractical do use that process on this occasion.
Even though he may not have a contract with the manufacturer, that doesn't prevent him from trying to ask for some support from them. Some manufacturers are responsive to such requests and some do not seem to care about the end user.
If you don't ask you certainly won't get any help, and the worst that is likely to happen is nothing, but until you try, you won't know.
I doubt ATC is checked as part of a normal caravan service, as with other OEM appliances the customer would have to specifically request it to be serviced probably at an extra cost.
ATC is not a specific item tested on the AWS work sheet. However my chap checks it’s start up and initial cycling as part of the brake service. He picked up this year the led light wasn’t working. I replaced it at nearly £40.! Easier to buy the whole harness . Changing the bulb is problematic.
ATC is a bit like a match, until you need it you don’t know if it actually works
ATC is a bit like a match, until you need it you don’t know if it actually works
In my opinion, ATC servicing should be part of the AWS schedule., as so many caravans get it now as standard equipment - just as servicing the motor mover should be included even though it's an aftermarket fitment - this may mean variable pricing but not exactly difficult to organise.
I don't support that point, I quite often come aware the ATC works if not its application of the brakes achieves its intended abatement of instability.
Simply the rolling of the van even at walking speed on a rough rally field for example can "fire" the ATC, giving for me that assuring "tug" indicating its there looking after us. Just not bright enough to know that sway was under tolerable conditions.
And on the road towing through tight "S" combinations like coming off mini roundabouts, our ATC "works" can on occasions make its presence known, again with that harmless but so reassuring little tug as it touches the van's brakes.
As I religiously look that the ATC's LED gives me a green, as well as hearing it activating the system, I would be immediately aware on coupling the electric if the LED had failed.
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I’ve used my AWS engineer for over twelve years and know him well. He is very thorough and checks things not listed. There is a nationwide difference on “checking” and “servicing “. IMO you must discuss the grey areas with your engineer.
Frankly, and I agree with you,any safety critical item should be checked. How you service them is a different matter
The downfall of your principle is that you have to know what the "grey areas" are.
9 years ago I helped my daughter-in-law choose/buy a nearly new Hyundai i30 - it came with a 3 year servicing deal, since then it's been serviced every year by the same local trusted independent workshop I use so should be in tip-top condition - but last week she rang me and said the engine management light is on so I went round as I have most of Gendan's diagnostics on my laptop - plugged it in and it showed misfire on cylinder 1 - when I looked through all the servicing invoices it's never had more than a basic service so half the stuff is original, ie 103,000 miles old.
Subsequent discussion with my son and daughter-in-law reveals they just book it for "a service" and had no idea that other things needed doing at less frequent intervals. After spending Sunday morning changing spark plugs, air filter and cabin filter the car is now running sweetly again but I now have to organise them every year to ensure they request the correct jobs to be done.
Back to caravans, how does a servicing technician know when the Alde fluid needs replacing - unless the owner knows to tell him!
JTQ experience is different. Probably only once or twice have I felt ATC kick in, if indeed it was ATC? The cycling process and green light doesn’t actually mean it’s working just that it is “alive”. I think it is very difficult to know if it is functional but then maybe it’s just me ? Should I try a slalom test ?
I've only once noticed a maybe activation of ATC - but you and I both tow with relatively heavy towcars, ie with low % towing ratios, which should be prone to sway a lot less.
Are you suggesting ATC is a safety critical item? If so I disagree.
It's not a safety critical system as its not statutory requirement for a trailer. It's only an option for new caravans.
If the driver has carried out their responsibilities correctly and loaded both the tow vehicle and the trailer and drives using good sence, the ATC should not be necessary at all.
If a driver finds they are reliant on the ATC to maintain control of an outfit, then there is either something wrong with the loading of the outfit, or the drivers habits. Consider if the outfit is so inherently unstable, if the ATC failed to function the results would be sad, and the authorities would have every right to declare the outfit to have been dangerous.
ATC should only be considered as an assistance device to help capture an extreme not normal situations, It should not be a regular intervention to make an unstable outfit drivable.
By the same token if a safety device is fitted as standard then it should be part of the service regime to ensure that the trailer is safe to tow.
.... a working ATC is a requirement of my CAMC insurance policy.
The self test on connection of the 13 pin plug demonstrates that the system is working if a solid green light is showing.
I often experience a tug on the towcar when the ATC system actually applies the caravan brakes.
Uneven roads or rally fields, potholes or taking a roundabout to fast will trigger it.
If I didn't sometimes experience these tugs I would think something wasn't right.
These tugs only ever occur when I'm aware of a jolt to the caravan.......never experienced them under most conditions as my outfit is stable.
The OP gives very little info as to what the problem is.....for instance the towing vehicle electrics have to provide the system with it's 12 volt electrical supply or the system won't work.
Has the 20 amp fuse blown that protects this supply?
The self test on connection of the 13 pin plug demonstrates that the system is working if a solid green light is showing.
I often experience a tug on the towcar when the ATC system actually applies the caravan brakes.
Uneven roads or rally fields, potholes or taking a roundabout to fast will trigger it.
If I didn't sometimes experience these tugs I would think something wasn't right.
These tugs only ever occur when I'm aware of a jolt to the caravan.......never experienced them under most conditions as my outfit is stable.
The OP gives very little info as to what the problem is.....for instance the towing vehicle electrics have to provide the system with it's 12 volt electrical supply or the system won't work.
Has the 20 amp fuse blown that protects this supply?
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