Bosch Car Service Autoserv Morningside

Negligent Vehicle Servicing Resulting in Catastrophic Engine Failure and Unresolved Consumer Dispute

On 29 August 2025, I booked a 2012 Hyundai Sonata for a major service at KZN Repair Centre – Bosch Car Service, 969 Umgeni Road, Morningside, Durban. The primary reason for the service was an ongoing issue with the battery terminals, which repeatedly became loose. I specifically brought this to the attention of the service consultant and emphasized that this issue should be treated as a priority. I was presented with a quotation exceeding R12,000. As I had only budgeted for the major service and the battery terminal issue, I instructed the workshop to carry out only the work included in the major service and to rectify the battery terminal problem. Despite this specific instruction, the battery terminals were not replaced. On 2 September 2025, only four days after the vehicle had been serviced, the engine failed while travelling to Port Shepstone. Owing to the considerable distance from Durban, the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic for a preliminary inspection. The mechanic advised that the engine oil had leaked out because the oil filler cap was missing. We notified KZN Repair Centre – Bosch Car Service of the incident. The workshop arranged for the vehicle to be towed back to their premises but advised; "As explained once the vehicle is inspected we can give a full report . If the failure of your vehicle is due to workmanship or parts failure, we will take full responsibility and will cover the cost there of" - Bradley Williams, Group Technical and Service Manager. After the vehicle was returned to their workshop, meaningful communication was lacking. We received no proactive updates and were compelled to repeatedly follow up on the progress of the investigation. Eventually, the service consultant contacted me telephonically to advise of their findings and subsequently sent, via WhatsApp, a quotation exceeding R20,000 to repair the engine. Given the circumstances, we requested an independent report from the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI), or other objective technical assessment, to substantiate their findings. No such report was provided. Instead, the workshop retained possession of the vehicle while failing to respond adequately to our communications. Their lack of transparency, failure to provide the requested technical evidence, and insistence that we bear the towing costs despite the engine failure occurring only days after the service resulted in a complete breakdown of trust. We therefore arranged for the vehicle to be removed from their premises. The vehicle had been delivered to the workshop with a relatively minor issue relating to loose battery terminals. It was returned with a catastrophic engine damage that had not existed prior to the service, and the workshop's proposed solution was to undertake repairs at an additional cost exceeding R20,000. In the circumstances, we remain deeply concerned that the engine failure may have resulted from deficiencies in the servicing process. This conduct falls well short of the standard of professionalism, transparency, and accountability that consumers are entitled to expect from a reputable motor service provider like Bosch Services. It has fundamentally undermined our confidence in the workshop and raises serious concerns about its commercial integrity and commitment to fair dealing. My family was majorly disadvantaged, as I used that vehicle for work.