Fuso South Africa

Fuso Trucks - Unreliable and Poor Communication

Dear Customer Service Team, I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding a FUSO truck purchased by our company in October 2024. The vehicle is currently less than two years old and has approximately 30,000 km on the odometer. Despite its relatively low mileage and age, it has already been returned to the repair centre on approximately six occasions for various defects and warranty-related repairs. This level of unreliability is unacceptable for a vehicle purchased new and intended to serve as a dependable business asset. Prior to taking delivery of the truck, our Director raised concerns with the salesperson regarding the excessive rust visible on various components of the vehicle. At the time, concerns were expressed that the vehicle may have been stored in a coastal environment and had already begun suffering corrosion before delivery. Unfortunately, the subsequent issues experienced with the vehicle have only reinforced our concerns regarding its condition. The following defects have been experienced: • Air Conditioning System: The truck has been returned to the repair centre on four separate occasions due to air conditioning issues. The system does not operate optimally and, when switched on, produces an exceptionally loud and unacceptable noise. Despite four repair attempts, this issue remains unresolved. • Wiper Motor Failure: The wiper motor failed in less than eighteen months of ownership. Considering that the vehicle has only experienced one rainy season during this period, such a failure is highly unusual and indicative of poor reliability. • Engine Oil Leak: The engine developed an oil leak in less than eighteen months of service. The vehicle has already undergone two repair attempts for this issue, yet the oil leak persists. • Fuel Injector Leak: One of the injectors is currently leaking diesel excessively, to the extent that it resembles a fountain. This presents both reliability and safety concerns and is wholly unacceptable on a vehicle of this age and mileage. In addition to the defects themselves, every repair visit results in significant operational disruption to our business. The truck is typically unavailable for between two and four working days per repair visit, causing loss of productivity, disruption to operations, and loss of valuable business opportunities. We purchased this vehicle with the expectation that it would provide reliable service, not become a recurring maintenance burden. The vehicle still has approximately two years of warranty coverage remaining. However, based on its performance to date, we have serious concerns regarding its ability to remain reliable throughout the remainder of the warranty period, let alone beyond it. We therefore request that Daimler Truck South Africa urgently investigate this matter and provide a formal response addressing: The repeated failures experienced on a vehicle with only 30,000 km. The ongoing unresolved air conditioning and oil leak issues despite multiple repair attempts. The concerns regarding corrosion observed prior to delivery. What corrective action Daimler Truck South Africa intends to take to restore our confidence in this vehicle and prevent further business disruption. We would appreciate a written response within a reasonable timeframe outlining the proposed course of action. We trust that Daimler Truck South Africa will treat this matter with the seriousness it deserves and work towards a satisfactory resolution. Yours faithfully, Ruben Oberholzer