BHPian mh09ad5578 recently shared this with other enthusiasts: Breakdown!Suffered my first breakdown last month, and this is super-long post detailing my ordeal. Had serviced the car on 11th September at my native place Tata ASC, which is a non-EV ASC (have been using it regularly as it is very convenient), this was the 7th service at 52.5K km. Charged the car fully on the 12th night, as I had planned a Mysore trip for the weekend, and charged at home.Left 13th morning at 100% charge for Tumkur, 130 KM away from Chitradurga. DC charged at the Bescom Charger from 43% to 91% here. Left for Mysore, about 170 km away. Reached Payana Automobile Museum, topped up at the Statiq charger there from 36% to 73% while sightseeing.On 14th morning, topped up at the Zeon DC charger at Mall of Mysore from 61% to 100% before leaving for Tumkur. Checked in the evening the Bescom DC charger at a small town before Tumkur-Hebbur, which was working. Topped up from 35% to 85% here before proceeding to Chitradurga, about 160 km away. Had kept a buffer of 20% to be safe.At 11.30pm about 20kms after crossing Tumkur suddenly turtle limited performance mode got activated and battery SOC dropped from 65% odd to 8%. Shocked, drove the car to the service road and started checking. To make matters worse it was raining. Disconnected the negative terminal and waited for 10 mins, reconnected -nothing changed, turtle mode and 8% battery percentage stayed. Tried once again after 10 minutes, nothing changed. In the meantime, while the battery’s negative terminal 10mm bolt broke, luckily we realized there was a spare attached, which we used to re-tighten, but the battery issue did not change.Checked if any fast charger was in range, but none was. Decided to call Tata emergency service, but the phone could not connect after several attempts- the no. listed in the manual and online. Tried the SOS button from the car-It instantly connected with the call center, and the REP on the other side immediately gave a call back. He was very patient, listened to everything, and said he would arrange the tow to the vehicle to the nearest Tata ASC- Sree Motors in this case, and Taxi for us (my friend and I) to the hometown about 112 kms away, with the caveat that 50kms would be free rest all would be extra. He said both would arrive in 2 hours. He connected the tow truck guy immediately asked to share the coordinated on link sent. The tow truck guy called back but was noncommittal in the next call when the Tata rep was not on the call and said he would come in the morning or I could pay 800rs for arranging an emergency driver. This was strange.On my friend’s insistence, I called up my insurance RSA number Future Generali Insurance. The call connected immediately, and he said he can arrange both a tow truck and a taxi in 120 minutes, and the taxi distance would be 100 km free and the rest extra for two-way. This was great, so I confirmed it with him.Immediately after this, the Tata Tow guy called, and when I said I was taking RSA from the insurance guy, his tone changed, and he said he had arranged a driver, and the truck was on the way. But I declined as I had already confirmed with Insurance RSA.In the meantime, Tata rep also called and I updated him about me going with the insurance guy, RSA. (He noted it and said he will cancel the request from his side.) He was a genuinely helpful guy. Appreciated his prompt communication.The Insurance rep was also great and kept calling right through the next 90 mins, coordinating the tow truck and the taxi.A tow truck and a taxi came within 90 minutes; it was a flatbed. The car was loaded on the tow truck and shipped to Tumkur. The taxi dropped us off to Chitradurga- reached at 4 am. Taxi guy was courteous too, didn’t charge us for the extra 12kms. I did tip both the taxi and the Tow guy, but small amounts, and they were not expecting anything.Mw and my friend laughed it off, but had it been with my parents or wife and kid and it would have been a lot more tense, indeed.Will appreciate both the Tata Customer Care and Future Generali RSA team. They really are good and prompt.Also had kept updating the Punch All India WhatsApp group in the meantime, and some members there really shone through with lots of insights and troubleshooting.ASC ordeal. Got a call from Mr Arjun, the SA, he asked to share the logs and what the problems were. He charged the car on Monday and throughout the week tested it. I could see all the logs through the connected ZDconnect app. On 15th, the car had another sudden drop in testing from 40% to 0. I called Mr Arjun regarding the same, and he confirmed that indeed the battery SOC dropped. He said he they had contacted the Octillion team and they had asked to attach the laptop and share all the logs. He said they had flashed it to the latest software, and Octillion guys are telling that the battery is ok and the logs look ok. But SA had no answer to my question on why the SOC dropped and what was actually done to fix it. This continued for a couple of days, but updates were not coming, and SA was not responding to the calls; the phone would be busy call backs, some missed calls. I had also asked the SA to rectify a couple of things on the car. 1. The radiator fan was making noise. 2. The Actuator Gun seemed temperamental, took multiple efforts to start DC fast charging sometimes. 3. Asked him to check the PTC heater issue and if it needed changing. 4. Asked him to change the broken bolt on the negative 12V battery terminal. 5. Battery health report (As I hadn’t ever done this). Needed to know the percentage loss in capacity in this 53k kms run. Had seen multiple people talking about this on the WhatsApp group 6. In the 7th service AC filter was changed, butthe the part no. in the bill is for ICE Punch, I asked him to check if indeed it was wrong part. Kept asking him about a loaner car or taxi reimbursement since the WhatsApp group had multiple people who said that if the EV car is at ASC for more than 2 days, Tata provides a loaner car or gives taxi reimbursement. The SA kept saying they have no such facility. Realized things were going nowhere, and so I called up a client who was friends with one of the Owners of the ASC. The owner did put in a call; it seems SA became much, much better with communication (wouldn’t call himself) but would pick every call and communicate what was up. Finally, after 10 days, he said the Octillion factory team was coming to check the car. The car indeed was checked for 2 more days, and when I called, SA said Octillion team had told them that the battery was ok and that they should give the car back. This was day 14 car was with the ASC. Asked SA what the guarantee was the car would stall on me on highways again, since they have not told me why it broke down and what was done to fix it. He had no answer. He kept saying they have never faced an HV battery issue in Punch/Currve/Nexon 45/Harrier EV. He was like, let’s hope the problem doesn’t come back/ we can see if it breaks down again. When I asked if the issues I had pinged for had been fixed he asked to come two days later, and it will be done. Called him and went to Tumkur in a Bus. Reached ASC car was not washed. SA apologized and said that since it is Dassera eve, there is a rush, and if I could wait another 2hrs he would get it done. Then I realized he had not fixed anything else, and the car was there for two more days without any work being done on it. Radiator fan -he said there was no noise when I started the car and asked him to listen, he said noise might be from the AC condenser and it would need a week to source parts and fix it, and I can come and leave the car during the next service (after the car was there for 16 days). Actuator, he said it was not producing any DTC codes and hence was not an issue. PTC heater-he was not aware of any issue (though a lot of PUNCH EVs running in rainy areas, especially Kerala, are facing this). He said the negative cable needs to be changed, only a 10mm bolt can’t be changed (this was a ridiculous statement- it really needed a 10Rs bolt). He said there was no way to get a battery health SOC report. (This was the limit-finally reprimanded him to stop bluffing). The SA really thinks the customer is an idiot and knows nothing. 6. Though he said it is an EV AC filter but looking at the way he handled everything, unless I personally check, I wouldn’t believe it. Drove the car from Tumkur to Chitradurga and have been testing it for 100 km every day. Seems to be working fine. But I am still not sure about taking this on intra-city runs like before. I have been seeing the logs. They indeed have tested the car for almost 750-800 km, but seem to be clueless about why it happened. I was planning to buy the Harrier EV 75kW fearless in 1st quarter of 26, now my family members and I are having second thoughts due to this.(I am convinced with the concept of EV, no two ways about it) Since I run the car of highways, I run the car between 10% to 100%. Once a month may go below 10% too, maybe upto 6% but will go to 100% at least twice a week. (was briefed by the admin of TataEVclub-nice of him to call and talk regarding the issue) Haven’t shared this on any social media. The product is brilliant, but if there is an issue, I find Tata ASC incapable of troubleshooting it. That a problem came is not an issue with me. But the problem couldn’t be diagnosed, and they couldn’t come up with a fix for it. That’s what shakes my confidence. Still love the punch- ASC/breakdown experience- not so much. Keeping fingers crossed! Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.
