A family faced a hefty £1,800 bill when their Range Rover sustained significant damage and their toddler got soaked during a car wash incident. Andrew Fenn and Cara Burke were preparing to take their son, Otis, to meet Paddington Bear but decided to stop at a Tesco car wash in North Wales first. To their dismay, part of the SUV got torn off, allowing water to enter the vehicle, causing distress to their 18-month-old child who now fears car rides.
Cara, a nurse, described the chaotic moment when the car wash malfunctioned, leading to water spraying inside the car and onto their toddler. Despite Andrew’s efforts to close the door, the situation repeated, resulting in a loud noise that prompted them to quickly exit the wash area. The family later discovered the vehicle’s spoiler had been completely ripped off, necessitating an expensive £1,800 repair.
Tesco’s subsequent investigations claimed the car wash was operational and cautioned against using it with Range Rovers. Jaguar Land Rover mentioned that it is standard practice for car manufacturers to advise against using commercial car washes. Despite their efforts to address the issue with Tesco, the couple’s claim was rejected, leading to the costly repair of their vehicle.
Cara expressed frustration over the lack of communication from Tesco following the incident and the subsequent rejection of their claim by the retailer’s insurers. The couple is still awaiting the car wash report and emphasized their surprise at the vulnerability of Range Rovers to such damages in automatic car washes.
In response, Tesco expressed regret over the family’s ordeal and assured that claims are handled on a case-by-case basis. They recommended seeking independent legal advice for resolution. The retailer also highlighted the signage advising customers to consult their owner’s manual before using the car wash, especially for Land Rover and Range Rover owners, to avoid similar mishaps.
Cara vowed to raise awareness about the risks associated with automatic car washes and shared that they would opt for manual cleaning in the future to prevent any reoccurrence of such damaging incidents.
