From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Customer complaints about a 'knock' in Phantom engines and the strategy for handling the issue.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 47\2\ Scan034 | |
| Date | 30th November 1927 | |
| To Hm.{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} From BJ. Knock in Phantom Engine. Copy to WOT. EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} " " Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Hc Your Hm{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs}8/EW28.11.27 - I have discussed this matter with the officials at Conduit Street and it is considered that it will probably be better to deal with a complete car, as the noise is elusive on a chassis, and apparently it might be overcome on a chassis and yet, when the chassis is made into a complete car with a deep scuttle such as most of our cars have, the noise might be there. It is, therefore, proposed to send 84-LC immediately, which was the car used for demonstration purposes by Hg. and has now a distinct knock. On receipt of this car the Works officials will satisfy themselves that the knock is of the type about which we are all talking. The difficulty appears to be with our customers who complain that having once noticed a noise, it appears to worry them and they hear it continually and cannot forget it - as an instance Miss Cooper refuses to take the car until the noise is removed. Anything which causes customers to tell their friends that they have a RR car which has a noise in the engine is very much to our detriment as our reputation so greatly hangs onslience, for which our cars have been noted throughout the existence of the Company and which is a byword all over the world. It is, therefore, impossible for us to satisfy owners by explaining to them that they have nothing to worry about and that it is the normal running of a RR engine. This would be a very dangerous policy for us to pursue. The only policy we can pursue is to find out what is the cause and tell the customers we know how to get over it. In the meantime we can tell customers that this noise has occurred in a few engines and that our experts are giving the matter their immediate attention to ascertain how it can be overcome and we will communicate with them later when their cars can be sent to the Works to be dealt with. During the last 5 weeks this matter has become so urgent, we should like it to take precedence in the Experimental Department. In regard to Miss Cooper's car, if you do not change the engine, what is the alternative as she will not take it back until the noise has been removed? We by no means wish to go to the very considerable expense suggested in your memorandum if it can be avoided. BJ. | ||