Frequently Asked Questions

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General

• What is ServiceBeacon?

  ServiceBeacon is a web-based software application that helps you take care of your car by reminding you when it is time to do service, notifies you of any recalls issued by your car's manufacturer, by keeping an electronic history of services performed, by making it easy to book service with your preferred dealer while taking advantage of any specials they may be offering.

• How much does ServiceBeacon cost to use?

  ServiceBeacon is totally FREE. Enjoy!

• Who developed ServiceBeacon?

  ServiceBeacon is a product of Stelland Software. To learn more about Stelland you can visit us at www.stelland.com.

• What makes of car does ServiceBeacon support?

  ServiceBeacon has been preloaded with the recommended service schedules of most of the models of the major makes of vehicles, including Ford, Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen, Chrysler, Mercedes, Mazda, and GM, just to name a few.

• How many vehicles can I manage with one username?

  As many as you like.

• I manage a fleet of cars. Any reason why I can't use ServiceBeacon to manage their service?

  None that we can think of.

• How often does your data get updated with new information like recalls?

  We currently update our data every three months.

Issues Logging In

• I have forgotten my username

  You can retrieve your username here.

• I have forgotten my password

  You can retrieve your password here.

Using ServiceBeacon

• I have a car that I can't find pre-setup in ServiceBeacon. What do I do?

  If we do not have a schedule for your car, a standard schedule will get produced. We will also be alerted to your vehicle and will attempt to get that schedule online for you. If and when we get it, you will be notified and can convert over to the correct schedule.

• My car isn't new. Can I use ServiceBeacon anyway? How does that work?

  You can start using ServiceBeacon anytime, regardless of how old or new your car is or how up to date your service is. When you set your car up with ServiceBeacon, you will be prompted to enter your current mileage and this will tell the system where to start service. In addition, if service should have already been performed (as in the case of a non-new car), ServiceBeacon will tell you what service should have already been performed and if you need to, you can add any service items you may feel you missed to the beginning of your service schedule.

• What do I do if the only service I need right now is not specifically part of my service schedule?

  You can easily create a non-scheduled service task by choosing from a list of common service tasks for your car or, if necessary, by creating a new, totally custom, service requirement.

• How does ServiceBeacon know the current mileage of my car?

  When you set up your car in ServiceBeacon, you are asked to enter your car's current odometer reading. ServiceBeacon then uses your actual driving habits to adjust the way it estimates your current mileage. Once a month, ServiceBeacon will send you an email that includes an estimate of what your current mileage is. If it is substantially off, you should update ServiceBeacon with your car's correct odometer reading. In addition, your car's mileage is entered as part of what makes up a service record, and this process, too, will update ServiceBeacon and keep it accurate.

• What if my current dealer or service center doesn't accept bookings from ServiceBeacon?

  Use the printout option and bring your service requirements list with you. In addition, our hope is that our users will help spread the word about our service to car dealers everywhere so feel free (hint, hint) to suggest to them that they get in touch with us so we can activate online bookings with them.

• What if I don't use my dealer to do my service?

  ServiceBeacon will allow you to track your service regardless of who provides your service.

• Can I transfer my car and service history to another person?

  Yes you can! For outgoing transfers you will need the receivers email address or their ServiceBeacon user name. In addition you will be asked to create a secret code (see below for more on this) which you should separately give to the receiving person so they can complete the transfer.

• Can another user transfer their car and service to me?

  For incoming cars you will receive an email notifying you of an incoming transfer. In order to complete the transfer, you will need to know the secret code the sender created as part of the transfer process.

• What's the secret code in the transfer process and what is it for?

  The secret code is our process to ensure that when you send your car to someone else it does not get accidentally sent to the wrong person. In order for a car to get transferred, not only will the user have to receive the transfer email, they will also have to know the secret code you setup. THE SECRET CODE YOU CREATE SHOULD NOT BE YOUR SERVICEBEACON PASSWORD!

• Can I cancel an outgoing transfer process?

  Yes, you can cancel the transfer process in the My Cars | Manage My Cars area. The cancellation must occur before the receiver accepts the car you have transferred them. Once they accept the car it is gone for good unless they transfer it back to you.

• ServiceBeacon asks me for my VIN (although it is not a required field). What is a VIN?

  The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a unique 17-character identifier. Your dealer and/or service center will ideally want it to identify your car when you book service. The VIN can be found on dashboards, driver's side door jamb stickers, and your car's title documents. Also check your car insurance card as it is typically found there.

• What does the secondary email field do and why would I use it?

  You can enter a second email address so that a second person will also receive notifications about service on a particular car. If you like you can enter a different email address for each car you are managing. The idea behind this is if you own two cars, one that you drive and one that your spouse drives (or child, or loved one, or employee, etc...) then not only will you receive a notice that it is time for them to service the car but they will too. However, they wont be able to login to your account to book service on that car unless you give them your username and password.

• I cannot find my dealer or I found my dealer but some information is wrong. What do I do?

  While we have made every effort to include every dealer in North America in our database and worked hard to validate their information, it is entirely possible we do not have every dealer listed or some information we have listed about them (correct name, address, zip/postal code, phone number) is wrong. If you find either situation to be true, we have include a form to let us know what you believe the correct information should be and we will work quickly to validate the information you have provided and get our database corrected.

Privacy and Terms of Use

• What personal information do I have to provide in order to sign up and use ServiceBeacon?

  You will have to provide:

  • Your first and last name
  • Your email address
  • Your zip/postal code and home country

  You also have the option of entering other information into ServiceBeacon that will make it easier for you to do business with your dealer, such as your address and a phone number, and your car's Vehicle Information Number (VIN).

• Who will have access to my personal information?

  Assuming you choose a dealer that is connected to ServiceBeacon, your car dealership will have access to your personal information so that it can do business with you. For example, when you book service online via ServiceBeacon, your contact information is passed to the dealer along with your service requirements.

  Aside from your car dealer, no persons or companies will have access to your information. There are some automated services within ServiceBeacon that may need to use your information, such as a dealer locator that locates the dealers nearest to you based on your zip/postal code.

• Where can I find and read the ServiceBeacon Privacy Statement?

  You can read our Privacy Statement here.

• Where can I find and read the ServiceBeacon Terms of Use?

  You can read our Terms of Use here.