Crack in Rim

[Pianoworks1]

This afternoon I made a service call on a new piano from a very highly
regarded american manufacturer that had a crack in the veneer on the
straight side at a point nearly even with the soundboard level.  This crack
runs nearly the entire length of the side.  This piano was purchased from a
manufacturers store out of town and delivered to Atlanta in early Dec. The
local dealer was not involved in the sale. This piano is situated out in the
floor so the side is not hidden against the wall.  The customer called the
salesman and discussed it with him and his expected response was that it was
only veneer deep and could be repaired. He also commented that her
technician (me) was unduly alarming her by saying it might be more than
cosmetic.  While this may be possible, the fact that it's there raises
questions. I have personally repaired 3 pianos of the same brand thru the
years that were split all the way thru.

My question is, if this is only cosmetic, will a little bondo or putty and a
little paint be the end of their problem. OR if the crack was caused by
internal stresses in the wood, is the crack just the outside manifistation
of the problem. This manufacturer's warranty is only 5 years and I feel the
customer should be assured this problem doesn't pop back up after the
warranty period. There's also the issue of diminished value.  Have any of
you had a similar problem, and how was it resolved? Any comments or
suggestions would be appreciated.

Don Bennett