Manufacturer, seller to pay Rs 17 L to buyer for faulty car

CHENNAI: The Chennai North District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed a car manufacturer and its dealer to jointly refund Rs 16.73 lakh with interest and pay compensation of Rs 25,000 to a customer who bought a defective Skoda Kushaq SUV.

According to the complaint, TS Rajamohan purchased the vehicle in March 2023, relying on the reputation of Volkswagen, the German parent company, for quality. Within 35 days of purchase, he noticed several serious defects: an unusually hard clutch that caused pain in his left leg, a malfunctioning air-conditioner, severe noise from the wheel while driving, and loud power windows.

Rajamohan emailed both the manufacturer and Gurudev Motors, the dealer. Skoda replied that the matter had been assigned to the dealer, which later serviced the vehicle and sought time for a "permanent solution". However, Rajamohan said he was never told what repairs had been carried out. He maintained that the problems were the result of a manufacturing defect and that neither party addressed the hardship he faced.

The issues persisted despite repeated servicing. When he contacted the service agent again, he was told the car was designed for European conditions and that the company was still working on the complaints, which he alleged were common among Skoda users.

On one occasion, a driver sent by the dealer to pick up the car for servicing allegedly drove rashly and damaged the vehicle. After the first service, white marks also appeared on the black panel on the right side.

From the date of purchase, the complainant said he suffered mental agony and hardship. Despite repeated complaints about the hard clutch and brake noise, issues that surfaced within three months and during the warranty period, the parties failed to fully rectify the defects.

The commission, comprising president D Gopinath and members Kavitha Kannan and V Ramamurthy, found deficiencies in service. It directed the company and dealer to take back the vehicle and refund Rs 16.73 lakh within 30 days of receiving it, along with 9 per cent annual interest from the date of purchase until payment. They were also ordered to pay Rs 25,000 as compensation for mental agony and monetary loss, and Rs 5,000 towards litigation costs.