In a recent case, the District Consumer Commission in Hyderabad has ordered the Tata Select Motors dealership to refund Rs 28 lakh to a customer. The court ruled based on evidence showing that even after multiple repairs, the Tata SUV continued to face several issues. Here’s everything to know about this case. Attention Readers! Join us on our WhatsApp Community for daily auto news updates.
Tata Car Issues?
In a case involving the consumer M/S Refrigeration Equipment and Solutions, a partnership firm claimed that their recent purchase of a Tata Harrier EV on August 1st from Tata Select Motors, Hyderabad, faced several issues despite repeated repairs. The partnership firm bought the 75kWh Empowered variant, which cost them Rs. 27.98 lakh.
The consumer said they faced issues with startup, the smart key, and central locking. Moreover, the SUV also stopped unexpectedly while driving. They claimed that the car was taken to the service centre multiple times, but the issues persisted. According to the dealer, these issues were due to a software glitch; however, they were never fully resolved.
Due to such persisting issues, the owner asked the dealership to refund Rs. 29,29,395, along with compensation of Rs. 10 lakh for mental agony and harassment. But the dealer dismissed it, saying there was no deficiency in service on their part. The dealership also claimed that the central locking system was replaced under warranty.
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Court Orders Tata Dealership To Refund The Customer
Later, a bench of President B Uma Venkata Subba Lakshmi and members C Lakshmi Prasanna and B Raji Reddy heard the case and examined the service history and job cards. Another revelation was that the smart key issue was also resolved.
However, the records still showed the same issues recurring repeatedly, even after multiple repairs. Since the issues were not completely resolved, the commission treated it as a deficiency in service. Later, the commission ordered the dealer to refund the vehicle price after deducting 10 percent as depreciation. However, the commission ruled that the owner’s demand for Rs. 10 lakh in compensation was excessive and reduced it to Rs. 50,000. The commission ordered the refund to be paid to the owner within 45 days; failure to do so will attract 9 percent interest on the ordered amount, charged annually. Now it remains to be seen whether the dealer settles the matter or appeals to a higher court.