Tata Motor asked to repay cost of defective SUV to buyer

National Consumer Commission directed Tata Motors to take back a “defective” sports utility vehicle and refund the cost to the buyer.

The bench comprising Justice D K Jain as president and M Shreesha as member held that the complainant buyer was entitled to an appropriate relief for the harassment he suffered due to the defect in a brand new car. 

Rajeev Agrahari bought a Tata Spacio car from a Kanpur-based dealer in January 2001 paying Rs 3.76 lakh. Within two months, he realised the vehicle was giving poor average diesel consumption of seven or eight kilometre per litre, spewing unusually more smoke, making more noise and leaking near the fuel pump.

Between March 29, 2001 to December 05, 2002, he had to visit the workshop on 14 occasions. The vehicle remained in the workshop for 60 days with no improvement.

He approached the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum at Kanpur Nagar which in 2006 directed the company to take back the vehicle and refund the amount. The forum also awarded him Rs 10,000 compensation.