A consumer court in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, has ordered Maruti Suzuki to give a brand new car to a customer. The owner’s ₹21 lakh Grand Vitara Strong Hybrid engine failed, and he blamed it on ethanol-blended petrol.
Raipur: A consumer court in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, has given a major order in favour of a car owner. It has directed Maruti Suzuki and its dealer to either provide a brand new car or pay over ₹21.60 lakh in compensation to a customer whose car engine failed after using ethanol-blended petrol. The court has given them 45 days to comply.
This case highlights the growing worries among vehicle owners as the government pushes for more ethanol-blended petrol. The complaint was filed by Dr. Premraj Devat, who bought a Maruti Grand Vitara in 2023. He said his car’s engine got damaged because of the petrol he was using. After running for about 21,000 kilometres, the engine started shutting down on its own. When mechanics checked, they found a white, jelly-like substance clogging the engine and fuel pipes, which was blocking the fuel flow.
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When the case reached the consumer court, both Maruti Suzuki and the dealer denied any fault. Maruti argued that there was no manufacturing defect and the problem was likely due to poor quality fuel. However, Dr. Devat pointed out that at the time of buying the car, nobody told him it was only compatible with a specific type of ethanol petrol.
The court observed that it is the car manufacturer’s responsibility to build vehicles with technology that can handle the fuel available in the market. It also noted that the service centre’s failure to fix the problem, despite repeated visits, was a major lapse. Following this, the court ordered the company to give Dr. Devat a new car with an engine that is compatible with E20 petrol.
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If Maruti fails to replace the car, they have to pay back the car’s price of ₹20.50 lakh. On top of that, they must pay ₹1 lakh for the mental stress caused and ₹10,000 for legal expenses. The court also said that if this payment is delayed beyond 45 days, an annual interest of 7% will be charged on the amount.
This verdict comes at a time when there are many complaints about ethanol-blended petrol causing engine damage and reducing mileage in both old and some new vehicles. This ruling could become a helpful precedent for other customers facing similar issues. It might also give the opposition parties more ground to raise allegations of corruption related to ethanol petrol in Parliament.