Consumer court orders Maruti to replace Grand Vitara which broke down due to E20 fuel

A district consumer disputes redressal commission (DCDRC) at Chhattisgarh's Raipur has ordered car manufacturer Maruti Suzuki to give a new Grand Vitara with an E20-compatible engine to a man whose car broke down allegedly due to the use of E20 fuel.

The order was passed on July 14 by DCDRC President Prashant Kundu and Dr. Anand A Varghese on a consumer complaint filed by Dr. Premraj Devangan against Maruti and its authorised dealer, NEXA Magneto (opposite parties).

The commission ordered the opposite parties to replace Dr. Devangan's Grand Vitara car with a new vehicle of the same model, but equipped with an E20 fuel-compatible engine within 45 days from the date of the order.

If this is not done, the opposite parties must not only refund the sale price of ₹18.29 lakhs paid for the car by Dr. Devangan in 2023, but also RTO charges of ₹1,86,850, and an insurance premium of ₹34,644 paid with respect to the vehicle by him. The total amount comes to ₹20,50,494.

In either scenario, the opposite parties have also been ordered to pay ₹1 lakh to the consumer to compensate for mental agony and harassment, and ₹10,000 as litigation costs. This is to be done within 45 days of the order's date.

Dr. Devangan told the commission that he purchased a Maruti Grand Vitara IE Strong Hybrid Zeta Plus in 2023, which later repeatedly developed problems because it was not E20 fuel compliant.

E20 petrol, a blend of 20 percent ethanol and 80 percent petrol, is a key part of the Indian government's strategy to reduce crude oil imports, lower emissions and promote the use of domestically produced biofuels.

However, the introduction of E20 has sparked concerns that older vehicles not specifically designed for E20 may experience compatibility issues, fuel system corrosion and reduced fuel efficiency.

Manufacturers have now increasingly introduced E20-compatible vehicles, but questions remain over the compatibility of vehicles sold prior to 2023.

In Dr. Devangan's case, it was claimed that he had to drain the fuel, clean the fuel tank, refill it with fresh petrol, and even then, the vehicle continued to stall frequently.

The consumer court's order recorded that he had to repeatedly take his vehicle to Maruti's service centre for repairs due to such recurring defects.

The issue was attributed to the use of poor quality fuel. The opposite parties (Maruti and its dealer) later refused to replace the vehicle with an E20 fuel compliant model, prompting Dr. Devangan to approach the consumer commission for relief.

By its July 14 ruling, the consumer commission ruled that Dr. Devangan was able to prove that Maruti and its dealer were liable for deficiency in service and undue trade practices.

Accordingly, they were ordered to compensate Dr Devangan and replace his car or pay a full refund for the expenses he incurred in relation to its purchase.

Advocate PK Nishad represented Dr Devangan.

Advocate Bhupendra Jain represented Nexa Magneto (Sky Auto).

Advocate Faizan Akhtar represented Maruti Suzuki India Limited.