Maruti Suzuki And Dealer Ordered To Pay Rs 1 Lakh Compensation

A district consumer forum at Hyderabad ordered Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., and its dealer Varun Motors to pay a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to an owner of an Alto 800. Why? For failing to replace a faulty horn.

According to the Times Of India, Mr K Sudarshan Reddy stated to the forum that he bought the vehicle during the July of 2014. He also said that he noticed multiple problems with the Alto 800 including noise from the engine, a crack on the windscreen, a broken lock lever on the rear passenger door (right side), and a faulty horn.

His first step of action was to head to the dealer and then an authorized workshop to have the parts replaced. Mr Reddy claimed that the faulty horn was not replaced, and said the company tried to fix the fault instead.

Mr Reddy also told the forum that a majority of his lifestyle had changed because of a faulty, and now defunct horn. He was forced to drive slow in peak traffic times in the city, and this resulted in a minor accident, driving slow also meant that he had to leave home early and return later than usual, and also because of the slow speeds, he found that the Alto 800 in question was burning more fuel.

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. submitted a written statement that said Mr Reddy had not complained about the horn at all but had mentioned that it was defective. The statement also said they had fixed the horn and delivered the vehicle the same day. MSIL also claimed that Mr Reddy's allegation about an accident because of a defunct horn was false.

Varun Motors also had their representatives make a statement saying that the dealer is only responsible for providing mechanic services during the warranty period and there was no negligence from them.

After hearing statements from all the parties, the Bench said, "There is always the likelihood of occurrence of an accident in the absence of a functional horn, especially in Hyderabad traffic. The Horn in the context of heavy traffic in Hyderabad is essential for the smooth running of vehicles and to prevent accidents. The contention of the opposite parties that there is no possibility of an accident if the horn is not functioning, is therefore without any basis and it's quite untenable."

The forum ruled in favour of Mr Reddy, and ordered MSIL and Varun Motors to pay a compensation of Rs 1 lakh.

Thoughts About MSIL And Varun Motors Having To Pay Rs 1 Lakh As Compensation

We're sure Mr Reddy had the worst time of his life thanks to the faulty horn, and he should have been given a new Alto 800. We're also sure he's quite happy with the extra lakh he's sitting on.