Your consumer rights when buying a new car
You can exercise your legal rights but you will need to contact the seller who sold you the car. If you discover your vehicle is of unsatisfactory quality, unfit for purpose or not as described within the first 30 days, you can raise this with the seller and ask for your money back. You will be entitled to a full refund.
If you are outside of the first 30 days, the seller has one opportunity to repair or replace your vehicle. If you are reporting a fault within the first six months, it is presumed this fault was there at point of sale. The seller will need to prove otherwise. If outside of the first six months, you will need to prove this fault was there at point of sale.
The seller has only one opportunity to repair or replace and if this fails because the same fault persists or a new inherent fault has developed, you can ask for a price reduction, which means a partial refund but you keep your vehicle. Alternatively, you can ask for rejection, which is to return the vehicle and get your money back. Remember, the seller is entitled to deduct usage, which is usually the miles you have added to the vehicle.
Fixing new car problems under warranty
You can also pursue the fault under your vehicle warranty. The warranty will usually have terms and conditions, which set out each parties’ obligations. It will also set out the process on submitting a warranty claim, which normally involves booking your vehicle into a main dealer for a diagnostic check. Following on from this, the main dealer will submit a warranty claim to the manufacturer. If the manufacturer accepts the fault to be a defect, they will authorise a free of charge repair. If they do not agree it is a defect, they will refuse your claim and explain the reasons why.
The length of a manufacturer’s warranty can vary, and will often vary depending on the make and model of your vehicle. Some manufacturer’s warranties cover your vehicle for three years, while others can last up to ten years, or until a specific mileage is reached. It’s important to check the terms of your individual warranty to understand how long you’re covered for and any conditions that may apply.
What to do if your car can’t be fixed under warranty?
If a manufacturer or dealership decides that your vehicle is not covered under warranty, ask them to explain their decision in writing. They should outline why they believe the issue is not a manufacturing defect and provide any supporting evidence, such as an inspection report.
If you do not agree with the decision, keep a record of all correspondence and ask who their Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider is. If the business is accredited to The Motor Ombudsman and has had the opportunity to resolve your complaint, you may be able to refer the dispute to our independent ADR service.
