The Motor Ombudsman reports 14% rise in used car disputes in 2025 as UK transactions hit nearly eight million

• A new Insight Report published by The Motor Ombudsman has shown that used car disputes rose by 14% in 2025 versus 2024, as nearly eight million second-hand vehicles changed hands last year in the UK¹
• Used cars accounted for 40% of cases opened by consumers with The Motor Ombudsman, equating to 0.2% of used car transactions or around 1 in 420 cars in 2025  
• The biggest driver of disputes was the level of customer service received from retailers (40%), followed by the failure of an engine or related components (35%)

As the volume of used car transactions reached around 7.8 million last year in the UK[1], a new Insight Report published by The Motor Ombudsman has shown that the volume of complaints logged by consumers in relation to a used car rose by 14% in 2025, increasing to 18,570 compared to 16,317 in 2024.

Even though a second-hand model was the driver of nearly nine in ten (88%) Vehicle Sales Code-related disputes during the year, and 40% of total cases opened by consumers with The Motor Ombudsman, they still accounted for just 0.2% of used car sales in the UK in 2025, equating to 1 in 420 cars, although this is slightly up from 2024’s figure of 1 in 468 cars.

Dissatisfaction with the level of customer service received by motorists from retailers, either at the point of purchase, or during ownership, spurred the largest proportion of used car complaints in 2025 at 40%. This stemmed from concerns, such as vehicles being sold with undeclared modifications and histories, and frustration from consumers not receiving responses to their queries when contacting businesses.

Similarly, when it came to routine or ad hoc maintenance, delays to the supply of parts for repairs preventing drivers from getting their cars back on the road, vehicles being damaged during work, and warranty coverage differing when making a claim to cover the cost of repairs, were some of the principal ‘bones of contention’ highlighted.  

Furthermore, findings from the latest reporting period showed that faults and failures of the engine and powertrain-related components took the mantel as the biggest cause of used car disputes from a mechanical perspective, at 35% of the total complaints submitted last year. Defects brought to light took in the likes of cylinder head bolts shearing, timing tensioner pulleys loosening, cracks developing in engine blocks, inoperative oil pumps seizing crankshafts, as well as head gaskets suffering premature wear in low mileage cars.    

Accounting for 5% of disputes was the exterior aspect of a second-hand car. For example, vehicle owners were unhappy with faulty panoramic roofs, leaking windscreens causing interior water ingress, and tailgates not opening during periods of cold weather. From a bodywork perspective, customers reported wheel arch and door panels coming away, and rust developing shortly after taking possession of a vehicle.  

The fourth largest driver of used car dissatisfaction was fuel and emissions systems (4%). Examples of the nature of complaints expressed by consumers, counted on-board fuel pumps stopping working without warning, fuel becoming contaminated and leakages, Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs) getting blocked, and smoke emanating from exhausts.

The electrical infrastructure of a used car was neither spared cause for concern (also 4%). Intermittent locking issues, alarms activating due to sensor faults, and defective wiring looms sparking airbag malfunctions, were just some of the areas brought to the attention of The Motor Ombudsman by motorists during the past 12 months.

Rounding off the top six most significant causes of used car disputes, were those which revolved around tyres and brakes (3%), with owners discovering differing tyre sizes on a vehicle, faulty valves preventing inflation, and warped and worn discs.   

Commenting on the latest data, Bill Fennell, Chief Ombudsman and Managing Director of The Motor Ombudsman, said: “Given the high volume of used cars that changed hands last year, it is not unexpected for this to be reflected as a corresponding uplift in the number of complaints brought to us in relation to a consumer’s experience when it came to the purchase and ownership experience of a second-hand model.  

“For a product which often carries a significant level of spend for households, a high level of customer service remains paramount. However, what our data shows is that this is an area which many retailers fell down on before or after the consumer was handed the keys, meaning customer expectations were not met and dissatisfaction followed.” 

Bill added: “Accreditation to the Vehicle Sales Code is essential in such a competitive sector, as it offers both businesses and consumers an important safety net in the event that something should go wrong, as The Motor Ombudsman can step in to help resolve any complaints in a fair and impartial setting, thereby giving the best chance of preserving a positive relationship between the two parties.”   

“For a product which often carries a significant level of spend for households, a high level of customer service remains paramount”

Bill Fennell

Chief Ombudsman and Managing Director

The Motor Ombudsman’s Insight Report on used car purchase disputes can be viewed at www.TheMotorOmbudsman.org/useful-information/industry-insights.

To view The Motor Ombudsman’s Motor Industry Code of Practice for Vehicle Sales, visit www.TheMotorOmbudsman.org/consumers/our-codes-of-practice/vehicle-sales-code.

ENDS

[1] Source: The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT)

Motor Ombudsman used car buying resources

Drivers can download The Motor Ombudsman’s free #DrivingDecisions Used Car Buying Guide, which brings together essential information and questions to ask before committing to a purchase.

To search for used car retailers across the UK that are accredited to The Motor Ombudsman’s Vehicle Sales Code, visit www.TheMotorOmbudsman.org/Business-Finder