Auto spare parts dealer, firm penalised

Chandigarh, February 15

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Chandigarh, has directed an auto spare parts dealer and a company to pay a compensation of Rss 5,000 to a city resident after the tyres of his car started giving problems within three months of purchase.

The commission also directed the dealer to refund the price of two tyres i.e. Rs7,000 to the complainant along with interest @ 9 per cent per annum from the date of purchase.

In a complaint filed through counsel Devinder Kumar, city resident Chandan Ahuja said he purchased two tyres for his cars on April 25, 2021, from Goyal Auto Spares, Sector 28-C, Chandigarh, for Rs7,000.

He said the tyres, manufactured by Bridgestone, carried warranty for two years. The dealer assured him that in case of any defect, the tyre(s) would be replaced. After a few months of purchase, he noticed bubbling in the tyres and brought it to the notice of the dealer on July 10, 2021.

The dealer arranged an inspection of the tyres through the company and the complainant was assured that the issue would be resolved within 3-4 days.

The complainant said he did not receive any response despite sending an email to the company. The dealer and the company denied all charges.

The company, denying any manufacturing defect in the tyres, it its reply said tyre manufacturers were responsible only for claims related to manufacturing defects arising out of any deficiency in design, manufacturing, material or workmanship. The company also claimed that the tyres were inspected through a service engineer. After inspection, it was noticed that the damage was caused on account of spot wear – tread worn in one or several spots on the tyre due to sudden braking or lock braking.

After hearing the arguments, the commission, comprising president Rajan Dewan and members Surjeet Kaur and Suresh Kumar Sardana, rejected the contentions of the company.

The commission said the company failed to prove if such kind of damage could occur in tyres just within 2-3 months of purchase and coverage of only around 5,000 km.

“The complainant is a resident of Chandigarh and the vehicle must have been driven in/around Chandigarh where the roads are good. We are satisfied that in the present case facts speak for themselves and no further expert evidence is required to prove that the tyres suffered from manufacturing defects. In view of this, the opposite parties (dealer and company) are directed to refund the price of two tyres i.e. Rs7,000 to the complainant along with interest @ 9 per cent per annum from the date of purchase. It also directed the OPs to pay an amount of 5,000 as compensation for causing mental agony and harassment and Rs3,000 as costs of litigation.