Maruti Suzuki to challenge consumer court order directing replacement of ‘non-E20 compatible’ Grand Vitara

Maruti Suzuki India will challenge a District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission order that directed it to replace a customer’s Grand Vitara Strong Hybrid with a new E20-compatible vehicle, asserting that the car in question was already fully compatible with E20 fuel and that the ruling overlooks key evidence.

The order, passed by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Raipur on July 14, arose from a complaint filed by a customer who alleged that his Grand Vitara repeatedly developed engine problems after being refuelled with petrol containing ethanol. The Commission held that the vehicle sold to the customer was not suitable for E20 fuel and directed the dealer to replace it with a new E20-compatible vehicle within 45 days.

Failing that, it ordered a refund of around ₹20.5 lakh, including the vehicle’s price, insurance and registration charges, along with ₹1 lakh as compensation for mental agony and ₹10,000 towards litigation costs.

Responding to the ruling, Maruti Suzuki rejected the findings and said the vehicle was “an E20 compatible car, fully equipped to handle E20 fuel” and that this was clearly disclosed in the owner’s manual.

“The car in this case was an E20 compatible car, fully equipped to handle E20 fuel and so disclosed in the owner’s manual. There is evidence of contamination in the fuel collected from the customer’s vehicle. Several other relevant facts have also not been reflected in the order,” the company said in a statement.

Maruti Suzuki added that it would “take necessary steps to challenge the impugned order before the appropriate higher forum in accordance with law.”

The automaker also reiterated its commitment to “quality, safety and customer satisfaction through robust engineering, processes and systems.”

The case assumes significance as India continues expanding the availability of E20 fuel under the government’s ethanol blending programme. While the Commission accepted the consumer’s contention in this case, Maruti Suzuki maintains that the vehicle was designed to run on E20 fuel and attributes the issue to contaminated fuel rather than incompatibility.