The Mohali district consumer disputes redressal commission directed PMG Tata (Mohali Automobiles) to pay ₹50,000 as compensation to a local woman, holding that she had to make repeated visits to the dealership to get defects in her newly purchased Tata Nexon rectified. The commission, however, rejected her plea for a vehicle replacement or a refund of its purchase price, noting that she failed to prove any manufacturing defect.
Market Context
The order was passed by a bench comprising president SK Aggarwal, member Paramjeet Kaur, and member Lt Col Jasbir Singh Bath (retd).
Tata Motors similarly denied any manufacturing defect, stating that the complainant failed to produce expert evidence. The manufacturer noted that the vehicle had covered over 13,000 kilometers and that reported issues had been duly addressed through the authorised dealer.
After examining the evidence, the commission held that the complainant failed to establish any manufacturing defect that would justify a replacement or refund, observing that the dealer had attended to reported issues whenever the vehicle was brought in under warranty.
However, acknowledging that the customer had to endure repeated workshop visits, inconvenience, harassment, and mental agony, the commission partly allowed the complaint against PMG Tata. It directed the dealership to pay ₹50,000 as consolidated compensation within 30 days, failing which the amount will carry a 9% annual interest. The complaint against Tata Motors was dismissed.
Source
According to the complaint, Gurpal Kaur, a resident of Aero City, Mohali, purchased a Tata Nexon XM variant from PMG Tata in July 2022 for ₹10.68 lakh, alongside a ₹5,000 booking amount. Though informed that the vehicle was ready, it was delivered on July 25, 2022. The next day, she noticed interior defects, including loose nuts and bolts, gaps in the dashboard fittings, loose locks, and interior components falling out of place.
She approached the authorised dealer and later emailed both the dealer and Tata Motors, alleging that the defects persisted despite repeated repairs. She also produced photographs, videos, and workshop job cards before the commission, seeking a refund of the sale price, ₹5 lakh as compensation for harassment, and ₹25,000 towards litigation expenses.
PMG Tata denied the allegations, maintaining that it had supplied a brand-new vehicle rather than a demo car, and argued that every raised complaint was attended to under warranty. The dealer also informed the commission that the vehicle had met with a major accident in May 2023, contending that the complaint was filed in its wake.
