A car owner has been spared India’s first major legal battle over ethanol-blended E-20 petrol. He filed the complaint after experiencing serious engine problems using E-20 gasoline. In view of that case, Chhattisgarh’s Raipur District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (CDC) ruled in favor of the vehicle owner.
According to reports published in the national media, the commission ordered the car manufacturer and dealer to pay the car repair costs, as well as mental anguish and litigation costs.
The complainant vehicle owner stated that after filling his vehicle with E-20 petrol, his vehicle started experiencing mechanical problems. The car had problems with reduced performance, repeated engine misfires and gradual reduction in mileage. He took the vehicle to a company-authorized service center several times. It was repeatedly repaired. But the problem remained the same. End up bearing the cost associated with the big engine.
The main question in this case was whether E-20 petrol was responsible for the car’s mechanical problems. However, the car manufacturer and dealer did not agree to the complaint. They claim that the concerned vehicle is fully compatible with E-20 petrol. They believe the engine problem could be due to normal wear, maintenance errors or some other mechanical cause. It has nothing to do with E-20 gasoline.
However, the commission did not accept the arguments of car manufacturers and dealers. The owner repeatedly took the vehicle to an authorized workshop and despite repairs, the same problem recurred again and again, the verdict said. The commission’s observation that the same defect occurred after multiple repairs indicated that the original problem could not be fixed. This information further strengthens the complainant’s claim.
The Commission has highlighted another important point in its judgment. E-20 petrol is currently sold as the main fuel at most petrol pumps in the country. As a result, the real opportunity for the average car owner to choose other types of gasoline is very limited. In the Commission’s view, it is unreasonable to expect consumers not to use E-20 gasoline unless alternative fuels are readily available.
The commission has taken into consideration the complaints of car owners. The commission said there were deficiencies in the service provided by car manufacturers and dealers. Hence they should take back the concerned vehicle from the complainant and supply a new E-20-compatible Grand Vitara Strong Hybrid within 45 days.
If a new car is not delivered within the stipulated 45 days, the commission directed the complainant to refund the purchase price of the car of Rs 20,50,494. Interest at the rate of 7% per annum will also be applicable for non-payment within the stipulated time.
The use of E-20 petrol has been gradually increased in the country under the Ethanol Blending Program of the Centre. At the same time, the ruling could become an important precedent for other complaints or legal disputes related to E-20 fuel in the future.