E20 fuel row: Maruti Suzuki to challenge consumer court order to replace customer's car

Maruti Suzuki India on Thursday said it will challenge a Raipur consumer court order directing it to replace a customer's vehicle with a new E20-compatible model.

The automaker asserted that the car involved in the case was already compatible with E20 fuel and that there was evidence of fuel contamination.

The company's response came after the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Raipur, directed Maruti Suzuki and its dealer to replace the customer's vehicle within 45 days, holding that the vehicle was not adequately compatible with E20 petrol despite being sold after the rollout of the ethanol-blending programme.

"We have learnt of an order by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Raipur, wherein Maruti Suzuki has been directed to replace the customer's vehicle with a new E20-compatible vehicle," the automaker said in a statement.

The company said the vehicle in question was an E20 compatible car, fully equipped to handle E20 fuel and that this was 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," it said.

Maruti Suzuki said it would "take necessary steps to challenge the impugned order before appropriate higher forum in accordance with law."

The company added that it remains committed to quality, safety and customer satisfaction through robust engineering, processes and systems.

The Raipur consumer commission had directed Maruti Suzuki to provide the consumer with a new E20-compatible vehicle within 45 days.

It said that if the replacement is not carried out within the stipulated period, the company would have to compensate the owner with the full price of the vehicle.

The Commission also awarded ₹1 lakh as compensation for mental agony and harassment.

The case was filed by a vehicle owner in Chhattisgarh, who alleged that his car developed repeated engine-related problems after running on E20 petrol.

According to the complaint, the vehicle suffered recurring issues, including poor performance, engine misfiring and a gradual decline in efficiency.

The consumer claimed that despite multiple visits to authorised service centres, the problems persisted.

The manufacturer and dealer had argued before the Commission that the vehicle was compatible with E20 fuel and that the defects could have arisen due to maintenance issues, wear and tear or other unrelated factors.

However, the Commission held that the consumer had repeatedly approached authorised workshops without resolution and concluded that the vehicle was not adequately compatible with E20 petrol.

It also observed that E20 petrol had become the commonly available fuel at retail outlets, leaving consumers with little practical choice but to use it.