Defective Skoda Kushaq Refund: Auto major Skoda India and its Chennai dealer, Gurudev Motors, have been directed to refund Rs 16.73 lakh to a customer.
The decision was taken after a consumer commission found that a Skoda Kushaq SUV was sold with inherent defects. The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Chennai (North), also imposed a Rs 30000 penalty, according to a Times of India (TOI) report.
Complaint and initial issues
The case was filed by T S Rajamohan, who purchased the SUV in March 2023. He reported multiple problems, within just 35 days of delivery, including a hardened clutch causing leg pain, a malfunctioning air-conditioner, abnormal wheel noise, and faulty power windows, TOI reported.Despite repeated follow-ups, the issues were not resolved. Rajamohan also alleged that during servicing, a dealer staffer drove the car negligently, causing further damage.
Dealer’s explanation and company’s stance
According to TOI, the dealer’s representative told the buyer that the Kushaq was designed for European driving conditions and was not suited well for Indian roads, while making sure that Skoda’s R&D team was working on solutions. Email exchanges presented before the forum revealed delayed and generic responses from both the dealer and the company.Although parts such as the clutch assembly and piston were replaced under warranty, the issue still continued. Skoda India argued that after the sale, service was the dealer’s responsibility and maintained that the defects were either minor or due to usage. Gurudev Motors said it had serviced the car promptly under warranty.
Anna University inspection and findings
On Rajamohan’s request, the commission directed Anna University to inspect the vehicle. The inspection report confirmed three major defects:- a hard clutch that caused jerks,
- poor cooling from the air-conditioner in both modes
- noise from the right-side power window.
