Back in June of last year, a major incident involving a Tata Nexon EV getting engulfed in fire in Telangana was reported. Well, it has now been reported that the owner of that car will be receiving a full refund from Tata Motors. Recently, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Hyderabad directed Tata Motors to refund Rs 16.95 lakh to the owner of the Tata Nexon EV. It was found by the bench that there was a manufacturing defect that caused it to catch fire while in motion.
Tata Nexon EV from Telangana that caught fire
This particular refund has been awarded to Jonathan Brainard, who bought a Tata Nexon EV in May 2022 for Rs 16.95 lakh. He bought this car from Malik Cars, an authorized Tata dealer. Now, coming to the case, according to Brainard, his complaint was that the Nexon EV sold to him failed to deliver the safety and reliability promised by Tata Motors.
In his complaint, Brainard mentioned that shortly after the purchase, he started experiencing multiple technical issues with the car. Of these issues, one of the main complaints was that the vehicle would stop functioning when the battery charge dropped to 18%. He added that it would refuse to switch into the normal drive mode.
The complainant then stated that his car was taken to an authorized Tata Motors service center. It was then found out that despite being under warranty, it was diagnosed that the car’s High Voltage (HV) battery pack was depleted. The shocking part is that instead of replacing it with a new battery, the authorized service center installed a refurbished battery.
The accident
Following this, it was stated in the report that back on June 1, 2023, while driving at a low speed of around 38.36 kmph, the owner Brainard heard a loud explosion from under the vehicle. This then led to a loss of control. The explosion also caused the car to collide with a motorcyclist on the road and eventually crash into a tree.
Following the crash, the car caught fire. A video from this incident was shared here on Cartoq last year in June. Following this accident, Brainard revealed that he managed to escape through the driver’s door. He added that it was the only door that could be unlocked as the fire spread rapidly and caused the other doors to malfunction.
Fire Department’s Investigation
After this, the State Fire Service Department commenced their investigation. They then concluded that the fire had originated from the car’s electrical system. This finding was crucial, as it directly pointed to a manufacturing defect in the vehicle. In retaliation, Tata Motors’ defense claimed that external factors such as the motorbike collision or wiring issues may have caused the fire.
The consumer forum, however, relied on the fire department’s assessment, videos, and photographs provided by Brainard, all of which clearly showed that the fire had originated from the car’s engine compartment, discrediting Tata Motors’ arguments.
Consumer Forum directed Tata Motors to refund
Following the hearing from both parties, the Coram, comprising President Vakkanti Narasimha Rao and members D. Sreedevi and V. Janardhan Reddy, noted that Tata Motors was guilty. They stated that the company was selling a defective vehicle and engaging in unfair trade practices.
The commission also found that the car’s manufacturing defect led to the fire. It added that not only did this cause a serious accident but also put Brainard’s life at risk. It also acknowledged that Brainard’s infant child and other family members were fortunate not to be in the car, as they could have been trapped inside the burning vehicle.
So, after carefully examining all the documents and details, the commission ordered Tata Motors to refund Rs 16.95 lakh, the purchase price of the car. It added that along with this amount, they also offer a 9% interest from the date the complaint was filed. The commission also directed Tata Motors to pay Rs 2.5 lakh as compensation for the mental agony and physical trauma suffered by Brainard.
The commission highlighted that this amount also covered expenses related to the injuries sustained by the motorcyclist who was hit during the incident. Lastly, the commission also ordered Tata Motors to pay Rs 10,000 towards litigation costs incurred by Brainard.
