Complaints against car dealers over warranty claims on the rise

Some still require service, repairs done at their authorised workshops

- Lee Nian Tjoe

The number of complaints received by the Consumers Association of Singapore over vehicle warranty claims seems to be on the rise, with 11 complaints lodged in 2023.

The number is up from seven cases in 2022 and six cases in 2021. And in the first eight months of 2024, the consumer watchdog received six complaints about car dealers refusing warranty claims.

These latest figures come after the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) warned car dealers in February to not impose warranty restrictions that prevent owners from taking their vehicles to independent or third-party motor workshops.

These may include requiring customers to service or repair their cars exclusively at the dealers' authorised workshops for their warranty to remain valid.

The antitrust body has approached 26 authorised car dealers to highlight warranty restriction concerns in 2024. These include major distributors representing a mix of mass-market and luxury car brands.

A spokesperson for CCCS said it expected car dealers to remove all warranty restrictions and related material from their websites, warning them that such restrictions could flout rules under the Competition Act.