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The Straits Times (Singapore)

Proposed law will cover defects in both new and used cars

FLAWS in cars covered by the proposed lemon law can range from serious safety-related ones such as stalling and loss of power steering to minor ones such as noise, vibration and cosmetic defects.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry, which is putting the law before Parliament, says it does not matter whether the vehicle was manufactured three years ago and had been lying in the yard before it was sold.

As long as a defect is detected within six months of delivery, it is assumed to be inherent, and it is up to the retailer to prove otherwise. The law, which is expected to kick in come September, covers used vehicles as well as new ones.

Motor Traders Association president Cheah Kim Teck said the changes should not worry reputable companies which already have best practices in place.

'Responsible retailers already behave reasonably, even without the lemon law, so if a customer comes in with a blown engine cylinder head even after the warranty period, they would have it replaced free of charge, out of goodwill,' said the head of motor operations at multi-brand group Jardine Cycle & Carriage.

But he pointed out that the lemon law could well be a double-edged sword in that it might encourage finicky customers to nitpick just so they can get a refund or replacement. 'The concern is this minority group,' he said, noting that the industry already deals with a lot of grouses over things like wind noise, squeaky wipers and cabin rattling.

He said such subjective issues are likely to pose problems, but is confident the courts will exercise discretion and act within reason. He said that the proposed move to allow a defective car's taxes to be transferred to a replacement car made sense.

But, resigned that customers given protection under the law will assert their rights, he said: 'There are so many moving parts in a car. But what to do? We are growing into a more progressive society, so I guess these are things we have to live with.'

In an ongoing court case, the owner of a Rolls-Royce Phantom is suing motor group Trans Eurokars over noise and vibration from its steering wheel. The firm is countering, saying it has failed to detect the alleged symptoms, and any noise and vibration detected were within the 'normal range'.

Complaints pertaining to cars have ranked fifth among those received by the Consumers Association of Singapore in the past five years.

Christopher Tan