How to Protect Your Rights When a New Car Has Problems?
2 Answers
If a new car has quality issues, you can protect your rights through the following four methods: 1. Request Mediation: When disputes arise between consumers and car manufacturers or dealers that are difficult to resolve, consumers can, in accordance with the "Consumer Rights Protection Law," seek mediation from third-party social intermediary organizations such as consumer associations or consumer rights protection organizations at the provincial, municipal, or county levels. You can call the local consumer complaint hotline 12315 to inquire about specific procedures. 2. File a Complaint: Consumers can file a complaint with local quality and technical supervision departments (Quality and Technical Supervision Bureau), industry and commerce administrations, transportation authorities, or other relevant administrative departments. The Quality and Technical Supervision Bureau will handle complaint cases in accordance with relevant regulations on quality complaint processing. You can call the local 12365 product complaint hotline for specific details. 3. Arbitration and Litigation: If both parties in the dispute are unwilling to resolve the issue through negotiation or mediation, or if negotiation or mediation fails to reach an agreement, they can apply for arbitration based on the agreement or file a lawsuit in court according to the law. Comparatively, arbitration and court rulings have mandatory binding force on the parties involved, and both sides must comply. This is also the ultimate means to resolve disputes between the two parties. However, arbitration and litigation procedures involve many complex processes and may consume considerable time and effort. 4. Seek Media Assistance: For car quality issues, you can also seek help from the media, leveraging the power of public opinion to achieve dispute resolution.
I've seen many friends whose new cars developed problems, and their first reaction is often to confront the 4S dealership. Actually, this matter should follow the proper procedures. First, keep all maintenance records and photos of the faults. If the vehicle is still within the three-guarantee period, quickly contact the manufacturer's customer service to file a report. If you encounter delays or evasion, don’t panic—directly submit the information on the defect product recall website of the General Administration of Quality Supervision. They have a dedicated channel for handling automotive complaints. Just the other day, my neighbor Old Zhang’s car infotainment system kept crashing repeatedly, and the dealer delayed for three months without resolving it. Later, we took the three-guarantee certificate and repair documents to involve the consumer association, and within less than two weeks, he got a new car replacement. Remember to keep the purchase contract and all communication records safe; legal procedures can also help when necessary.
