What is the New Three Guarantees Policy for Automobiles?
2 Answers
The New Three Guarantees Policy for automobiles refers to the repair, replacement, and return of vehicles. It is the legal responsibility that sellers must bear for quality issues that arise during the warranty period and the Three Guarantees validity period, as stipulated in the 'Regulations on the Responsibility for Repair, Replacement, and Return of Household Automotive Products.' The Three Guarantees Policy is a credit guarantee method adopted by sellers to be responsible for the items purchased by buyers after the goods enter the consumer market. It provides services for quality issues that are not caused by improper use or storage by the user. Repair Requirements: If the repair takes more than 5 days, the owner has the right to use a substitute vehicle. During the warranty period, if a household automotive product has quality issues, consumers can get free repairs from the repairer with the Three Guarantees certificate, including labor and material costs. Replacement Requirements: If the same fault is repaired more than 5 times, the vehicle can be replaced. Within the Three Guarantees validity period (which is 2 years or 50,000 kilometers, whichever comes first), if the cumulative repair time exceeds 35 days or the same quality issue leads to more than 5 repairs, consumers can request a replacement. This applies within 60 days from the date the seller issues the purchase invoice or within 3,000 kilometers of driving (whichever comes first). Return Requirements: If the engine is replaced twice and still does not function properly, the vehicle can be returned. Within the Three Guarantees validity period, if two repairs have been conducted for serious safety performance faults and the issue remains unresolved or new serious safety performance faults occur, or if the engine or transmission is replaced twice, or if the same major component of the steering system, braking system, suspension system, front/rear axle, or body is replaced twice due to quality issues and still cannot function properly, the seller is responsible for the return when the consumer chooses to return the vehicle.
As someone who has been closely following automotive policies for a long time, I can say that the new Three Guarantees Law for automobiles, revised and implemented in China in 2021, aims to strengthen consumer protection and make car purchases more reassuring. Simply put, it refers to the three guarantee responsibilities: repair, replacement, and refund. After purchasing a car, if quality issues arise during the warranty period (now generally three years or 60,000 kilometers), the manufacturer must repair it for free; if a serious defect is discovered within seven days of purchase, such as a failure in the steering system, you can directly return the car; and for major components like the engine or transmission, if they fail more than twice within sixty days or 3,000 kilometers and cannot be repaired, you can exchange for a new car or get a refund. This is a boon for consumers—I’ve seen friends save on major repair costs. Remember to keep the invoice and maintenance records when buying a car, and address any issues promptly with the 4S store. The new law also raises compensation standards, reduces seller evasion, and makes things fairer.
