Consumer Court Fines Eicher Motors and Dealer Rs 1 Lakh Over High-Altitude Bike Breakdown

A consumer court in South Delhi has ordered Eicher Motors and a Noida workshop to jointly pay one lakh rupees to a Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 owner after his motorcycle lost power during a high-altitude mountain trip.

The Dispute

The complainant, Hasan Murtaza, bought his motorcycle from Ess Aar Motors in April 2019. Before riding to Leh in September 2021, he took the bike to Shree Mahadev Motors in Noida to get the electronic control unit updated for high altitudes. The workshop assured him the update was done, but the motorcycle lost power at nearly 16,000 feet, forcing him to drag the heavy bike downhill to restart it. An authorized service center in Leh later told him the electronic update had never actually been installed. Murtaza sent a legal notice in January 2022 and sought one crore rupees in compensation for mental distress and physical discomfort before the South Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ruled on the matter.

The Ruling

The commission reviewed purchase invoices, email records, and media reports about the high-altitude power issue while noting that Shree Mahadev Motors failed to appear or reply to the notice. The panel found no proof in the emails that the repair work was ever carried out on the motorcycle. It ordered Eicher Motors and Shree Mahadev Motors to pay the one lakh rupees within three months, adding a six percent yearly interest penalty if they miss the deadline.

Context

Consumer disputes commissions in India handle complaints from buyers regarding faulty products and poor service by companies and local dealers. Vehicle manufacturers often issue software updates to help engines run smoothly in low-oxygen, high-altitude mountain regions like Leh. Buyers who face unresolved product defects can take legal action to seek financial compensation for the trouble caused.