IOL reported that Grant Robert Ernest Tucker bought a new Haval H6 1.5T Hybrid Ultra in November 2022 and the computer system crashed while it was booked for repairs within four months of purchase.
Image: File Photo
GWM South Africa has assured its customers and stakeholders that all cars sold in South Africa have gone through stringent quality control and testing procedures prior to them being shipped to the country.
This was in response to the recent article published by IOL regarding a ruling made by the National Consumer Tribunal (NCT) ordering Kempster Sedgwick dealership to pay back a man whose new Haval computer system crashed while it was booked for repairs.
In a statement to IOL, the motor company said the incident was isolated and it added that GWM cars brought to the country had undergone stringent quality control and testing procedures, both at production and pre-delivery stages.
"This is to ensure that software and hardware systems are fully compatible with South African road, climate and regulatory conditions. GWM maintains a global standard of excellence across all world markets, and South Africa is no exception."
Explaining the software malfunction on the Haval car in question, GWM, which owns the Haval brand, said the exact cause was still under investigation by local and international technical teams
"GWM continues to invest in local training, dealership and customer support, drawing on its vast technical expertise to ensure every GWM vehicle performs reliably and confidently on South African roads. We would also like to assure our customers that driver and passenger safety is always our number one priority," added the motor company.
On Wednesday, IOL reported that Grant Robert Ernest Tucker bought a new Haval H6 1.5T Hybrid Ultra in November 2022 and the computer system crashed while it was booked for repairs within four months of purchase.
During the hearing, Tucker, who represented himself, maintained that the car was unsafe and defective. He stated that concerns over its operations prevented him from fully utilising the vehicle, as he feared for his family's welfare.
In response, the dealership said the car was repaired, and all the issues Tucker experienced were resolved, and denied that it was unsafe. In support of their submission, the dealership pointed out that Tucker had since taken the car for services at another Haval dealership and had driven it for over 27,000 km.
Moreover, the dealership said that when imported, the car was loaded with software by the manufacturer in China that was unsuitable for South African conditions. Due to the unsuitable software, the electronic system in the car crashed when it was connected to their diagnostic programme.
Looking at the evidence, the tribunal said Tucker's issues with the car before he took it for repairs don't constitute unsafe features, however, the crashing of the computerised system when the dealership tried to update it, must be considered a defect and hazard.
The tribunal said the crashing of the computer system was no minor issue as it warranted calling for assistance from the vehicle’s manufacturer in China and it took almost a month to resolve.
In addition, it was held that if the car was imported with a computer system unsuitable for South Africa's conditions, then it automatically poses a hazard and was unsafe to be operated on the roads.
In a decisive judgment, the tribunal ordered Tucker to return the car to the dealership so that he can get his money back.
sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za
IOL News
Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
Related Topics:
