Not upheld: unsatisfactory quality of goods / defective vehicle complaint against CA AUTO FINANCE UK LTD

Decision detail

Summary

Ms E purchased a four-year-old car with 94,000 miles under a PCP agreement with CA AUTO FINANCE UK LTD in May 2025 for £15,499. In November 2025, after travelling approximately 4,927 additional miles, the hybrid starter generator control module (IGM unit) failed and required repair. Ms E complained to CA AUTO seeking reimbursement of repair costs, but the firm did not uphold the complaint. The ombudsman applied the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and found that while a fault existed, the evidence indicated it resulted from normal wear and tear rather than an inherent defect present at supply, given the vehicle's age, mileage, and the industry-standard lifespan of such components. The complaint was not upheld and no remedy was ordered.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman applied the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which implies that goods supplied under a PCP agreement must be of satisfactory quality at the point of supply. For used cars, satisfactory quality is assessed considering age, mileage, and price. The ombudsman found that while a fault existed, the evidence did not support that it was present or developing at the point of supply. Given the vehicle's age (four years), mileage at purchase (94,000 miles), and the additional 4,927 miles travelled before failure, the fault was more likely caused by normal wear and tear and the component reaching the end of its expected service life rather than an inherent defect.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website