Motor Ombudsman reports record service and repair complaints

Close up hands of unrecognizable mechanic doing car service and maintenance.

The Motor Ombudsman has reported the highest ever volume of service and repair cases brought by consumers to its dispute resolution service in Q3.

It received a total of 1,586 new submissions from motorists, up 18% from 1,348 in Q3 2023.

It said consumers were turning to it in increasing numbers because of a growing awareness of the organisation coupled with strained motorist finances.

The drivetrain area of a vehicle drove the most consumer dissatisfaction. Nearly 40% of complaints originated the engine, transmission, fuel, and exhaust systems.

Issues raised by consumers included, faulty timing chains snapping prematurely and causing shaking at higher speeds, turbo failures, and excessive oil consumption.

The standard of customer service experienced by consumers during a routine service or ad hoc remedial work, accounted for the second highest number of disputes, at just under a third (32%) – higher than the figure of 17% reported at the same time last year.

There were instances of businesses damaging vehicles and individual components whilst on the ramp, causing an added element of frustration for consumers, whilst repairers conducting work without the authorisation of customers, which contravenes the Service and Repair Code, also drove disputes.

In addition, vehicle owners logged complaints about repairs not being undertaken following up-front payments, and multiple attempts not rectifying the reported faults.