Faulty Electric Vehicle After Purchase? Expert Consumer Rights Lawyers

Electric vehicles (EVs) represent the future of transportation, but, like any evolving technology, many owners are experiencing unexpected technical issues. While faults can affect EVs from all manufacturers, recent evidence suggests German models such as the Audi E-Tron and the Porsche Taycan have faced particularly concerning defects or faults.

If you’re experiencing issues with your electric vehicle, understanding your legal rights is essential to securing proper compensation. Do you need help seeking a refund for a faulty electric vehicle? Book a Free Consultation Call by calling 0208 185 0990.

What Are My Rights If I Bought a Faulty or Defective Electric Vehicle?

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, EV owners have strong legal protections that often exceed manufacturer warranty provisions:

• Right to Reject (First 30 Days): If a consumer discovers a fault within the first 30 days after purchase, you have the right to reject the vehicle and receive a full refund. This “short-term right to reject” applies whether you’ve driven the vehicle or not, and the dealer must refund the purchase price, any delivery charges, and reasonable costs you’ve incurred.

• Right to Repair or Replacement (30 Days to 6 Months): If a consumer discovers faults after 30 days but within six months, you are entitled to a repair or replacement, which must be carried out within a reasonable timeframe. Crucially, during this period, the law presumes the fault was present at delivery unless the manufacturer proves otherwise – a significant advantage with complex electric vehicle systems.

• Right to Price Reduction or Final Rejection: If the repairs take an unreasonable amount of time, or fail to fix the issue, you can choose to reject the EV and get your money back, potentially with a reduction for use.

For EVs purchased with a finance agreement (common with higher-value vehicles), you have an additional claim against the finance company, which is jointly and severally liable with the seller under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. Each finance agreement is different. To start a claim against the finance company, the finance agreement amount must be below the legal threshold of £60,260 as per Section 75A(6)(b) of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

We would always advise consumers to consider alternative dispute resolution methods, such as mediation or arbitration, to solve disputes without going to court.

Is There a Recall Notice for Battery Issues with the Audi E-Tron or Porsche Taycan?

Porsche has indeed issued recalls for the Taycan affecting battery safety. In the USA and Europe, Porsche has recalled Taycan models from 2020-2024, including Taycan, Taycan 4S, Taycan Turbo, Taycan Turbo S, and all Cross Turismo variants.

We have acted for consumers who have reported the following battery issues for Audi and Porsche EVs:

• Sudden loss of power while driving on motorways, with warning messages stating, “Electrical System Error / Park Vehicle in Safe Place.”
• Other error messages are constantly illuminating on the dashboard of the EV, such as: (a) exit warning system fault (b) charging system fault (c) malfunction of front and rear camera of the EV (d) other unexplained error messages on the dashboard of the EV.
• Several Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC) were recorded in the EV’s Engine Control Unit (ECU), which are recorded as active/static.
• Concerns with the high-voltage battery system that could potentially lead to fires.

Take Action and Seek a Refund for the Electric Vehicle

If you own an electric vehicle experiencing technical issues, here are the steps you should take:

1. Document all issues with your vehicle, including warning messages, charging problems, range limitations, or unusual behaviour.
2. Notify and complain to the dealer in writing immediately about any faults, clearly stating your rights under the Consumer Rights Act.
3. If your vehicle has been affected by a recall, follow safety instructions, but understand that recall participation doesn’t waive your consumer rights.
4. Keep records of all communications with the dealer or manufacturer, including repair attempts and timeframes.

Our technical expertise with electric vehicle systems has been crucial in these successes. We understand the complex relationship between software updates, battery management systems, and thermal regulation in ways that generalist firms simply cannot. This specialised knowledge translates directly into superior outcomes for our clients.

Also, we have worked with experts in the field of automotive engineering who are able to inspect the EVs and confirm that the defects were present at the point of sale, which is documented in a court-compliant expert report. The experts have attended Court to give evidence to support a faulty electric vehicle claim.

Our specialised knowledge of both EV technology and consumer law positions us to effectively advocate for vehicle owners facing defects or dealer resistance. By building on our experience with previous EV claims, including Porsche Taycan cases, we can achieve better outcomes than firms without specific knowledge of electric vehicle technology.

Contact Us

If you are seeking a consumer disputes lawyer, we can help with your case. To book a Free Consultation Call with Mr Usman Anwar, the Legal Director, or another staff member in the Disputes Department, please complete the Contact Us Form or call 0208 185 0990.

For consumer disputes worth more than £10,000, we offer a number of funding arrangements, which are outlined on the following webpage Fixed Legal Costs Litigation.

Still not convinced? Read some of our business clients’ success stories and testimonials on how they settled their business disputes using our legal service.