Maruti recalls 1.81 lakh units of Ciaz, Ertiga, Brezza, S-Cross and XL6; Here's why

India’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India on Friday announced the recall of 1,81,754 petrol units of its vehicles to look into a possible defect. The company said that it will be recalling units of Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Maruti Suzuki S-Cross and Maruti Suzuki XL6 manufactured between 4th May 2018 to 27th October 2020 to inspect a defect related to their motor-generator unit. The company, in its regulatory filing also noted that recall campaigns are undertaken globally to rectify faults and avoid any potential safety defects.

Maruti Suzuki recalls defective units

Maruti Suzuki informed that the recall process of the mentioned units will start from the first week of November 2021. “In the interest of customers, Maruti Suzuki has decided to voluntarily recall the affected vehicles for inspection/replacement of Motor Generator Unit, free of cost. Affected vehicle owners would be receiving a communication from Maruti Suzuki authorized workshops,” the company said in its regulatory filing.

The automaker also instructed its users to avoid driving these vehicles in waterlogged areas until they are recalled. The company also urged drivers to avoid spraying water directly onto any electrical unit of the car. MSI also informed its customers that the defective motor-generator unit will be replaced free of cost. The automaker has asked users of the suspected vehicles to visit the ‘Imp Customer Info’ section on its websites and fill in the vehicle’s chassis number to check if it needs any attention. The company’s previous biggest recall happened last year when it called up 1,34,885 units of WagonR and Baleno models to fix their faulty fuel pumps.

Maruti Suzuki fined Rs 200 cr BY CCI

Earlier in August, Maruti Suzuki India was levied with a fine of Rs 200 crore by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) regarding its dealer discounts issue. The CCI directed MSIL to 'cease and desist' from indulging in anti-competitive practices related to dealer discounts. It also commanded the company to deposit the fine within 60 days. The CCI had launched an investigation into the allegations in 2019 and was probing if Maruti were forcing its dealers to limit the discounts they offer, effectively stifling competition among them and harming consumers who could have benefited from lower prices if dealers operated freely. In a 10-page report released earlier, the CCI had said that the matter arose after an e-mail was sent by a purported dealer anonymously against MSIL, alleging resale price maintenance resorted to by the carmaker in certain areas.

IMAGE: PTI