8:55 am, June 29, 2026
Consumer protection is fundamental to a healthy motor industry. Every reputable dealer wants customers to buy with confidence, and the Consumer Rights Act has played an important role in helping establish that trust over the past decade.
However, while the legislation has remained largely unchanged, the vehicles it governs have evolved dramatically. Today’s cars are no longer simply mechanical products.
They are sophisticated, software-driven machines incorporating advanced driver assistance systems, connected technologies, emissions controls, electric powertrains and dozens of interconnected control modules.
As vehicle technology has become more complex, so too have the disputes surrounding used vehicle sales.
The question is no longer whether consumers deserve protection —t hey absolutely do. The question is whether the current framework has kept pace with today’s increasingly complex vehicles.
A very different marketplace
A decade ago, many faults were mechanical, relatively easy to diagnose and often straightforward to repair. Today, dealers are increasingly dealing with intermittent software faults, warning lights that disappear before inspection, control modules that only fail under specific driving conditions and issues that require extensive diagnostic work before a root cause can even be identified.
Electric vehicles have added another dimension, but this challenge is not confined to EVs. Modern petrol and diesel vehicles are equally reliant on software and electronics, fundamentally changing the way faults develop, present themselves and are ultimately resolved.
That evolution is creating new challenges for dealers, technicians and consumers alike.
Why disputes are changing
Increasingly, disputes are no longer centred around obvious mechanical failures but around issues that are difficult to replicate or diagnose. Many dealers report spending considerable time investigating concerns where no fault can initially be identified. That does not necessarily mean the customer’s concern is invalid; it simply reflects the reality that modern vehicle diagnostics are often far more complicated than they once were.
Recent discussions within dealer communities illustrate this growing challenge. One retailer described selling a low-mileage vehicle that was returned within three weeks after the customer reported an intermittent gearbox issue.
Despite extensive road testing and inspections, no fault could be replicated. During that ownership period, the vehicle covered more than 500 miles and was also returned with damage to both bumpers that had not been present at the point of sale.
Other dealers have reported rejection requests many months after purchase, following significant additional mileage, or disputes relating to intermittent faults that remain impossible to reproduce despite repeated inspections.
Whether each individual case is ultimately justified is not the issue. What these examples demonstrate is how significantly the nature of consumer disputes has evolved.
Technology is changing dealer responsibilities
According to Jim Saker, chairman of the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), the principles behind the Consumer Rights Act remain sound, but vehicle inspection and appraisal processes must now evolve alongside the technology found in modern vehicles.
Increasingly, comprehensive software diagnostics, ADAS calibration checks, EV battery health assessments, verification of outstanding software updates and documented inspection records are becoming essential elements of vehicle preparation.
That requires greater investment, enhanced technical expertise and more sophisticated diagnostic capabilities than were needed only a few years ago.
As manufacturers continue to retain greater control over software, connected services and vehicle updates, the industry also faces wider questions about where responsibility should ultimately sit when faults occur.
Creating a balanced industry conversation
This should not become a debate of dealers versus consumers. The overwhelming majority of dealers want to resolve genuine issues quickly, professionally and fairly. Equally, consumers deserve confidence that they will be protected when legitimate problems arise.
The challenge is ensuring legislation, guidance and industry best practice continue to evolve alongside rapidly advancing vehicle technology.
Rather than seeking to weaken consumer protection, the industry has an opportunity to explore whether clearer guidance, improved diagnostic standards and greater collaboration between dealers, manufacturers, legal experts and industry bodies could create better outcomes for everyone.
That conversation is already beginning. Over the coming months, Warranty Solutions Group will bring together dealers, manufacturers, legal experts, finance providers and industry bodies through a programme of thought leadership articles, dealer research, webinars and an industry report exploring how the Consumer Rights Act is operating within today’s increasingly complex automotive landscape.
Our objective is simple: to encourage constructive discussion, share best practice and help shape a framework that continues to protect consumers while recognising the realities of the modern motor trade.
For further information, please visit the Warranty Solutions Group website.
