Dear Mr.Khattar,

I just got a chance to speak to Mr.Rojaria.

He says that it is by design and thats it.

But by such design, Maruti as manufacturer has compromised on passenger safety and therefore have put me and my family's life in jeopardy in this case in particular.
Hence I feel have no other option left but to initiate criminal proceddings against you as the MD of Maruti on whose approval this vehicle is being sold with such design, although same tyre could have been supplied to ensure passenger safety.

As I have informed Mr.Rojoria, the dealer himself was unaware of such design for which I have documentary proof, foget about informing me which will also be made evident from other swift customers in town
This e-mail is for your information.( as matter of due deligence from my side)
This is also being copied to Mr.Subba Rao, director Varun Motors - the dealer.
rgds,

Capt.Sanjib Behera


Dear sir,

This is to bring to your kind notice with regard to purchase of "MARUTI SWIFT ZXI" as well as standard of customer service by Maruti and Varun Motors(Dealer at Visakhapatnam) which I have experienced after purcahsing one "Maruti Swift ZXI" very recently.
Basically I am a Ship Captain by profession and hence am widely travelled. I also have fair knowledge about cars both by interest and experience and self drive on highways with family long distances, mostly from Visakhapatnam ( where we stay now ) and Balasore/keonjhar districts of Orissa (my native place).
I normally like to change my cars every 2/3 years mainly to go for a better model depending on my affordability .From the time I settled in Visakhapatnam (1997), I have bought following new cars.
1997 - 1999 : Maruti Omni (from Varun Motors) 2000 - 2003: Wagon R Lxi (from Varun Motors) 2003 - 2005:Mahindra Scorpio deluxe(from Garapati Garage) 30/10/2005: Maruti Swift ZXI (from Varun Motors)
Maruti Omni and Wagon R LXI, I never had any problem and hence never had to the chance to experience standard of customer care by Varun Motors as well as Maruti then.
Mahindra Scorpio I had problems, (specially being one of the early customers) -but I brought to their notice only verbally and were promptly attended to and rectified both by dealer as well as Mahindra which was a very good experience for me.
But my experience with Maruti and their Local Dealer has been quite unpleasant this time and in a way peculiar and unique which I would like to get to the knowledge of all public as my top most priority and hence this detailed mail to you.
At the ouset I sold my scorpio in Feb'2005 since me and my family were going to be abroad for next four months and with an intention to go for still better model once I return, since media reports were that there were quite a few good models coming to the market by end 2005/early 2006.
I came back home in August for a month, looked into various models of cars/vehicles, but could not find anything really great in comparison to scorpio for their prices and specifications.
I went on my work abroad on 15th Sept and returned home on 22nd of October and this time had to go to my native place urgently alongwith family (to meet my father who was quite sick). Hence I reserved tickets in Caromondal Express for
30/10/2005 departing Visakhapatnam at 22:35 pm.
However during that time, due heavy rains in South and collapse of a bridge near Hyderabad , train service was disrupted and mostly cancelled. In the morning of 30/10/2005, I read in the newspaper that my train was also cancelled. I phoned
up my father to know his condition and informed him about trains getting cancelled but still he wanted us to come.The school holidays were also only for a week. So I thought of buying a suitable car and drive down. Hence I landed at Varun Motors to see if a suitable car was available and also if it could bebought on a sunday. I explained my requirement to the dealer and choose SWIFT ZXI mainly for its wider tyres and extra safety features such ABS and airbags, knowing the hazards of driving on Indian highways especially with family.
The Sales Manager, Mr.Ram Shankar and the director of Varun Motors Mr.Subba Rao were also in the show room and hence were aware of my specific need and urgency. Sales manager briefed me on features of the vehicle, informed me that the spare
tyre comes with a normal ring where as all other tyres were with alloy wheel, but never told me that the tyre was of different specifications, beacuse he was also not aware.
Anyway, unfortunately on the way to Balasore, (around 7p.m.) at a diversion with out any signal lights (for diversion) I failed to take the diversion and drove straight and landed myself off the road in thick mud ( due to heavy rain). While removing the car out of mud on reverse gear, the right side rear tyre was noticed deflated and hence changed same with stepheny, removed the vehicle from mud with the help of local people, drove to a nearby mechanic, got the mud cleaned, repaired minor damages to front bumper.The roadside mechanic put a cold patch from inside on the deflated tubeless tyre and kept same inside as stepheny. Thereafter drove whole night non stop and reached Balasore next day morning , since reaching home was of utmost priority for me. The tyre had a 1.5 cm cut on the side and hence to me it was not safe as stepheny for my return drive to Visakhapatnam.The next 2/3 days I was quite busy with home affairs at my native place and hence had no time to fix this problem.
On 3rd Nov'05, I started to look for a new tyre, when I noticed that the spare tyre with which I have been driving all this while ( about 600 kms) was less in width( of different specifications than the other three tyres). I was surprised and also shocked. I quickly phoned up Varun Motors and told them my problem.(I also called up Mr.Subba Rao, director Varun Motors on his mobile and informed him. He assured me that he will get in touch with Maruti and sort out the problem). Mr.Nageswar Rao, Works Manager, Varun Motors who talked to me, guided me to contact JK office at Hyderabad for local dealers/availibility in Orissa.
Finally I contacted JK area manager at Cuttack who informed me that this tyre was not available with any of the dealers in Orissa, but was available in JK godown at cuttack only. Luckily my return route was via cuttack and hence bought
the new tyre, put all wheels back to normal and drove back to Visakhapatnam and reached on 8th nov'05.

On the 9th of Nov'05, took the car to Varun Motors and lodged my complaint. Works Manager raised a FTR and sent a mail to Maruti, (copies of which I shall enclose with courier). Since the director Mr.Subba Rao had done nothing about the complaint, I decided to contact Maruti, Hyderabad directly. Contacted Mr.Krishna Kumar, service Engineer on phone and informed him about the different size of stepheny in Maruti Swift ZXI.He was trying to tell me that it was quite normal abroad and hence a done thing since it is to be used only for a short period.Therefore there was no problem about it. However when I explained to him my latest experience in detail, and asked him to ensure that the an authorised JK tyre shop with tyres be made available all along the highway , he mentioned that this problem was discussed during launching , but maruti never though it
necessary to address the issue and went ahead with launching with the same explanation that it was quite "normal abroad".
Mr.Krishna Kumar later informed me that he was still awaiting reply from Engineering Dept.in Delhi. I never heard from him anymore after that .
I have already consulted various other automobile experts locally in vizag , JK area manager, Works manager Varun and Ceat shop proprietor etc. who have knowledge about tyres and various models of cars. Got all details pertaining to "spare tyre" in use abroad by prominient car makers from internet for own awareness and now it is my understanding that a full sized'spare tyre" could have been easily provided with ZXI to avoid any limitation on the use of vehicle

After putting up a written complaint on 14th Nov'05, one service Engineer Mr.Gopal Krishna from Maruti Hyderbad met me in Visakhapatnam who also initially tried to justify with Maruti's prototype reply that "it was a done thing abroad" probably without detailed understanding .Then I showed him the reports I had down loaded from the internet. Then I questioned him on why I was not informed about the such deviation from the normal trend in the industry and if it was a question about price then Why as a customer I was not given a choice and why it is not being made known to the public but being kept under the wraps even now and why this difference between lower end models and top-end model (craeting limitation on the vehicle usage - as per vehicle manual)
Therafter he kept quite and requested time till evening and verbally promised me that he would solve the problem by evening.Ofcourse nothing has been done till date.
Thereafter the dealer also has been conveying messages (supposed to be from Gopala Krishna)that the problem will be solved very soon, but neither the dealer nor any one in Maruti have been able to specify their intentions in writing. I am just attaching copies of two of my letter along with this mail. As discussed I am also sending hard copy of this mail alongwith hard copies of
other letters and evidences.
will await your advise on appropriate action I need to take to bing about greater customer awareness about Maruti Swift in particular and obviously standard of customer service of Manufacturer and their dealer in general. Finally, I will be highly if this can bring about a drastic change to the consumers rights in India as in west, since we as customers need to ape the west
also to deal with an indian industry ever willing to ape the west to ensure their presence in Indian market, regardless , be it at the cost of indian consumer.
regards,
sanjib behera

To
Consumer Court Members,

If what Mr. Sanjib Behera has written is correct, then it is quite a serious
matter.It is reprehensible that a leading automobile maker and that too, having
an equity participation of GOI and a Japanese parent is practicing such a fraud
and getting away with it.

Probably, the management of Maruti is blissfully unaware of what is happening
in Europe and USA, in such cases and how even financially ailing Ford and
General Motors are recalling vehicles even for less serious defects.

This is reflective of our culture, first high handed attitude of the
manufacturers still thinking that they are operating in sellers' market and
afford to care less, second lethargig legal system operating which gives
assurance to our bloated manufacturers that consumers can not afford to go
through all the hassles and thirdly, the character of our masses whose blood
does not boil enough to join together for such issues in order to teach a lesson
and are taking injustices lying down.

This matter should also be reported to Industry Ministry , PMO, and the body
assuring the safety of vehicles.

Unfortunately I do not own Swift and for that matter any ''MA Roti'' vehicle,
otherwise I would have certainly joined Mr Behera both physically and
financially for legal action.

Regards;

I bought Maruti swift Vdi in dec. 2008.Reg. no.is MH 11 AK 2606.From chogule Industries Satara,Maharashtra.On 6 september I was driving the car in Pune city .Suddenly too loud noise started coming from engine.I stooped the car and phoned to Chougle Industies,Pune.They asked me to tow the car to them.So i done so.On 17 september 2009 they detected the problem as bearing of connecting is damaged.Till date I have not got my car repaired.All people working at chougle Pune are saying that Maruti company is not sending bearing.We are not at fault.I expect whole engine is to be replaced in warrenty.But they are saying that we are rpaiaring it. My e mail adress is varunsalvi@yahoo.co.in And phone no. is 9922248566.

Dear Guest,

To get any solution for your complaint kindly send a complaint letter to the Head Office of the Co. Send it through registered post and keep a copy of that letter also. Hope you will get any positive response from there.