Advice on rights when buying car from used car dealer

markhod

Hello,

I recently bought a ten year old car from a used car dealer. Straight away I have had intermittent problems with the tyre pressure warning light and abs warning light coming on in yellow. The dealer will not agree to look at the car so far. I have read up on consumer rights in this area, but it seems a bit grey in that perhaps a consumer should not expect everything to be perfect on a ten year old car. However warning lights related to brakes is quite concerning. So my question is would it be reasonable to expect the dealer to fix this issue from a legal standpoint or I will have to sort it out at my own expense?

Thanks,

Mark

agrinnall

What has the dealer said about looking at the car, have they completely washed their hands of it or have they just said they can't do it immediately? I would say that you do have an expectation that they will fix at least the ABS problem (for the other one, are the tyres actually losing pressure or is the light coming on incorrectly?), and if they won't see the car in a reasonable time, which as a safety issue should be quite short, I think you could get the fault fixed elsewhere and send the dealer the bill.

markhod

Yes the dealer has not agreed to fix it all, so right now I see no prospect of the dealer helping

Tyre pressures ate ok, so most likely its a fault in the reporting system? Abs light always comes on simultaneously to tyre pressure light. The current time though the Abs is staying on whilst the tyre pressure light went out. I have read .the two lights often come on if a fault is only in one system. Not being an expert I just don't know what exactly is the problem - whether its a faulty sensor or the Abs system itself.

forgotmyname

ABS light maybe. Its not really roadworthy with a faulty ABS system. It should fail the MOT.

But its 10 years old and cost how much?? Also you say you bought it recently so assume the issue was not there when you bought it?

markhod

extensive test drive showed no warning lights. Dealer put it through fresh Mot and straight away after parting with money had the Abs and tyre pressure lights in amber. Paid 3600 which was what other cars of same age plus mileage seem to go for. It's a 2005 mini one.

First time it happened I checked tyre pressures were off, pumping them up killed the lights. Second time it happened I pressed tyre pressure system reset button. this killed the lights. Third time it happened I cannot see anything wrong with tyre pressures. Again I pressed tyre pressure reset button. This time only the tyre pressure warning light went out. Abs light Is still in amber

force_ten

the TPMS on the bmw mini uses data from the ABS sensors so i would say that you have a faulty sensor on one of the wheels

but as the problem was there at time of purchase then the selling dealer should put it right

markhod

Yes, but if the dealer won't budge I guess I will have to pay for the repair myself. If I were to try legal action its essentially my word against the dealers that the problem was present at time of purchase (especially given it passed an MOT the day before), so not sure if I have a strong enough case to try small claims?