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I bought a Mazda 3 four months ago - a fault has now occurred, can I claim the cost of repairs from the garage?

I bought a Mazda 3 2.2d in June this year. Four months later, the oil pressure light is on. The dealership warranty was only for 60 days. Who do I set a claim against to have the car repaired? I feel the problem was with the car when I bought it, but can't prove that. It came with a full service history. Worst case scenario, this could require a new engine.

Asked on 29 October 2017 by Stephen Malloy

Answered by Honest John
Unless you did something wrong, the dealer who sold you the car is liable for anything that could have been developing before you bought the car for six months, which is more like 184 days than a miserable 60 days. Sometimes these engines have problems regenerating the DPFs, especially if the driver switches them off mid-active regen, which then pumps diesel into the sump instead of the DPF leading to a rising oil level. A reason for the oil light could be a blocked sump strainer, preventing the oil pump from building up adequate pressure. My interpretation of the law here: www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/consumer-rights/
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