UAE: Will I lose my warranty if my car is repaired in a workshop not affiliated with the dealer? – information

The Ministry of Economy changed the conditions for compulsory services in 2016

Q: I have had a major breakdown with my vehicle. Its repair is covered under the terms of the warranty. However, I’ve now been told that my warranty may have been affected as I service the vehicle in a workshop not affiliated with the dealer. Is this legal? I have my car repaired from a reputable workshop with all relevant approvals.

Re: Based on your inquiry, we assume that you have signed the warranty, which states that car repairs must be done at the dealer’s service center. Accordingly, the provisions of Federal Consumer Protection Law No. 15 of 2020 (“UAE Consumer Protection Law”) apply.

In 2016, the UAE’s Ministry of Economy said that the conditions related to mandatory vehicle repairs at dealership service centres had been lifted. Vehicle owners can have their vehicles serviced at any centre approved by the UAE Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (“ESMA”). The Consumer Protection Commission has approved amendments related to vehicle warranty conditions, and a vehicle dealer should not void the warranty if the vehicle has been serviced at a center not affiliated with the dealer.

The term “warranty” is defined in Article 1 of the UAE Consumer Protection Law as: “A confirmation by or on behalf of the supplier, whether written or implied, that the goods or services covered by the warranty are free from defects or malfunctions and conform to standard specifications , he undertakes to repair any defect or malfunction affecting the goods, to replace the defective goods or to re-perform the service, within a specified period of time.”

In addition, the supplier of the product or service is obligated to enforce the warranty. This is in line with Article 10 of the UAE Consumer Protection Law, which states: “1- The supplier shall fulfill all warranties, provide required spare parts and maintenance, replace the goods or refund their monetary value, and undertake to – within the stipulated period of time Provide sales services for the goods sold.

2- The supplier shall guarantee that the service it provides is free from defects and failures for a period commensurate with the nature of the service, otherwise he shall refund the amount paid by the consumer or a part of it, or he shall re-perform the service correctly.

3- The implementing regulations of this Law shall determine the implementation of the control measures specified in this Article. “

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According to the above laws, your dealer may have to accept the warranty if the warranty is valid and you have had your car serviced at an ESMA approved centre in the UAE. If the dealer does not do this, you can contact the Consumer Rights Department of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and file a complaint.