In
a scathing open letter to Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways
Nitin Gadkari sent on Monday, Mr Prakash Rao (98452 13305,
pkrao51@hotmail.com),
former managing director of Bhutan-based Tashi Group, says, "Recall of
goods due to manufacturing defects is unheard of in India.
Multinationals like Hyundai Motor India Ltd. are knowingly selling
faulty products to Indian customers, putting our lives at risk. They
believe that the Indian government does not take action to protect its
citizens – and earlier governments have proven them right! Will they be
proven right again by Modi-sarkar?"
Rao's
outrage was triggered by Hyundai Fluidic Verna Car (KA-19-MC-5246),
parked in his sister's car shed in Mangalore, catching fire on
Independence Day last year. Despite lengthy correspondence, the company
has not revealed the contents of its inspection report as to the cause
of the fire. In its replies, Hyundai blandly states, "Your vehicle was
inspected by our team at our workshop Advaith Motors on 2/09/2014 &
3/09/2014. Accordingly we would like to confirm to you that the reported
concern in your car is not due to manufacturing defect. Please don't
have any apprehensions in this regard."
Translated
from officialese to plain English, it means, "We are not taking any
responsibility for this mess. You are on your own, Mr Consumer." Rao's
exchange of letters with HMIL can be read here:
http://tinyurl.com/Hyundai-Verna-letters
Rao
is disturbed. "My daughter in Delhi has bought a Hyundai Fluidic Verna
and my daughter in Mumbai has bought a Hyundai Elantra on my advice, and
now I realize my confidence in Hyundai vehicles was totally unjustified
and therefore I now fear for my children's safety," he laments.
Rao
has found that he is not alone in his plight. His letter to the Road
Transport Minister contains a dozen examples of various Hyundai models
catching fire in various Indian cities. Scanned copy of this letter:
http://tinyurl.com/Nitin-Gadkari-Open-Letter
RAO'S LETTER IS REPRODUCED BELOW:
Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways,
Transport Bhawan, Sansad Marg,
Mr P Radhakrishnan, MoS, Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
Shri Abhay Damle, Director, Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT)
Mrs. Rashmi Urdhwareshe, Director, Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI)
Secretary, Ministry of Transport, Karnataka
Mr. Bo Shin Seo, Managing Director, Hyundai Motor India Ltd.
Hyundai cars routinely catch fire because of manufacturing defects;
Why are these models given government approval?
Greetings
on completion of one year in your ministry. We trust that you, under
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, are willing to take strong
steps towards good governance.
I
am writing to you not as an aggrieved customer, but as a concerned
citizen. What worries me is that India is a second-class market where
shoddy goods can be sold without fear of the law. Recall of goods due to
manufacturing defects is unheard of in India. Multinationals like
Hyundai Motor India Ltd. are knowingly selling faulty products to Indian
customers, putting our lives at risk. They believe that the Indian
government does not take action to protect its citizens – and earlier
governments have proven them right! Will they be proven right again by
Modi-sarkar?
Allow
me to introduce myself. My name is Prakash Krishna Rao. After staying
abroad as a director of overseas companies, I now live a peaceful
retired life with my wife in Mangaluru, our native place. My family and I
are the not-so-proud owners of many Hyundai cars, including my Hyundai
Fluidic Verna, which showed us on Independence Day that we are
second-class citizens in our own country.
On
15th August 2014, at about 7 pm, when Prime Minister Modi's inspiring
speech was playing on all channels, my cousin sister Lata Rao saw
flashes of light outside her bungalow. Going out, she found that my
Hyundai Fluidic Verna Car (KA-19-MC-5246), parked in her car shed, was
burning. She and her neighbours tried to extinguish the flames, but in
vain. The fire brigade arrived and extinguished the fire after
considerable time. I shudder to think what might have happened if the
fire had reached the petrol tank; it could have exploded, endangering
the lives of my sister and her neighbours!
My
Hyundai Verna, bought in May 2012, was still under warranty and it was
regularly maintained at the authorized workshop. There was no short
circuit in the car shed. The car shed was clean and vacant, and nothing
was being stored there. There was no lightning, thunder or rain on that
day.
After
the representatives of Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (HMIL) and its dealer
Advaith Hyundai took the burnt car to their workshop and performed a
technical examination, they refused to share their report with me. In a
letter dated 10th Sept 2014, they wrote, "Your vehicle was inspected by
our team at our dealer workshop Advaith Hyundai on 2/09/2014 &
3/09/2014. Accordingly, we would like to confirm to you that the
reported concern in your car is not due to any manufacturing defect."
This reply evades the question: What caused the fire in the engine
compartment of my Hyundai Verna? Is it faulty wiring? If not due to any
manufacturing defect, why does a stationary car suddenly burn up?
I had a lengthy exchange of letters with HMIL in this regard, which are enclosed for you.
Sir,
many Hyundai cars have been spontaneously catching fire in India, but
HMIL has refused to take responsibility. This is evident from the
correspondence of many other unfortunate owners of Hyundai cars,
available on the internet.
TWELVE RECENT HYUNDAI CAR FIRES IN INDIA:
In
USA, Canada and Australia, Hyundai Motor recalls millions of cars for
less serious manufacturing defects, such as faulty brake lights and
child-restraint seats! But in India, HMIL avoids taking responsibility.
Mr Gadkari, Sir, Hyundai Motor clearly believes that human life is cheap
in India. We would like to ask you and Modi-ji: Is this true?
Sir, like myself and my family, many Indians are waiting for a clear reply from you.
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HYUNDAI CONTACT DETAILS FOR JOURNALISTS WISHING TO GET THE "OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY":
Hyundai Motor India Ltd.,
2nd,5th & 6th Floor, Corporate One,
Baani Building, Plot No. 5,
Jasola, New Delhi - 110 025.
(I have some more numbers of Hyundai representatives, but they may not be authorized to respond. All my attempts to get a proper response or rebuttal from Hyundai were unsuccessful. -- Krish)
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