E20 fuel backlash: 5 in 10 car owners ready for legal battle over damage, survey finds | Today’s news
Almost 5 in 10 vehicle owners surveyed are likely to contact the consumer commission or use other legal avenues to seek compensation if E20 causes major damage to their vehicle, the latest survey found.
About 3 out of 10 respondents are likely to turn to the manufacturer or fuel company, according to the survey findings.
Read also | E20 petrol range: Raipur consumer court asks Maruti Suzuki to replace Grand Vitara
According to a survey by LocalCircles, this readiness to act comes at a time of growing owner fear of E20 fuel in vehicles. An earlier survey found that 55 per cent of pre-2023 petrol vehicle owners have already seen an unusual increase in wear or need for repairs since the start of 2025.
The survey received more than 22,000 responses from petrol vehicle owners in 316 districts of India. About 68% of respondents were male, while 32% were female.
The survey asked vehicle owners, “If your vehicle sustained major damage that you believe was caused by E20 gasoline, what is the maximum extent you would spend to recover your loss? Of the 22,373 who responded, 31% said they would “proceed to Consumer Commission (Consumer Court) if necessary’ and another 14% said they would ‘exercise all available legal options until the matter is resolved.’ Combined, almost 5 in 10 (45%) are willing to take the legal or regulatory route.
The survey received more than 22,000 responses from petrol vehicle owners in 316 districts of India. About 68 percent of respondents were male, while 32 percent were female.
Another 18 percent of respondents said they “will seek compensation from both the vehicle manufacturer and the fuel company,” and 9% said they “will only seek compensation from the vehicle manufacturer”—altogether nearly 3 in 10 (27%) are looking to the manufacturer and/or the fuel company.
Read also | Maruti challenges Raipur consumer court order to replace damaged car
Meanwhile, 14% said they would “not address the matter” and a further 14% “could not say”. In short, most vehicle owners are prepared to actively seek compensation – most of them through consumer courts or the wider legal system – if E20 petrol causes major damage to their vehicle.
Read also | Maruti challenges Raipur consumer court order to replace damaged car
“This survey shows that owners are increasingly willing to act on such complaints – almost 5 in 10 would approach consumer courts or take any legal option and almost 3 in 10 would seek redress from manufacturers or fuel companies if E20 causes major damage to their vehicles,” LocalCircles reported on Friday 17
Raipur Consumer Court Order
The survey comes two days after a consumer court in Chhattisgarh ruled in favor of a buyer who had alleged recurring engine problems associated with ethanol-laced petrol. Raipur District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (Additional Bench) directed Maruti Suzuki to replace the complainant Big Vitara with a new E20 compatible model or refund the purchase price.
The Commission also awarded the complainant, Dr. Premraj Devta of Raipur, ₹1 lakh as compensation for mental harassment and ₹10,000 as legal costs.
The order, which was passed on July 14, assumes significance amid growing concerns over the Centre’s push to increase the blending of ethanol in petrol. Critics question its impact on engine performance, fuel economy and compatibility with older vehicles.
Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari stated that motorists who prefer not to use ethanol-added gasoline can choose 100% gasoline, albeit at a higher cost.
The verdict of the Raipur consumer court is one of the first court decisions in a series of ethanol-laced fuels.
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This survey shows that owners are increasingly willing to act on such complaints – almost 5 in 10 would go to the consumer courts or pursue any legal option.
Maruti Suzuki India on July 16 said it would challenge the Raipur District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission’s order directing the company to replace the customer’s vehicle with a new E20-compatible vehicle, citing fuel contamination.
The car in the case was E20 compatible, fully equipped to handle E20 fuel and there was evidence of contamination in the fuel collected from the customer’s vehicle, Maruti Suzuki India said in a statement, according to a PTI report.
