STARCOM MEDIA SUES HYUNDAI MOTORS OVER PROBLEMATIC HYUNDAI GRAND SANTA FE

IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – Starcom Media has dragged Korean automobile giant, Hyundai Motors before a Lagos High Court for alleged purchase of problematic and compromised Hyundai Grand Santa Fe from the company.

According to Starcom Media, the car purchased from Hyundai might be among those that failed safety test in United States of America and consequently recalled from the U.S market.

Starcom Media explained further that on 5th October, 2016, it purchased a brand new Hyundai Grand Santa Fe Luxury vehicle. It said barely six days after purchase, the vehicle with registration number LND 996 EH and VIN KMHSN81EDFU097184, developed a number of problems including brake failure, an auto hold light appearing on dashboard which goes on and off at intervals, and a loose bolt on the rear left wheel of the car.

Counsel to Starcom Media, Wale Ogunade of Wale Ogunade Chambers said that his clients were suspicious ab initio on noticing that the mileage on the dashboard read 1,800km, suggesting that the vehicle might have been previously used by a third party in Nigeria.

Following refusal of Hyundai Motors to accept responsibility, Starcom Media opted for legal action. In suit LSW/11-16/130/W1 filed before Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse, the company prayed for a total refund of money spent on purchase of the Hyundai Grand Santa Fe.

Hyundai Motors although initially denied culpability having according to it conducted extensive pre-delivery on every component part of the vehicle and that all were found to be in perfect condition before handing the said vehicle over to the customer, it however agreed to a nine item terms of settlement.

Hyundai Motors, among others, accepted carrying out service of the vehicle for two years or upon the vehicle attaining 40, 000km. The agreement was signed by parties on 23rd of March, 2017, by representatives of the two companies.

Meanwhile, contrary to the terms of agreement, the said vehicle was not delivered to the company not until 19th April, 2017, a clear 20 days after the promised delivery date. Similarly, less than a month after the delivery on 17th May, 2017, the brake problem reoccurred, suggesting that the issue with the car may be more fundamental than initially envisaged.

Speaking further, Barrister Ogunade said the development is symptomatic of how Nigerians are ripped off by foreign companies operating within the country.

“This is not possible in South Korea and Hyundai knows this. That category of vehicles has been rejected even in South Korea but somehow, they found their way into Nigeria.

“Furthermore, in purchasing a vehicle of this price attracts at least six months warranty or a refund if found defective. Unfortunately, in this case, all attempts by our client to get a refund, replacement or total repair has proved abortive. The vehicle has since been parked with its value depreciating by the day. We are therefore calling on Nigerians to intervene in the issue”, he said.