Malaysian woman's new car breaks down after 8 hours; Perodua says sugar was found in engine

A Malaysian woman's purchase of a new car took a sour turn after it broke down that very day, some eight hours after collection in fact.

Taking to Facebook on Tuesday (Jan 2) to share her ordeal, Nagakanni Subramaniam wrote that she collected her new car, a Perodua Bezza 1.3X Premium from Perodua's showroom at Harapan Terang Motor in Johor Bahru on Oct 17, 2023 at about 11am. 

"Eight hours later at 7.40pm when I started the engine, the car didn't start," she wrote.

The next day, Nagakanni shared that her car was towed to Perodua Segamat Service Centre where she was informed by a staff that the car's engine was damaged. 

A quick check on Perodua's website revealed that a Bezza 1.3 Premium retails from RM40,090 onwards (S$11,500).

Thinking that she would get a new car as a replacement, she was told to wait for the damaged car's diagnostics report from Perodua's headquarters (HQ) first, which could take two weeks or up to a month. 

Sugar found in car engine

On Nov 9, 2023, Nagakanni said she was contacted by a customer sales executive from Perodua HQ who said that the car engine was damaged as there was sugar inside, adding that the material was not used by the car manufacturer, reported Sin Chew Daily. 

"The problem is, I didn't bring any food or sugar into the car during those 8 hours, let alone tampered with the car engine," Nagakanni explained in her post.

Nagakanni was allegedly told by the sales executive to get a new loan to purchase a new car.

She added that she was later contacted by a salesperson from the same showroom where she bought the Perodua Bezza 1.3X Premium X, to make a second loan. 

Still paying RM537 a month for the defective car that has been left in the service centre, Nagakanni declined their requests for a second loan and car. 

'I still have to pay the car loan'

Nagakanni said that she has yet to receive any reply from Perodua about her request for a new car since October. 

"But I still have to pay the existing loan every month," Nagakanni lamented.

Nagakanni shared an image of a police report lodged on Dec 18, 2023 against Perodua Segamat Service Centre regarding her experience. 

Nagakanni's Facebook post garnered 11,000 likes and 5,000 comments within a day.

Some netizens advised Nagakanni to seek help from a lawyer while others suggested that she should reach out to Malaysia's Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) to resolve the issue.

Nagakanni responded in the comments that KPDN replied that according to the Tribunal For Consumer Claims, she will only be compensated for damages incurred.

ALSO READ: Car buyer's nightmare: His first car breaks down hours after collection, and then 'detained' by Tampines car dealer for weeks

ashwini.balan@asiaone.com