The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Ernakulam, has ruled in favour of a complainant in a case in which the manufacturer allegedly refused to replace the faulty compressor of an air conditioner (AC) unit that was within the warranty period.
Sudarshanan C.R., a native of Vallarpadam, approached the company with a complaint in March 2024 after the cooling decreased, despite the seven-year compressor warranty on the Godrej company’s split air conditioner he purchased in 2018.
Although the technician confirmed that the compressor was completely defective after inspection, the manufacturer denied warranty service, citing the unavailability of the compressor for this model. On escalating the complaint, the complainant was informed that, on payment of ₹15,000, a new AC could be provided; otherwise, the compressor would not be replaced, according to the complaint.
The Commission comprising D.B. Binu, president, and members V. Ramachandran and Sreevidhia T.N. observed that the manufacturer’s action, which linked warranty compliance to the purchase of a new product, cannot be legally justified.
The Commission said that it found “a clear deficiency in service and unfair trade practice on the part of the first opposite party”. It ordered the replacement of the failed compressor and directed that the AC be restored to full working condition, free of cost, within 30 days of receipt of the order. The replaced compressor will carry a 12-month warranty from the date of replacement. The opposite parties were set ex parte as they did not file their version within the prescribed time. The panel dismissed the complaint against the dealer, stating that there was no material to establish deficiency in service or unfair trade practice.
Published – November 22, 2025 10:00 pm IST
