Chaos reigns in the United Kingdom due to a global shortage of car spare parts, including Alfa Romeo. Insurers are raising premiums or withdrawing coverage due to repair delays, thieves are stealing components from parked vehicles to sell on the black market, and car manufacturers are prioritizing production lines over supplying repair shops. Meanwhile, dozens of motorists are left with non-functioning parts of their cars and a very long wait to source spare parts.
An Alfa Romeo owner waited nine months to repair their new car due to a lack of components
As reported by The Guardian, dozens of motorists have been waiting for months for their cars to be repaired. Among them is the owner of an Alfa Romeo, who said he has been waiting nine months for a spare part.
The motorist purchased the car last March, and just two days later, the warning lights came on. After an inspection, it was determined that the gearbox and a heat exchanger needed replacing. The gearbox was replaced in July, while the motorist is still waiting for the heat exchanger.
“Last October, Stellantis informed me the part would be replaced by December. Nothing happened. A week after the date I was assigned for the replacement, Alfa Romeo told me they hoped to update me in the coming days,” the motorist said. “The next day I was told that the spare parts had been provided, but the dealer then admitted there was no spare part and no news.”
The motorist continued: “After that, both the headquarters and the dealership stopped responding. Last week, Stellantis told me the dealer would transfer a heat exchanger from a new vehicle of the same model.”
The motorist then explained that the car problem occurred immediately after purchase and they were protected by the Consumer Rights Act 2015. This entitles customers to a refund or replacement if the car shows a defect within the first six months of purchase. If this promise is not kept, the customer can demand a refund, and if the car manufacturer refuses or delays, the case can go to legal proceedings.
The same issue has occurred with other motorists with Kia and Honda, with a wait of up to 17 months for an issue with a Kia Niro electric that stopped working due to a battery problem.