A car mechanic in Johor has been ordered by the Consumer Claims Tribunal to refund a customer after failing to carry out agreed repairs following a vehicle purchase. The case involves Rossuriani Abdul Rahman, a 29-year-old factory production technician, who bought a used 21-year-old B-segment subcompact hatchback with 200,000 kilometers on the odometer from the mechanic in 2025 for RM13,500.

Rossuriani learned about the car through the mechanic's wife, who works at the same factory. She took possession of the vehicle on November 17 and noticed within six days that it required repairs. After informing the mechanic, he assured her that the issues would be fixed. Between then and December 21, 2025, Rossuriani transferred a total of RM4,450 to cover various repairs, including work on the wiring, auto-lock system, lower control arm, and drive shaft.

The mechanic borrowed the car from December 23 to 29, claiming the need for a test drive, but instead took it on a holiday to Kelantan and Negeri Sembilan. Upon returning the vehicle in early January, Rossuriani asked about the repairs, but the mechanic then offered to repurchase the car for RM18,000, which included the RM4,450 she had paid for repairs. Rossuriani declined the offer and requested a refund of the repair payments instead.

After this, the mechanic ceased communication and blocked Rossuriani’s messages, and even his wife reportedly stopped speaking to her. As a result, Rossuriani took the vehicle to a different workshop in Tampoi Indah 2, where she incurred an additional RM6,000 in repair costs.

Tribunal president Lee Chee Thim ruled that the mechanic must refund the RM4,450 within two weeks. The tribunal serves as a platform for consumers to resolve disputes involving goods and services, with office hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and until 4 p.m. on Friday at Level 17, Menara Ansar in Jalan Trus, Johor Bahru.

Consumers seeking assistance can contact the tribunal at 07-227 1755 or 07-227 1766.