Air freshener leak left owner with £7k repair

AIR fresheners are meant to enhance a car’s interior, but one Auto Express reader found a Febreze Vanilla Bouquet had quite the opposite effect.

Nick Dainton, from Howden, East Yorkshire, bought the clip-on freshener just before Christmas, but when the liquid inside it leaked out, it caused significant damage to his Peugeot RCZ’S dashboard.

He told us: “I noticed a damp patch on the dashboard just below the vent. I wiped it and thought no more about it, until I noticed a bubbling up of the dash covering, which got worse and unsightly.”

The nature of the damage meant it couldn’t be neatly repaired, and Nick was quoted an “eye-watering” £7,100 replacement bill.

He contacted Febreze maker Proctor & Gamble (P&G), and was offered £250 in compensation, with P&G not accepting liability. Nick turned to us for help.

P&G said: “We investigate any complaints thoroughly. Febreze car refreshers are completely safe when used as instructed and have been purchased by 1.2 million people in the UK since launching in 2017. It is important that people read the instructions carefully before they attach the device to their car dashboard to ensure they have fitted it correctly.”

Nick said he had followed the instructions and is now looking to take the case to court.

Motorist considers legal action after maker denies liability