Taking us for a ride

Cars riddled with common faults... leaving owners to foot repair bills

SEVEN of Britain’s most popular cars are plagued by faults that suggest ‘serious production issues’, an investigation has found.

Top- selling models by Nissan, BMW, Tesla and Land Rover each have a ‘single, prolific problem’ that is common among owners, according to Which?

Yet, despite evidence the flaws are widespread, none of the vehicles have been recalled. It means motorists must foot the bill for repairs once their car comes out of warranty – even though the manufacturers are well aware of the problems.

Three of the seven cars are made by Nissan and include the Qashqai, Britain’s best-selling SUV.

Which? surveyed 50,000 drivers. The consumer group says the problems ‘are so widespread that they indicate a weakness in the manufacturing process that should be addressed immediately’. Harry Rose, editor of Which? Magazine, added: ‘It is completely unacceptable that these trusted car brands continue to take customer cash without fixing these widespread faults.

‘It is not right for anyone to have to pay for production mistakes that these manufacturers are aware of. The next time you’re in the market for a new car, consider steering clear of these unreliable models.’

A spokesman for Nissan said: ‘We are aware of some incidences of battery failure on older Nissan models and have taken steps to address this.’ Tesla said: ‘We review every vehicle... before it leaves the factory. Our warranties cover repairs and replacements for door handles for up to four years.’

Land Rover said: ‘Having analysed Which?’s research, Land Rover understands that 0.12 per cent of Velar and 0.22 per cent of Range Rover sport customers have been surveyed. We don’t believe this is representative.’

BMW said it analysed warranty claims made on 5 Series Touring models from 2011 to 2017. It added: ‘This showed no unusual patterns in the number of claims relating to the suspension of the 33,000 vehicles.’