Hello, new here and need some advice please.

My friends father (who is 82) purchased a 2011 Ford Focus 1.6 Sport from a Main Ford Dealer

After owning it for 3 weeks he noticed the lights weren't turning off in the daytime (he was using them in automatic mode)

This happened a couple of times and he booked it back in at the garage he bought it from to be checked. A day later he drove to the shops and when he pulled back up at the care home he lives at noticed the lights were on again. He stood there for a few moments wondering if they would go out and when they didn't he decided to open the bonnet. He was met with smoke coming from the passenger side.

He walked to his care home reception and they called the fire brigade, by the time he returned to car it was completely ablaze.

The car was just over 3 years old so I am guessing Ford's warranty has run out. The car had 8080 miles on it when he purchased it from the Main Ford Dealers, he covered less than 200 miles in it during the 3 weeks he owned it.

The dealers are telling him to claim on his insurance who are offering him £2900 less than he paid for the car. Other than telling him to claim on his insurance they are not really saying anything.

Should it not be covered under a used car warranty?

My friend and their father feel like they are being treated badly and I agree. Not really sure what to do though, have you guys got any advice?

mmm wonder if the sale of goods act comes into this.

im sure you will get some good advice from the peeps on here shortly.

Definitely one to throw back at the dealer under sale of goods I'd say. Think there's a section which says any fault which occurs in the first 6 months? after sale, it's assumed to have been present in the car when it was sold.

Dealer is taking the mickey advising the owner to claim for it on insurance imho.

This is when taking GAP insurance pays off but most people refuse it as they think the car will never get wrote off during the 2 or 3yr policy. Check his paperwork and see if he took it. GAP (Guaranteed Asset Protection) pays out the difference between what your insurance give you and what you paid for the car so you are not out of pocket. At 82 he might well have taken the policy out.

Yeah if a car goes up in flames after 300 miles, the dealer should be held accountable. Not to mention the fact that it could have killed him, so if they didn't do the proper checks on the car they could be in serious trouble.

This is Ford's foul, it was supplied by them, seek legal advice immediately.

Shocking.

Agree with above, I suggest you seek professional legal advice. If the dealer tries to wash their hands of any responsibility (quite likely), you may need to start proceedings against them.

Keep all communication in writing.

Just read the first post again. If bought from a Ford dealer then yes, there will have been a minimum 3 month warranty on it.

Send a PM to Dark Knight. He will be able to offer very good guidance on this.

Sent via the 'Clacks'

GNU STP