Mahindra XUV700 fire incident: Key learnings

The fire incident involving a six-month-old Mahindra XUV700 SUV on Jaipur national highway has created some ripples in the Indian market. A car fire is nothing new but always sensational. The Mahindra XUV700 fire incident too made headlines and grabbed attention. The homegrown automaker on Monday issued an official statement after launching a probe into the incident. The automaker claimed that the SUV's original wiring was tampered with to install aftermarket electrical accessories, which may have resulted in the thermal incident.

Installation of aftermarket accessories is a common practice among car owners across India. While many car owners install parts and accessories that don't require electrical wiring, some install aftermarket lights or other accessories that need electrical wiring. Sometimes, they tamper with the original OEM-fitted wiring while installing the accessories to save a few bucks. However, that results in a void warranty and critical mishaps like a fire incident, like the latest incident.

There are some good reasons why car manufacturers always recommend vehicle owners to buy OEM-authorised genuine accessories and parts. OEM-authorised parts and accessories come as original, reliable and covered by warranty. On the other hand, the aftermarket parts and accessories may be cheaper, but there are also some downsides.

Here are a few key takeaways from the Mahindra XUV700 fire incident regarding installing aftermarket accessories.

Quality issue

Quality remains a major concern when you buy spare parts and accessories from third-party vendors. They may come cheaper than the OEM-authorised genuine parts and accessories, but the quality standards are often compromised. Only a few vehicle owners consider the quality standards and durability of the generic parts they buy from aftermarket. Hence, if you buy car parts or accessories from an aftermarket vendor, there is always a risk of encountering lower quality or unfit items.

Unauthorised parts and accessories

A key disadvantage of the generic parts bought from aftermarket is that they often don't come with the required certification and don't undergo proper testing and validation. This risks the vehicle's overall health, sometimes compromising safety and security.

Void warranty

Installing an aftermarket part or accessory poses the risk of a void warranty. OEM parts come with a manufacturer's warranty and are billed genuinely while purchasing them. If there is a fault, the buyer can request compensation for replacement or repair. However, the aftermarket parts come with limited or no warranty at all. If it causes damage to the vehicle or any part of it, the manufacturer won't be accountable for replacing it. What's more important is while installing aftermarket parts or accessories, if the wiring or any critical part of the vehicle's genuine accessory is tampered with and gets affected, the OEM is not liable to cover that under warranty.

Performance deterioration

Installation of aftermarket parts and accessories can be against the norms and regulations and directly impact the vehicle's performance, even jeopardising safety and security. In severe cases, a critical part or accessory purchased from an aftermarket vendor may result in a thermal incident like fire.