VinFast VF7 Owner Set to Move Consumer Court Over Water Ingress Complaint

Hyderabad-based entrepreneur Nallam Phani Kumar Raja bought a VinFast VF7 Wind from Nanesh Automotive in Hyderabad on April 25, 2026, paying close to ₹25 lakh for the car. Three weeks later, on May 19, he found water had collected inside the cabin. Mr. Raja alleges the seepage went undetected for weeks because the dealership had fitted 7D mats that were tightly secured and difficult to lift, making it impossible to spot moisture underneath without removing the entire carpet setup. Service technicians diagnosed a misrouted AC drain pipe as the cause, and the car went in for repairs.

He says he wasn't satisfied with the fix. Mr. Raja alleges the service center kept the car for 18 days without offering a clear diagnosis or resolution timeline. On June 8, he accepted delivery of the car back only "under protest," formally recording his objection with the dealership rather than accepting the repair as final. VinFast has acknowledged, in writing, that this protest was noted on its records at the time.

Photos shared by Mr. Raja with us show the car's interior floor pan with the carpet and insulation pulled back. Bolt studs near the firewall and pedal area show orange rust bloom, and the carpet nearby carries a dried, speckled residue, consistent with standing water having sat on bare metal. Another photograph shows heavy water ingress on the car mat.

Allegations Over Spare Parts and Documentation

Mr. Raja also mentions that instead of sourcing new components through official channels, the service center used parts taken from another vehicle in its stockyard to repair his car, which he says points to a shortage of genuine spares and amounts to an unfair trade practice. He also alleges that despite repeated requests, the dealership did not share a service card, job card, a paid PDI (pre-delivery inspection) report, a post-repair inspection report, a technical report on the cause of the issue, or any written assurance of accountability.

Legal Notice, Police Complaint, and a Consumer Court Filing

On May 24, Mr. Raja sent a legal notice to VinFast's leadership and to Nanesh Automotive, citing the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. The notice sought a written explanation, a technical report on the cause of the defect, and a replacement or refund within seven days.

He says the issue remained unresolved through the following months. On July 31, he filed a police complaint against VinFast and Nanesh Automotive at the Raidurgam police station in Hyderabad, alleging cheating, criminal breach of trust, and the sale of a defective vehicle. He says he now intends to take the matter to consumer court.

On August 1, he also posted about the dispute on X— "It wasn't easy for me to do all this n waited for 2.5 months for resolution", tagging VinFast's official handles and its India leadership. He adds "after paying 25 lakhs you end up at police station for doing a video of my experience with the car before heading to consumer forum." The post has been viewed over 236,000 times. In an accompanying video filmed at Nanesh Automotive's service bay, Mr. Raja points to the vehicle's AC drain pipe on the underbody and water is shown running steadily from that area onto the workshop floor for several seconds.

Mr. Raja's core demand, as laid out in his communication to VinFast, is a replacement vehicle or a full refund.

We have verified his claims through the e-mail exchanges between him and VinFast. Since the matter is sub-judice, we intend to not make them public.

VinFast's Response

In response to queries from ElecTree, VinFast issued the following statement:

"The concerns regarding water accumulation in the said vehicle have been duly resolved in accordance with the warranty agreement applicable to the vehicle. The matter was attended to by our authorised service network and closed in conformity with the applicable warranty terms and service standards. The customer continues to use the vehicle in the ordinary course of ownership following the resolution of his concerns."

The company added that its customers, "including Mr. Nallam Phani Kumar Raja, owner of a VF7 Wind based in Hyderabad," remain of paramount importance to it.

The dispute remains before Hyderabad police and is set to move to consumer court, with Mr. Raja's central ask, a replacement or refund, still unmet by his account.