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Abu Dhabi court annuls sale of tampered vehicle, orders sellers to return Dh215,000
After the purchase was completed, the man found out that the car's odometer had been tampered with and filed a case
- PUBLISHED: Wed 20 May 2026, 5:54 PM
An Abu Dhabi court last week cancelled a car sale contract after finding out that the sellers had tampered with the vehicle's odometer in a ruling that highlights the country's zero-tolerance policy for fraud and manipulation.
The Al Ain Civil, Commercial and Administrative Court also mandated that the sellers must pay back the vehicle price of Dh215,000 in full to the buyer, while refusing the claimant's demand of compensation for damages.
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The case was filed after the plaintiff purchased the vehicle in November last year but soon realised the odometer had been tampered with. Subsequently, he asked the sellers — a woman and her son — to return his money, but they refused. In his filing, the plaintiff asked the court to annul the car sale contract and compel the sellers to return the money paid for the car in addition to a compensation of Dh35,000 for moral and material damages. He also asked for a technical expert to examine the car.
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In his report, the expert appointed by the court stated that the plaintiff purchased the vehicle from the first defendant through her son, the second defendant, for Dh215,000. Moreover, it has been proven that the vehicle had defects, namely tampering with the odometer by reducing the recorded mileage by 68,290 kilometres.
This was considered by the expert as a hidden defect that could only be detected through inspection at specialised centres, and could not be identified through ordinary viewing or the routine inspection approved by the traffic department.
In its ruling, the court said that the defect does not affect the car's functioning and it continues to serve the purpose for which it was intended. However, it reduces its value in the market.
In her defence, the defendant argued that the vehicle was checked at the dealership three days before the sales contract was concluded and that she had the documents to prove it.
Despite issuing a ruling to cancel the car sale contract, the court rejected the plaintiff’s claim for compensation, noting that he failed to provide evidence proving that he had suffered any damages as a result of the defendants’ actions, and therefore the claim had no legal basis and was dismissed.
Besides the cancellation of the contract and paying back the buyer, the court ordered the defendants to take back the vehicle, and bear the costs of the legal proceedings plus Dh300 in legal fees.
Yasmin Hussein is an Assistant Digital Editor who believes that every news story carries a human element. Her motto is 'get it first, but first get it right'.