Bought a used car with faults you didn't know about?
Klago helps you work out whether you have a case, what you can claim and which documents you need — tailored to whether you bought from a dealer or a private seller, since your rights are different in the two cases.
Check your caseFound a fault after buying a used car from a private seller?
If you bought the car from a private person, the Sale of Goods Act (kjøpsloven) applies — not the stronger Consumer Purchases Act. The bar for having a case is higher, especially if the car was sold “as is”. You still have real grounds if the car is in much worse condition than the price and information suggested, or if the seller kept quiet about something they knew.
Found a fault after buying a used car from a dealer?
If you bought the car from a dealer, the Consumer Purchases Act (forbrukerkjøpsloven) applies — one of the strongest consumer laws in Norway. As a rule, the dealer is responsible if the car isn't in the condition you could expect from its price, age, mileage and what you were told — even if it was sold “as is”. A fault that shows up within two years of buying is, as a rule, presumed to have been there from the start. Tell the dealer in writing as soon as you discover the fault.
How do I make a defect claim on a used car?
A defect claim (reklamasjon) means telling the seller in writing that the car has a fault as soon as you discover it — not waiting to see. Describe the fault specifically, say when you discovered it, and state clearly what you want: a repair, a price reduction or cancelling the purchase. The deadlines differ: from a dealer, complaining within two months of discovering the fault is always in time; from a private seller there's no such minimum, so complain within a reasonable time — the sooner the better.
Found hidden faults in your used car?
A hidden fault is one you couldn't have found in an ordinary inspection or test drive before buying — not just something you overlooked. The better you can document that the fault already existed when you bought the car and was genuinely hard to spot, the stronger your position. If you bought from a dealer and the fault shows up within two years, it's presumed to have been there from the start — it's then up to the dealer to show otherwise.
Can I cancel the purchase of a used car?
Cancelling the purchase (heving) means the sale is undone — you return the car and get your money back. It's the strongest remedy you have, so the bar is higher than for a repair or a price reduction: the defect must be material. It's possible whether you bought from a dealer or a private seller, but much easier to win against a dealer.
Engine failure shortly after buying a used car — what now?
An engine failure right after buying is often the strongest kind of case, because it's both serious and expensive — but the deciding question is whether it's caused by something that already existed when you bought the car, or by ordinary wear and tear or bad luck that could hit any used car. Have the car assessed by an independent workshop as soon as possible.
What does a used-car warranty cover, and what if the dealer won't cover the fault?
A warranty is a voluntary promise from the seller, alongside — not instead of — your legal rights when there's a defect. If the warranty doesn't cover the fault, you may still have a case under the Consumer Purchases Act (buying from a dealer) or the Sale of Goods Act (private purchase). Most real used-car warranties come from dealers; formal warranties are unusual in private sales.
Used car sold “as is” — what are my rights?
“As is” (som den er) is the clause most buyers misunderstand. It does NOT free the seller from all responsibility. Its effect depends entirely on who you bought from: from a dealer, it doesn't weaken your rights; from a private seller, it raises the bar for what counts as a defect. That's the most important thing to understand here.