In Panama, failure to honor warranties on new cars has become the leading cause of consumer complaints. According to a statistical report from the Authority for Consumer Protection and Competition Defense (Acodeco), between January and November of last year, consumers filed 183 substantiated claims related to warranty breaches, totaling 4.7 million balboas. Acodeco advises consumers to document the process by keeping contracts, invoices, repair orders, and any communication that serves as evidence of a claim. If a dealer does not comply with legal or contractual terms, a formal complaint should be filed with the authority. In addition to warranty issues, other complaints were registered, though to a lesser extent: 23 complaints for lack of information amounting to over 504,000 balboas, and 10 cases for hidden defects totaling 225,599.03 balboas. Other reported issues included service non-compliance, refund demands, and improper charges. Under Panamanian law, specifically Article 47 of Law 45 of 2007, providers of new motor vehicles are strictly obligated to grant a minimum warranty of one year or 30,000 kilometers, whichever comes first. Furthermore, if the manufacturer's offered warranty exceeds these legal minimums, the local provider is obligated to honor the extended terms and provide them in writing to the buyer.
