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GÜNEŞ & GÜNEŞ LAW FIRM

Automotive and Mobility

Legal support for manufacturers, suppliers, dealers, service providers and mobility businesses.

From supply and sales to service, product safety and digital mobility: contracts, consumer relations and disputes.

Based in Antalya · Serving all of Türkiye

Technician working on a burgundy vehicle with its hood open on an automotive production line, with vehicles in assembly sequence in the background.

FROM PRODUCTION TO USE

A different relationship and a different responsibility at every stage

A late delivery of a part can disrupt the production plan; the termination of a dealer agreement can affect the sales network; a recurring fault can affect the vehicle owner, the service provider and the manufacturer at the same time. A legal assessment begins by identifying the business's role in the chain and the specific transaction.

Alongside vehicle and spare part manufacturing, importing, sales and after-sales services, we address rental, fleet management, electric vehicle charging and digital mobility activities. We assess consumer claims and commercial disputes between businesses under their own distinct conditions.

Manufacturers and suppliers

Vehicle, component and spare part manufacturers; importers, technology providers and companies investing in the sector.

Sales and service network

Distributors, authorized and independent dealers, used vehicle businesses, service providers, rental and fleet companies.

Mobility and vehicle use

Charging network and station operators, digital platforms, corporate vehicle users and individuals acting as consumers.

OUR LEGAL PRACTICE AREAS

Looking at the full scope of automotive activity together

Depending on the need, we plan contract drafting, preventive advisory, regulatory compliance or the follow-up of a dispute that has already arisen. The scope of each matter is determined separately.

Production and parts supply

Order schedules, quality and acceptance criteria, tooling ownership, price changes, delivery delays and supply interruptions are reviewed. How the cost of defective parts, production stoppages or recall expenses is shared between the contracting parties is assessed.

Contract Law

Dealerships and distributorships

Territory and sales channel, targets, bonuses, stock, use of the brand and service obligations are addressed. Termination, vehicles and parts left in stock, and post-contract claims are reviewed separately; an equalization claim (denkleştirme) or a right to compensation is not automatically accepted for every dealer.

Franchise and Distribution Law

Competition and sales networks

Resale prices, campaign terms, online sales, customer and territorial restrictions, and information exchange between competitors are assessed. The structure of the distribution and service network, any potentially applicable exemption conditions and actual practice are reviewed together.

Competition Law

Vehicle sales and consumers

Orders, earnest money (kapora), delivery, defect claims, price refunds and exchange requests are addressed. The documents for new and used sales, the buyer's intended use and the seller's capacity are determined; expert appraisal (ekspertiz), listing information and sales records are reviewed together.

Consumer Law

Service, warranty and repair

Fault reports, work orders, work performed, parts used and delivery records are compared. Recurring faults, charges, the scope of repairs and spare parts supply are reviewed. The warranty relationship and claims arising from defects are not confused with each other.

Consumer Law

Product safety and recalls

For a safety claim concerning a vehicle, component or battery, traceability, notification and corrective action processes are addressed. The roles of manufacturer, importer and distributor are assessed together with technical records, actions of the competent authority, damage claims and contractual liability.

Product Safety and Product Liability

Rental and fleet management

In long- or short-term rental, delivery and return, damage records, mileage, maintenance, replacement vehicles and terms of use are reviewed. Security deposits, additional charges, insurance and rights of recourse are assessed; rent is separated from claims for damage or loss of use.

Contract Law

Electric vehicles and charging

The relationships among the charging network operator, the station operator working under a certificate and the site provider are defined. Site use, installation, connection, service fees, payment and user complaints are addressed. Commercial charging activity is distinguished from use solely for one's own needs.

Energy Law

Connected vehicles and data

Data responsibilities and transfer relationships are reviewed for vehicle apps, fleet tracking systems, and location and driver records. Notices, processing conditions, access authority, retention and deletion processes are assessed with regard to the position of the employee, tenant or vehicle owner.

Personal Data Protection and KVKK

Software and mobility platforms

For vehicle software, remote updates, licenses, subscriptions and cloud services, the right of use and maintenance obligations are defined. The platform's role as seller, lessor or intermediary is reviewed, together with the payment flow, service interruptions and intellectual property rights.

Software, SaaS and Cloud Contracts

Imports and cross-border supply

Delivery and payment terms, customs documents, the technical requirements of the target market and the warranty organization are addressed together. The applicable law and dispute resolution are determined; where action is required under foreign law, coordination with a qualified lawyer in that country is planned.

International Trade and Customs Law

Employees and operational order

Contracts of production, sales and service staff, bonus systems, working arrangements, occupational health and safety processes, and the legal liability arising from workplace accidents are reviewed. Subcontracting employer (alt işveren) and independent service provider relationships are assessed according to the actual working arrangement.

Employment Law

INVESTMENT AND OPERATIONS

Legal review at establishment, transfer and changes in activity

A dealership opening, a service or fleet transfer, and a charging investment do not share the same permit and contract structure. The business model and existing obligations are clarified at the outset.
  1. Before investing

    The company and ownership structure, use of the premises or showroom, activity-specific permits and documents, brand rights and investment agreements are reviewed. For used vehicle trade, the authorization certificate (yetki belgesi) and the sales and listing obligations are assessed separately.

  2. Transfer and contract

    In a share or business transfer, stock, customer contracts, open warranty files, employees and data are reviewed. The effect of a dealer or service authorization on the transfer, the consent of counterparties and the closing conditions are determined.

  3. After operations begin

    Monitoring of contracts and authorization documents, customer complaints, service records and the effect of new services on the existing structure are addressed. Environmental obligations, such as battery and waste processes, are reviewed with the relevant specialists according to the nature of the activity.

DISPUTES AND EVIDENCE

A malfunction, a defect and a safety risk call for different reviews

A technical report can explain the cause and nature of a fault; on its own, it does not determine to whom a claim should be directed or on what legal basis. The contract, delivery terms, the history of use and maintenance, and the parties' notices are assessed together.

Depending on the nature of the dispute, a formal notice (ihtar), negotiation, evidence preservation, mediation, litigation, enforcement or a process based on a valid arbitration agreement may come into play. A consumer application route, a commercial receivable and an application against an administrative act are not subject to the same procedure; jurisdiction, procedural requirements and time limits are checked for each file.

  • Defect claim: agreed features and time of delivery.
  • Safety risk: hazard, notification and corrective action.
  • Damage claim: damage, causation and responsible party.
  • Evidence: preservation of vehicles, parts, records and dates.

PREVENTIVE LAW

Regular legal advisory for recurring issues

The common provisions of supply, dealer, service and rental contracts can be reviewed together with complaint responses, work orders and delivery records. Contract clauses that do not match practice, and the sources of recurring disputes, are identified and priority work is planned.

Within ongoing legal advisory, permit and contract monitoring, employee relations, data processes and the limits of management reporting are set out in writing. The scope and fees for litigation, special projects, technical review and foreign law support are agreed separately.

Preventive Law and Risk Management

OUR APPROACH

From the business model to a concrete work plan

  1. Identifying your role and needs

    We determine your capacity as manufacturer, importer, dealer, service provider, platform or user, the intended transaction, the countries concerned and the counterparties. Matter acceptance and a conflict-of-interest check are carried out.

  2. Comparing the records

    We reconstruct the sequence of events from contracts, orders, chassis or parts information, delivery documents, work orders and correspondence. We prioritize approaching deadlines and the risk of losing evidence.

  3. Options and scope

    We assess the claim, the responsible party and the available route; where necessary, we define a separate technical or financial expert review. We explain the scope of work, the fees and the communication arrangements.

  4. Execution and updates

    Depending on the engagement, we carry out contract negotiation, applications or dispute follow-up. We share developments and points requiring a new decision through the agreed communication arrangement.

PREPARING FOR A CONSULTATION

A short summary first, then the documents needed

In the first communication, you do not need to send the entire vehicle or customer archive. The basic information below provides a starting point for the assessment.
  • Your or your business's role in the transaction; counterparties, vehicle or service type, and a short summary of the matter.
  • Dates of order, delivery, first fault, service request, notice and response; any upcoming service-of-notice or application deadline.
  • Related sales, supply, dealer, service, rental, charging or software contracts and their annexes relevant to the dispute.
  • Where available, invoices, delivery documents, work orders, warranty certificates, expert appraisal or technical reports, and the key correspondence between the parties.
  • Additional records that may be needed once the scope is defined: chassis and parts information, maintenance history, photographs, vehicle software version, event records and relevant permit documents.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions on legal assessment in automotive and mobility

Can a direct replacement or a refund of the price be requested for a defective vehicle?

If the transaction is a consumer transaction, depending on the existence of the defect and the applicable conditions, remedies such as repair, replacement with a defect-free equivalent, reduction of the price or rescission of the contract may come into play. These do not produce an automatic result for every fault; the party against whom the claim is directed, the feasibility and proportionality conditions, and the evidence are reviewed. The purchase of a vehicle for commercial purposes is assessed separately.

Can a consumer application be filed for a vehicle bought in a company's name?

The name on the invoice or the type of vehicle alone is not sufficient. The buyer's legal status, the commercial or professional purpose of the transaction and the nature of the claim are determined. Accordingly, the route for a consumer or commercial dispute is chosen; the same form and procedure do not apply to every vehicle purchase.

Can a legal assessment be made without a service report?

Yes, one can start with the existing documents. Which technical examination is required is determined later; if there is an approaching deadline, completion of the report is not awaited. Records of the faulty part, maintenance and work orders must be preserved. A lawyer's legal review does not replace an engineering report or a vehicle expert appraisal.

Are the rules for used vehicle sales and dealership activity the same?

No. The nature of the seller's or vehicle owner's activity, the status of the authorization certificate, and the nature of the vehicle and the transaction are determined. In used vehicle trade, obligations relating to expert appraisal, listing, payment and sales documents are assessed separately. A person selling their own vehicle is not equated with a commercial activity.

Does compensation always arise when a dealer agreement ends?

No. The legal nature of the agreement, the reason and form of termination, notices, the parties' obligations and the conditions of the relevant claim are assessed together. Stock, investments, security and customer relationships are reviewed separately. An equalization claim and a claim for damages for breach of contract are not the same claim.

Is a service campaign always a product recall?

No. The purpose of the work, the safety risk, the technical findings and the involvement of the competent authority are determined. Repair under warranty, an improvement campaign and a recall for safety reasons can have different consequences. The name given to the process does not by itself determine the obligations.

Is an Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK) license always required to install a charging station?

The same path is not followed in every model. Operating a charging network under a license and operating a station under a certificate from a licensed network are different. Units that do not carry on commercial activity and serve only their own needs are assessed separately. The distinction between license and certificate does not remove the review of site use, electrical connection and any other applicable permits.

How is a damage charge requested at the end of a rental assessed?

Handover and return reports, dated images, terms of use, previous damage, the basis for repair and the insurance provisions are compared. The existence and scope of the damage and its relationship to the amount claimed are determined. It is not assumed that every additional charge in the contract is automatically valid or can be deducted directly from the security deposit.

Are user terms and explicit consent sufficient in a mobility app?

Not on their own. The service offered by the app, the role of the intermediary or provider, the payment flow, the information given to consumers and the purposes of data processing are considered together. It is not assumed that every data processing activity requires explicit consent; an appropriate legal basis, notice, security, retention and transfer conditions are assessed separately.

Can we meet about a matter outside Antalya or one involving a foreign party?

Yes. For automotive and mobility transactions throughout Türkiye, we can provide services from our Antalya office, subject to assessment and engagement. Online consultations are possible. For foreign transactions connected to Türkiye, the applicable law and any need for local representation are determined separately; communication in four languages does not mean authority to represent in every country.

RELATED LEGAL SERVICES

More detailed information based on your matter

For the specific legal dimension of your sector-related need, you can move to the relevant practice area.

GÜNEŞ & GÜNEŞ LAW FIRM

Request a consultation for your automotive activity or dispute

Please briefly state your role in the transaction, the subject, the parties involved and any upcoming date. Our client relations assistant will direct your request to the relevant review.

We will respond to your request within 48 hours. The scope of the consultation and, where applicable, its fee are communicated before your appointment is confirmed. This period is not a deadline for delivering a detailed legal opinion. For urgent matters or those requiring special timing, you may contact us via the main line or WhatsApp.

Contact via WhatsApp (opens in a new tab)info@gunesgunes.com

A consultation request and the sharing of documents do not by themselves mean that a matter has been accepted, that we represent you, or that time limits are being monitored. The scope, fees and working terms are determined separately.