{"id":5158,"date":"2026-08-02T09:48:55","date_gmt":"2026-08-02T07:48:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/knowledge-base\/used-car-dealer-warranty-germany\/"},"modified":"2026-08-02T09:48:55","modified_gmt":"2026-08-02T07:48:55","slug":"used-car-dealer-warranty-germany","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/used-car-dealer-warranty-germany\/","title":{"rendered":"Used car dealer warranty in Germany: ticked-box disclaimers do not strip your rights"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<div id=\"progress\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\r\n\r\n<!-- EN version of odstapienie-od-umowy-kupna-samochodu-niemcy. Sources verified 02.08.2026:\r\n     OLG Koeln, judgment of 09.04.2025 - 11 U 20\/24 (FULL TEXT, NRWE), LG Bonn 16.02.2024 - 19 O 165\/23,\r\n     BGH 10.10.2007 - VIII ZR 330\/06 (dejure), OLG Hamm 18.12.2008 - 28 U 17\/08 (FULL TEXT, NRWE),\r\n     BT-Drs. 19\/27424 p. 42 (official PDF). \u00a7\u00a7 323, 346, 434, 437, 438, 442, 474, 475, 475d, 476 BGB\r\n     checked at gesetze-im-internet.de as of 02.08.2026. -->\r\n<header>\r\n  <div class=\"wrap\">\r\n    <a href=\"\/en\/\" class=\"brand\" aria-label=\"BWLAW \u2013 home\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/bwlaw-child-1\/assets\/img\/logo-bw.png\" alt=\"BWLAW \u2013 law firm in Germany\" width=\"42\" height=\"28\"><\/a>\r\n    <nav aria-label=\"Main navigation\">\r\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/construction-law\/\">Construction law<\/a>\r\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/debt-collection\/\">Debt collection<\/a>\r\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/company-formation\/\">Corporate law<\/a>\r\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/employment-law\/\">Employment law<\/a>\r\n      <a href=\"\/en\/defective-car-from-germany\/\">Cars<\/a>\r\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/\" class=\"active\">Knowledge base<\/a>\r\n      <a href=\"\/en\/#zespol\">Team<\/a>\r\n    <\/nav>\r\n    <div class=\"lang\" role=\"group\" aria-label=\"Language\">\r\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/used-car-dealer-warranty-germany\/\" class=\"active\" lang=\"en\" hreflang=\"en\" aria-current=\"true\">EN<\/a>\r\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/wissen\/gebrauchtwagen-haendler-gewaehrleistung\/\" lang=\"de\" hreflang=\"de\" aria-label=\"German version of this article\">DE<\/a>\r\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/pl\/baza-wiedzy\/odstapienie-od-umowy-kupna-samochodu-niemcy\/\" lang=\"pl\" hreflang=\"pl\" aria-label=\"Polish version of this article\">PL<\/a>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/defective-car-from-germany\/#kontakt\" class=\"btn\">Contact a lawyer <span class=\"arr\">\u2192<\/span><\/a>\r\n    <button class=\"burger\" aria-label=\"Menu\">\u2630<\/button>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/header>\r\n\r\n<section class=\"shero\" style=\"padding-bottom:3.5rem\">\r\n  <div class=\"glow\"><\/div>\r\n  <div class=\"wrap\" style=\"grid-template-columns:1fr\">\r\n    <div>\r\n      <nav class=\"crumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\"><a href=\"\/en\/\">Home<\/a><span>\/<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/\">Knowledge base<\/a><span>\/<\/span><b>Cars<\/b><\/nav>\r\n      <span class=\"eyebrow\">Cars<\/span>\r\n      <h1 style=\"max-width:32ch\">Used car dealer warranty in Germany: ticked-box disclaimers do not strip your rights<\/h1>\r\n      <p class=\"lead\">The dealer handed you a purchase form with checkboxes \u2014 \u201eno liability for accident-free condition&#8221;, because \u201ethe vehicle is used and its history unknown&#8221;? In its judgment of 9 April 2025 (11 U 20\/24), the Higher Regional Court (OLG) of Cologne held such clauses ineffective against consumers. The buyer of an undisclosed accident car rescinded the contract and recovered his money, even though he had ticked every box and signed the form.<\/p>\r\n      <div class=\"art-meta\">\r\n        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/bwlaw-child-1\/assets\/img\/dr-artur-barczewski.webp\" alt=\"Dr. Artur Barczewski\" width=\"46\" height=\"46\" loading=\"lazy\">\r\n        <div><b>Dr. Artur Barczewski<\/b>Rechtsanwalt \u00b7 attorney-at-law<\/div>\r\n        <div style=\"margin-left:1rem;border-left:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.25);padding-left:1rem\">\u2248 9 min read<br>updated: August 2026<\/div>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n\r\n<article class=\"sec\">\r\n  <div class=\"wrap\">\r\n    <div class=\"prose rv\" style=\"font-size:1.02rem\">\r\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">What did the OLG K\u00f6ln decide in case 11 U 20\/24?<\/h3>\r\n      <p>The OLG K\u00f6ln ordered the dealer to repay 11,654.35 euros concurrently against return and retransfer of the car (Zug um Zug), and declared that the dealer is in default of acceptance (judgment of 9 April 2025, 11 U 20\/24, no leave to appeal to the Federal Court of Justice). The court of first instance (LG Bonn, judgment of 16 February 2024, 19 O 165\/23) had dismissed the claim \u2014 the buyer&#8217;s appeal was largely successful.<\/p>\r\n      <p>The facts are everyday used-car business. In 2023 a consumer bought a passenger car more than 16 years old with 112,000 km on the clock from a dealer for 11,999 euros. He paid 6,999 euros in cash and traded in his previous car for 5,000 euros (trade-in \u2014 Inzahlungnahme). Page 2 of the 3-page contract form contained a block of \u201enegative quality agreements&#8221; (negative Beschaffenheitsvereinbarungen) with boxes to tick, including:<\/p>\r\n      <blockquote style=\"margin:1.6rem 0;padding:1.2rem 1.5rem;background:rgba(194,85,49,.08);border-left:3px solid var(--terra);border-radius:0 14px 14px 0\">\r\n        <p style=\"font-style:italic;margin-bottom:.7rem\">\u201eDer Verk\u00e4ufer \u00fcbernimmt keine Haftung auf Unfallfreiheit, Nachlackierungen\/Spachtelarbeiten, da das Fahrzeug gebraucht und die Fahrzeughistorie nicht bekannt ist.\u201c<\/p>\r\n        <p style=\"margin-bottom:.7rem\">\u201eThe seller assumes no liability for accident-free condition, repainting\/filler work, since the vehicle is used and the vehicle history is not known.\u201c<\/p>\r\n        <p style=\"font-size:.85rem;color:var(--ink-soft);margin:0\">contract form, quoted in the judgment of the OLG K\u00f6ln of 9 April 2025, 11 U 20\/24 \u2014 our translation<\/p>\r\n      <\/blockquote>\r\n      <blockquote style=\"margin:1.6rem 0;padding:1.2rem 1.5rem;background:rgba(194,85,49,.08);border-left:3px solid var(--terra);border-radius:0 14px 14px 0\">\r\n        <p style=\"font-style:italic;margin-bottom:.7rem\">\u201eEs ist m\u00f6glich, dass das Fahrzeug einen oder mehrere Unf\u00e4lle hatte. Fr\u00fchere Unf\u00e4lle, Nachlackierungen, Spachtelarbeiten oder infolge dessen entstehenden weiteren Sch\u00e4den an jeglichen Bauteilen sind von der Haftung ausgeschlossen.\u201c<\/p>\r\n        <p style=\"margin-bottom:.7rem\">\u201eIt is possible that the vehicle has had one or more accidents. Earlier accidents, repainting, filler work or further damage to any components resulting from them are excluded from liability.\u201c<\/p>\r\n        <p style=\"font-size:.85rem;color:var(--ink-soft);margin:0\">contract form, quoted in the judgment of the OLG K\u00f6ln of 9 April 2025, 11 U 20\/24 \u2014 our translation<\/p>\r\n      <\/blockquote>\r\n      <p>A third checkbox confirmed that the buyer was \u201eaware of this&#8221; and acted at his own expense and risk. Shortly after handover the car began to judder while driving. An inspection revealed numerous repainted components \u2014 the car had been in at least one accident.<\/p>\r\n\r\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">Is a repaired accident car still defective?<\/h3>\r\n      <p>Yes. Prior accident damage makes a car defective under the objective requirements of \u00a7 434 (3) of the German Civil Code (BGB) \u2014 no matter how carefully the damage was repaired. A used-car buyer has to accept ordinary wear and tear appropriate to age and mileage. Absent special circumstances, however, the buyer may assume that the vehicle has not been in an accident causing more than trivial damage (Federal Court of Justice, judgment of 10 October 2007, VIII ZR 330\/06).<\/p>\r\n      <p>Only minor superficial paint damage counts as trivial. Numerous repainted components \u2014 as in the Cologne case \u2014 rule that out. They point to more substantial damage, and the stigma remains: the market pays less for an accident car (merkantiler Minderwert \u2014 loss of resale value), even if it runs perfectly.<\/p>\r\n\r\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">Can a dealer exclude warranty rights in a contract with a consumer?<\/h3>\r\n      <p>No. In a consumer sale (Verbrauchsg\u00fcterkauf, \u00a7 474 (1) BGB) the trader cannot rely on any agreement made before a defect was reported that deviates from the statutory liability for defects to the consumer&#8217;s disadvantage (\u00a7 476 (1) sentence 1 BGB). The classic blanket warranty exclusion that works between private individuals is ineffective in a dealer-consumer contract. This is the legal position since 1 January 2022, shaped by the EU Sale of Goods Directive 2019\/771, and it applies to all contracts concluded since then.<\/p>\r\n      <p>Since the 2022 reform, agreements on the car&#8217;s condition no longer automatically override the objective requirements in consumer sales. The law leaves the trader one narrow path \u2014 a so-called negative quality agreement under the conditions of \u00a7 476 (1) sentence 2 BGB. The OLG K\u00f6ln put its essence like this:<\/p>\r\n      <blockquote style=\"margin:1.6rem 0;padding:1.2rem 1.5rem;background:rgba(194,85,49,.08);border-left:3px solid var(--terra);border-radius:0 14px 14px 0\">\r\n        <p style=\"font-style:italic;margin-bottom:.7rem\">\u201eSoll zulasten des Verbrauchers von den objektiven Anforderungen durch eine Beschaffenheitsvereinbarung abgewichen werden (negative Beschaffenheitsvereinbarung), muss er vor Vertragsschluss von der konkreten Abweichung eigens in Kenntnis gesetzt werden und dieser gesondert zustimmen.\u201c<\/p>\r\n        <p style=\"margin-bottom:.7rem\">\u201eIf a quality agreement is to deviate from the objective requirements to the consumer&#8217;s disadvantage (negative quality agreement), the consumer must be specifically informed of the concrete deviation before conclusion of the contract and must separately consent to it.\u201c<\/p>\r\n        <p style=\"font-size:.85rem;color:var(--ink-soft);margin:0\">OLG K\u00f6ln, judgment of 9 April 2025, 11 U 20\/24 \u2014 our translation<\/p>\r\n      <\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">What formal requirements must the clause meet?<\/h3>\r\n      <p>Two, cumulatively (\u00a7 476 (1) sentence 2 nos. 1 and 2 BGB). First, before making the contractual declaration the consumer must be specifically informed that a particular characteristic of the goods deviates from the objective requirements \u2014 for example: \u201eaccident damage to the left side, door and sill replaced&#8221;. Second, that deviation must be expressly and separately agreed in the contract.<\/p>\r\n      <p>The explanatory memorandum to the government bill (Bundestag printed paper 19\/27424, p. 42) spells out what \u201eseparately&#8221; means: the deviation must be highlighted so that the consumer consciously factors it into the purchase decision. It must not be tucked away among numerous other provisions of a standard form or in general terms and conditions, and the consumer must give specific consent \u2014 a pre-ticked box which the buyer merely fails to untick is not enough.<\/p>\r\n      <p>The Cologne form failed both tests. In substance the seller communicated only that she did not know the car and that an accident was \u201epossible&#8221; \u2014 that is no notification of particular characteristics. And the clauses were printed in the same font size as the rest of the contract, on page 2 of 3, without highlighting and without a separate signature \u2014 nothing about them was \u201eexpress and separate&#8221;.<\/p>\r\n\r\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">Why is the clause \u201ethe car may have had accidents&#8221; a circumvention of the law?<\/h3>\r\n      <p>Because it describes no concrete characteristic of the car being sold and merely shifts the risk of hidden defects onto the consumer. A negative quality agreement must be descriptive: the seller tells the buyer what the car is actually like. Wording such as \u201em\u00f6glicherweise mangelhaft&#8221; (possibly defective) or \u201eeventuell nicht unfallfrei&#8221; (may not be accident-free) describes nothing \u2014 after reading it the buyer still does not know whether the car deviates from the objective requirements or not. The warning function the statute intends is defeated. The OLG K\u00f6ln summed up:<\/p>\r\n      <blockquote style=\"margin:1.6rem 0;padding:1.2rem 1.5rem;background:rgba(194,85,49,.08);border-left:3px solid var(--terra);border-radius:0 14px 14px 0\">\r\n        <p style=\"font-style:italic;margin-bottom:.7rem\">\u201eEine solche Bestimmung stellt letztlich eine Umgehung i.S.v. \u00a7 476 Abs. 4 BGB dar, n\u00e4mlich eine Beschaffenheitsvereinbarung, durch die das Risiko des Bestehens verborgener M\u00e4ngel auf den Verbraucher abgew\u00e4lzt werden soll.\u201c<\/p>\r\n        <p style=\"margin-bottom:.7rem\">\u201eSuch a provision ultimately amounts to a circumvention within the meaning of \u00a7 476 (4) BGB \u2014 a quality agreement designed to shift the risk of hidden defects onto the consumer.\u201c<\/p>\r\n        <p style=\"font-size:.85rem;color:var(--ink-soft);margin:0\">OLG K\u00f6ln, judgment of 9 April 2025, 11 U 20\/24 \u2014 our translation<\/p>\r\n      <\/blockquote>\r\n      <p>The same logic defeats related dealer techniques. We cover the blanket label \u201eBastlerfahrzeug&#8221; (hobbyist&#8217;s car) in the article on a <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/car-sold-as-bastlerfahrzeug-germany\/\">car sold as a Bastlerfahrzeug<\/a>, and the invoice note \u201enicht unfallfrei&#8221; (not accident-free) in our article on an <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/accident-damaged-car-germany\/\">accident-damaged car from Germany<\/a>. In that second case the Regional Court of Cologne relied expressly on the OLG judgment discussed here.<\/p>\r\n\r\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">Does it hurt the buyer that he inspected the car before buying?<\/h3>\r\n      <p>No. In a consumer sale, even the buyer&#8217;s positive knowledge of the defect at the time of contracting leaves his rights untouched. \u00a7 442 BGB, which imposes that sanction in ordinary sales, is expressly disapplied in consumer sales by \u00a7 475 (3) sentence 2 BGB. The OLG K\u00f6ln disposed of the dealer&#8217;s objection in one sentence:<\/p>\r\n      <blockquote style=\"margin:1.6rem 0;padding:1.2rem 1.5rem;background:rgba(194,85,49,.08);border-left:3px solid var(--terra);border-radius:0 14px 14px 0\">\r\n        <p style=\"font-style:italic;margin-bottom:.7rem\">\u201eMangelkenntnis reicht beim Verbrauchsg\u00fcterkauf nicht aus f\u00fcr einen Ausschluss der Gew\u00e4hrleistungsrechte \u00fcber \u00a7 476 BGB hinaus.\u201c<\/p>\r\n        <p style=\"margin-bottom:.7rem\">\u201eIn a consumer sale, knowledge of the defect does not suffice to exclude warranty rights beyond the limits of \u00a7 476 BGB.\u201c<\/p>\r\n        <p style=\"font-size:.85rem;color:var(--ink-soft);margin:0\">OLG K\u00f6ln, judgment of 9 April 2025, 11 U 20\/24 \u2014 our translation<\/p>\r\n      <\/blockquote>\r\n      <p>In practice this means that viewing the car, a test drive or the popular line \u201eyou saw what you were buying&#8221; changes nothing. All that matters is whether the seller complied with \u00a7 476 (1) sentence 2 BGB.<\/p>\r\n\r\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">Was the defect not too minor to justify rescission?<\/h3>\r\n      <p>No. Rescission is barred only where the breach is immaterial (\u00a7 323 (5) sentence 2 BGB), and accident-car status is no trifle. The OLG K\u00f6ln stressed two points. First, repair (Nachbesserung) cannot remove the car&#8217;s status as an accident vehicle \u2014 this defect is incurable. Second, with numerous repainted components the damage is in any event not immaterial, and the dealer had not even argued that the loss of resale value was negligible.<\/p>\r\n      <p>For buyers this is an important practical point: with an incurable defect of this kind, rescission does not fail for want of a prior repair request. As a rule we still recommend the classic sequence \u2014 written notice of the defect, demand for cure, only then rescission. It is the safest course in evidential terms, and since 2022 consumers no longer need to set a formal deadline anyway (\u00a7 475d (1) BGB).<\/p>\r\n\r\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">How is the unwinding calculated \u2014 trade-in car and kilometres driven?<\/h3>\r\n      <p>After rescission each party returns what it received (\u00a7 346 (1) BGB): the buyer hands back the car, the seller refunds the price. Two features of the Cologne case come up constantly in practice.<\/p>\r\n      <p>First, the traded-in old car. A buyer who traded in his previous vehicle can in principle demand the return of that very car in kind \u2014 not payment of the agreed trade-in allowance (OLG Hamm, judgment of 18 December 2008, 28 U 17\/08). If the dealer has already resold the old car, return in kind is off the table and the buyer receives monetary compensation for its value (\u00a7 346 (2) sentence 1 no. 2 BGB). In the Cologne case that was the full 5,000 euros credited on the trade-in.<\/p>\r\n      <p>Second, compensation for use (Nutzungsersatz). The refund is reduced for the kilometres driven, usually on a straight-line basis: price \u00d7 kilometres driven \/ expected remaining mileage. In line with its settled practice the OLG K\u00f6ln assumed a total vehicle life of 300,000 km. The buyer had driven 5,400 km, so the deduction came to 11,999 euros \u00d7 5,400 km \/ 188,000 km of remaining mileage = 344.65 euros. The bottom line: the dealer had to repay 11,999 \u2212 344.65 = 11,654.35 euros (including the 5,000 euros as compensation for the resold trade-in car), and the buyer returned the vehicle.<\/p>\r\n      <p>Bought a defective car in Germany and considering rescission? We handle such cases in English, German and Polish \u2014 from the letter to the seller through to court. Details on our page about a <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/defective-car-from-germany\/\">defective car from Germany<\/a>. Different rules apply to company purchases \u2014 see our article on <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/warranty-exclusion-used-car-germany\/\">warranty exclusions in B2B deals<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n\r\n    <div class=\"hl rv\" style=\"max-width:760px\">\r\n      <span class=\"eyebrow\">Checklist<\/span>\r\n      <h3>The dealer points to ticked boxes in the contract?<\/h3>\r\n      <p>Check the clause content: concrete damage named (what, where, to what extent) or only \u201epossible accidents&#8221; and an \u201eunknown history&#8221; \u2014 blanket wording is ineffective. Check the form: the deviation must be highlighted and separately signed, a checkbox in a form (let alone a pre-ticked one) is not enough. Secure the contract, the advertisement (screenshot!), correspondence and the handover protocol. Have the paintwork and vehicle history checked \u2014 coating thickness, repainting, filler traces. Notify the seller of the defect in writing and demand cure, a formal deadline is not required (\u00a7 475d (1) BGB) but setting one is safer. Traded-in old car \u2014 demand its return in kind, or monetary compensation if it has been resold. Watch the clock: warranty claims are generally time-barred two years after handover (\u00a7 438 (1) no. 3 BGB).<\/p>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n\r\n    <div class=\"prose rv\" style=\"font-size:1.02rem\">\r\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">Frequently asked questions<\/h3>\r\n      <p><strong>I ticked the boxes about \u201epossible accidents&#8221;. Have I lost my rights?<\/strong><br>No. According to the OLG K\u00f6ln (judgment of 9 April 2025, 11 U 20\/24), clauses about \u201epossible&#8221; accidents describe no concrete characteristic of the car and merely shift the risk of hidden defects onto the consumer \u2014 a circumvention of the law (\u00a7 476 (4) BGB). Only specific notification of a concrete deviation plus separate consent would be effective (\u00a7 476 (1) sentence 2 BGB).<\/p>\r\n      <p><strong>The seller says he did not know the car&#8217;s history himself. Does that excuse him?<\/strong><br>No. Liability for defects does not depend on the seller&#8217;s fault or knowledge. A trader who does not know the condition of the vehicle bears the risk of hidden defects vis-\u00e0-vis the consumer \u2014 which is exactly why he cannot shift that risk onto the buyer by a clause.<\/p>\r\n      <p><strong>The car drives fine after repair. Can I still rescind?<\/strong><br>Yes, if it was sold to you without effective disclosure of the accident history. Repair does not remove the car&#8217;s status as an accident vehicle, and the market values accident cars lower (loss of resale value). Immateriality of the defect, which would bar rescission (\u00a7 323 (5) sentence 2 BGB), is out of the question with numerous repainted components.<\/p>\r\n      <p><strong>I traded in my old car. What happens to it after rescission?<\/strong><br>In principle you can demand the return of your car in kind, not payment of the trade-in allowance (OLG Hamm, judgment of 18 December 2008, 28 U 17\/08). If the dealer has already resold it, you are entitled to monetary compensation (\u00a7 346 (2) sentence 1 no. 2 BGB) \u2014 in the Cologne case the full 5,000 euros.<\/p>\r\n      <p><strong>How much is deducted for the kilometres I drove?<\/strong><br>Usually on a straight-line basis: price \u00d7 kilometres driven \/ expected remaining mileage. In the Cologne case \u2014 price 11,999 euros, 5,400 km driven, assumed total life 300,000 km \u2014 the deduction was 344.65 euros. The less you drive after discovering the defect, the smaller the deduction.<\/p>\r\n      <p><strong>I live outside Germany. Can you handle the case remotely?<\/strong><br>Yes. We handle disputes over cars bought in Germany in English, German and Polish, correspondence with the seller and the court is electronic, and you can send us all documents online.<\/p>\r\n\r\n      <p style=\"font-size:.85rem;color:var(--ink-soft)\">Sources: OLG K\u00f6ln, judgment of 9 April 2025 \u2014 11 U 20\/24 (no leave to appeal). LG Bonn, judgment of 16 February 2024 \u2014 19 O 165\/23. BGH, judgment of 10 October 2007 \u2014 VIII ZR 330\/06. OLG Hamm, judgment of 18 December 2008 \u2014 28 U 17\/08. Explanatory memorandum: Bundestag printed paper 19\/27424, p. 42. \u00a7\u00a7 323, 346, 434, 437, 438, 442, 474, 475, 475d, 476 BGB.<\/p>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n\r\n    <div class=\"mini-cta rv\"><b>Bought a car in Germany with \u201epossible accidents&#8221; checkboxes in the contract \u2014 and it turned out to be accident-damaged?<\/b><span style=\"color:var(--ink-soft);font-size:.92rem\">Send us the contract, the advert and the workshop diagnosis \u2014 we will assess whether the clauses hold and what you can claim from the seller. In English, German and Polish.<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/defective-car-from-germany\/#kontakt\" class=\"btn\">Send documents for review <span class=\"arr\">\u2192<\/span><\/a><\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"prose rv\" style=\"margin-top:1.5rem\">\r\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.1rem\">Related topics<\/h3>\r\n      <div class=\"chips\" style=\"margin-top:.8rem\">\r\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/accident-damaged-car-germany\/\">Accident-damaged car from Germany \u2192<\/a>\r\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/car-sold-as-bastlerfahrzeug-germany\/\">Car sold \u201eas a Bastlerfahrzeug&#8221; \u2192<\/a>\r\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/warranty-exclusion-used-car-germany\/\">Warranty exclusion in B2B car purchases \u2192<\/a>\r\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/car-from-germany-broke-down-after-purchase\/\">Car broke down after purchase \u2014 burden of proof \u2192<\/a>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/article>\r\n\r\n<section class=\"sec alt\">\r\n  <div class=\"wrap\">\r\n    <div class=\"lawyer rv\">\r\n      <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/bwlaw-child-1\/assets\/img\/dr-artur-barczewski.webp\" alt=\"Dr. Artur Barczewski \u2013 author of the article\" loading=\"lazy\">\r\n      <div>\r\n        <b>Dr. Artur Barczewski<\/b>\r\n        <div class=\"role\">Rechtsanwalt \u00b7 attorney-at-law<\/div>\r\n        <p>Author of this article. Represents clients before courts across Germany. <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/team\/artur-barczewski\/\">Meet the author \u2192<\/a><\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n\r\n<section class=\"cta-end\">\r\n  <div class=\"glow\"><\/div>\r\n  <div class=\"wrap\">\r\n    <span class=\"eyebrow rv\">Contact<\/span>\r\n    <h2 class=\"rv d1\">Does your situation look similar?<\/h2>\r\n    <p class=\"rv d2\">Every case has details that change the outcome. Describe yours \u2014 you will receive a concrete answer and a fee overview.<\/p>\r\n    <div class=\"row rv d3\">\r\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/defective-car-from-germany\/#kontakt\" class=\"btn\">Describe your case <span class=\"arr\">\u2192<\/span><\/a>\r\n      <a href=\"tel:+4933555310969\" class=\"phone\">\u260e +49 335 553 10969<\/a>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n\r\n<footer>\r\n  <div class=\"wrap\">\r\n    <div class=\"foot-grid\">\r\n      <div>\r\n        <div class=\"foot-brand\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/bwlaw-child-1\/assets\/img\/logo-bw.png\" alt=\"BWLAW logo\" width=\"38\" height=\"26\"><\/div>\r\n        <p>Kanzlei Dr. Barczewski &amp; Dr. Wr\u00f3blewska GbR<br>Rudolf-Breitscheid-Stra\u00dfe 10<br>15230 Frankfurt (Oder), Germany<br><a href=\"tel:+4933555310969\">+49 335 553 10969<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"mailto:info@bwlaw.de\">info@bwlaw.de<\/a><\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div>\r\n        <div class=\"foot-h\">Practice areas<\/div>\r\n        <ul>\r\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/construction-law\/\">Construction law \/ VOB\/B<\/a><\/li>\r\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/employment-law\/\">Employment law<\/a><\/li>\r\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/debt-collection\/\">Debt collection<\/a><\/li>\r\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/company-formation\/\">Corporate law<\/a><\/li>\r\n          <li><a href=\"\/en\/defective-car-from-germany\/\">Defective car from Germany<\/a><\/li>\r\n        <\/ul>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div>\r\n        <div class=\"foot-h\">Legal<\/div>\r\n        <ul>\r\n          <li><a href=\"\/en\/\">Home<\/a><\/li>\r\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/\">Knowledge base<\/a><\/li>\r\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/impressum\/\">Legal notice (Impressum)<\/a><\/li>\r\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/privacy-policy\/\">Privacy policy<\/a><\/li>\r\n        <\/ul>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"foot-bottom\">\r\n      <span>\u00a9 2026 BWLAW \u00b7 Kanzlei Dr. Barczewski &amp; Dr. Wr\u00f3blewska GbR<\/span>\r\n      <span>Rechtsanw\u00e4lte \u00b7 attorneys-at-law \u00b7 Frankfurt (Oder)<\/span>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/footer>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"sticky-cta\">\r\n  <a href=\"tel:+4933555310969\" class=\"call\">\u260e Call us<\/a>\r\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/defective-car-from-germany\/#kontakt\" class=\"book\">Describe your case<\/a>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\r\n{\r\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\r\n  \"@graph\": [\r\n    {\r\n      \"@type\": \"Article\",\r\n      \"headline\": \"Used car dealer warranty in Germany: ticked-box disclaimers do not strip your rights\",\r\n      \"description\": \"Ticked boxes about \u201epossible accidents\u201c do not waive your warranty rights. OLG K\u00f6ln (11 U 20\/24): the consumer rescinded and recovered 11,654.35 euros.\",\r\n      \"inLanguage\": \"en\",\r\n      \"author\": { \"@type\": \"Person\", \"name\": \"Dr. Artur Barczewski\", \"url\": \"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/team\/artur-barczewski\/\" },\r\n      \"publisher\": { \"@type\": \"LegalService\", \"address\": { \"@type\": \"PostalAddress\", \"streetAddress\": \"Rudolf-Breitscheid-Stra\u00dfe 10\", \"postalCode\": \"15230\", \"addressLocality\": \"Frankfurt (Oder)\", \"addressRegion\": \"Brandenburg\", \"addressCountry\": \"DE\" }, \"name\": \"BWLAW \u2013 Kanzlei Dr. Barczewski & Dr. Wr\u00f3blewska GbR\", \"url\": \"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/\" },\r\n      \"datePublished\": \"2026-08-02\",\r\n      \"dateModified\": \"2026-08-02\",\r\n      \"mainEntityOfPage\": \"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/used-car-dealer-warranty-germany\/\"\r\n    },\r\n    {\r\n      \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\r\n      \"mainEntity\": [\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"I ticked the boxes about \u201epossible accidents\u201c. Have I lost my rights?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"No. According to the OLG K\u00f6ln (11 U 20\/24), clauses about possible accidents describe no concrete characteristic of the car and merely shift the risk of hidden defects onto the consumer \u2014 a circumvention of the law (\u00a7 476 (4) BGB). Only specific notification of a concrete deviation plus separate consent would be effective.\" }\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"The seller says he did not know the car's history himself. Does that excuse him?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"No. Liability for defects does not depend on the seller's fault or knowledge. A trader who does not know the condition of the vehicle bears the risk of hidden defects vis-\u00e0-vis the consumer \u2014 which is exactly why he cannot shift that risk onto the buyer by a clause.\" }\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"The car drives fine after repair. Can I still rescind?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Yes, if it was sold without effective disclosure of the accident history. Repair does not remove the car's status as an accident vehicle, and the market values accident cars lower. Immateriality of the defect is out of the question with numerous repainted components (\u00a7 323 (5) sentence 2 BGB).\" }\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"I traded in my old car. What happens to it after rescission?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"In principle you can demand the return of your car in kind, not payment of the trade-in allowance (OLG Hamm, 28 U 17\/08). If the dealer has already resold it, you are entitled to monetary compensation (\u00a7 346 (2) sentence 1 no. 2 BGB) \u2014 in the Cologne case the full 5,000 euros.\" }\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"How much is deducted for the kilometres I drove?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Usually on a straight-line basis: price \u00d7 kilometres driven \/ expected remaining mileage. In the Cologne case \u2014 price 11,999 euros, 5,400 km driven, assumed total life 300,000 km \u2014 the deduction was 344.65 euros.\" }\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"I live outside Germany. Can you handle the case remotely?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Yes. We handle disputes over cars bought in Germany in English, German and Polish, correspondence with the seller and the court runs electronically, and documents can be sent online.\" }\r\n        }\r\n      ]\r\n    }\r\n  ]\r\n}\r\n<\/script>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Construction law Debt collection Corporate law Employment law Cars Knowledge base Team EN DE PL Contact a lawyer \u2192 \u2630 Home\/Knowledge base\/Cars Cars Used car dealer warranty in Germany: ticked-box disclaimers do not strip your rights The dealer handed you a purchase form with checkboxes \u2014 \u201eno liability for accident-free condition&#8221;, because \u201ethe vehicle is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":4417,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-bwlaw-page.php","meta":{"footnotes":"","rank_math_title":"Used car dealer warranty in Germany \u2014 OLG K\u00f6ln | BWLAW","rank_math_description":"Ticked boxes about \"possible accidents\" do not waive your warranty rights. OLG K\u00f6ln (11 U 20\/24): the consumer rescinded and recovered 11,654.35 \u20ac.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"used car dealer warranty germany","rank_math_robots":[]},"class_list":["post-5158","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"bwlaw_import":{"lang":"en","template":"template-bwlaw-page.php"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5158","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5158"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5158\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4417"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5158"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}