Defective Car Repairs

While car repairs are necessary to maintain a functioning vehicle, getting them done can be incredibly costly and time-consuming. Even with a fair amount of knowledge and know-how, car owners are typically at the mercy of mechanics — and unfortunately, defective and fraudulent repairs are all too common.

According to a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), researchers estimated that total consumer losses from defective, unnecessary, fraudulent, or misdiagnosed repairs could be as high as 17.4 billion dollars each year. This NHTSA study based its model on 15 different problem areas:

1. Failure to perform needed preventive maintenance
2. Unnecessary replacement of a component, when it is more economical to wait until it fails

3. Failure to detect faults before they become critical
4. Too much time between maintenance work
5. Superfluous maintenance
6. Inadequate diagnosis of the problem
7. Attempts to sell unneeded repairs with possible fraudulent intent
8. Failure to detect potential intended fraud before repairs
9. Failure to detect possible fraud after repairs
10. Work charged for and never performed
11. Failure to resolve possible fraud
12. Package deals which are not in the consumers’ interest
13. Instances of faulty repair
14. Failure to detect defective repair
15. Failure to address faulty repair

The best way to mitigate these potential costs is to educate yourself as much as possible on your vehicle, as well as any common issues it may face. This way, you can be more informed when taking your car in for repairs at any shop. If your car does need repairs, it may be beneficial to get quotes from several mechanics, dealerships, and independent shops before having your repairs completed.

Hurt by a Defective Repair? Contact Us

Did a defective repair or fraudulent maintenance cause a crash that resulted in severe injuries? If so, turn to the experienced New York car accident lawyers of Hach & Rose, LLP to discuss the specifics of your case. If it can be proven that negligent maintenance or repairs caused your crash, you could be owed significant compensation. Call us at (212) 779-0057 or reach out online to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation today.