PHOENIX (Legal Newsline) - Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne announced a $28,000 consent judgment Wednesday against an Arizona auto repair company that allegedly recommended and performed unnecessary repairs.
Fletcher's Tire and Auto Service Inc., an Arizona corporation that owns and operates multiple Arizona auto repair locations, will pay $20,000 in civil penalties and $8,265.63 in fees, restitution and costs to resolve allegations of Arizona Consumer Fraud Act violations at its Gilbert location. Fletcher's allegedly violated the law by recommending, performing and charging for unnecessary repairs, charging for a part that was not replaced and adding warranty charges without permission.
In one alleged instance, a manager at Fletcher's Gilbert location recommended replacing the inner seal of a car's compressor without performing a diagnostic test that would show a malfunctioning seal. The manager also allegedly charged $20 each for three supplemental parts warranties without the consumer's consent.
"My office continues to conduct regular undercover auto repair 'stings' and this time Fletcher's Tire and Auto took the bait," Horne said. "Our ongoing auto sting operations are designed to identify and deter repair shops that recommend and perform unnecessary repairs, with the end result of encouraging all repair shops to behave honestly."
Fletcher's also agreed to voluntarily put a secret shopper program in place to monitor and prevent unfair or deceptive practices. Fletcher's will periodically report the results to Horne's office.
Arizona AG recovers $28,000 in judgment against auto repair company
