ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / ECONOMY & WORK

Woman finds out the hard way that dealerships can remotely disable your car upon late payment

"I told them I'm gonna pay it this Friday not even a week late, she said in her video."
PUBLISHED AUG 31, 2024
Cover Image Source: TikTok | (@legacy.jai)
Cover Image Source: TikTok | (@legacy.jai)

Did you know that some car dealerships and auto lenders can remotely disable anybody's car if they fail to make a payment? A TikTok user recently took to the platform to complain about the dealership remotely shutting off her car while it was in the parking lot of the gym. 

"My car note isn't even a week late it is due on the fourth of April, today is the 9th, I told them I'm gonna pay it this Friday not even a week late, she @legacy.jai said in her video. 

 (@legacy.jai) | TikTok
(@legacy.jai)| TikTok

"They cut my car off," she explains. "And I'm at the gym right now, I'm at Planet Fitness, they cut my car off. I had to call them and tell them I'm not home I'm stuck, they were like okay we'll...activate it so you can go home and then we're gonna cut your car off when you get back home," she added. 

Rebecca Bishop | TikTok
Rebecca Bishop | TikTok

 "I don't want to have a car that has the power to cut off my car and it's not even a week late so I'm just...I'm finna give this car back, honestly," she says before ending the video.

As per Poe, "Yes, car dealerships can remotely disable a vehicle if payment is not made. This is done through the use of devices such as starter interrupters or GPS trackers [2]. These devices can be installed in the vehicle and controlled by the dealership or lender. If a payment is missed, the dealership can remotely shut off the car, making it inoperable until the payment is made.

"It is important to note that some dealerships may provide a warning before disabling the vehicle. They may contact the consumer and give them a specific timeframe to make the payment before shutting off the car," it added.

JessicaRachel | TikTok
JessicaRachel | TikTok

Another user @Nicole Cabral said, "They can cut you off and lock you out then send the tow truck to grab it. (did tow dispatch for decades). go find a new Nissan dealership. my husband's credit score was in the 500s and the Nissan." 

According to CBS, the technology which is called "Starter Interrupter" makes a vehicle impossible to start after the owner misses a payment. Many experts criticized dealerships for not even checking the location of the car before disabling the start, with one person named Even Fischer telling CBS, "The dealership should at least know where the vehicle is at when they’re shutting it off."

Poe further reported that several states in the US are now taking action to regulate these devices. For example, New York, Nevada, and New Jersey have laws in place that require lenders to disclose in writing that these devices are installed in the vehicles. 

"It is important to note that some dealerships may provide a warning before disabling the vehicle. They may contact the consumer and give them a specific timeframe to make the payment before shutting off the car," Poe added.

This is why, it's recommended to check all the terms and conditions during purchasing or renting a car.

For more such content, follow (@legacy.jai) on TikTok.

Editor's note: This article was originally published on April 20, 2024. It has since been updated.

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
Guests on the show would run with it if they ever got that kind of money on Pawn Stars.
14 hours ago
The guest even said to keep the kids in the dark about how valuable these items were.
16 hours ago
The company had fantastic sales but a crushing debt with a high interest rate that the sharks hated.
19 hours ago
It was only Carey's second season in the show and he could have been part of a massive scandal.
1 day ago
“I won’t say anything, and you know why,” he said, with a gesture to zip his lips.
1 day ago
The ring was rescued by the guest's mother thanks to a stranger early in the morning.
1 day ago
"She blanked out. It happens to the best of us," a fan sympathized with the player.
1 day ago
The instrument originally belonged to the guest's grandfather who suffered a horrific injury.
2 days ago
The contestant's wife seemed embarassed at that point of time, and worried as well.
2 days ago
The co-founders of Dino Don got the shark that they always wanted on board.
2 days ago
One can understand why the measure is in place but the shopper was having none of it.
2 days ago
"My husband and I definitely noticed it! We had to rewind it a few times," a fan reacted.
2 days ago
All of the sharks agreed that she had a great product and the drive to be successful a businesswoman.
3 days ago
It's possible that the dog played a little part in making it easier for them to get a deal.
3 days ago
Without the help of his wife, the contestant would have gone home empty-handed.
3 days ago
The pawn store owner had a valid point since the item the guest had brought had numerous issues.
3 days ago
The contestant got the first part of the puzzle right but wasn't able to solve it in time.
3 days ago
"It's a lady's robe. A robe from 1750 is a very rare robe. The only other ones I know of this type, you'd have to go to Beijing," the appraiser said.
4 days ago
Harvey also got other hilarious answers, but nothing could match the woman's sass.
4 days ago
The Gronkowski family is famous for their contributions to America's sporting culture.
4 days ago