A supplier must not use deceptive practices when repairing or servicing a motor vehicle, including hidden charges, unauthorized work, false statements, and missing disclosures.
It is a deceptive act or practice for a supplier to: 1. Fail to comply with the requirements of section 537B.3. 2. Make the performance of any repair or service contingent upon a consumer’s waiver of any rights provided for in this chapter. 3. Fail to obtain oral or written authorization from the consumer for the anticipated cost of any additional, unforeseen, but necessary repairs or services when the cost of those repairs or services amount to more than ten percent, excluding tax, of the original estimate requested by a consumer. 4. Fail, if the anticipated cost of a repair or service is less than fifty dollars and an estimate has not been given to the consumer, to obtain oral or written authorization from the consumer for the anticipated cost of any additional unforeseen, but necessary repairs or services if the total cost of the repairs or services, if performed, will exceed fifty dollars. 5. Fail to disclose prior to the commencement of any repairs or service, that a charge will be made for disassembly, reassembly, partially completed work, or any other work not directly related to the actual performance of the repairs or service. A charge so imposed must be directly related to the actual amount of labor or parts involved in the inspection, repair, or service. 6. Charge for any repair or service which has not been authorized by the consumer. 7. Fail to disclose upon the first contact with the consumer that any charge not directly related to the actual performance of the repair or service will be imposed by the supplier whether or not repairs or services are performed. 8. Fail to disclose upon the first contact with a consumer the basis upon which a charge will be imposed for towing the motor vehicle if that service will be performed. 9. Represent that repairs or services are necessary when that is not the fact. 10. Represent that repairs have been made or services have been performed when that is not the fact. 11. Represent that a motor vehicle or any part of a motor vehicle which is being inspected or diagnosed for a repair or service is in a dangerous condition, or that the consumer’s continued use of it may be harmful, when that is not the fact. 12. Materially and intentionally understate or misstate the estimated cost of the repairs or service. 13. Fail to provide the consumer with an itemized list of repairs performed or services rendered, including a list of parts or materials and a statement of whether they are used, remanufactured or rebuilt, if not new, and their cost to the consumer, the amount charged for labor, and the identity of the individual performing the repair or service. 14. Fail to tender to the consumer any replaced parts, unless the parts are to be rebuilt or sold by the supplier, or returned to the manufacturer in connection with warranted repairs or services, and such intended reuse or return is made known to the consumer prior to commencing any repair or service. However, this subsection does not prohibit the supplier from retaining the replaced parts if the consumer so requests. 15. Fail to provide to the consumer upon the consumer’s request a written, itemized receipt for any motor vehicle or part of a motor vehicle that is left with, or turned over to, the supplier for repair or service. The receipt shall include: a. The identity of the supplier which will perform the repair or service. b. The name and signature of the supplier or a representative who actually accepts the motor vehicle or any part of the motor vehicle. c. A description including make and model number or other features as will reasonably identify the motor vehicle or any part of the motor vehicle to be repaired or serviced. d. The date on which the motor vehicle or any part of the motor vehicle was left with or turned over to the supplier. 16. Fail to disclose to the consumer prior to the commencement of any repair or service, that any part of the repair or service will be performed by a person other than the supplier or the supplier’s employees, if the consumer requests that information. 90 Acts, ch 1010, §5 Referred to in §577.3