North Carolina General Statutes 20-354.8. Prohibited acts and practices
It shall be a violation of this Article for any motor vehicle repair shop or employee of a motor vehicle repair shop to do any of the following:
(1) Charge for repairs which have not been expressly or impliedly authorized by the customer.
Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes 20-354.8
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- following: when used by way of reference to any section of a statute, shall be construed to mean the section next preceding or next following that in which such reference is made; unless when some other section is expressly designated in such reference. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
- Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
- state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories, so called; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the said district and territories and all dependencies. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
(2) Misrepresent that repairs have been made to a motor vehicle.
(3) Misrepresent that certain parts and repairs are necessary to repair a vehicle.
(4) Misrepresent that the vehicle being inspected or diagnosed is in a dangerous condition or that the customer’s continued use of the vehicle may be harmful or cause great damage to the vehicle.
(5) Fraudulently alter any customer contract, estimate, invoice, or other document.
(6) Fraudulently misuse any customer’s credit card.
(7) Make or authorize in any manner or by any means whatever any written or oral statement which is untrue, deceptive, or misleading, and which is known, or which by the exercise of reasonable care should be known, to be untrue, deceptive, or misleading, related to this Article.
(8) Make fraudulent promises of a character likely to influence, persuade, or induce a customer to authorize the repair, service, or maintenance of a motor vehicle.
(9) Substitute used, rebuilt, salvaged, or straightened parts for new replacement parts without notice to the motor vehicle owner and to his or her insurer if the cost of repair is to be paid pursuant to an insurance policy and the identity of the insurer or its claims adjuster is disclosed to the motor vehicle repair shop.
(10) Cause or allow a customer to sign any work order that does not state the repairs requested by the customer.
(11) Refuse to give to a customer a copy of any document requiring the customer’s signature upon completion or cancellation of the repair work.
(12) Rebuild or restore a rebuilt vehicle without the knowledge of the owner in a manner that does not conform to the original vehicle manufacturer’s established repair procedures or specifications and allowable tolerances for the particular model and year.
(13) Perform any other act that is a violation of this Article or that constitutes fraud or misrepresentation under this Article. (1999-437, s. 1.)