How to File a Complaint Against a Collision Repair Shop

Even if you followed all the required steps, you may not be satisfied with the final outcome of your collision repair. If you think you have a legitimate reason to be concerned, you can file a complaint against the shop that made the repairs and either get your money back or have the problem looked at again for free.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Talk to your insurance company first. If it is the one that chose the collision repair shop, you may have some type of protection through the company itself.
2. Talk to the repair shop before you file a complaint against it. Find out whether the repair shop offers a guarantee. Even if it doesn't, some shops may be willing to listen and correct the problem if they think there is a chance you will sue them.
3. File a complaint with the Better Business Bureau in your state (see Resources below). In most cases, the BBB will act as an intermediary between you and the collision repair shop in order to speed up the resolution of the problem.
4. Talk with a representative of the National Auto Body Council to find a local office or state agent (see Resources below). While the NABC does not act as an intermediary to resolve disputes, it can give you information on how to file a complaint against a repair shop in your area, who to contact and how to act while trying to resolve a dispute.
5. Go to Small Claims Court if you need to file a formal complaint for a payment you made out of your own pocket (rather than through your insurance agency). Make sure the amount in dispute is large enough to justify the filing fees, though.

Tips & Warnings

• Before you go ahead with the complaint, make sure you have a case. You need to show that the repairs made by the shop were either of low quality or not appropriate to the damage the car had in the first place.
• If your complaint is related to aesthetic results (you wanted the car to be painted silver blue and it turned out more blue than silver), you may have a harder time getting a positive judgment. As long as the car looks and works fine, small variations may not be enough for a complaint.