A California administrative law judge has suspended the license of Los Angeles-based automotive repair dealer Industry Smog after a Bureau of Automotive Repair investigation found the business performed fraudulent vehicle safety systems inspections and issued 15 certificates of compliance without performing the required inspections. The certificates at issue are the documents that clear rebuilt total […]
California Bureau of Automotive Repair Advisory Group to Weigh Airbag Sourcing Rule and Predatory-Towing Case July 30
Agenda pairs a pending airbag-parts regulation and a windshield calibration-disclosure bill with an enforcement case study built on a bandit-towing scheme. The California Bureau of Automotive Repair will convene its Advisory Group on July 30 for a session that puts several regulatory, legislative and enforcement matters affecting collision repair facilities before the panel, including a […]
California Proposes Airbag Safety Rule
Bureau of Automotive Repair proposal would restrict parts sourcing and require return to OEM operating conditions. The California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) has proposed expanding its airbag safety regulation to bar the state’s roughly 35,000 licensed automotive repair dealers from handling previously deployed, faulty or counterfeit airbags and to require that replacement airbag parts […]
California Bureau of Automotive Repair Suspends Los Angeles Collision Repair Center Over Predatory Towing Scheme
BAR received 30 complaints during roughly one year when the business had been licensed. A California administrative law judge has suspended the automotive repair dealer registration of Los Angeles collision repair facility LA Custom Collision LLC, finding that the business ran a predatory towing and storage-fee scheme that defrauded crash victims and their insurers out […]
California Bureau of Automotive Repair Opens Public Comment on Storage Fee Regulations
Industry has raised concerns about how the BAR will calculate rates and if regulation would limit rates repairers can charge. The California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) has opened a public comment period on proposed regulations that would require collision repairers to report their passenger vehicle storage rates annually and charge fees comparable to others […]
New California Online Advertising Requirements for Licensed Auto Repair Facilities Take Effect October 1
The California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) will enforce new online advertising requirements for all automotive repair dealers beginning October 1 following the adoption of regulations initially developed for mobile automotive repair and referral services. All online advertisements must display three specific elements: Business name as registered with BAR Automotive repair dealer registration number Phone […]
California Autobody Association Urges Industry to Challenge New Towing Regulations During BAR Meeting
Association calls proposed tear-down and disclosure rules “unnecessary and burdensome” The California Autobody Association (CAA) is mobilizing collision repair shops to oppose new state regulations that would require separate documentation for towing services, calling the rules overly complex and costly for businesses and consumers. The CAA issued a member alert ahead of Thursday’s Bureau of […]
California Bureau of Automotive Repair Launches Salvage Vehicle Inspection Program
Inspections designed to ensure revived salvage vehicles are safe to return to California roadways. The Bureau of Automotive Repair’s (BAR) Vehicle Safety Systems Inspection (VSSI) Program inspects vehicle safety systems to ensure revived salvage vehicles can be registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and safely returned to the road. The BAR says that […]
Law in California to Expand Inspection of Vehicle Safety Components Takes Effect on Rebuilt Salvage Vehicles
New law also allows BAR to collect additional information from repair facilities on training and certifications. California motorists are now further protected from unsafe vehicles with the implementation of AB 471 (Low, Chapter 372, Statutes of 2021), a measure that expands the inspection of vehicle safety components and systems. The new law took effect July […]
California BAR Workshop on Proposed Storage and Towing Fees Regulation July 18
The Bureau of Automotive Repair will hold its second workshop on the proposed regulations. The California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) announced it will host a second public workshop to discuss proposed regulations on storage and towing fees on July 18. The workshop will be held after the conclusion of the July BAR Advisory Group […]