ETD Customers to Receive Restitution for Wheel Alignments

Office Of Attorney General, Feb 11, 2005

TRENTON – ETD Discount Tire Centers Inc. ("ETD") will pay $168,809, including $46,809 to customers, to resolve complaints that it charged consumers for four-wheel alignments on their vehicles even though the rear wheels were not designed to be adjusted, Attorney General Peter C. Harvey announced.

The settlement covers approximately 3,000 ETD customers who paid for four-wheel alignments after January 1, 1999. Each customer will receive restitution in the amount of either $10.60 or $15.90, depending on the date of service to their vehicle.

ETD also agreed to pay $122,000 to the Division of Consumer Affairs for consumer initiatives, under terms of the consent order. In settling this matter, ETD made no admission of liability.

"Consumers should get what they pay for, without question. In these cases, consumers relied on the expertise of ETD’s personnel for service on their vehicles and consumers should have been told that there was no need to pay extra for four-wheel alignments," Attorney General Harvey said.

ETD has worked cooperatively with Consumer Affairs to identify the affected customers entitled to restitution and to take steps to ensure that future customers pay only for the services provided.

Investigator Maureen Browne led the investigation and Deputy Attorney General Cathleen O’Donnell represented the State.

ETD, based in Lyndhurst, operates 11 automotive service centers in New Jersey.

This is the second settlement that the Attorney General has reached within the past year involving payment for four-wheel alignments when the rear wheels were not designed for adjustment. The Attorney General announced a settlement in March 2004 under which Sears Roebuck agreed to pay more than $625,000, including approximately $125,000 in restitution to consumers, under a consent order.