Car service standards 'dreadful'

Servicing standards are not improving the TSI said

More than three quarters of garages service cars incorrectly, the Trading Standards Institute (TSI) has said.

TSI officers submitted 88 cars for service at a cross-section of franchise dealers and independent garages - only 21 came back repaired properly.

Alarmingly, 36% of cars were returned with major faults - including brake failure - unrepaired.

The TSI said new laws may be needed to protect people from what it described as "this dreadful situation".

"It's not just that consumers are suffering by paying for work which hasn't been done properly - vehicles can be left unsafe, with the increased risk of accidents leading to people being injured or killed," said TSI chief executive Ron Gainsford

No improvement

The TSI said its investigation had revealed that industry self-regulation was not working.

In total, 15 out of the 19 garages approached, which were members of a motor industry body, failed to properly repair cars.

The TSI, which starts its annual conference on Tuesday, called on the industry to clean up its act.

"This is a dreadful situation, which just hasn't improved over the years," Mr Gainsford said.

Last year, Which? mystery shopped garages throughout the UK and found that 73% of services were unsatisfactory, 67% failed to pick up faults and 23% carried out unnecessary work.