A Car Dealer Shuts Off Her Car While Driving, and DOGE Does Not Care

One of the most dangerous situations you can encounter while on the highway is when your car's engine cuts off without warning.

Imagine this―You're driving on the highway and all of a sudden your engine stops. You frantically try to merge right as your car rapidly decelerates all in the hopes that you can get to the shoulder before something horrific happens. Now imagine the reason your engine randomly cut out was because the company that sold you that car shut it off remotely. That's what happened to Victoria Carter and her children in June of 2021.

That is the story behind the story of a recent More Perfect Union YouTube channel episode in which the host discusses why car shoppers are no longer protected from car dealers installing starter interruption devices on cars, giving them total control over your car and, in some cases, even your life while driving in traffic.

Car Starter Interruption Devices

A starter interruption device (SID) is an electronic device installed in a vehicle to turn off its engine's starter function.

Dealerships and lending institutions are exceptionally keen on the installation of these devices because if the borrower misses a payment, the lender can remotely disable the car until the payment is made.

Typical application of a starter interruption device entails:

1. The device is connected to the vehicle's ignition system.
2. Borrowers may need to enter a code received monthly upon payment via an app to keep the car operational.
3. If payments are missed, the lender can remotely disable the starter.
4. Some devices include GPS tracking for easier recovery if repossession is required.

And therein lies the rub―If you are determined to have defaulted on your loan agreement, the dealership and/or lender can repossess your car and resell it the next day.

Call it the high-tech repo man: The starter interrupt device, a small piece of technology that can disable a car if a borrower is just one day late in making a payment.

The rise in the devices, as detailed in The New York Times, comes amid a surge in auto loans given to subprime borrowers, or people with credit scores below 640. About one-third of all auto loans are now given to subprime borrowers, up from slightly more than one-quarter in 2010, according to Equifax ―CBS News "Why the repo man can remotely shut off your car engine" Sept. 2024

In other words, it is a predatory practice using high tech to take advantage of low-income households in need of a vehicle.

About 9 years ago I was offered a contract to develop technology like this. During the initial discussions, the project leader said, "When you shut a person's car off, you'll get paid before they pay rent or buy diapers." It was said with such joking heartlessness. Fortunately, I have other employment options, so I can pass on opportunities like this, but I have also been pitched projects to remotely shut off door locks and garage door access at the discretion of a landlord. Again, I passed, but there's no betting against technology. This will be the future ―@louprado8319

Car Starter Interruption Devices Are Dangerous

Ideally, a SID will not shut down a car engine while the car is moving in traffic. However, as the host reports, this happened to Victoria Carter while driving her children in June of 2021.

Other reports suggest that SIDs do not always function reliably and can unexpectedly shut off a vehicle while in motion.

With the help of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Ms. Carter's and numerous other similar stories eventually led to a successful lawsuit against a chain of car dealerships (US Auto Sales) and their in-house US Auto Sales Financing Services department known for predatory car selling practices

The CFPB is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for consumer protection in the financial sector, including banks, credit unions, mortgage lenders, credit reporting agencies, and debt collectors.

Unfortunately, Elon Musk targeted the CFPB late last year as one he wanted to dismantle in the name of reducing Government inefficiency, claiming CFPB is needlessly costing taxpayers money.

Why Was CFPB Targeted?

Musk's claims that the CFPB needlessly costs taxpayers money are unsubstantiated. In fact, the CFPB has helped Americans recoup millions of dollars in reparations for fraud from Big Business.

A Car Dealer Shut Off Her Car While Driving. DOGE Will Let It Happen Again

 

The founding of the CFPB brought consumer protection—regulation, supervision, and enforcement—under one roof. "For a dozen years, the C.F.P.B. has been the financial cop on the beat," Warren went on. "It has found more than twenty-one billion dollars in fraud and scams, and scooped up that money and returned it directly to the people who were cheated. Now Elon Musk comes in and says, 'Let's fire the cops.' What could possibly go wrong?" ―The New Yorker 100 17 Feb. 2025 Elizabeth Warren Fights to Defend the Consumer Protection Agency She Helped Create

Aside from the car dealerships that resort to predatory car practices and want to keep starter interruption devices on cars for their own misuse and abuse, large institution lenders are all for the dismantling of CFPB.

Without CFPB, there would be no limits on housing and other loans (such as student loans) generated for the less affluent, who are susceptible to being sold loans the banks know will eventually default to their advantage.

Other anti-DOGE opinions point out that disarming the CFPB goes beyond this and is just another brick on the wall protecting Americans that is being chipped away at to make cryptocurrency legal and the predominant economic institution in the U.S.

What could possibly go wrong?!

Tell Us Your Thoughts on Car Starter Interruption Devices:

1. Have you ever had your car shut off without your permission or at least a warning?
2. Should Car Starter Interruption Devices be outlawed?
3. Do you believe that DOGE is justified in removing CFPB protections?
4. Is there a conflict of interest between Musk Owning Tesla and Advocating Reducing Car Owner Protections?

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati who currently researches and works on restoring older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. He also reports on modern cars (including EVs) with a focus on DIY mechanics, buying and using tools, and other related topical automotive repair news. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites as well as on Facebook and his automotive blog "Zen and the Art of DIY Car Repair" for useful daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

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