When a tire on Darrell Eldridge’s Turo rental blew out, he was relieved that he didn’t get into an accident. But his relief soon gave way to rage when Turo sent him a $3,000 bill for damage.
Why was he so upset? Eldridge had photos of the car that showed the tires were not roadworthy.
“They indicated poor alignment and lack of maintenance,” he says.
It didn’t matter. Turo, a popular sharing economy company (think Airbnb for cars), insisted on charging him, despite numerous appeals. (Related: A $3,000 bill for minor scuffs on my car? Is this Turo bill a scam or what?)
So does he have to pay? Not if my advocacy team has anything to say about it.
Let’s also answer a few questions.
- What should I do if there’s a problem with my Turo car?
- Who is responsible for maintenance issues in a Turo rental?
- How can I dispute a repair charge on Turo?
Plus, I’ll reveal the one thing you have to do when you rent from Turo, and that it won’t tell you about.
But first, let’s find out what happened to Eldridge.
“All three remaining tires had signs of excessive wear”
Eldridge recently rented a 2021 Dodge Durango from a woman named Rachael through the Turo platform.
Turo, like Airbnb, sees itself as an intermediary between the driver and the vehicle owner. It only injects itself into the relationship when it’s absolutely necessary, which is to say when it’s time to take your money.
Turo’s app strongly suggests that you take “before” and “after” photos of your rental, which Eldridge did. But as you’ll see in a moment, there would be more photographic evidence.
During his rental, one of the tires on the vehicle blew out. He quickly pulled over to the side of the road, assessed the situation, and called a tow truck. (Related: My Turo rental was repossessed. Can you help me get my son’s epilepsy medication back?)
“The tow truck driver pointed out that all three remaining tires had signs of excessive wear, indicating poor alignment and lack of maintenance,” he recalls.
Then, a troubling email from Turo
Eldridge assumed he would receive an apology from Rachael. He didn’t.
Instead, Turo sent him a shocking email:
My name is Samuel. I’m part of the team that’ll be helping you with the claim following your Turo trip with Rachael’s 2021 Dodge Durango. I’ll be your point of contact, and I’m here to answer any questions you have during this process.
Here’s where things stand: We have determined your host’s claim for damage is initially covered. If there is any information that you’d like us to consider, that you have not yet provided, please send that to us. If you haven’t done so, you can also provide your own report of the claim by clicking here.
What are the next steps: We will obtain an estimate and let you know the final cost of the claim. You chose MINIMUM protection, which means you would owe us up to $3,000, unless you did not select coverage.
Wait a second. Rachael had handed him the keys to a dangerous car — and now he had to pay for it? That wasn’t right.
Or was it?
What should I do if there’s a problem with my Turo car?
If you have a problem with your Turo car, you should not accept it.
Turo highly recommends that you take what it calls trip photos of your vehicle. It even publishes a guide to a vehicle inspection.
Turo’s guide to taking pictures of your car.
These “before” and “after” pictures are essential for making sure your car is ready to drive.
If anything looks less than perfect with the vehicle, you have to document it and let the owner know. You might even want to take a quick video of the host and the damage. And if it’s serious, consider rejecting the vehicle and informing Turo. (Here’s our guide to renting a car.)
But — and this is a big but — Turo does not recommend taking photos of the tire tread. And that’s where the problem happened.
However, the tow truck driver did take pictures.
Let’s have a look at those photos
So here are the pictures.
Right front tire.
Left rear tire.
Notice the worn treads on the inside. If I had seen these on a car, I would have had second thoughts about renting it. I’m surprised Turo didn’t consider this evidence when it sent Eldridge a $3,000 bill.
But that raises a bigger question. Who should be on the hook for this?
Who is responsible for maintenance issues in a Turo rental?
The owner is responsible for maintaining a vehicle listed on the Turo platform.
Turo has a detailed vehicle maintenance checklist for U.S. rentals.
Among the requirements:
- Ensure the brake system operates smoothly and efficiently, with sufficient brake pad thickness remaining.
- Verify proper inflation pressure levels and acceptable visual condition of all tires, including the spare.
- Examine functioning headlights, taillights, parking lights, license plate light, and signal indicators.
- Test windshield wipers and defrosters for clear visibility during rain and foggy weather.
- Inspect fluid levels, including engine oil, coolant, power steering, transmission, brake fluids, and window washers, refilling as needed.
On the tires, a minimum depth of 4/32 inch is required. The photos of Eldridge’s tires suggest it did not meet those minimum requirements.
So now what?
How can I dispute a repair charge on Turo?
Disputing a false repair claim with Turo is similar to the procedure you would follow with a car rental company. Follow up in writing and submit evidence to back up your claim.
Here’s what Eldridge wrote to Turo:
The damage was caused by neglect and poor maintenance of the vehicle. I have zero liability when the owner is not taking care of the vehicle.
I have no intention of taking any responsibility for this matter.
I have presented photographs which clearly show that the tires are in poor, unsafe condition. I also have a witness (the tow truck operator) that saw the poor, unsafe condition of the remaining tires.
The blown tire was caused by the negligence of the owner of the vehicle in maintenance of the tires….which in turn caused damage.
I have zero control over this matter, therefore not liable or responsible at all.
Please explain, if the owner rents out a vehicle that is in poor condition…who is responsible for that?
Happy to discuss further or I can certainly retain an attorney if need be.
That’s good, but I might have left off the part about the attorney. If you lawyer up, Turo could send your case to the legal department, where they will wait for you to file a lawsuit. It’s better to resolve this quickly and outside of court. (And if you have to go to court, make it the court of public opinion.)
Here’s Turo’s answer
Unfortunately, despite the photos and the strongly-worded email, Turo insisted on charging him.
We have thoroughly reviewed your dispute, and after careful consideration, we regret to inform you that we are unable to approve your request at this time. We understand that this may be disappointing, and we appreciate your patience and understanding throughout this process.
If you have any further questions, or would like additional information about our decision, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We will reach out to you soon via email regarding any next steps in the claims process.
It’s time for us to get involved
After reviewing all the evidence, our team decided to get involved in this case. Eldridge did everything Turo asked. But Turo didn’t mention tires in its guide — even though it should have — so Eldridge didn’t think to check the tire treads.
So before we go further, here’s the number one thing you have to do when you rent from Turo, and that it won’t tell you:
Take pictures of your tire tread.
The minimum safe tire tread on a car is 2/32 inch. Turo requires a 4/32 inch tread, which still seems low. That means some owners may be getting dangerously close to having unsafe tires.
So take pictures under the car. Yes, under the car. If the tires look worn out, do not accept the vehicle. (Related: Was I scammed by my car rental company?)
Note: You don’t have to do this with a rental car. Most car rentals are low-mileage vehicles with excellent tires, so you can rent with confidence. But a Turo vehicle is someone’s personal car, not a professional rental, and maintenance practices may vary.
I recommended that Eldridge appeal to an executive at Turo. I list the names, numbers and email addresses of the Turo customer service managers on this site.
“The executive staff has not responded at all,” he told me. “Phone attempts are almost impossible. Even when I’ve reached people, they state someone else will call me back but they never do.”
I contacted Turo on his behalf. Shortly after, a supervisor reached out to Eldridge.
“They are rescinding the $3,000 charge,” he says.
Turo assigned his case to a more senior investigator. And last I heard, the charges had not been reinstated, so I think he’s in the clear.
But I will never think about Turo in the same way after seeing his photos and handling his case.
