Car Repair and your Ignition Interlock Device

If you have an ignition interlock device, you may already be well acquainted with bringing your car in for periodic service appointments. On the same note, you’re also probably pretty familiar with bringing in your car for service or repair appointments in general. Cars, trucks and all vehicles all need different types of maintenance, from a regular oil change or 60,000 mile service appointment to fixing your transmission. If you have an ignition interlock device, however, these routine appointments may come with a little more hesitation than the norm.

When you take your car in for any type of maintenance, service or repair appointment, you are guaranteed that your car will sit at the shop until the technicians are ready to work on it. This means that a tech will have to start your vehicle to move it into a service bay, and that means that someone will have to blow into your ignition interlock in order to start your car. If you are able to sit at the auto shop while your car is being serviced, that person is you – for each engine start and each rolling re-test required while your car is running.

If you are unable to stay during the appointment, you are going to have to instruct the technicians about your device and its requirements. If that is the case, you should definitely notify your ignition interlock service provider and your reporting agency, probation officer or court that you are not blowing into your IID during the time your vehicle is being serviced. More than likely, an ignition interlock device is familiar to the service technicians, but, you don’t want to leave anything to chance and risk further consequences.

Cars will be cars, and that means that even with an ignition interlock device, you may have to take it in for repairs or other maintenance.  As long as you ensure you are able to complete the tests required of the device, or let the technicians know those requirements while your car is being repaired, you can be sure that your ability to keep driving is guaranteed.