Intoxalock’s ignition interlock Intoxalock’s ignition interlock the device kills your battery and locks you out phoenix az

I recently had an interlock installed in my vehicle using Intoxalock on Jan 19, 2022. in AZ

When I signed up with the company I did not receive documentation or a receipt or a lease agreement until I had my first issue on 2/2/2022. The issue that I have been running into is the device is constantly drawing power on my vehicle's battery causing it to die. I have a working vehicle that is very reliable but it’s also an older vehicle, a 2009 Volkswagen van.

I can confirm that the battery I am using is a newer battery recently bought through Costco. But the device that I am leasing through Intoxalock is drawing power constantly and within three days It drains my battery completely. The first time this happened, when I called to troubleshoot the issue I was instructed to disconnect the battery cable. By doing so the device starts a 48 hour lockout.

This causes me to have to go to an authorized Intoxalock rep and pay a fee of $50 to unlock it. The need to go to an Intoxalock rep happens every time, even when following the given instructions to disconnect the battery cables. The first time this issue happened was on January 1. And I was stranded at a gas station because of it. I had to tow my vehicle home at my own expense.

After the vehicle was towed to my home, I was able to get it started after working on it for hours. I took the vehicle into the authorized Intoxalock rep the next day. They actually told me that this is a very common issue with this device and that a lot of people who have it run into the same problem of it draining their battery. I then asked about what my options are to save the battery.

They told me to refer to a lease that I was apparently supposed to have been given when I got the device installed but never was. Once I told them that I was never given the lease they are referring to, they then emailed me a copy. This lease was only sent to me after my first visit to troubleshoot the battery issue on 2/2/2022.

This was the first time that I had ever seen any documentation from the company. This new document stated that I needed to start my vehicle every day for at least 15 minutes. This is not realistic for me as I work from home and don’t use my vehicle every day.

I asked if there was any sort of battery save mode on the device & they stated that there was, but that it only lasts for 16 hours. I realistically cannot start my vehicle every day for 15 minutes. This is also unrealistic if I were to travel somewhere for more than 3 days out without my vehicle. Which I often do. Or for somebody who works from home and doesn’t need their vehicle every day like myself.

Having this type of device that constantly draws power and never goes to sleep is  very dangerous. I think it’s a dangerous business practice when the company profits from people getting a penalty from having a device that drains their battery. I have to pay an authorized Rep $50 plus the company is charging $75 every time the device causes my battery to die.

This is not counting the towing expenses people might run into if they’re stranded away from their home like I was when this first happened.

if you live in AZ email your complaint too: ignitioninterlock  @ azdot . gov