A rental car company attempted to charge a customer for "tire damage" on tires that were already illegally worn past safety limits when the vehicle was rented—highlighting a troubling practice where companies defer maintenance then pass costs to unsuspecting renters.
The incident, detailed on r/TravelHacks, reveals how rental car scams work and what documentation travelers need to protect themselves.
What Happened
After picking up a full-size SUV from Avis, the renters discovered the next morning that one tire had a slow leak. The leak was clearly pre-existing—the tire pressure menu was already open on the vehicle screen at startup, and closer inspection revealed erased agency writing on the rear window indicating the tire needed replacement.
Both rear tires were worn down past their wear bars, meaning they'd likely never been replaced over the vehicle's 67,000 miles. A consulted mechanic confirmed the tires were not street legal and the leak could not be legally patched.
"We had no choice but to use the spare, which was also provided to us without air," the renter reported. "If our tire had broken in the middle of the desert, we would not have been able to self-rescue."
After reporting all this to the manager at return, Avis still sent a damage report attempting to charge for a "flat" tire that was both illegal and already leaking at pickup.
The Scam Pattern
This case illustrates a broader problem in the rental car industry:
1. Deferred maintenance: Companies push vehicles beyond safe tire life to avoid replacement costs 2. Pre-existing damage obscured: Issues aren't noted in rental paperwork 3. Customer blamed: Normal wear or pre-existing problems charged as customer-caused damage 4. Burden of proof falls on customers to document vehicle condition
