Monitech, Inc

I’ll gladly get on board with a lawsuit. The tech was unable to install the device bc he couldn’t find a specific wire. I scheduled my appointment over the phone and had to provide the make/model of my vehicle. Lost a days pay, drove an hour and a half to get there. Sat at the install location for 2 hours just to be told no install for you. Every time I called customer service I was hung up on, or put on hold by Alex and he never returned.

I think its time all of us monitech customers get together and start a class action lawsuit against this company and get them shut down until they can provide working equipment

I have had the Interlock System that Monitech installed in my car for almost a year. This device only works 5-10% of the time, if that much. I have called them many times to bring this matter to their attention and they consistently say "Our product is very SENSITIVE ". Nothing has ever been done to correct this problem.This product is a breathalyzer. CONSISTENTLY it does not work because it is so sensitive....it can take up to 20 minutes to even get it to register a blow. It tells you to blow harder. You do. Then it tells you to blow softer. You do. Then it tells you to blow harder. You do. And on and on it goes...sometimes for 10+ times or 20 minutes! I am stranded until the inconsistent faulty device decides to work...if it does at all.I am paying a fee every month for this product to work. When you pay for anything anywhere, the company has a responsibility to ensure that it works correctly. When it doesn't work...that's called FRAUD and EXTORTION (receiving funds for something that doesn't work), which are felonies!So, I called the Revdex.com in Greensboro and was advised to contact your office and demand that something be done about this situation.I have not driven my car since June 6, 2014. This entire situation has affected my emotional and physical health and well-being.A history of the individuals who have filed complaints is on the internet and there are many.Desired SettlementI want this product to work. Since it doesn't, I request financial restitution for the 10 months I've paid for this product, yet only received faulty equipment and complete and total uncooperation on the behalf of Monitech when I've asked for assistance with my faulty equipment. My request is only fair and equitable. It is not too much to ask. Monitech can refer to the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.Business Response /[redacted]/July 14, 2014Revdex.comRe: Case # XXXXXXXXOn July 14, 2014, we received a complaint from the Revdex.com regarding a customer complaint about the sensitivity of our device.As background, the customer is a participant in the North Carolina interlock program that is administered by the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and all violations and fees charged by Monitech are consistent with the program's rules. Our QT-1L device, which the customer has, uses the most advanced breath alcohol testing technology in the industry. Its accuracy is checked each time the customer comes in to one of our service centers. The device is also certified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.Monitech has made every effort to assist this customer. We have even replaced the sample head of his device when no issues were found. He has also been offered a service appointment at one of our service centers each time he called with an issue. We understand that there is a learning curve when having to use any ignition interlock device. If the customer would like to a schedule a service appointment for personal assistance with the unit, we would be happy to assist him.Although Monitech is not at fault in this matter; we take all of our customer complaints seriously and have researched the matter extensively to come to this conclusion.Monitech appreciates the assistance of the Revdex.com in addressing this matter.Sincerely,Monitech Customer Service

my Monitech experience is a brutal one. The customer service reps are always nasty towards me every time I call. I try to keep it professional but it seems like their level of professionalism is very low without any type of standards. I have a brand new car with the machine in it. All of a sudden my car doesn't work due to a machine malfunction. I have contacted Monitech and all they can tell me that "there is nothing they can do." It suppose to take 48 hours for a service call however now it has been three days going on a fourth. Is Monitech going to pay me for missing work so that I can pay my bills - "NO" that's what the CSR told me and oh yeah there is nothing that they can do until someone comes out and service calls start after 6pm. Looks like I'm going to miss another day of work....smh

Monitech has been without a doubt the worst company I have ever had to deal with in my life. The machine malfunctions constantly, anywhere from not accepting perfectly legitimate breath tests, to killing the car battery, to random recall codes that have nothing to do with failing a breath test. I've owned this car for five years now and it has never given me any issues, electrically, mechanically, or otherwise. Ever since Monitech got their hands on it, I've had nothing but issues. However, every time I have called to have an issue resolved, Monitech has been unhelpful and suggested it's probably something wrong with my car. They tell me to take it to a mechanic and once the mechanic looks at it, they can determine whether or not Monitech is responsible for the problem to move forward with the claim. I've literally been told, it must be something wrong with your car, the device simply doesn't cause these issues. I've had the battery, alternator, and starter checked on my car, all are perfectly functional. Yet I have to jumpstart my car every time I was to go anywhere. When I brought the device in to have it looked at, the technician conceded that there was something wrong, but I still needed to have a mechanic run diagnostic in order for Monitech to move forward with the claim. As to the failed running tests and the machine not accepting breath tests, I was told there is nothing you can do about it because the cold weather just seems to cause these sorts of problems. What??? I live in North Carolina. It doesn't function in cold weather? It doesn't even get that cold around here! The device is a poor design and the employees at the call center are short, rude, unprofessional, and unhelpful. Monitech's customer complaint approach is straight denial; it must be something wrong with your car, take it to a mechanic. They are uninterested in customer satisfaction and can't be bothered to help. I've since called the company trying to contact the regional manager about the issues I'm having at the suggestion of one of the service technician who was unable to help me. I was guaranteed a 24-48 hour response time. It has been almost a week and still no communication from the regional manager.. This has been a horrible experience. I can't recommend an alternative, having no experience with the other ignition interlock vendors in North Carolina, but I CAN recommend staying well away from Monitech.

Worst Customer Service EVER! My husband had a Monitech device installed in a car that I owned but he drove. I had the device removed when he passed away. Monitech issued a refund check in his name knowing he had passed away. I misplaced the check and completely forgot about it. I moved this past month and found the check. When I called to see if they would re-issue the refund, they refused saying it was company policy not to reissue checks and then further refused to tell me what government agency oversees their operations. They were extremely rude during the entire call. In NC you do have a CHOICE of vendors for your ignition devices - I don't know about the others, but I would definitely steer clear of this place!!!! Do not use this company!

I had my interlocking system worked on and the guy busted a hole in my AC line on my truck.

product quality and customer serviceThere product and customer service is far below what is should be. They are rude everytime you call except when they get you signed up. They do not admit that there product has issues such as if you have had diet sundrop, crackers or anything to eat even washing out your mouth each time it sets the machine off, which they charge you $35dollars to reset otherwise it locks you out from driving your vehicle. They are allowed to do this however if you decide you wish to use another vendor of these type of products you cant leave them or so they say. This product also picks up high blood sugars which is a discrimination against diabetics which I am and it has done when my sugar goes high and they charge me again. This seems to be a money racket and all I want to do is have this machine removed from my vehicle at no cost and go to another vendor such as smart start which from everyone I have talked with says that their equipment is better , newer and the customer service is much friendlier.Desired SettlementI want there equipment removed from my vehicle at no charge and go to another vendor without any monetary recourse.Business Response /[redacted]/March 12, 2014Revdex.comRe: Case #XXXXXXXXOn February 25, 2014, we received a complaint from the Revdex.com regarding a customer complaint about $35.00 fees due to alcohol failures on his device.As background, the customer is a participant in the North Carolina interlock program that is administered by the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and all violations and fees charged by Monitech are consistent with the program's rules. Monitech has its program pricing posted in our service centers as well as in the back of our training manual (Section 17) that each customer receives at the time of their installation.In response to the customer's first complaint, many different food items out there contain trace amounts of alcohol. It is the responsibility of the customer to understand what they are consuming and what it may contain.Monitech attempts to educate its customers to help ensure accurate test results and avoid possible trace amounts of contaminants through numerous ways including customer email alerts (for those that provide their email addresses), our "Ensure Accurate Test Results" flashcards, and our new customer training. We inform customers to 1) inspect the ingredients in all foods, medicines and drinks, 2) refrain from eating five minutes prior to testing, 3) rinse with water prior to testing and 4) ensure proper vehicle ventilation. This information is also covered in our training video and training manual.Our QT-1L, which the customer has, uses the most advanced breath alcohol testing technology in the industry. Its accuracy is check each time the customer comes in to one of our service centers. Last year, the state of North Carolina lowered the set points or acceptable alcohol levels which caused the device to be more sensitive towards items containing various amounts of alcohol. If the motorist's alcohol reading exceeds the set point, then the driver cannot start his or her car. In order to prevent the driver from being stranded when the alcohol reading is not too high, the driver can call Monitech and obtain an override code. The override allows the driver to start the car but the driver, in some cases, may need to bring the car to a service center. The override fee is $35.00.A safeguard against possible mouth contaminants which may contain small amounts of alcohol is the five minute retest. If the driver has a test that shows a small amount of alcohol, then the QT-1l allows the driver to wait five minutes and then take a second test. If the second test shows no alcohol, then the QT1L allows the driver to start the car and no override is required. DMV considers an alcohol event shown by the first test as mouth contaminant and not alcohol in the driver's system. In response to the customer's statement regarding Monitech discriminating against diabetics, this is in no way true. Monitech does not discriminate against any of its customers.To provide some background, those suffering from diabetes or hypoglycemia produce significant amounts of a compound in their bodies called Acetone. Acetone is sometimes falsely identified as Ethyl Alcohol (the chemical that breath analyzers look for) by older technology breath analyzers, using a semiconductor or "Taguchi" sensor. In years past, someone with diabetes or hypoglycemia may have registered low alcohol readings due to this.However, in the last 15 years, these semiconductor sensors have been phased out in almost the entire country, and have been replaced by a new Ethanol-specific sensor known as an electro-chemical fuel cell. All Monitech devices in service today, including Monitech's QT-1L device, which the customer has, have this and have been certified by independent labs, to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which all interlocks nationwide are certified through. This includes a test to ensure that this very condition does not impact the accuracy or reliability of an Ignition Interlock Device. In their most recent certification processes, in 2011 and 2012, the QT-1L device passed this test, demonstrating that the sensor registered no measurable impact when exposed to a decent level of Acetone.While Monitech's device did pass this test, it is possible, but unlikely, that the set point levels at which North Carolina has required its ignition interlocks to be set at may be so low that the acetone is contributing to a failure.Monitech has no way to determine whether or not this is the case. If the customer has concerns over this potentially being an issue, we recommend that he contact the medical division of the NCDMV.Although Monitech is not at fault in these matters; we take all of our customer complaints seriously and have researched the matter extensively to come to this conclusion.Monitech appreciates the assistance of the Revdex.com in addressing this matter.Sincerely,Monitech Customer ServiceConsumer Response /[redacted]/Then if this is their response I wish to have their equipment removed from my vehicle. Final Business Response /[redacted]/April 2, 2014Revdex.comRe: Case #XXXXXXXXThe customer may request to have the device removed from his vehicle. He would just need to call in and request a removal appointment.Since no error was found with his device, any early termination fees stated in his lease agreement would apply. These are not required to be paid at the removal appointment. The customer may go ahead and have the device removed, and once his account is audited, he will receive an invoice for any funds owed.Monitech appreciates the assistance of the Revdex.com in addressing this matter.Sincerely,Monitech Customer ServiceFinal Consumer Response /[redacted]/(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)They have gotten better on customer service. I will continue to give them a chance.

Where do I begin? I guess I should start by saying this company espouses that they have been getting drivers back on the road "safely and legally" for over 25 years. Within a month of having the interlock installed, part of the machine (hooked into the fuse under the steering column) fell out of the fuse compartment onto my feet while I was driving, blocking the brake and clutch petal. I almost wrecked my car. I called Monitech about this issue, infuriated with the negligence/improper installation. Monitech advised that they would send a service technician out to fix it, however, if they found that I had tampered with the device in any way, I would be fined. Further, if they found nothing wrong with the device, an $85 service fee would apply. How can a company even suggest that this was my fault after their negligence nearly caused an accident? After securing the device with a few zip ties in a parking lot, I was assured that it would not come loose again and I was safe to drive. I thought I was guaranteed it would be safe to drive after the initial installation, so having it "fixed" in a parking lot had me swelling with confidence. When I asked about compensation, the service technician essentially laughed and said, "it's fixed, what more do you want?" I asked my attorney how we should proceed and he told me I should have wrecked the car because I didn't have a chance of winning a lawsuit against a company like Monitech.
Further, the interlock malfunctions all the time, especially in cold weather. It requires a "warm up" period of up to 4 1/2min before you can blow. All the while, it draws power from the battery. After the interlock killed my battery twice during this warm up, I replaced the battery, thinking this would resolve the issue. A week later, my car wouldn't start. I had the battery, alternator, and starter tested at [redacted] (where I purchased the battery) and was told all are functioning properly. I called Monitech again to resolve the issue and was told they get a lot of calls regarding these kind of problems during the winter and that I should try disconnecting the unit at night or when the car sits for long periods of time. I accidentally disconnected the unit without going through the proper disconnection protocol, which produced a recall code. The company then informed me that any time I disconnect the device improperly, it's a "program violation" and I was to be fined. Even though it was an accident and they suggested I disconnect it. Furthermore, this has not resolved the issue with my car. It still kills the battery on a daily basis. I called again telling them I'd had the battery, alternator, and starter checked, all are functioning properly. They asked if I'd tried jump starting the car yet. I told them I had to jump it every time I try to start the car. Again, they offered to send a service technician out to take a look at it, but if they found that there was nothing wrong with the device, I'd be charged with an $85 service fee. I declined this service, not wanting to risk incurring an additional fee only to have the problem not resolved yet again. The technician also suggested I take it to my mechanic and that they would probably find there is something wrong with my car.. Now, I drive a very reliable Honda Civic and have owned the car for over five years. I've never had a mechanical or electrical problem with the vehicle in five years. However, Monitech is confident there is something else wrong with my car, not their device.
Additionally, the device has been making me give multiple breath tests both when I'm trying to start the car and while I'm driving the car for running test. I'm told this is due to cold weather and there's nothing I can do about it. It doesn't function in cold weather? And how is taking multiple breath tests in a row while driving a car safe? Not to mention that every time I have to jump start my car, every time it doesn't accept a breath test, every time I have to call or bring it in is time out of my day. I've been late to work several times due to the interlock malfunctioning or killing my car. I'm lucky I have an understanding employer, otherwise I'd have lost my job due to this. I have tried contacting the regional manager with a guaranteed response time of 24-48hrs . It's been almost a week and still no response..
I could go on for days, but these have been the most egregious issues Monitech has caused for me. Customer service and satisfaction should be of paramount importance to any company, but not this one. Monitech will continue to have business and make money no matter how unhelpful, rude, and incompetent their employees are because their entire customer base are DUI offenders who are required by law to have an interlock. Never have I seen a company so blasé about feedback/complaints, so negligent to safety and proper operation of their equipment, and so apathetic to good business practices. Monitech is truly terrible at what they do.

Car damaged in installation of Monitech DeviceI was told by the Monitech technician my car was running rough, misfiring and I would need to take it to a certified mechanic and file a claim with Monitech and that Monitech would take care of the charges if it was something he did during installation. I was already spending $250.00 that day and had just spent 100.00 two weeks before having my car inspected and checked out before the device was installed which no problems were found. Having never experienced anything like this before, I called Monitech and ask them what I needed to do and was instructed to call when I was at the mechanic shop and then have notes faxed over. The mechanic and I tried to call Monitech for over 2 hours and then left a message which I never received a return call on. I left having to pay 200.00 for the repair. The certified mechanic showed me the damage and stated it was clear that Monitech damaged the cable when installing and included his business card to verify his findings and in that instance faxed the information over to the number they gave us. Amazingly after all we went through that day to do what was requested and Monitech didn't respond in anyway, they never received the mechanic information which is just a delay tactic used because I watched and he received no failure on the fax, it was transmitted. So the mechanic and I faxed another copy on November 5th. This is a clear cut cable damaged by their technician and no one will return my call and let me know when I will be reimbursed the money I paid out that day. [redacted] ignores my calls and will not return them and has other people giving the message the claim has to have time to process. You cannot talk to a manager or even get a name. If you show up there, you cannot see anybody. So how will this ever be resolved. That day when I spent two hours on the phone trying continuously to get to them, I knew in an emergency with their equipment, I would be better off to call 911 because I could be dead by the time they call me back. The poorest and worst customer service ever.Desired SettlementI want to be reimbursed immediately for the damages to my car. Business Response December 5, 2013Revdex.comRe: Case # XXXXXXXXDear Sir,On November 21, 2013, we received a complaint from the customer regarding possible damage to her vehicle.In response to the statement, "I was told by the Monitech technician my car was running rough, misfiring and I would need to take it to a certified mechanic and file a claim with Monitech and that Monitech would take care of the charges if it was something he did during installation," this is correct. If in fact the issue was caused by a Monitech technician, Monitech would pay to cover the necessary repairs. Monitech has a claim process that customers can go through if they feel that they need to.The customer filed a claim on the evening of November 1st.In response to the statement, "I called Monitech and ask them what I needed to do and was instructed to call when I was at the mechanic shop and then have notes faxed over. The mechanic and I tried to call Monitech for over 2 hours and then left a message which I never received a return call on," we have some additional information. Based on our call logs, the customer contacted us 5 times on November 3rd, the date in question. During the first two calls placed, the customer waited 10 min at 12:22 pm & 4 minutes at 12:46 pm, after which she hung up. It looks as if the voice mail she left was after the first call. At 12:58 pm, a Monitech team member called the customer in response to her voice mail wanting to know the status of her claim. The customer informed the Monitech team member that her mechanic had faxed over the diagnostic showing that the work performed by the Monitech technician caused vehicle to run rough. He informed her that our claims representative would contact her regarding her claim. The customer also called back at 8:51 pm and 9:05 pm that day to receive an override code for her device.The customer called back on November 5 to check on the status of her claim. Unfortunately, our claims representative was not back in the office until this day. She was informed that we had not received a fax from her mechanic yet and that we would need that first. Approximately 30 minutes later, the customer called back and wanted to know the time frame for the claim process. She was advised that the invoice had now been received and was advised that it would need to go through the review process. At this point the claim was sent over to the District Manager over the customer's area.The customer did call a few times for updates on her claim; however it was still in process. The claim process was completed on November 22nd by the District Manager. At this point it was determined that there was some damage to a cable. The District Manager approved the reimbursement of the repair bill. Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, no checks were being cut that week. Checks in pending status would be cut the next week.A reimbursement check was cut on December 4, 2013 and was mailed out the customer the same day.Monitech appreciates the assistance of the Revdex.com in addressing this matter.Sincerely, Monitech Customer Service