A routine auto repair has turned into what one Texas family is calling a “hostage situation,” after a body shop allegedly refused to return their vehicle despite performing no visible work on it.
In a TikTok video, a woman recounts how her son took his car to an El Paso body shop for repairs after it sustained damage. The family says the shop held the vehicle for more than a month, long past the date it was supposed to be finished. After weeks of unreturned calls, she and her son decided to drive from out of town to El Paso and get the police involved to get the car back.
According to her TikTok post, the shop refused to release the vehicle even though officers were there. Staff allegedly claimed they had a contract with the family’s insurance company, a statement later revealed to be false. She said they could clearly see the car through the lot fence and confirmed that no work had been done. “They lied to us in front of the officers,” she said in the video.
The post goes on to say that officers at the scene mentioned that the same body shop had recently had a frustrated customer break in to retrieve their own vehicle after repairs were never started. “We’re probably to the point of having to get a lawyer involved,” she added, warning others to avoid the business.
Hostage cars: more common than you think?
Other users commenting on the video claimed they had endured similar ordeals. One viewer wrote, “My nephew went thru a similar situation but with a body shop on Dyer, and he had to get a lawyer. Almost a year later they released his car with no repairs done to it.” Another added, “They are close to the border—sometimes they will sell them and send them to Juarez,” Mexico.
Under Texas Property Code Chapter 70, a repair shop may legally hold a vehicle if it has performed authorized work but has not yet been paid. However, that right—known as a possessory lien—does not apply if no repairs were completed or if there was no valid agreement for work to begin. Mechanics are required to obtain written authorization before performing repairs and must provide an itemized estimate and bill.
In this case, the family alleges that no repairs were done and that the shop fabricated its claim of an insurance contract. If true, that could constitute a breach of contract or consumer fraud. Legal sources note that a shop’s refusal to release an unrepaired vehicle could lead to civil litigation, and customers may recover damages through small claims court.
For now, the family behind the TikTok post says they plan to consult an attorney to get their car back. The El Paso Police Department has not released a statement regarding the incident. As more residents come forward with similar experiences, the situation serves as a reminder to always get written estimates, confirm insurance authorizations, and check a shop’s reputation before leaving a vehicle in its care.
Published: Oct 31, 2025 03:55 pm