An AI scanner falsely pinned $2,200 of rental car damage on me
When John Stachura drove his rental car through Sixt's futuristic artificial intelligence scanner in Manchester, England, he was impressed. He assumed that such an elaborate contraption must be a foolproof way to document the vehicle's preexisting damage. However, his opinion of the technology disintegrated when he received a $2,200 repair bill after his 24-hour rental.
Reviewing the damage claim, Stachura was certain that Sixt's AI scanner had made an expensive error in the company's favor. It had alerted to deep scratches on the body of the car during his return trip through the scanner. That was the same damage he had noted and wisely photographed before taking the wheel.
Yet Sixt's AI scanner, known as Car Gate, had failed to highlight the scrapes at the beginning of Stachura's rental.
Despite his proof of the AI scanner's mistake, Sixt continued to demand that he pay $2,200 to fix the vehicle. Two months later, after the car rental company threatened him with collections and legal action, he asked me for help.
As a consumer advocate and TPG’s ombudsman, I know Stachura is not alone. AI scanners at Sixt and Hertz (and its subsidiaries) are making mistakes, and customers are paying the price. The cost to travelers is not just in real dollars but also in the time and energy they spend defending themselves. Based on my case files, it appears that the deployment of this technology may be a bit premature.
Here's what car rental customers need to know about protecting themselves from an AI scanner's mistake — and how Stachura's battle against one ultimately ended.
A 1-day drive in a beat-up rental car
At the end of September, Stachura and his wife — who are self-described “Sixt Loyalists” — traveled to England. During a one-day trip to Manchester, the couple rented a BMW Series 5 at the airport.
"We noticed immediately that the rental car wasn't in great shape," Stachura told me. "It had damage to the front passenger's side. The tire rim had heavy scuffs, and there was a deep scrape on the body."
Having rented approximately 20 cars from Sixt over the years, the couple was surprised by the poor condition of the vehicle. No one at the rental counter had told them that the car was damaged.
"We took a few photos of the scratch and the scuffs," Stachura recalled. "Then I took a video all around the car in case I missed anything else. Our time was limited there, and we wanted to get on the road."
So, in an effort to quickly be on their way, the Stachuras did not return to the rental counter to report the damage. The couple would greatly regret that decision for months to come.
Car Gate, Sixt's AI scanner takes its own photos of the BMW
The Stachuras loaded their luggage and themselves into the rental car and soon passed through the AI scanner. Less than 24 hours later, the couple was back, having driven just 16 miles. They went through Car Gate again, parked the vehicle, and headed inside the airport.
Stachura says he had no inkling that this rental would be any different from his others. But two days later, he got the first of many emails from the Sixt Damage Team.
It read in part:
"Thank you for your rental with Sixt. We are contacting you regarding damage to the vehicle that has been recorded upon your return. We have checked the documents available to us and assign the damage to your rental period. We look forward to receiving your payment of £1,659 [within seven days]."
Hoping this would be an easily correctable mistake, the couple requested the Vehicle Incident Report. Those reports include critical details about the vehicle, the rental contract, photos of the damage, and repair estimates. If you believe you're being falsely charged for car rental damage, it's crucial that you get the VIR and carefully review it for inaccuracies.
The Stachuras were sure that the VIR associated with their rental would vindicate them.
And it did.
The VIR with the AI scanners' before and after photos clearly showed the pre-existing damage in both sets. The Stachuras' photographs and video provided the same evidence.
However, that undeniable, glaring proof didn't stop Sixt from pursuing the Stachuras for payment of the $2,200 repair bill. For eight weeks, Sixt inundated the couple with demands for payment, warnings that their account was in arrears, and, finally, threats of collections. That's when the couple asked me for help.
AI scanners rolled out, and the complaints started rolling in
Hertz and then Sixt rolled out AI scanner technology in limited locations in April 2025. Almost immediately, complaints from car rental customers began to roll into my inbox, stating that the technology had falsely attributed damage to them.
Each false accusation was the result of an AI scanner's failure to "hit" on preexisting damage as the customer exited the car rental lot. However, when that same traveler returned the vehicle, the device detected and highlighted the problem.
The good news for consumers is that the AI scanners are comprehensive. In fact, in every case I've investigated involving this technology, the attached before-and-after photos have made my job defending the customer super easy. Those images are clear, timestamped, and capture the vehicle from all angles.
The bad news for travelers is that if there is no human oversight and the AI scanner makes a mistake, they may face a protracted battle to prove their innocence.
That's exactly what happened to the Stachuras. In the AI scanner's photos of the BMW at the exit gate, the unusual scrape shaped like the letter C is unmistakable.
But the couple was unable to find anyone at Sixt who would review the evidence and erase the debt.
Asking Sixt about Car Gate and its customers’ complaints
Spokespersons for both Hertz and Sixt have assured me that AI scanners are just a tool and are not used without human oversight.
However, the cases I have received so far all appear to have bypassed the eyes of a real person. In Stachura’s case, the pre-existing damage is visible from multiple angles.
Still, the couple’s battle escalated and culminated with Sixt threatening to seek not only the payment for the $2,200 repair bill, but also “Damages caused by Delay” under the German Civil Code. (Sixt is a German-based company.)
As I was reviewing the paper trail Stachura had sent to me, I got the sense that AI might have also been handling the couple’s complaint.
I was fairly certain that as soon as Sixt’s executive team had a look at their case, the Stachuras would quickly get the resolution they deserved.
The good news from Sixt
As a member of the media, I can reach company executives that customers can’t. Unfortunately, sometimes those are the only people who can correct intractable consumer problems.
I contacted our executive at Sixt on the Stachuras’ behalf and shared Car Gate’s pre-rental scans of the BMW. As I suspected, the couple’s battle was quickly and successfully over. The company spokesperson wrote:
“Hi Michelle,
Thank you very much for reaching out and for sharing the details of the case.
After reviewing the full timeline once again, we can confirm that both the damage entry and the associated charge have been fully canceled.
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this has caused.”
The Stachuras are thrilled to put this situation in the rearview mirror. No word yet on whether they still consider themselves “Sixt Loyalists.”
Rental Car customers against AI scanners: Here's how to win
Just like any artificial intelligence, AI vehicle scanners make mistakes. Unfortunately, those errors can result in substantial repair bills for innocent car rental customers.
And although this technology is currently only being utilized in limited locations and companies, consumers can expect it to roll out more broadly in 2026.
As it is still in its learning phase, travelers must be proactive in protecting themselves against the possibility of the "malfunction" of an AI scanner.
Here's how to do it.
Document the condition of the rental car before and after
Car rental customers getting hit with surprise damage charges after returning a vehicle is not exactly a "stop the presses" moment. In fact, it is one of the most frequent complaints that I receive. Many of my investigations prove that the customer has been falsely accused.
The number one way car rental customers can virtually guarantee they won't get a repair bill for damage caused by someone else is by thoroughly photographing the vehicle's condition. This inspection should be conducted in a well-lit area in two waves — before the rental and after. This is a crucial part of the rental car process that no customer should skip, regardless of whether an AI scanner is installed.
To help car rental customers avoid costly damage charges, I created free downloadable pre- and post-rental inspection checklists to serve as a guide. I developed those forms based on the hundreds of car rental damage claims I've investigated over the years.
Report unreported damage to an attendant
Even if you're about to go through an AI scanner, if you see damage to the rental car that wasn't disclosed to you, it is likely not recorded anywhere. If you drive away with the vehicle without reporting it, the problem becomes yours. Find an employee on the lot or return to the rental counter and document the damage.
Do not accept assurances from employees that the AI scanner will document the issue or that the damage is too minor to matter. I have seen customers get charged thousands of dollars for small dents and scratches.
Ask for a copy of the complete Vehicle Incident Report
If the worst happens and an AI scanner detects damage to your rental car after you return it, you must request the Vehicle Incident Report. The VIRs created by AI scanners are very thorough. The AI scanner's mistakes aren't rooted in the machine's inability to document the car's condition. Instead, the errors I've seen so far have all been due to AI not alerting to pre-existing damage that the scanner did capture.
Asking for and reviewing the VIR is the first step in defending against AI scanner false positives. Make sure to review the VIR on a full-size computer screen, so you can enlarge the areas identified as damaged in the scans.
You'll also want to make sure the photos in the VIR are actually of the vehicle you rented and match the dates of your rental. (Mistaken-identity damage charges are not uncommon.)
If you've taken your own photos (as I hope you have), compare the AI scanner images with your own. Those snaps can provide an additional layer of defense against false damage charges.
Escalate your complaint to the executive customer service level
I often review the paper trail of customers who have tried in vain to fix their own problem, going around and around in frustrating circles with company "agents." And all the while, they're getting no closer to solving the issue.
There's a reason that these conversations seem nonsensical.
The unpleasant truth is that artificial intelligence isn't just taking over your car rental inspection. AI has taken over many aspects of customer service, and consumers often find it very difficult to reach a real person within companies who can actually fix problems. When you're facing a high-value repair bill for damage you didn't cause, you must reach a human who can review the details of your situation and make common-sense decisions.
Don't be fooled by the chat windows, which are almost always powered by an AI program attempting to sound human.
To break out of an AI-powered circular loop, type "Live Agent," and most programs will be able to transfer you to a real person to escalate your efforts. My organization, Consumer Rescue, offers a free executive contact finder, as well. You tell us the company you're struggling with, and we can give you the name and email address of someone we know who has a history of helping customers there.
Why a credit card dispute won't make a car rental damage claim go away
Frequently, car rental customers file credit card chargebacks in an attempt to make a damage claim disappear. It always backfires on the consumer, and here is why: Car rental companies don't typically fight credit card disputes. The customer wins the chargeback by default and assumes the case is closed.
But that is seldom the end of the story. It is often just the beginning of a new chapter of the problem.
The Fair Credit Billing Act protects credit card customers from billing errors and fraud. In those circumstances, the consumer can file a credit card dispute, and the bank will investigate the complaint. When a credit card company closes the case in the consumer's favor, the merchant is not allowed to re-bill the charge; but, that only applies to the credit card company. The merchant is always free to pursue the debt elsewhere.
Car rental companies routinely send unpaid debts to collections and place customers on the permanent Do Not Rent list. So, the consumer takes a hit to their credit report and gets booted from their favorite car rental company.
Instead of going down that unpleasant road, make every effort to resolve the issue directly with the company. Yes, it is unfair that consumers should have to waste their time defending themselves against false charges. But you will have infinitely bigger problems on your hands if you get sent to collections and need to extricate yourself from that complicated situation. It's much easier to fix this problem while it is still with the car rental company.
Bottom line
Car rental customers should keep in mind that AI scanners may ultimately prove to be a valuable tool for protecting both consumers and the company.
However, don’t let yourself be blindsided by repair bills for damage you didn't cause.
The best defense against false damage charges is to document, document, document. Get out your phone and make sure your photos accurately depict the vehicle's condition before you drive away. Conduct that same photo shoot when you return the rental car. If you don't, you're leaving yourself vulnerable to repair bills with little way to defend yourself — and that is an entirely avoidable predicament.
One final tip: My case files have recently shown a disturbing trend. Perhaps, on the hunt for additional revenue sources, car rental companies are digging deep into their records, sending customers repair bills months and even years after the rental period. So keep your car rental photo albums forever. You might need those pictures in the future.
If you have a problem with a car rental company, cruise line, airline, hotel or credit card company, TPG is here to help. Send your request to ombudsman@thepointsguy.com. I'll investigate your case and, if the facts are in your favor, I'll mediate on your behalf as well.