Local Car Brake Company’s Claims False, Ftc Judge Rules

A Federal Trade Commission administrative law judge has upheld charges accusing a Spokane-based manufacturer of making false claims about an add-on car braking system, the FTC said Friday.

Judge Lewis F. Parker found that advertisements claiming that the Brake Guard Safety System performs as effectively as factory-installed automatic braking system brakes are false, the FTC said.

Parker’s ruling upholds charges the FTC brought in 1995 against Brake Guard Products, Inc.

The ruling prohibits Brake Guard from using the term “ABS” in marketing its product.

Parker also barred the company from misrepresenting the performance characteristics of its brakes, the availability of insurance discounts resulting from installation of the brakes, and the brakes’ compliance with certain government performance standards.

Brake Guard also must notify all distributors and purchasers that the FTC has found that marketing claims stating that the product was an anti-locking braking system are false.

Brake Guard officials could not be reached for comment. A message left after business hours Friday at Brake Guard’s Spokane office was not returned.

Brake Guard sold the systems to dealers who charged consumers between $283 and $349 for the product, the FTC said. At least 400,000 of the systems were sold between 1990 and 1996, earning revenue of $10.4 million, the FTC said.