You’ve heard of those court-ordered gadgets which force people with prior DUIs to perform a breath-test in order to start their car engine, right? Well as if that wasn’t embarrassing enough, then take a look at this: If you are a risky borrower and you miss an automobile loan payment, this gadget will keep your car from starting.

When the light starts to flash, you had better have the cash.

That’s the reality for millions of subprime borrowers whose used car purchase is contingent upon having an unusual option: a little box mounted underneath the dashboard that forces them to make their payments on time.

A light on the plastic box flashes when a payment is due. If the payment isn’t made and the resulting code punched in to reset the box, the vehicle won’t start. The next step is a visit from the repo man.

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