ComplaintsforOntario Automotive and Custom Works

• Initial Complaint

  28/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  To whom it may concern, This letter is to notify you that customer **** **************** is seeking damages in the total of $2,500. In May 2022 the vehicle was brought into Ontario Auto for a loud, squealing noise coming from the engine of the vehicle. At this time, I spoke to ****** **** who assured me that Ontario Auto would be **** to repair the problem. Their diagnosis of the noise in question was that the fan clutch, idler pully and the serpentine belt for the 2006 ****** Pathfinder were malfunctioning. At this time the consumer, **** **************** was provided with a quote for the work and decided to proceed with the repairs. From June 2022 until December 2022 the vehicle was brought back to the repair shop on three separate occasions as the loud, squealing noise was not repaired and continued to present as a problem. On three separate occasions the consumer was assured that the fan clutch was the problem and was therefore replaced three separate times. When these three services were completed ****** **** stated that Ontario Auto had exhausted all of their means and that now this consumer had to contact ****** directly to determine the problem. This consumer seeks to be reimbursed for all ineffective service and for violating the Consumer Protection Act in the following ways. The consumer, **** ****************, brought the ****** Pathfinder back to Ontario Auto after the first service was incomplete. At this time ****** **** informed the consumer that the vehicle now required more repairs right away. These repairs consisted of rear lower control arms, gas tank straps, front struts, rear upper control arms and rear sway bar links. This consumer was provided with a partial quote not including the repair work for rear upper control arms or rear sway bar links. To lower the cost of the quote this consumer found parts from ***** ****** for the materials required for this repair and the additional parts not included in the partial quote. The parts were delivered directly to Ontario Auto. At no time did this consumer receive a quote for the labour required to install the parts that were delivered to Ontario Auto. On November 21, 2022 the consumer received an invoice for $1,191.72 which was never discussed or quoted to customer prior to receiving this invoice. At this time the consumer paid and left Ontario Auto only to discover that now the vehicle way swaying in an unsafe manner and the loud, squealing noise was still occurring. This consumer was never informed on the invoice or verbally that the vehicle now required an alignment, replacement of the rear springs, and rear toe adjusting kits. This consumer felt that a safety inspection was also required as the vehicle now felt unsafe to drive. This consumer then had to rent a vehicle from Enterprise while the repairs were being done that were not completed by Ontario Auto. *Unfortunately I could not add videos of noise from my Pathfinder and alternative Pathfinder that does not have noise.(which was texted to business as an example)

  Business response

  10/03/2023

  To whom it may concern, we have attached a response letter regarding the issue and text messages between **** *************** and Employee ****** ****.  In early May 2022 the vehicle was brought in initially to replace the shocks, this repair was done and paid for.  After Mr. *************** had the shocks replace he indicated via text to ****** **** to inform him if there were any other repairs that may cause a problem in the near future.  Miss **** responded via text regarding further repairs.  The issue with the noise began later in May and an appointment was made for Mr. *************** to bring the vehicle in for diagnosis.  Before the appointment Mr. *************** also requested an oil change.  The vehicle was brought in for diagnosis and the issue was the fan clutch, idler pulley and serpentine belt.  A quote was presented to Mr. ************** and he approved the work and it was completed.  In June Mr *************** returned to Ontario Automotive regarding the noise coming back.  The technicians did another diagnosis at no cost to customer.  The issue was a malfunctioning fan clutch.  The fan clutch was replaced for the customer under warranty and at no cost.  As the noise continued to be a problem for Mr. ***************, Ontario Automotive replaced the clutch fan on three occasions to try and rectify the issue.  All three occasions were under warranty and at no cost to the customer.  It was then recommended to Mr. *************** that he purchase a OEM factory clutch fan direct from ****** and Ontario Automotive technicans offered to replace the clutch fan at no cost if Mr. *************** provided the part.  Mr. *************** also requested an undercoating to be done, at this time the technician noticed severe safety concerns with the vehicle.  Mr. ************** was informed of these issues visa text.  Miss **** provided a quote, ****** ****, which did state labour costs.  Mr. ************** gave the go ahead to repair only the gas tank straps, lower control arms and rear sway bar links. Mr. ************** was verbally advised that he would need to get an alignment for the vehicle.

  Customer response

  15/03/2023

  
  Complaint: 19513526
  
  I am rejecting this response because no resolution has been made in response to this matter. This same letter has already been received by this customer from Ontario Auto. This was why this customer reached out for a third party intervention, ****** ******** ******, to help keep a positive dialogue between both parties and to progress the conversation towards a resolution. The response letter from Ontario Auto contains several claims that are misrepresentations of the truth and fabricated quotes that were never presented to this customer. This customer reached out with an official letter on Feb. 14th 2023 and this is the same response that was originally received from the business 14 days after later. The original dialogue of attached text messages that were received from Ontario Auto confirms that this quote was the only one ever received by the customer and still had adjustments to be made to it before it would be considered finalized.

  Ontario Auto misrepresented that it was the fan clutch that needed repair. This customer had to seek alternative repairs which determined it was instead the fan clutch plate that was the issue. Ontario Auto then sent a newly "created"  invoice, never received by the customer, which still did not state the vehicle needed an alignment which put the customer in a dangerous driving situation. 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****************

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩