ComplaintsforMartins Transmission & Auto Repair

• Initial Complaint

  06/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  6/1/23 had alternator replaced for ****** no problem but but was told that ps belt adjuster was bad replaced pully on adjuster not bad water pump started making noises right away noticed bad noise next day and still getting worse new water pump will cost me hundreds of dollars i think they did something to the water pump and now i am faced with a *******************

  Business response

  06/26/2023

  June 26th, 2016
  To Whom It May **************** is in response to the complaint that Mr. ******************* submitted to the BBB, (the customer stated that his name is *******************, not *******************).************** came in to our shop requesting a specific job (replace the alternator and belt) due to they were not working properly; he provided the alternator and the belt. ************** was offered if he would like us to perform an external inspection on the vehicle before performing his requested repairs to make sure that the issue he was having was indeed being caused by the alternator and the belt. He declined and stated for us to continue with the specific repair he came in for. Upon us performing the repairs he was notified that the technician noticed that the power steering tensioner pulley was locked and that we recommend to replace it. Customer declined to replace it. Customer was informed that since the pulley was locked it was not letting the belt turn which is why the alternator was damaging, and that can cause damage to other parts of the vehicle. He still declined to replace the power steering tensioner pulley and to just finish the job that he came in for, which was to replace the alternator and the belt that he provided. When job was finished and keys were given to ************* the vehicle had no noise was present at all.
  In ************** complaint he stated that he replaced the power steering belt adjuster and that he started to hear a noise, and that the noise is being caused by the water pump. But when he left the shop, the vehicle was not making a noise and in his own complaint he states that the noise started after he replaced the power steering belt adjuster and not before.
  ************** came to the shop after on Saturday, June 17th,2023, 17 days after the alternator was replaced and mentioned to us that the vehicle was making noise. One of the technicians went to his vehicle with ************** and heard the noise and informed him that he recommends to perform an external inspection due to there are multiple possibilities on where the noise can be coming from,but ************** declined and stated that he would replace the water pump himself due to he thinks the noise is coming from there.
  ******************* is stating that he thinks we did something to the water pump, but it is not possible due to the water pump is behind the timing cover. What is possible is that since the power steering tensioner pulley was locked, it could have caused damage to the water pump, it is also possible that the customer damaged something upon replacing the power steering belt adjuster he stated he replaced due to the noise started after he replaced it. Another possibility is that if the water pump is the original one, and based on year of vehicle, and mileage, the water pump gave out.
  What we can do for ************** is perform an external inspection on the current noise he stated the vehicle has, which is valued at $175.00, but it will be at no charge to him. The only things is that ************** will have to remain at the shop while inspection is performed due to we do not want him to say once again that we caused anything to his vehicle. 

  Customer response

  06/28/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  Water pump is indeed bad and was making noise before I replaced the pulley and adjuster was fine what the mechanic told me was wrong only the pump is bad and was not making noise before repair
  
  

  Business response

  07/04/2023

  July 4th, 2023
  
  To Whom It May ******************** came in for a specific job (to replace the alternator and the belt). Customer was offered to perform an external inspection on the vehicle before we replaced the alternator and the belt. Customer was offered this over the phone when he called in for a price and in person when he dropped off the vehicle to perform the specific repair and he declined to both times. If the noise was present when he came to pick up the vehicle why did customer not mentioned it before he took vehicle from the shop and or come back the next day, why did he wait 17 days to notify us about the noise.  Once again you can not get to the water pump by just replacing the alternator and the belt, you have to remove the timing cover to get to the water pump. Customer states that the water pump is damaged but not the pulley (I do not know what he means by an adjuster, what is that), is he able to bring the water pump and the pulley for us to see them. You do not need to be a mechanic to be able to notice if the water pump damage is recent or if the wear is old and if the pulley is indeed bad or not.
  The day the customer came back (after the 17th day) he mentioned to us that our job was correct and asked how much would the labor be to replace the water pump. So, if he thought that we did something to damage the water pump, why come to us and tell us that our job is ok and wanting a price on labor.  Once again, we ask if we can see the water pump and the pulley to check the damage on it, due to there is no relation with the replacement of the alternator that is on one side and the water pump is on another and you do not have to touch the water pump to replace the alternator.  See attached picture taken from the OnDemand website that gives you instructions on how to replace the alternator, as well as a picture of the belts that the vehicle has, showing that the alternator belt is one and the water pump belt is another and you do not have to take off the water pump belt to replace the alternator belt, you only have to take off the first belt for the alternator,to replace the a/c belt you have to replace the second belt and to replace the water pump belt you have to take off the third belt, which we only removed the first belt for the alternator.
  Any questions you can give us a call at ************.

  Customer response

  07/05/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  I was told the ps adjuster was bad it was not bad the car was making noise and the oil looked funny light brown but the filter seemed to clear the oil a little I changed it right away so it would not damage the oil pump the first day after the repair upon start up the water pump started to make noises like something was shattering inside the pump now the pump is so bad I cannot drive the car and a waiting for an expensive repair
  
  

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