ComplaintsforEagle Quick Lube

• Initial Complaint

  01/04/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I took my Sonota to Eagle Lube for the coils, and spark plugs to be replaced. They were running late due to a customer ahead of me so I waited for the work to be done. The tech finished my car earlier than the time quoted by the tech for the work to be done. I was told my coils didn't need replaced and the spark plugs were replaced. I noticed after the work was done that my idle was still rough but I figured with the miles on the car that was normal. About a year later and 20000 miles my engine light came on. I had to be towed 45 minutes home. My husband called Eagle Quick lube and was told they couldn't diagnose the problem. We had the car towed to Car Care who ran diagnostics on the car. The technician's first thought was spark plugs but since we told them we had them replaced he looked for other issues like fuel injector and coils. Everything checked out except the spark plugs Eagle had installed. We had the plugs replaced at Car Care and that fixed the problem. When I went to pick up my car the Car Care mechanic said he didn't want to bad talk Eagle but the plugs were installed without a spark plug wrench, dropped or bad from the start. My husband contacted **** at Eagle Quick Lube and he emailed back and forth about a refund after the owner came back. I took the spark plugs to **** who said ********** checked them, they were bad and would push the warranty thru and at least refund the $86 for the plugs. Once his Dad who owns the shop got involved they blamed us and the mechanic at the repair shop saying there was oil or fluid in the cylinder and it was out fault as well as ********** refusing the warranty claim adjusting the miles on the spark plug warranty which is listed on the plug website as more miles than we put on this set of spark plugs. After my husband talked to **** on the phone he called Car Care & talked to the mechanic who fixed my car. The mechanic said the Eagle owner tried to sell him on the story of fluid in the cylinders but he didn't agree.

  Business response

  01/19/2023

  As stated by the customer, work on the vehicle was serviced by us on 12-10-2022.  The customer had spark plugs replaced as requested to perform 100,000 mile service, as per manufacturer recommendations.   OEM equivalent spark plugs were used in the vehicle.  NGK 92315 Iridium spark plugs.  Plugs were purchased from ******** Auto Parts in Oakhurst.  Customers had the vehicle serviced (oil changes) 2 additional times following spark plug replacement, (1-6-2022 mileage of 100,786 and 4-21-2022 mileage of 106,666) (no complaints of vibration from customer either visit.)   On 12-27-2022 is when the customer's problem arose and mileage indicated was at 114,996.  When I was first contacted about the issue we were willing to help the customer in the situation.  I (****- manager) had requested the spark plugs be returned to Eagle Lube to attempt to have the spark plugs warrantied out as faulty.  The initial return was granted by ******** computer system.  The next morning I was contacted by ******** and was informed that the manufacturer of the spark plugs (NGK) denied the warranty claim since the spark plugs were past the manufacture 1 year limited warranty on the spark plugs.  Additionally I could not attempt to file a warranty labor claim with O"****** auto parts since the service was past their 12 months 12,000 mile labor warranty claim. 

  Given the date of the service plus the mileage added to the vehicle, we were unable to offer any refunds at that time.  

  We had consulted with a 3rd party repair shop and asked for their opinion on the condition of the old spark plugs.  The 3 techs we talked with and presented the plugs stated they look oil fouled as well as they appeared to get HOT (porcelain on plug was broken)(pictures attached)

  Even if the customer had been able to get to our shop (holiday season and no availability until after the holiday) the customer was still past ANY warranty claim available.

  We apologized, but our hands were tied.  

  
  

  Given that NGK denied the claim on the spark plugs since they were past the 1 year mark, my hands are tied in offering a refund of the sparks.

  
  

  The only thing I am willing to offer is a $63.00 credit on the labor we charged to do the service.  I can not offer a full refund of the services they incurred at the other repair facility.  The other facility charged $16.52 more for the same plugs we sold, as well as $74.72 in additional labor from what we originally charged, plus the diagnosis fee of $147.75 that we have no control over.    

  
  

  $63.00 credit is my offer to help remedy this situation.

  
  

  Pictures of the spark plugs the customer provided to me that were then returned back to the customer after NGK denied the warranty claim.

  As you can see in the pictures, the threads on the spark plugs do have what appears to be oil residue on them indicating an internal problem that caused the spark plugs to foul out and cause the porcelain to break.

  
  

  Any questions please feel free to contact me.

  
  

  Customer response

  01/28/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  I am rebutting the explanation given by the Eagle Lube on two points. First of all, I took photos of the plugs given back to me by Coarsegold Car Care and they were NOT soaked in oil. Period. If they were soaked in oil, it’s because **** from Eagle used an old mechanic’s trick to absolve himself and his business of any liability by dunking the plugs in oil then taking them to another shop called the Rusty piston to get a biased second opinion after he had done so. Furthermore, *** from Coarsegold Car care did NOT agree with **** from Eagle. I talked with *** at length AFTER **** claimed to have talked to him and *** told me personally that he did NOT agree with the assessment from Eagle. He went so far as to state that he has over 20-year experience in diagnostics and it was mildly annoying but not surprising that Eagle responded the way they did. Eagle is dishonest and as most in the mechanics in two will tell you, good at oil changes and not much else… And the the plugs were NOt in the same condition that I got them in from Coarsegold car care.

  
  

  *** *** ***** *********

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