ComplaintsforTop Notch Automotive, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  05/09/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had taken my 2013 VW Passat to this business for a diagnosis which resulted in them suggesting I have my AC compressor and condenser replaced a long with the oil filter housing, I bought the parts from a third party company (Parts Geek) for $487.13 . Top Notch installed those parts and charged me $1817.42 and I picked up the vehicle on March 19th. I drove the car about 15 miles before I started to hear a really loud clanking noise upon acceleration to the point where I no longer could drive it. I have never heard this noise. Nor have had any engine problems. I had the car towed back to the shop first thing in the morning. Upon further investigation Top Notch thinks the flywheel broke. The car sat for a while. (Not exactly sure the timeframe. Close to a month.) As they did not have the time or staff to find out the problem. Then I get a call from the shop saying there is metal in the engine and it is completely trashed. Which did not make any sense to me. I told them to give me a couple days to figure out arrangements. I get another phone call just a few days ago saying they moved the car from outside to inside their shop and when taking the key out of the ignition the car remained on, which at that point they took apart the ignition to turn it off. The car has about ******* Miles on it and has never given me any of these problems. I still owe ***** on the car and now I'm left in a hole. They want me to get the car towed out of there but I have not arranged to do that yet until I get a second opinion from the BBB

  Business response

  05/21/2024

  Hello ******, I do understand *********************** frustration regarding his vehicle, ******************* initially brought his vehicle in on 5/2/2022 and asked us to evacuate the a/c system only, and  will have the actual  repair performed at a later date, then on 9/8/22 the vehicle returned with a coolant leak and we replaced the coolant hose.(coolant leak can cause overheating issues)  On 3/19/24 the vehicle returned for a re-diagnosis for the a/c system and another coolant leak, at that time the a/c compressor & condenser were replaced using parts supplied by the customer and the coolant leak was the oil filter housing, again using parts supplied the customer, the reason this is important and concerning is because the customer has been driving a vehicle that has been leaking coolant witch causes overheating and possible internal engine damage and oil circulation issues again causing internal engine damage and remember we installed parts supplied by the customer how could we possible be responsible for any part the customer had us install, the fact is the a/c blows cold and the oil is no longer mixing with the coolant so the repairs we performed are working as designed. As a good will gesture we removed the engine oil pan and inspected for any debris and we did find metal & bearing material in the oil pan indicating the engine is worn out and has internal issues due to lack of maintenance,overheating or poor oil circulation. The ignition did fail when we moved the vehicle from one part of the shop to the other but we did not take the switch apart or attempt any repair at this time. 

  Customer response

  05/22/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Although I had a coolant leak I kept fluids in the coolant reservoir and my car never over heated. My car was brought in and did not experience any of the symptoms its experiencing now. It had driven perfectly fine, I simply just wanted my air conditioner to work. I have been advised by another mechanic that this exact problem happens when the oil plug doesnt get put back correctly, or at all. And I am inclined to believe him as he has not been paid any money and sees this quite often. I am requesting the BBB to do an investigation on the vehicle as well as the assisting mechanics. I am left in a worse situation than when i brought the car in. 

  Business response

  05/23/2024

  I can't understand how another mechanic stated the oil pan drain plug was left loose or missing completely without even inspecting the vehicle. But lets clear it up, if the oil pan drain pan was not installed there would have been no oil the vehicle when you picked it up and oil oil light indicator light would have be on and the vehicle would never made it out of the shop. if the oil pan drain plug was left loose then there would have been leaking oil, and we both know that didn't, happen there was no oil where you parked it, there was no oil on the bed of the tow truck and no leaks on the shop floor, we inspected the oil level and it was full. Again if was even low one liter of oil the oil light would have come on and the definitely was no light on when vehicle was dropped off.  We install a new oil pan drain  plug washer when the cooler was replaced. by have another mechanic stating the oil pan drain plug was loose and leaking or even missing with out even checking the vehicle is just insane. Looks like someone is just trying to place blame and make us look bad. the repairs we performed on your vehicle are done ******, we are not just some run of the mill mechanics, the owner is a VW  factory trained technician with over 20 years experience repairing ********** vehicles and the work performed on this vehicle could not have causing any internal issues.

    

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