ComplaintsforArt Hossler Auto Plaza

• Initial Complaint

  07/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On March 7, 2023 I took my 2014 dodge dart here to get the alternator replaced. They did it in a timely manner, and informed me of other issues with my car. I told them I don't have the money to replace the other parts and since the alternator was on warranty to just replace that. I'm not sure of exact date when i picked the car up, as I don't have the papers in front of me at this moment can provide later if needed. The car died on the way to work 2 days after picking it up due to alternator failing. had it towed back, again in april. alternator failed again, had to have it towed again. it sat at the shop for over a month for them to tell me it was nothing. after they drove 600 miles on my car. then the starter fell off because there was only 1 bolt in it so i had to take it to another shop and had that replaced ($300) have paperwork saying that it was removed and not put back on correctly . got it back in june. june 21st had to have the car towed back to them again for alternator failing. it is now july 18th and they haven't replaced it yet. i have made 6 car payments ($2400) plus insurance since they've had this car to replace a simple part. The first time the car died was because the wires to the alternator was not tightened down. Now my radio only works sometimes, my turn signals only work part time, battery light keeps coming on. all electronics on the car seem to be messing up more and more since the alternator has failed 2 times.

  Business response

  08/01/2023

  Ms ********** first came into our shop on 3/08/23 for the first time with this vehicle she had purchased at another car lot. She had five concerns that day she wanted addressed , One recall repair, the battery light is on concern, check engine light on concern, and a loud noise at slower speeds concern and a shake at 45 mph. We completed the recall at no cost to the customer, The battery light concern our tech scanned and found 4 codes for low voltage and loss communication. The tech found the alternator failing. we called the repair into the customers extended warranty company and it was a covered repair. The customer had a zero $ deductible, which meant she didn't have to pay anything for the repair. We ordered the part and when the part came in, the customer came back and was put in a loaner/rental vehicle. The check engine light concern our tech found internal failure of the clock spring - customer approved the repair it was not covered by her extended warranty and we ordered the parts and the customer returned for this repair. Tech diagnosed the noise and found it was the throw out bearing for the clutch ,customer declined this repair and it was also not covered by extended warranty company. The shake concern we found left front and left rear tires causing the shake - she declined any repairs for this also
  
  Customer returned on 3/27/2023 for Clock spring repair that she approved and she documented with us that the battery light came back on the Friday before and then went off, Monday it came back on and a lot of other warning lights also , she pulled over to turn off and restart and the vehicle would not restart - we checked the alternator and battery and both passed both tests
  
  Customer returned on 04/17/2023 stating that the check engine light came back on the day she picked the vehicle up from our shop on the last visit and the battery light and power steering message, we keep the vehicle and test drove for several days trying to duplicate and provided the customer with a loaner again, we were unable to duplicate customer concern.
  
  Then on, 6/21/23 I received a text message from Ms ********** stating that her vehicle was on the side of the road close to ****** Il and that the alternator had failed again. Ms ********** instructed me to not let my tech work on it till she got the ok from her attorney. I assured her that if the alternator had failed,  it would be taken care of. She then had it towed  in to our dealership. 
  
  Our service manager then received a phone call from her on 7/03/23 telling us to go ahead and work on her vehicle. The alternator had indeed failed and we got the part ordered right away. The alternator was on back order but our parts manager expedited the part. 
  
  Ms ********** had asked me for a loaner/rental car but all 9 of our available vehicles were out with other customers. We received the part on 7/18/23 and had her vehicle ready to go and notified her on 7/19/23 that her car was ready for pick up.

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