Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  07/29/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 4/11/22 we asked **********************s to trouble shoot why our small travel trailer was not connecting to the trucks 7 pin spade plug. The plug was old and full of corrosion. One of the shop mechanics replaced and wired the new plug. We did have lights so 4 of the 6 wires were wired correctly however the other 2 were wired incorrectly so as we travelled our batteries in the trailer were not receiving any charge which includes our small frig. We discovered this issue when in ***** as we were just starting out on a 3 month out west trip. We stopped at ***************** in ****** ** and the mechanic indicated that the plug had been incorrectly wired thus causing the fuse to blow. We now had another even larger **** to correct the work done at **********************s. I sent Mr ********************** 2 text messages and received no response. Upon returning home on July 18th I called and left a message with the employee who answered the phone. I waited 2 days and called again and Mr. ********************** did return my call. When I explained our concern he stated I should be appreciative that he saw us without an appointment and that he got the lights working so we would be safe to travel. He indicated he doesnt usually deal with campers although a 7pin plug is used to connect any number of trailers. He accepted no responsibility for his employee wiring the plug incorrectly. Our **** at **********************s was $118.82 and our **** at ***************** was $314.12. We respectfully request that we be reimbursed for at least the $118.82 since the job was not done correctly.

  Business response

  08/01/2022

  Two middle aged ladies stopped into our facility with a ****** Trundra pulling a small camper and stated they were from out of state (********? I think) and their small camper did not have any lights working on it.  We were very busy (we have been in business since November 1, **** and we work on mostly "work and company owned "commercial" vehicles, along with school buses, church buses and ****** care buses.  We are not camper mechanics.  We told the ladies ********* in ********, ******* or ******************************* repair here in *********** are the closes camper/** repair facilities.  If I remember correctly, She told me she had already called Alexanders and he recommended us for just lights.  The ladies wanted to "wait" on the repair (We normally take clients by appointment and schedule them in), however, since the ladies were from out of state and they were (in my opinion) in a dangerous situation driving across ***************** with absolutley NO exterior lights on their camper, I decided to help them out.  I make a repair order and we pulled the truck and camper into our 13 bay repair facility and started at the truck side "Female" 7 spade ** connector at the ****** Trunda's rear bumper area.  We started our testing and there was no power on the "yellow wire" (left turn signal), nor on the "Green wire" (right turn signal). The "***** wire" that supplies electrical power to the camper (tail lights and upper marker lights) also had no power coming though the connector. We unplugged the camper (Male) electrical connector from the truck's (Female) connector for our testing.  We then diagnosed the Truck side ** electrical (supply) connector had green corrosion on all the terminals and the wiring was full of wet dirt and not letting the terminals make a good connection to run the lights.  We had a new (Female-Truck Side) ** connector in stock and I showed both Ladies the bad "green" corrosion on the original (Truck Side) ** connector. We installed a new Female 7 spade ** connector on the ****** Trundra pick up and the lights imediately all worked on the Camper.  Left and right turn signals, Both brake lights, both tail lights and all the upper marker lights all worked.  We ********************* *** back into our facility and I had my Technician work all the lights inside the truck while *************** and I stood behind the camper and verified every light is currently working properly as they should  I charged the two Ladies approx. $118.00.  The repair was diagnosed and completed in approx 1 hour while they waited and they paid the invoice and were on their way with camper lights working and a safe trip.  

  NOTES:  When you buy a new Truck (Ford, Chevy, Dodge, ******, Etc) and if it comes with a rear trailer hitch and 7 spade ** connector there is a "STANDARD" WIRING PROCEEDURE AND THIS TRUCK WAS WIRED STANDARD AND WE INSTALLED THE NEW 7 SPADE ** CONNECTOR TO THE INDUSTRY STANDARD DIAGRAM WHICH IS THE FOLLOWING:

  LOOKING INTO THE TRUCK'S 7 SPADE (FEMALE) ** CONNECTOR - THINK OF IT AS A COMPUS WITH NORTH BEING UP, SOUTH BEING DOWN, **** TO THE LEFT AND EAST TO THE RIGHT. 

  1. THE **** TERMINAL IS FOR THE LEFT (DRIVERS SIDE) TURN SIGNAL

  2. THE FAR EAST TERMINAL (DIRECTLY ACROSS THE LEFT TURN) IS THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL AND THE GREEN TURN SIGNAL WIRE ATTACHES TO THAT TERMINAL

  3. THE ******************* IN THE CONNECTOR IS WHERE THE ***** WIRE ATTACHES AND IT IS FOR THE **** LIGHTS AND UPPER MARKER LIGHTS ON THE CAMPER

  4. THE SOUTH **** TERMINAL INSIDE THE TRUCK SIDE FEMALE ** ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR IS THE GROUND WHICH THE "WHITE" BIGGER 1 GAUGE WIRE ATTACHES

  5. THE BRAKE LIGHTS (ON THIS SET UP ACTUALLY GETS THE SUPPLIED POWER FROM BOTH THE YELLOW (LEFT) AND GREEN (RIGHT) TURN SIGNAL TERMINALS WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL PUSHED. 

   

  NOW WITH THESE WIRES CONNECTED ALL THE LIGHTS WILL AND DID WORK ON THIS **.  

  THE ONLY VARIABLE TO THIS IS: IF HER CAMPER WOULD OF HAD ELECTRIC TRAILER BRAKES (IT DOES NOT) THE SOUTH EAST TERMINAL WOULD HAVE A 10 GAUGE "BLUE" WIRE CONNECTED TO IT RUNNING FROM AN ADDED ON ELECTRIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE MOUNTED INSIDE THE TRUCK CAB.  

  THIS TRUCK DID NOT HAVE AN ELECTRIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE INSIDE THE TRUCK CAB BECAUSE THE CAMPER DOES NOT HAVE ELECTRIC BRAKES (NOT NEEDED AND NOT EQUIPPED). 

   

  NOW, THE 7 SPADE ** CONNECTOR (FEMALE SIDE) HAS 2 MORE SPADE (THE VERY CENTER OF THE COMPUS (IF YOU WILL) AND THE NORTH EAST (AUXILIARY BATTERY + WIRING), FOR ACCESORIES.  NORMALLY THESE TWO AUXILIARY TERMINALS ARE NOT USED.  THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE LIGHTS ON THE REAR OF THE CAMPER. 

   

  HOWEVER, A ** DEALER *** WANT TO ADD BATTEREY SUPPLY POWER COMING FROM THE TRUCKS BATTERY RUNNING TO THE REAR OF THE TRUCK AND THOUGH THIS CONNECTOR INTO THE CAMPER TO RUN SOMETHING IN THE CAMPER.  WE HAVE SEEN THIS.  IT IS NOT UNUSUAL AND IT IS CONSIDERED "CUSTOM" TO EACH INDIVIDUAL CAMPER OR TRAILER AND/OR OWNERS PREFERENCE.  ANY ONE CAN SUPPLY A BATTERY WIRE FROM THE TRUCK TO THE CAMPER AND RUN SOMETHING?  

   

  OUR OBJECTIVE WAS THE LADIES CAME IN FROM OUT OF STATE AND HAD NO (NONE) NO LIGHTS AT ALL ON THE CAMPER.  WHEN THEY LEFT ALL (ALL) THE CAMPER LIGHTS WORKED PROPERLY AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOW SAFE FOR TRAVELS.  WE NEVER WENT INTO THE CAMPER AT ANY POINT.  WE ARE NOT AN ** REPAIR FACILITY.  WE DO NOT DO ANY WORK OF ANY KIND ON CAMPERS EXCEPT LIGHTS, RE-PACK WHEEL BEARINGS, REPLACE TRAILER HITCHES.  

   

  THERE IS NO WAY WE WOULD OR COULD HAVE KNOWN SOME "RED" BATTERY SUPPLY WIRE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN RAN AND CONNECTED THROUGH THE ** CONNECTOR TO RUN SOMETHING INSIDE THE CAMPER SUCH AS A SMALL REFRIGERATOR SOMEONE ADDED IN THECAMPER FOR THIS TRIP.  THE CLIENT NEVER MENTIONED THIS TO ** AT ALL.  

   

  LET'S REMEMEBER WHEN THE TRUCK CAME IN THE TRUCK SIDE ** CONNECTOR WAS SE**ERLY CORRODED WITH GREEN CORROSIONS AND THE WIRING WAS CORRODED OF THE REAR OF THE CONNECTOR.  YES, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A ****Y PIECE OF A WIRE BROKEN OFF BEHIND THE TRUCK'S BUMPER THAT WE DID NOT SEE (BECAUSE WE WERE NOT LOOKING FOR ANY ADDITIONAL WIRES TO REPAIR THE CAMPER LIGHTS TO WORK.  

   

  I WILL SAY, IF I WAS IN THE SAME SITUATION TOMORROW, I WOULD DO THIS JOB/TASK THE SAME WAY AGAIN.  CLIENT SAYS WE ARE FROM OUT OF STATE TRAVILING ALONE GOING **** AND WE HAVE FOUND OUR SELF IN A BAD SITUATION WITH NO LIGHTS ON OUR CAMPER AND COULD YOU POSSIBLEY HELP ** OUT.  IT IS UN SAFE WITH NO LIGHTS, WE COULD GE REAR ENDED BY A SEMI TRUCK ENDING IN DISASTER. 

  WE TOOK THEM IN WHILE THEY WAITED WITH NO APPOINTMENT, QUICKLY DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AND REPLACED THE BAD CONNECTOR AND THEN LET THE CLIENT VERIFY ALL THE LIGHTS ARE NOW WORKING ON THE CAMPER BEFORE THEY PAID THE INVOICE.  OUR TASK WAS COMPLETED.   NO LIGHTS AND LEFT WITH ALL LIGHTS WORKING. 

  PLEASE NOTE ALSO, THIS CORROSION DID NOT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.  I AM CERTAIN IT WAS THERE WHEN THEY STARTED THEIR TRIP AND THE CONNECTOR SHOULD HAVE BEEN LOOKED AT, CLEANED OR REPLACED THEN INSTALL DIELECTRIC GREASE INSIDE THE CONNECTOR TO PREVENT MOISTURE AND CORROSION.  IT IS CLEARLY A LACK OF MAINTENANCE ON THEIRE PART AND THEY WANT SOMEONE ELSE TO BLAME FOR THEIR IGNORANCE (NOT STATING THAT AS A MEAN STATEMENT) BUT TRUE.  THEY DID NOT KNOW, HOWEVER, THEY CAN LEARN FROM THEIR MISTAKE AND HAVE THESE THINGS CHECKED OUT BY AN ** MAINTENANCE REPAIR FACILITY (BEFORE) HEADING ACROSS COUNTRY. 

  THEY STATED ALL THE WIRING WAS CORRECT AND WIRED TO "INDUSTRY STANDARD" FOR THE LIGHTS TO WORK.  THE AUXILIARY ARE JUST THAT, AUXILIARY THAT SOME ONE HAS ADDED TO THE EQUATION TO MAKE SOMEING CLIENT ADDED IN THE CAMPER TO WORK.  

  I WELCOME YOU TO CALL ********* IN ********, *******, OR ALEXANDERS CAMPER SALES IN *********** OR ******* TRAILER SALES IN ******* AND ASK HOW A 7 SPADE ** FEMALE TRUCK SIDE CONNECTOR IS TO BE WIRED AND I CAN ASSURE YOU WITH THE UP MOST CONFIDENCE IT WILL BE JUST LIKE I EXPLAINED IN GREAT DETAL ABOVE.  

   

  I AM SORRY, HOWEVER, I FEEL WE HELPED SOME OUT OF STATE PEOPLE OUT OF A BAD SITUATION DURING A VERY BUSY DAY AND WE ACCOMPLISHED OUR TASK THAT THE CLIENT ASKED ** TO DO (GET THE LIGHTS WORKING ON OUR CAMPER). WE CHARGED A VERY FAIR PRICE AND WAS VERY NICE SHOWING THESE OUT OF TOWNERS THAT ** HOOSIERS ARE WILLING TO HELP AND WE CARE ABOUT PEOPLE.  OUR MOTTO IS TO TREAT PEOPLE THE WAY YOU WOULD WANT TO BE TREATED.  I BELEVE WITH ALL MY HEART WE DID JUST THAT AND THEN SOME.  

  I AM SORRY THEY *** HAVE LOST A LITTLE FOOD IN THE **** FRIDGE BECAUSE SOME **/CAMPER *********** INSTALLED AN AUXILIARY WIRE TO RUN A **** FRIDGE THEY WANTED IN THEIR CAMPER FOR THIS TRIP AND WE WERE NOT AWARE OF THAT IN ANY WAY. 

   

  AGAIN, I WOULD DO THE SAME JOB THE SAME WAY TOMORROW.  I AM NOT A CAMPER *********** AND I DID NOT INSTALL A **** FRIDGE ADDED TO THE CAMPER.  WE DID NOT EVEN TOUCH THE CAMPER AT ALL.  OUR REPAIR WAS ONLY ON THE TRUCK SIDE. OUR REPAIR WAS UNDER THE TRUCK BEHIND AND BELOW THE BUMPER WITH ALL THE **** FALLING DOWN FROM THE WET, ****Y BROKEN WIRS AT THE ** CONNECTOR.  

   

  THAT IS HOW I FEEL.  I CALLED **** *** ONE TIME AND GOT NO ANSWER AND LEFT HER A DE****ED VOICE MAIL EXPLAING THE ABOVE PROCEDURE TO HER ON THE VM.  SHE HAD LEFT A SECOND PH NUMBER AND WHEN I CALLED THAT NUMBER SHE ANSWERED AND I EXPLANED THIS TO HER AND ALL SHE COULD SAY WAS HER **** (ADD ON) REFRIGERATOR DID NOT WORK BECAUSE WE FAILED TO CONNECT A WIRE AT THE CONNECTOR.   SHE DROVE TO ***** (KEEP IN MIND ALL HER LIGHTS WERE STILL WORKING), HOWVER, SHE DISCOVERED HER **** FRIDGERATOR WAS NOT WORKING AND SHE FOUND AN ** DEALER (THIS TIME) NOT A HEAVY TRUCK REPAIR SHOP AND PLEASE NOTE THE REPAIR TASK FOR THE ** DEALER WAS NOT TO FIX HER LIGHTS IT WAS TO FIGURE OUT WHY HER **** FRIDGERATOR IS NOT WORKING.  

  WELL FOLKS, THERE IS ONLY ONE THING TO DO IS GO TO THE TRUCK SIDE AND **** THROUGH THE **** TO SEE IF YOU CAN FIND A WIRE THAT *** BE IN THE **** OF THE REAR BUMPER THAT COULD SUPPLY BATTERY VOLTATE THOUGH THE ** CONNECTOR AND CONNECT THE ONE WIRE AND SEE IF THE **** REFRIDGERATOR WORKS.  

  BUT BOTH TASKS AT TWO DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOPS WERE VERY MUCH DIFFERENT TASKS.   NO LIGHTS/LIGHTS  AND **** REFRIDGERATOR NOT WORKING LOOK FOR A BATTERY SUPPLY WIRE TO CONNECT.   THE QUESTIONS IS WHY DID THE ** DEALER CHARGE THEM WAY MORE MONEY THAN WE DID AND THEY ONLY HAD TO CONNECT 1 WIRE AND INSTALL A BLOWN FUSE.  

  THE BOTTOM LINE IS ******************* NAME IS ON THE ***** OF HER LITTLE CAMPER AND NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS TO IT THE REPAIRS TO IT ARE SOLELY HER RESPONSIBILITY. 

  I STILL FEEL WE TREATED HER WITH HONESTY, AND IN A TIMELY MANOR WHILE THEY WAITED AND WE FULLY ADDRESSED THE ISSUE SHE BROUGHT THE TRUCK/CAMPER INTO OUR FACILITY TO GET REPAIRED.  

  I AM NOT GOING TO OFFER A RE-FUND, SHE DID GET A NEW 7 SPADE ** FEMALE CONNECTOR AND WE DID INSTALL THAT NEW CONNECTOR ON HER TRUCK.  WE HAD HER VEIFY ALL THE LIGHTS WERE WORKING BEFORE SHE PAID THE INVOICE AND WHEN SHE LEFT THE TRUCK AND CAMPER LIGHTS WORK.  I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT THE INSIDE OF THAT CAMPER LOOKS LIKE WE NEVER OPENED THE CAMPER DOOR IN REPAIRING THE REAR AND TOP OUTSIDE LIGHTS.  THE WHOLE PROBLEM WAS ON THE TRUCK. 

   

  THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME EXPLAIN OUR REPAIR INDE**** TO YOU.  I AM 60 YEARS OLD AND HAVE BEEN SELF EMPLOYEED SINCE NOVEMBER 1, **** AND WE ARE ONE OF THE TOP REPAIR FACILITIES IN ***********, *******.  OTHER VERY WELL RESPECTED SHOPS WILL HIGHLY RECOMMEND ** INCLUDING ***** BUICK, PENSKE TRUCK RENTAL, ****** LUMBER COMPANY (*********************), ****** SERVICES, *********************** **************************** BUS SALES, **************, ******************************* SALES, THE ****** APARTMENTS, ***** COUNTY SHUTTLE, ***** COUNTY HEALTH CARE, HEARTHSTONE HEALTH CARE, ** AMBULANCE, MONROE COUNTY PUBILC LIBRARY, CIRCO PROSCO, ********************************, ****************, *********** TRANSIT BUSES, ****************************, ****************************, JUST TO NAME A FEW. 

   

  THANK YOU

  DAVID CARMICHAEL 

  PRESIDENT

  CARMICHAEL TRUCK & AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE, INC

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

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

  Customer response

  08/05/2022

  Better Business Bureau:

  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this response/resolution is not satisfactory 
  
  
  

  Regards,

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

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