ComplaintsforPrice LeBlanc Nissan

• Initial Complaint

  07/30/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I brought my vehicle to this Nissan location by means of tow truck and explained the engine would not run after doing some maintenance. When I brought it to them, their suggested repair was to time the motor. When timing the motor did not work, they began to offer a $17,000 repair which was just replacing the motor. The "easy way out." Given that the repair they suggested did not make any difference, the car was improperly diagnosed. After timing the motor themselves, the compression test came back clear (signifying a healthy motor). Rather than further diagnosing the vehicle properly they just wanted to replace the motor and stated to find out what was wrong they would have to spend time doing their job. Vehicle diagnosis is a rate of $185 and due to this problem being harder to find, they have been wanting more money than the diagnosis fee advertised. They are now charging me $1443.68 for timing the motor - which again, did nothing! I called corporate and was told that since the manager said I needed a new motor, they could do nothing but suggest me to get a new motor. Again, the compression test shows no issues with the motor. The reason they are suggesting a new motor is because of a camshaft having play, which through online research, as well as by taking apart a spare motor, I discovered to be a normal situation. Either these technicians and "mechanics" are under qualified, or just don't want to do the work. Another thing that needs to be noted is that my car was left outdoors with the cabin air filter exposed to the weather. I have not personally been able to go there and inspect for damages, but there is a high possibility of significant water damage to my vehicle's electronics and or interior. We have had severe thunderstorms daily.

  Business response

  07/30/2024

  Good afternoon,
  Thank you for providing the detailed information regarding ****** *****'s vehicle.

  Here's a concise summary of the situation and the steps taken:
  Initial Contact: ****** ***** called our parts department on May 24, 2024, to request a gasket maker. He subsequently scheduled a diagnostic appointment for his vehicle, which was towed into our Nissan dealership in Gonzales on June 17, 2024, for cranking but not starting issues.

  
  Customer's Statement: ****** indicated that he had replaced several components himself, including the steering column (with used parts), gallery gasket inside the motor, upper oil pan, headers, oil cooler, and intake. He mentioned that the air-fuel ratio was off and that someone else would diagnose this issue. He requested our assistance to get the vehicle to turn over, noting that many items were missing from the vehicle.

  
  Diagnostic Process:
  Our advisor informed ****** that the first step was to check the timing, given that he performed the work himself.
  ****** approved the timing check and was provided with a rental car while his vehicle was being worked on.

  
  Findings:
  The technician discovered that the passenger side timing was off and the driver side had loose bolts.
  Upon re-timing the vehicle, it was noted that the driver side cam had play and was not within factory specifications.
  Metal debris was found in the oil pan, leading to the conclusion that the vehicle required a new engine.

  
  Recommendations:
  ****** was provided with a quote for an OEM engine from Nissan.
  Additionally, information on a used engine was also supplied.

  
  Please let me know if there is anything else you need or if there are any further steps you'd like to take regarding this case.
  Best regards,
  ******** ******

   

   

  Customer response

  07/31/2024

  
  Complaint: 22067184
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  When the vehicle’s motor was initially taken apart the first time, it ran flawlessly. The oil pan had metal shavings in it. But it still ran. So that is not an indication of why it is not running. Your mechanics are refusing to do actual work on the vehicle and find the problem so they are suggesting a much more expensive “repair” that is not necessary because it’s too hard for them. If your mechanics are not experienced enough, just admit that. 
  

  I will be taking the car home / receiving opinions from other certified shops. Should Nissan be proven to be wrong, I expect a full refund as well as a written apology admitting to your mistakes. This is unacceptable to say you will fix a customer’s vehicle then lie. Timing was suggested because you expected that to fix the motor. It did not. But here you are requiring a customer to pay you for not fixing their vehicle. Extremely distasteful. I’m sure even if I did pay you $17,000 to put a new motor in, you’d still require me to pay that even if it doesn’t fix the problem. How ugly of you!

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *****

• Initial Complaint

  12/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I brought in a 2017 Nissan Altima to get diagnosed they did the diagnosis and said it was only the transmission I paid for the transmission to be repair and the car still not running right I ask for proof of receipt for the transmission and they will not provide it and will not refund me my money back because they misdiagnosed it.

  Business response

  12/28/2023

  Customer visited our service department for the first time on 12/26/2022 @ 120,667 miles. Her complaint was the vehicle will not go over 40 MPH and the vehicle will hesitate to move at times. Customer approved a diagnostic fee. Per Nissan's CVT Judder trouble code present we recommended replacing the transmission and mass air flow sensor. Customer declined our recommended services copy of repair order is attached. Customer returned on 10/20/2023 @ 135,290 miles. Her complaint was check engine light is on and speed will drop while pressing accelerator and sometimes will not shift. Per Nissan's CVT judder code present we recommended replacing transmission and numerous maintenance items. Customer approved only transmission replacement and declined all maintenance items. Customer agreed to pre-pay for parts and to pay balance once replacement transmission was installed. Copy of repair order, repair estimate and trouble codes present on 10/20/2023 are attached. Once transmission was installed on 12/15/2023 Nissan's CVT judder code was gone. After test driving vehicle we checked for codes again received an active 1t MAF code. Copy of trouble codes present on 12/15/2023 is attached. Contacted Nissan and they advised performing throttle body cleaning maintenance as a first step customer approved. Once complete active code was still present Nissan recommended removing and inspecting cam sensor where we found engine sludge build up due to lack of scheduled maintenance (oil changes). On the 2018 Altima Nissan's recommends replacing the oil and filter replaced every 3,000-5,000 miles. Ran Nissan service history and just two oil changes were done one on 12/30/2019 at 45,077 miles and the second was done on 12/25/2021 both were performed at Royal Nissan in Baton Rouge. Ran a CARFAX vehicle history report and found two more oil changes the first was done was done at 17,844 on 03/19/2019 and the second was done at 93,544 miles on 11/16/2021. With the current mileage of 135,290 based on Nissan's recommendation the oil and filter should have been replaced 27 times but has only been replaced 4 times causing the engine to sludge. Met with the customer and explained the problem caused by not changing the oil and she stated she did not replace it since the light never came on. We provided the customer quote to install a new engine and she stated she could not afford it and requested a refund for the transmission parts she approved and pre-paid for. She decided not to pay the remaining balance due on the labor and sales taxes for the transmission replacement and left her car here. Unfortunately, we are unable to assist customers with issues caused by neglect or abuse of a vehicle. 

  Customer response

  12/28/2023

  
  Complaint: 21066256
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******** ********

• Initial Complaint

  07/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Brought 2017 Pathfinder for repair 04/26. Technician yielded a couple parts that needed to be changed out, one of which was the Mass Air Flow Sensor. A fuel injector service was also performed. After being without my vehicle for a week, was told it was repaired and ready for pickup 05/03 for $1,839.23. I paid amount, started my vehicle, lights came right back on INSTANTLY, idled rough barely able to run. Service rep said to leave it there since the technician had already left for the day. The following day, the technician was out due to a death of the family. On 05/06, I picked up the vehicle and seemed fine for a week until 05/13-05/14. The same lights returned & the same exact rough driving conditions occurred. I made another service appointment and dropped back off on 05/16 since the repair under warranty. On 05/17, I was told that their repair was intact, but it was actually the fuel injectors that needed to be changed at a cost of $2,200-$2,300. Wow! This was not noticed in the original diagnostic and when I paid $137.68 for the fuel injector service a week earlier? This was 21 days into the process. At this point, I felt I was being lied to/taken advantage of. I wasn't sure what to expect after a $2,300 repair since the first didn't even last a week (or even minutes initially, etc.). I decided to take my vehicle home & it left me on the side of the roadway. Brought to another local mechanic who confirmed the fuel injectors but that the ports were near full of carbon. Wasn't my fuel inj. service above supposed to remedy this? I have photos. Upon mechanic's test drive, vehicle stalled as well and codes pointed to faulty MAF sensor of which was changed (again). I have the like-new faulty part. Nissan Service & Corporate have denied refunds for the MAF part of which I don't think ever needed to be changed to begin with. The Fuel Inj. service was also ineffective or not done entirely. Not looking for a handout, but refunds on faulty part & services.

  Business response

  07/26/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/07/13) */ Contact Name and Title: **** ***** Contact Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXX Contact Email: ****@leblancauto.com Sorry we did ask Nissan to assist but with your vehicle being a total loss from a flood and it having a salvage title with all warranties voided they declined. Hopefully whoever you purchased it from gave you a great price and fully disclosed the previous total loss and reconstructed title. Your vehicle had never been here before during your first visit you asked us to repair multiple items. The $1,839 you mentioned was the total cost of everything done the majority of that cost was for all the other items you asked us to repair and not the check engine light. There is process based on what codes are stored when a check engine light is on. Based on the code present from the check engine light the first step was to replace the Mass Air Flow Sensor which was done. The fuel injection service recommended was scheduled maintenance that was past due. When your check engine light came back on 1,200 miles later there were two codes present. The next step was to replace the fuel injectors which we recommended but you declined. Your local tech following the same repair process did exactly what he should have done as the first code present indicated it needed a Mass Air Flow Sensor. Not knowing it was already a brand new sensor he changed it again and charged you again when he should have skipped ahead to step two since step one had already been done. Once he completed step one again and had the same issue he moved to step two and replaced the injectors which is the same way we got to the identical diagnosis here. Nissan would warranty the new mass air sensor if it actually was defective but not at a non-Nissan dealership and only if it had a defect which in the case it did not. Sorry for any confusion or grief we caused. If you need another itemized copy of all the different items we repaired that show the breakdown of what each of those repairs cost let us know. Happy to hear you now have everything working as it should thanks.

• Initial Complaint

  12/16/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  To whom this may concern, I'd like to file a complaint against the company due to property negligence. In the beginning of year I was incarcerated, and I had my girlfriend get my vehicle towed to the lot in hopes of them being able to tell me what was wrong with the vehicle so that it can get fixed. Whenever she had the vehicle towed, no one at the lot explained to her the rules or regulations about having vehicles in their possession or on the lot and for how long it can be there before having to retrieve the vehicle back, if and when not the decision had been made if I wanted Nissan to make the repairs they said they thought it would make the vehicle run. After being released from my incarceration, I have been working to accumulate the funds needed to pay them and to have the car towed back home being that I declined the repair options that were given. I took it upon myself to visit the lot to see if my vehicle was still there, upon my arrival I noticed that my vehicle had been tampered with and was left unlocked and the driver door was open and water was on the floor. My floors were wet as If it had been rained in, my battery that was brand new that I have the receipt for is missing and there's some additional damage under the hood that was done as well. Even though the car didn't physically run, all doors were capable of being locked manually. After seeing the condition my car was left in, I called to inquire about it. I was given the runaround for two days about the details on it. After speaking with the manager he stated that he would find me a used battery to put in there and I could come get it as is. If I would've know that was the kind of service I was going to endure, then I would've just went to a shade tree mechanic, instead I brought it to the manufacturer and got bamboozled, I'm honestly disappointed and unsatisfied with their services and how my situation has been handled.

  Business response

  01/17/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/12/29) */ Vehicle was towed here on 02/19/2021. Since he was not available when his girlfriend towed the vehicle here my guess is he was probably not aware of the condition of the car or what she requested and approved. I included some photos and can send more if it helps to see the overall condition of the car. The photo with the paper passed under the windshield molding illustrates the poor installation of the windshield and a probable source of a water leak there may be several. Here was the original complaint his girlfriend provided when the car was towed to us. CUSTOMER STATES VEHICLE IS HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING CHECK AND ADVISE. APPROVED $135.00 Here is what we found to be the cause and recommended be done. FOUND BAD BATTERY AND POWER GOING TO THE GROUND CABLE. HARNESS IS TORE UP AND RECOMMEND REPLACING BATTERY CABLE AND HARNESS Here is what she approved to be done. CUSTOMER APPROVED TO START WITH JUST THE CABLE AND SEE IF THAT FIXED THE ISSUE BEFORE REPLACING HARNESS. AFTER CALLED CUSTOMER AND GAVE THEM QUOTE ON REPLACING HARNESS. CUSTOMER WAS SUPPOSE TO CALL BACK WITH DECISION. HAVE CALLED CUSTOMER MULTIPLE TIMES AND LEFT VOICE MAILS. LAST VOICE MAIL WAS LEFT ON 3/30/21. CUSTOMER HAS NOT CALLED BACK. Will just try to address each of his concerns individually. He complained that the rules or regulations about having vehicles in our possession were not explained. It is not normal for a customer's vehicle to be left here for ten months so we don't really have rules or regulations on long term storage. We do not charge storage fees perhaps we should have a policy and storage fee to address abandoned vehicles. At some point in time I guess we would assume the car is abandoned and try to have it towed away but we have not done that yet although it has been sitting here a while. What we did do once the repair attempt she approved was complete we continued to call her for over a month but never got an answer or a return call from all the voice mails we left. He complained that the vehicle had been tampered with and was left unlocked and the driver door was open and water was on the floor. We did diagnostic work on the car and replaced the battery cable which his girlfriend approved. Not sure if that's the tampering he mentioned or if he's referring to the wiring harness which we noted was tore up from our inspection. The overall condition of the car is so bad that he could be referring to almost anything. We do check all service cars nightly at closing time to make sure they are all locked it's not likely we missed his car being open for one day or ten months. The windshield on the car was replaced poorly before we received it. The tape to hold it in place is still there and the moldings are not glued down it would be reasonable to expect it to leak and it did sit there through the hurricane and many months of weather. He complained that his new battery was missing. On our first diagnostic attempt we found the battery was bad and that the wiring harness was damaged. This is a really old vehicle the last known mileage was 210,292 back in July of 2017 it does have a lot of visible damage everywhere including some under the hood. We did remove the battery since it was bad so we could put a good battery in to attempt to get it started. Since he was not aware of the condition of the car when it was towed here I will approve waiving the $135 diagnostic fee he requested which she approved. He will need to pay the balance of the repair for replacing the battery cable since she approved it too and it has been installed on the car.

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