Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  01/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  They towed my semi to their shop and charged me $6200 dollars to change engine oil cooler around 8/11/2022. I live in Dallas, so Im at their mercy. I call in to make payment over the the phone and they don't take credit card payments, its either comchek, eft, t-check or some other random payment. I ask the dispatcher if she accepts wire, and she says yes. I send the wire in on 1/16 and wait for it to clear on 1/17 so I can send a driver to pick up the truck. Driver gets there and the truck won't start he calls me and says they want $45 dollar to boost the battery. This is after I just paid them $6200. I called and spoke the the office and she said both managers are out and she has to go by the books and charge $45. To make matters worse, they went out to jump start the truck and found out they took my pulleys and belts off my truck and put it on another customer's truck. The mechanic said they must have pulled the parts off of the wrong truck. Part 2: My truck made it let than 20 miles down the road and shut down again. My driver limped to another shop. They said the truck needed an engine coolant level sensor, coolant flush because there was still lots of oil in the reservoir and radiator, and also a water/coolant filter. They charged $3600 in labor when it should have been a 5 hour job round $900, they they steal parts from truck, and lastly, didn't fix the truck and it broke down within 20 miles. I've tried calling speaking to a manager for the past week but they are either not in the office or on the phone.

  

  Business response

  02/03/2023

  Unit came into shop and was diagnosed with a failed oil cooler and it contaminated coolant system. A quote was given to the customer to replace the oil cooler housing and oil cooler, along with a coolant reservoir and coolant. Customer approved repairs. Oil cooler and oil cooler housing were replaced. The coolant system was flushed 4 times. While test running it it was noticed there was a coolant leak coming from the heater hose along the firewall and was also replaced. Due to coolant contamination the coolant reservoir and the coolant level sensor was replaced. Once system was flushed 10 gallons of coolant was added this totaled 10 hours @ a rate of $120.00 per hour totaling $1200.00. Again the engine was test run for an additional 8 hours with no additional issues found. Customer was notified that the truck was ready for pick up and the truck then sat in storage for approximately 5 months. While sitting in storage amongst other customers trucks a belt and tensioner was mistakenly removed off of this unit in question. Customer came to pick up the truck but it had been sitting for 5 months and the truck would not start and it needed a jump start, upon jump starting the unit it was noticed the belt and tensioner was removed from the truck. The belt and tensioner were replaced at our expense with new parts. We were never notified when the truck left that it had broke down approximately 20 miles from our shop. Had the customer contacted us upon the unit breaking down, we would have addressed the service call, and if was a warranty repair we would have covered it. In order to resolve this complaint we would like to know what the customer would like us to do in order to accomplish customer satisfaction? 

  Customer response

  02/06/2023

  
  Complaint: 18936654
  
  I am rejecting this response because: When my driver arrived to pick up the truck yes, the belt and tensioner was miss. You'll told him that you make a mistake and took them from my truck and put them on another truck. Then you went back to another similar truck and took there parts from that truck and put them on my truck. So you didn't do my any favors by put the belt and tensioner on my truck that should have already been on there, and you also took used parts from another truck to do it. Next fact: because you took my belt off and rushed to put it back on, the belt broke a few days later and seized my alternator and it had to be replace along with another belt. (Please see receipt) After a short drive from your facility the truck shut down. We took it to ***** ***** repair and they changed the engine coolant level sensor and flushed the system, because there was oil in the coolant reservoir. (a part and service you claim you did). We also had the water/oil separator changed because it was soaked in oil(please see picture). I spoke to the shop owner at ****** and asked for a quote to change engine oil cooler and he quoted me roughly $1100 for the labor and about $450-500 for the part. So you grossly over charged me. Also negligence caused my truck to continue to break down. From the time I picked my truck up from your shop, I've called roughly 7-8 times  on multiple days asking to speak to a manager. All I ever get is dispatch telling me that either there is no manager in today, or **** or ******* is on there phone. You say you want to assist me, but I can't get a manager on the phone to even talk to me. What can you do to assist me in this situation is to give me a refund of half of the money I paid you to fix my truck. I say that because negligence to fix the problem, caused me to pay more money to another shop, also removing parts from my truck caused my belt to break and force me to pay another shop to replace the belt and alternator. So I'm asking for roughly $3000 refund to off set the extra charges that you'll caused me. 
  Sincerely,
  ******** ********

  

  Business response

  02/15/2023

  The truck we took parts off of is a truck we own (belts tensioner recently replaced). We did not take off another customer truck. Replacing a belt and tensioner would not in no way cause an alternator to fail. An alternator that has sat unused for months on the other hand would be susceptible to failure and seizure thus causing belt failure. The coolant level sensor failing is likely due to a part defect as it was installed new along with the surge tank. ***** ***** repair is 177 miles from out location in your previous email you stated the truck broke down 20 miles from our shop. We have 24/7 road service and had we known the unit had issues the same day we would have sent a tech immediately to address the issue. In reference to your statement about the other shop charging $1100.00 in labor and 450-500 for the repair. Our labor was $1200.00 and our parts cost was $3680.00. As stated previously, we replaced more than just the oil cooler. We replaced the oil cooler and housing assembly (with new filter), added 5 gallons of coolant flush and flushed the engine multiple times. 10 gallons of ELC 50/50 coolant. A new coolant reservoir with coolant level sensor and 2 heater hoses that were leaking coolant. We performed more labor at on $100.00 more and the parts cost was approved prior to repairs. This invoice also contains labor and parts for the service call that was initially performed. Can you send a picture of the coolant reservoir inside and out with cap off? I see the other shop only charged for 5 gallons of coolant and this is a 10 gallon system. See attached picture once a cooling system is contaminated this badly it is almost impossible to return it to new condition. I would like to see the condition of the coolant now if possible. Also does the repair shop have the fault code on file pertaining to the sensor failure?

  Customer response

  02/27/2023

  
  Complaint: 18936654
  
  I am rejecting this response because: The fault code is still showing low coolant. The repair shop ****** only charged me for 5 gallons of coolant because the were doing me a favor knowing I was just at you shop and had coolant put in. So they filled up the radiator but only charged me for 5 gallons. When they drained the radiator and there reservoir, there was still oil mixed in the coolant, so you didn't do a thorough job of flushing the system. Not to mention my driver also witnessed one of the technicians pouring diesel into my coolant on accident and said he got it mixed up with coolant fluid. There was another technician that witnessed along with the driver. I'm asking you to refund a portion of my payment because the job was not properly done, and caused further repair cost.
  Sincerely,
  ******** ********

  

  Business response

  03/15/2023

  Once again had we known of the breakdown when it happened the truck could have been picked up and brought back to the shop for warranty work. We were not eve notified of the incident until the truck was in another state and left another shop. As far as the allegations about the diesel being poured into the coolant, this is the first time even hearing about this. None of our employees are even aware of this happening. If you would like you can bring the truck in and we will address the warrantable issues. 

  Customer response

  03/16/2023

  
  Complaint: 18936654
  
  I am rejecting this response because: My driver sat there and watched your mechanic pour diesel into the coolant reservoir and asked him is that correct. Another mechanic said he would have to drain the system to get the diesel out. Also, its not feasible for me to bring the truck back to you in LA in order to have you look at it, and deny any wrong doings. So I would like a portion of my payment refunded for the mistakes of using the wrong fluids, pulling parts from my truck( the wasn't put back on properly because the belt he put back on broke and ceased my alternator and I had to pay to replace it.) and also for gouging me on the price because you knew the truck was from out of state and was at your mercy. 
  Sincerely,
  ******** ********

• Initial Complaint

  11/04/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On October 21st my car was in accident . Gerald’s towing was the company to come pick up my car from the scene . On November 3rd I go to pay for the release of my car and for my car to be towed to a collision shop. I went to my vehicle to retrieve my items and noticed more damage to my car. My entire left side of my bumper was on the ground. I have videos and pictures on the scene showing my car was not in this condition. Multiple employees stated that towing a car causes more damage admitting to fault. I was treated horribly. The manager asked “ well how are you paying for the car anyway your insurance or what” I was the only black person in this building and I felt that they were accusing me of trying to extort them. I only wanted answers to my questions. I will be placing a picture before the tow and after.

  

  Business response

  11/17/2022

  The vehicle in question was picked up following a bad accident. The vehicle sustained heavy front end damage. Customer came in to pay for her vehicle and pay for a second tow to repair facility. Customer came back in after going to her vehicle to remove her personal items, she advised that there were more damages. She showed pictures from at the scene and we have pictures of the vehicle when it was dropped at our facility. The pictures did not show that there were any further damages. The customer was treated fairly but did not like that we were not in agreeance to there being any more damages. She than called her mother and uncle saying she was attacked by employees which did not happen either. She actually went out to the yard yelling at workers about her vehicle. She also stated that manager asked how she was paying but he asked another employee if the bill was taken care of so that the driver could load the vehicle and bring to the body shop that will be doing the repairs. In conclusion customer left and we brought the vehicle to its destination. 

• Initial Complaint

  02/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 2/4/2022 at approx 2045 hrs I was contacted by my dispatch stating that they were contacted in regards to a truck and trailer that needs to be moved. I told dispatched I would be there in approx 15 minutes. Upon arrival I observed a wrecker(Gerald's Towing, Scoot,LA.) hooked up to vehicle. I approached wrecker driver and asked him what's going on. He stated that if he didn't receive cash or EFS check he was going to tow vehicle. I stated to him that we were told to move the vehicle and from the initial call to me getting there was only about 15 minutes. His response was once he hookup someone has to pay. I never have had dealings with these people before and consider what was done as unethical and predatory. Why was phone call made to move vehicle but not afforded the opportunity to do so. Common Practice? Cash was paid to wrecker driver. Will escalate at all levels until all options are exhausted

  

  Business response

  03/04/2022

  This is a monitored parking lot in which we have a contract with the management of the parking lot because they do not want any overnight parking or unattended vehicles left there. We were contacted by management to have vehicles removed. Upon picking up the unit for a private property tow the forms of payment are cash or verified funds such as Efs, comcheck or certified check. This is not a predatory action we were called by management of the parking lot to have several vehicles removed. Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused for anyone involved.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩