ComplaintsforCrouch Automotive

• Initial Complaint

  09/09/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had my car towed to Crouch Automotive on August 1, 2022. The car sat for approximately five days before anyone contacted me with a diagnosis. Once I was contacted I was informed that I would need a new transmission for approximately $5000. I agreed to have the job done and was informed the part would come in 8 days. I had not heard from the company for some time so I contacted Crouch on August 16, 2022 and they stated they were not finished the job. I was then informed that the original diagnosis had added problems with the axel and the starter. I received a call that the job was completed on August 30, 2022, but it would need to be downloaded on the computer system so I could not pick it up until that Friday. I went to pick the car up on that Friday and noticed that my console was hanging and the air condition was not working, As I left the lot my check light engine came on. I contacted the business and let them know I was unhappy with the job because more issues were on the car than when I originally put it in. I returned the car and another week went by before they informed needed a new transmission because the one they put in was malfunctioned. I was then given the total of $7100. I am frustrated with this service and would like to receive some compensation because at this time I am still without a car. Please help with this matter I am in need of my car and a partial refund for the problems caused from this incident and my time without transportation.

  

  Business response

  09/21/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/09/14) */ Hello Mr. ********, thank you for your business. As the owner, I do understand your frustration with the amount of time we have had your car. Please try to understand that since Covid 19, there has been a severe nationwide employee and parts shortage. While we have the employees we need, we still can't always get parts in any faster than our parts suppliers can get them to us. I spoke with ******* at my NE shop. She explained that your car originally came in to our shop on 8/4/22. We looked it over right away and gave you an estimate on 8/5/22. She said you took a few days to decide what you wanted to do. Once you approved the work, we ordered the only transmission that was available with a good warranty period for this vehicle from ******. That transmission didn't arrive until end of day 8/17/22. We went to drop your transmission as soon as we could and unfortunately, found your flexplate and axle were bad. Remember, your vehicle is now 8 years old with over 195,000 miles on it. We could not have known these parts were bad before the transmission and other parts to get to the transmission were removed. It was not our intention to increase your bill or take more time to complete the work. The needed parts had to be ordered so that we could complete the job. Again, these additional parts needed to come from ****** and took several days to get to us. Certainly we would have preferred to just remove & then immediately install the new transmission we now had, but we wanted to do the job right the first time, so we waited. It's my understanding that you came in to pick up your car on 8/30/22 and within an hour or so, returned with a check engine light back on. Our technician scanned the code and through additional diagnostics found the new transmission we had just installed was no good. This means, we have to do the 16 hour job all over again. ****** will not pay us the labor, but they will provide us with another transmission... I'm sure you can understand that we had no control over ****** sending us a transmission with an internal problem. We asked them to send another one immediately. They didn't have one, but said they could get another one to us by the end of this week (week of 9/12/22). As of today, 9/14/22, we still do not have it. As soon as it comes in, we will replace the faulty transmission right away at no additional charge to you. We will also make sure your A/C is working and your console is secure. I'm not sure what exactly you mean about the console, as we wouldn't have had any console pieces apart to replace the motor, but I will check into this for sure! Sir, with respect, I totally understand you need your vehicle. Do you have another way of getting where you need to go? We do have a minivan that I can offer you to use until your car is complete. Would that help you? Please let me know. Also, if there is something else we can do for you, please let me know what exactly you are looking for. We want you to be satisfied with the service you receive from us. We want you to feel comfortable coming back in the future. So please let me know what we can do for you. Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  03/18/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I took my BMW to get a oil repair they did not fix my car the next morning after getting my car back I drove to New York my car started smoking and the wheel was hard to steer I took it to a bmw shop in New York and the mechanics stated that they did not fix anything I called and ask for a refund and they refuse to give me back I have video of the mechanic showing and explaining that the work was not done on the car o sent the video to crouch automotive and they still refuse to refund me

  

  Business response

  04/04/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2022/03/28) */ ***Document Attached*** I have reviewed the video sent to us. It has absolutely nothing to do with anything we did. I don't know what part the man is holding in his hand, but I can assure you it isn't a valve cover! I have also reviewed the estimate from the shop BKM Car Service in New York (attached here). I think Ms. ****** was either misinformed or is confused about what was done at my shop. I have never, ever been accused of not doing work a customer paid for! We are an honest, reputable business in Cecil County, MD for over 10 years. From their "invoice" which is for work Ms. ****** did not do, they told her she needed a VALVE COVER. A valve cover is completely different from a VALVE COVER GASKET. We only replaced the leaking valve cover gasket. Two of my employees actually worked after hours until 7:30pm the night before Ms. ******'s trip to get her car done for her and provided her with at least one ride. There was other work also done that's not mentioned here. Please review our attached work order. ALL WORK was completed on her car, she had numerous BAD oil leaks and she only wanted to spend enough money to handle the largest leaks. We did everything we said we did. I reviewed OUR video and saw where each thing she was billed for was completed. She also took the car to an unauthorized shop in NY (she would not have made it to NY had we not repaired what we did) even though she was directed to call and go to a ******* shop where any problems with our work would have been handled under warranty and at no cost to her. The car had multiple oil leaks. We took care of the largest leaks at her direction. We cannot help it that she had other oil leaks she opted not to fix until she got to New York and then sold the car! We even let her leave without paying the whole bill on her word that she would return to pay it. Her balance is $156.51 and is due now. There will be no refund and payment of remaining balance is expected. I can provide paid invoices for all parts we installed on this car at BBB's request or anything else that will help with this case. Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  12/04/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 12-3-2021 I was charged for services and parts that i did not approve of nor was i asked about prior to the mechanic doing the labor. Not only did they not explain the pricing but after i managed to come up with the total cost of what they said hey repaired, after leaving their shop my vehicle completely locked up on me. I never had any issues with my power steering ABS or traction control until leaving their shop. When i made it to work i called the auto shop and they asked to immediately come back with my car but i was at work. After i requested they send a tow truck to come and get my vehicle and look back over whatever they missed or forgot to finish. Before they took it back to the shop i opened the hood of my car to see they left bolts loose just sitting where it would of eventually damaged my window they also did not reconnect the air pump. To make this even more unethical and just flat out wrong they then tried to make me pay the tow fee for their mistakes. They claim the car has major electrical issues and what they did to it did nothing to cause my entire vehicle to lock up. I have never been treated this way. Very unprofessional and legally none of it felt right. This business should not be allowed to do what they did to me to anyone. Nothing was resolved and i am left now withoout a car and am out nearly 700 dollars.

  

  Business response

  01/06/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2021/12/17) */ I do believe this is our 1st complaint here! As Christmas approaches, I do realize that spending almost $700 on a car repair is tough, but sometimes necessary. As the business owner, I'm sorry Ms. ******** was not 100% satisfied with our work as we strive for customer satisfaction. However, looking at her invoice, I see nothing even related to her complaint here. Reading her invoice #*****, Ms. ******** brought in 2 tires and asked us to install them, even telling us her wheel lock was in her glove box. We did that by bringing the car in, lifting it on a lift, removing and dismounting the 2 tires she wanted replaced, mounting and balancing the 2 new tires she provided and re-installing them on her car. At drop-off, she also stated her vehicle was "pulling to the right" and asked us to see why. The only way to determine why a car is pulling to the right or left is to perform a front end alignment. We did that and she would have been informed at drop off or on her initial call that we would have to do that. After the alignment, we found her left front strut was BENT. It is super hard to bend a strut by the way! It's made of reinforced metal! I would guess she or someone driving the car had hit a very large pot hole or curb. I presume this is why she had to buy new tires. The alignment was smart to do anyway considering we were replacing 2 tires and an alignment is always recommended when front tires are replaced. Our general process at this point, before the strut would have been replaced, would be to call the customer and tell her what we found and ask her if we should replace just the 1 front strut or both front struts. It would only benefit us to call and ask her because we would have told her it's always better to replace both at the same time. From this invoice, I only see where the one bent left front strut was replaced. Is it possible a family member of hers spoke to us? Again, our recommendation to her would have been to replace 2, which tells me someone told us to only replace the bent one. Finally, we completed a totally FREE 30 point inspection and provided her with an estimate for those items. Unfortunately, I have no way of knowing who she originally spoke with or who may or may not have called her, etc. at this point. I have her invoice here, which I will attach here to my response, but the backup documentation has already been filed away. If necessary, I will have my assistant pull that backup paperwork with potential handwritten notes about the particulars of this job and calls made or messages left. We have been in business for 12 years, we do not do poor work or even attempt to oversell work to our customers. Again, I'm sorry Mrs. ******** was not 100% satisfied, but there is nothing here that would have caused any type of issue with her car or her wiring concerns, etc. She would have to send me pictures of any bolts or tools left under her hood? That certainly would not be normal and the only bolt used or removed under the hood for this job would be the bolt in the top strut mount. If the mount wasn't bolted in, the strut would fly out of there, so I don't believe that would have been left out. I am happy to review any pictures right away. I'd like to know if the car was ever towed? I don't see any tow-in or tow charge or any follow-up visit in my system, but that's not to say she didn't have it towed in. Please have her send additional info so we can complete this claim to her satisfaction. We would be happy to look at her car and perhaps diagnose the issue for a fee, but I would need additional information in advance. Thank you for your business Ms. ********, again I'm sorry you aren't completely satisfied with our work and felt the need to complain here on BBB. Thank you BBB for your help! Consumer Response /* (3000, 9, 2021/12/20) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) Yes having this happen right before Christmas has been a nightmare. And of course I understood that I would need a front alignment. What I don't understand still is how I received 2 calls from your shop to tell me about my bent strut and the price of just ONE new one. They priced it out at around 74 dollars. No one suggested I replace both struts. If the shop did a free 30 point inspection why did your computer not detect any issues? I drove off your lot and almost lost control of my vehicle on the summit bridge because of an electrical mishap that I never experienced before taking it into your shop. I sent in the pictures of the old loose bolt from my previous strut that was just left on my windshield and the air pump that was just detached. I will send them again. I appreciate the work that was done right. But as of now I still am not satisfied with the way whoever handled my car went about it. You wouldn't send off anyone you knew or a family member with the way I was sent off from your shop. That's what upsets me most. My entire dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree and I just don't understand why. They towed my vehicle back to your shop after sending the pictures to the nice women at the front desk. After my vehicle was towed back to your shop I was only to be told that you guys cannot fix it and that you did nothing to cause this major malfunction and that it's my problem with ****** now. I hope this never happens again to anyone. I never complain and I always put myself in another's shoes before you making a fuss over something but this I couldn't sit back and just ignore. I will attach the photos again so you can see what I am talking about. Thank you have a nice night. Business Response /* (4000, 11, 2021/12/30) */ Hello again Mrs. ********. I am sorry, I didn't realize you had attached pictures to your initial complaint until after I had responded. I have now reviewed the pictures and spoken with my service advisor, Danny, who remembered you, your vehicle and the situation. I believe he was probably the one that told you we didn't cause your car to lock up or all those codes showing on your car's display. So first, let me address the photos: 1) The bolt you show left on your front panel below your windshield was just one of the old washers from where the strut was removed and replaced. I'm sorry the mechanic left it there and closed the hood without seeing and removing it. Our mistake. It probably would have sat there for a very long time though. It certainly was not intentional and I apologize for his mistake. 2) As for the air box, I have no clue. Was it like that before? Did he take that off to get to the strut? It is unclear to me from the picture, but again, it wouldn't have caused your vehicle to be damaged just having that tube open like that. I suppose dirt could have eventually gotten in there, but the air filter would have stopped it from entering the engine. 3) The numerous codes you're showing us... Danny said upon arrival you had numerous codes showing on your display. He states you were asked if you wanted those addressed and you said no. I suspect that the major pothole or curb you hit caused the TPMS and other codes you're showing us. As to why the car "locked up" while going over a bridge, I have no clue. All of your codes should have been immediately diagnosed and repaired before you continued to drive that car. ****** sold you a warranty when you purchased the car, but you HIT something VERY HARD. You literally BENT hardened metal. Why don't you tell me what you hit prior to needing the 2 tires and then we can discuss how to ensure your car is SAFE to drive? I doubt that it is right now to be honest with you. You didn't bring it to us to tell you what all was wrong with your car after that accident. You brought us in 2 tires that you bought and determined you needed. You asked us to put the tires on, make the car drive straight and we couldn't align the car without a strut. I don't know why you either declined or weren't told you should replace both struts at the same time, but that did NOT cause any problem like what you are discussing here. Not replacing the other strut simply might make it not ride as smooth on the right side than on the left side is all. So what is it you would like me to do for you? I can tell you that my next step will be to contact ****** to see what the damage was to your car, what you hit specifically that you're saying we caused and whether you reported that damage or not. We already towed the car back in and looked at it at no charge. I'm confused as to why you say you don't have a car now? Did you not drive the car away from our shop? I just need more detail to help you further with this BBB complaint. So please let me know and I can contact ****** and see where we go from here. If you need us to diagnose your issues, potentially replace the TPMS sensors in those wheels or at least in the left wheel, we can do that for a charge and/or put the claim through ****** or your regular car insurance company. Thanks! Consumer Response /* (4200, 13, 2022/01/05) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I took my car into ************ and they were able to correct whatever went wrong. I hit a big curb making a turn and that's what bent my strut. I came in and explained that and only told them what ****** had already told me. They could not see me so I took it to crouch because they are within my warranty. Never once did I say any of those sensor lights were on. None of them were before I brought it there or when I pulled off the lot until I drove it about 14 Miles. That's when it lit up and locked up on me. I will attach the photos provided by ************. To show me exactly what went wrong. I am no mechanic I know nothing about cars but I do know that none of this is right. And the old bolt left on my windshield is something small but still careless. If it was his car would he of done the same? And the air pipe I would assume as a mechanic you'd be able to notice unhooked while working on a car and maybe I'm wrong for thinking it just pops back into place. Honestly I am not the type to report or complain or cause a big fuss but I just hope this never happens again. Please review the pictures from ************. This is what I drove off of your lot with. ****** didn't sell me a car with major electrical issues. Yes I hit a curb. But you don't pay hundred of dollars for this type of job. He sent a before and after photo there after they properly finished the job. Thank you for your time.

*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. ↩