ComplaintsforCharge-A-Car

• Initial Complaint

  10/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The car was purchased on 10/28/2022 They financed 12,289 for the car. They were committed to fixing the car if it broke down. Lemon Laws They have tried to fix the car and it keeps breaking down. The day we bought the car from them, we drove off the lot at 8 pm and as soon as we got on the highway and drove about 5 miles, the car had a huge explosion and black smoke came out from under the hood. We were stranded an hour away from home and had to leave it on the side of the highway. I messaged their Facebook page and told them what happened. They went and got the car and "fixed it" so they said. Then a few months later. It broke down again, they took it and did more work on it. Then a few months later the engine light came on while we were driving and called them, and they came and got it again and worked on it. A few weeks ago, the same thing happened, and they came and got it, and this time charged us 500 dollars to fix it because they said we should not have drove it when the light came on. We just got the car back on Saturday 09/30/2023. I drove it to my house, and I did not drive it again until this morning, that is when the check engine light came on again. I still owe 9,000 on this car and it has 180,000 miles on it. When the car is running it smells like oil.

  Business response

  10/14/2023

  ****** ****
  PO Box ***
  ******, MO *****
  ***********************
  *************
  
  
  October 11, 2023
  
  Dispute Resolution Department
  [email protected]
  
  
  Re: ************** ******* L. ******
  
  
  I am writing to address a complaint filed by Ms. ******* ****** with the BBB regarding a vehicle co-signed by her for her son. The purpose of this correspondence is to present a detailed account of the events surrounding the referenced vehicle purchase and subsequent interactions.
  
  
  On October 28, 2022, a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze, bearing 166,612 miles at the time of acquisition, was purchased. Following the purchase, the customer drove the vehicle off the premises at the close of business on Friday, October 28. The following day, Charge A Car received a report that the vehicle was abandoned on the highway during the customer’s drive home, allegedly due to an explosion and the release of copious amounts of smoke from the vehicle. Records indicate that the vehicle was retrieved by Charge A Car’s towing service, located 18 miles from their establishment. Remarkably, despite recognizing substantial mechanical issues, the customer continued to operate the vehicle for an additional 13 miles.

  Subsequent inspection revealed that the coolant reservoir had ruptured, resulting in the loss of coolant from the vehicle. It is pertinent to note that had the vehicle been promptly shut down at this juncture, the ensuing repair costs could have been significantly mitigated. Regrettably, the customer continued to operate the vehicle without coolant, leading to the failure of the head gasket and catastrophic motor failure. It is imperative to mention that Charge A Car’s warranty explicitly states that the warranty is voided when a customer continues to operate a vehicle with known mechanical issues. As an act of goodwill, Charge A Car opted to replace the engine at its own expense, incurring costs exceeding $3000. The customer was provided with a complimentary loaner vehicle during the entirety of the repair period.
  
  Following the engine replacement, the customer operated the vehicle without encountering any issues for more than 10 months, covering over 12,000 miles. Had the initial engine issue not been rectified, it is conceivable that the vehicle would have remained inoperable during this extended period.
  
  The next interaction between the customer and Charge A Car regarding a mechanical issue transpired on August 23, 2023. The customer reported that the vehicle’s traction control light was illuminated, and the vehicle was exhibiting rough performance. Charge A Car’s lead technician engaged the customer to glean additional information and ascertain whether the check engine light was also activated. It was revealed that not only was the check engine light active, but it had been flashing for three consecutive days, a clear indicator of a substantial engine problem. This again constitutes a breach of the warranty contract, which explicitly prohibits customers from operating a vehicle with known mechanical issues.
  
  The customer was duly informed that they could arrange for the vehicle to be towed to Charge A Car at their own expense if the repair was unrelated to warranty coverage, as per the contract. Inexplicably, the customer employed a tow company and conveyed to them that Charge A Car would bear the cost of the tow. This arrangement was never agreed upon by Charge A Car. However, the situation demanded immediate payment to prevent the vehicle from being impounded at a distant location.
  
  Upon investigation, it was established that the mechanical issue stemmed from a need for routine maintenance, encompassing the replacement of four spark plugs, a coil pack, and a thermostat. The customer accepted responsibility for $500 of the expense but was only able to provide $150 at the time. A mutually agreed-upon payment plan was arranged, with Charge A Car lending the customer an interest-free sum of $350 to meet their obligations.
  
  Up until that point, the customer had only reported two instances of mechanical issues with the vehicle. However, they subsequently informed Charge-A-Car LLC that the check engine light had reappeared, and they no longer wished to maintain financial responsibility for the vehicle, requesting its repossession. The customer was duly informed that this constituted a voluntary repossession, and the vehicle was repossessed at their request.
  
  It is worth noting that our warranty explicitly excludes coverage for check engine lights when the vehicle is operating as intended and exhibits no warranty-related failures. This stance has been communicated to the customer on four separate occasions.
  
  I trust this comprehensive account of the matter will facilitate a clearer understanding of the situation at hand.
  
  My perception of what the customer is seeking is to not have a repossession. The customer is free to contact Charge A Car and make arrangements to pay for the vehicle and retain.  We have sent the customer a letter regarding this as required by Missouri state law.
  
  Please do not hesitate to contact us for any further information or documentation pertaining to this case.
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  ****** ****
  General Manager
  Charge A Car LLC
  **** * ******* ***
  ******, MO
  --
  ****** ****
  ****** ****
  
  General Manager
  Charge-A-Car LLC. ****** MO.
  Phone ***** ******** Fax ***** ********
  ***********************
  Privileged or Confidential information may be contained in this message. If you are not the addressee indicated in this message (or responsible for delivery of this message to such person), you may not copy or deliver this message to anyone. In such case, you should destroy this message, and notify us immediately. If you or your employer does not consent to Internet email messages of this kind, please advise us immediately. Opinions, conclusions and other information expressed in this message are not given or endorsed by my firm or employer unless otherwise indicated by an authorized representative independent of this message.  

*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. ↩