ComplaintsforThomas Tire & Automotive

• Initial Complaint

  04/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Took my 2004 VW Jetta TDI 1.9 to Thomas Tire & Automotive on 4/10/2024 for a Safety Inspection. When I was checking in & handing my keys to the front desk I gave them direction on how to handle my E-brake because it's slightly finnicky, they disregarded that information and messed my e-brake up even further. While I was sitting in the waiting room while my car was being overlooked I could hear the technicians over-revving my vehicle MULTIPLE times (exhaust is modified & is easily distinguishable from other vehicles). When I received my car after the inspection it was running slightly hot so I took it home & looked over my fluid levels & checked my fans to make sure they were operating properly, and they were. When I drove to work my car was having extremely bad overheating issues, to a point where I had to pull over and let it cool down. I called management at that ************ called corporate about the issue. They state that they've been mechanics for 25+ years & overrevving a vehicle that's sitting still WOULD NOT cause an overheating issue. That is completely false as revving a vehicle IS what causes excess heat & while it's sitting still it's exacerbated. Management never offered an apology, only offered to check my ************* like I already have, "anything more would cost me". Corporate apologized but wasn't willing to remedy the issue in any way other than what management already offered. I'm not sure I would want the people who caused my issue to have my car for another extended period of time. I feel like the issue was handled unprofessionally & management was more worried about covering his technician's back rather than offer an apology. PS: Safety Inspects DO NOT require you to rev the engine whatsoever to inspect the vehicle so they had no reason to be doing that in the first place.

  Business response

  04/24/2024

  A 2004 ********** Jetta TDI Mileage 350190  1.9 diesel engine manual transmission. Vehicle came for a ** Safety Inspection. A safety inspection requires the technician to pull the vehicle in the bay to feel the brakes to make sure they work properly.Also we check all exterior lights for proper operation. The technician must lift the vehicle for inspection: tires,suspension parts, exhaust system etc. Because this vehicle has a manual transmission we must give it a little gas to be able to move it without istalling it out. The technician must make sure that the parking brake works properly(it's a requirement by ** Safety Inspection Law).The price of $13.60 is set by ** Safety Law. Not Thomas Tire & Automotive.

  After speaking with our staff, the customer had given no feedback or complaint of any kind during the intial visit for the ** Safety Inspection. ************************ made us aware of an issue when he called back complaining of an overheating issue on his vehicle. The manager and I told him we would take a quick look at the vehicle if he would bring it back, but if the vehicle required a deeper diagnosis there would be a charge. We like to be up front on any Diagnostic Charges, At this point he started making accusations that we overreved his engine and had issues with his parking brake that he stated that required special attention for proper application. We have no proof that these allegations are true, nor would reving an engine cause it to do what he is claiming. He has yet to bring the vehcile back for us to take a look at. He paid the (** Safety Inspection Price) of $13.60. The vehilce has ******* miles on it, which would be cause for any number of things to create an overheating issue. Thomas Tire and Automotive followed The ** Safety Inspection Guidelines. There is absolutely no way we caused the damage he is claiming by doing a ** state inspection. Furthermore, there is no way for us to know what is going on with his vehicle becasue he never brought it back for us to look at. We perform thousands of ** state inspections a year without issue. The mileage of the vehilce is the number one indicator that there is something completley unrealted is going on with this vehicle. We hate that the customer is having issues with his vehicle, but it is without a doubt not due to the performance of a ** state inspection.    

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

  ******* - Thomas Tire & Automotive

  ASE Master Certified Technician 25+ years

   

• Initial Complaint

  02/13/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On February 7th, 2024- I took my Jeep Grand Cherokee into Thomas Tire in ******** for an oil change. I paid $102.63. The next day, virtually all of the oil was out of my car due to a significant leak. My husband contacted the manager and he immediately sent a mechanic to my house to look at the car. The mechanic left his car and after putting @ 3 additional quarts of oil into the Jeep, He drove the Jeep back to the facility to determine what could have happened. Thomas determined that the Oil Filter Housing was damaged and needed to be replaced. They just so happened to have the part in stock. They priced the part at full retail ($362.88) and quoted 4 hours of labor ($652.50). After sales tax, the total was $1,141.97. My husband requested Thomas to make good on the part they damaged. Thomas Tire would not accommodate the request. This Jeep was definitively not leaking oil prior to the oil change; after the oil change it leaked 4.5 to 5 quarts in one day.

  Customer response

  02/25/2024

  I have not heard from the business in response to my complaint.

  
  

  Business response

  03/13/2024

  The customer came in for an oil change. After the service was completed and he got home he noticed oil drips on his garage floor and called the shop. I immediately sent an employee to his house to take care of the problem after adding 1.5 quarts of oil to the vehicle to bring to the full capacity the employee drove the vehicle back to the shop to investigate where the leak was coming from. We found that the plastic oil filter housing on the side of the engine block was cracked above where the oil filter screws on. We contacted the customer to come in so we could show him where the leak was coming from while the vehicle was on the lift. The customer verified the leaking housing and agreed that he did not see how we could have cracked the housing from just performing the oil change service, but that he couldnt understand how it was coincidence. We priced him the repair for this housing with the upgraded aluminum housing that was designed to correct the design flaw from Jeep for this problem. The customer then reached out to corporate and was in contact with *****, who sent him information on this common failure in the form of videos and documents concerning this issue. The customer was still not satisfied with this information and reached out to corporate again and was very disrespectful to the person that answered the phone and was making threats that he would be taking us to court. After the General Manager reached out to him, he told him the same thing that he would be taking us to court unless we fixed this problem. We have replaced 12 of these housings on Jeeps since 7/3/23 which is proof that this is a common issue with this particular vehicle.     

  Customer response

  03/13/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:

  There was no problem with the part prior to the oil change. Oil change was completed- and now the part is broken.

  Company recommended a several items that needed attention amounting to several hundred of dollars. One of those items was replace wiper blades. The wiper blades has been replaced a few months earlier with Rainex  Blades. Mechanic never mentioned the oil leak. Never. It leaked all 5 quarts of oil out of the engine. The revenue from this repair would double all of the repairs recommended. If this was broken prior being in your custody- why wasnt this recommended  to be repaired? 

  Has recently replaced 12 of these? Company actually stocked the part which is several hundred dollars.

   

   

   

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  12/08/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had a very expensive part replaced in my vehicle that was covered under warranty. Within a year and a half the part went out and was replaced. One year later the new part (their warranty agreement online states that this was covered under warranty because it was a new part put in) went bad. When getting them to diagnose the issue they stated the part was indeed bad. Technician believes that there was another issue causing the part to go bad and would not honor their warranty. Their warranty page states nothing about “other possible parts” causing a new part to go bad negating the warranty. This part is supposed to last 10 years or more.They tell me they do not know what part is causing it to go bad or if there is even something to begin with. They admit that the part they replaced has indeed been clogged and no longer operational but can not test “what they believe could cause it to go bad) without replacing the part that by their warranty agreement is under warranty. They state they will not replace the part and that I am liable for the part and labor cost. This is a $1,700.00 part and labor. They then admit to me that the parts they used were aftermarket and not oem as I stated that I wanted nor do their invoices reflect itemized lists. The vehicle is now inorperable and they refuse to honor their warranty telling me to go somewhere else instead. My recent invoice states that I have a warranty for 36 months and 36k miles and I am well within the warranty period but they state it is only from the first repair which is no where stated in their warranty policy on their website.. They stated that I would have to cover the whole cost and then the diagnostic to find their supposed “underlying issue” they were also supposed to use oem parts but neglected to tell me they used aftermarket without my verbal or written consent. And their invoice does not itemize the items used. I am now out of a vehicle.

  Business response

  12/27/2023

  Mr. ******** original repair was completed on 09/15/2020. Our warranty is for 3 years/36k miles. We did a warranty repair/replacement on the part on 04/2//22. Our warranty clearly states (see first attachment) that the warranty is from the original date or mileage. When Mr. ******** brought it in again, December 2023, and was having issues that may or may not be related to the part replaced in 2020, we told him it would need further diagnostic work and that it was past the three year/36k mileage time period and would not be covered under our warranty. I explained in depth, as did Mr. ******, that the warranty is from the original date/mileage and does not start over if we (which we did) warranty out the part/service. Mr. ****** offered to help him out by us, Thomas Tire & Automotive, covering the cost of the part if he would pay for the labor, which he refused. We feel that we have gone above and beyond to assist, explain and communicate with Mr. ******** the warranty process. Please see email threads attached.

   

  Sincerely,

  Sally ******

  Owner ************

  Customer response

  12/27/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  When Thomas Tire did the first repair in 2020 they replaced sensors and did a tune up and everything related to the catalytic converter. When the part failed they did uphold their warranty and replace the upstream catalytic converter. Less than two years later that part failed. It is my understanding that when you have a warranty on your receipt that states any new parts are then covered under that 36k mile 36 month warranty it starts from that new part not the original very first repair because it is no longer that new part from the first repair. This was a new part that they put in my vehicle that then failed and they stated that they "don't know why" even though everything related to that part was replaced in the first repair. When I told Arnold that I was having trouble understanding why they were not honoring the warranty because it was a new part he told the shop manager to call me. It was Lenesha that offered me the deal of covering the part which on my original receipt was only $129.00. She then told me that I would be responsible for a $430.00 labor fee which is almost four times the cost of the part and I told lenesha that I did not understand why I would have to pay for this since it was a new part that they had used and it had failed. I told her that I would prefer to have the part replaced under warranty then take it to a different shop (****** **** ********** as its is close to my job) because they had been extremely rude and I was no longer trusting in this location. That I would have that shop do a diagnostic to see if there was any issue causing the part to fail.  Because the manager said that they "believe" something was causing it to go bad but could not do the diagnostic without replacing the bad part that they had already replaced. Arnold then emailed me accusing me of only wanting something for free and to take my business elsewhere. I actually went to check on my vehicle after hours on an unsecure lot with no gate or security and found that my hood was open and doors unlocked with the keys in the console which could have been easily been stolen. I then emailed the owner Sally who then proceeded to tell me that they only warranty the original repair from 2020 and I was confused because on my last repair with new parts in 2022 it said any new part was under warranty on my receipt. After some back and forth Sally told me that because I did not make a "purchase" for the new part in 2022 that her company would not warranty it. I feel that because it was a "new part" and they have this in their warranty that they should be responsible for the new part from 2022 and no be going off of the first repair that I paid for in 2020.

• Initial Complaint

  06/30/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I took my vehicle in for oil change and tire rotation on 6/29/2023, when I was informed by business that the front tires were almost worn out and needed replacing. I've allegedly had 4 free tire rotations, completed during the last 4 oil changes, and was never told there was an issue before now. The online report provided has shown at every oil change that the alignment was still in good condition. I was told that they wouldn't be able to warranty the tires out since I bought them from their sister company and not them. I do not really understand that last point considering the fact that when I had a rock wedged in my rear tire, the receipt states it was patched it for free as a tire sold by them since it was purchased from sister company. The tires have a 60k mile warranty on them, and I have less than 20k miles driven. I would just like the warranty honored and the tires replaced, because it was not from normal wear and tear but from negligence on the part of the company. I called to talk to the manager the next morning on 6/30/2023, he said he would contact me back with more information, but never heard back. The included photos show dates and services rendered, along with receipt of purchase for the tires. Also included in the photos are alignment results from the online report sent to me, with alignment passing. Before calling and talking to the manager all of them showed tire health for the treads, now only 1 of them from 4/10/2023 shows tire health.

  Customer response

  07/11/2023

  I have not heard from the business in response to my complaint.

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  03/04/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  ORIGINAL COMPLAINT
  2/28/2022 I went to Thomas tire and asked them for a oils change and to do my vehicle inspection. My son and I went to the waiting room and sat there the whole time. The only time my name was called is when it was time to pay. When I came to the counter to pay I was told my price was $284 and some change. Upon looking over the receipt they changed my filters, and did a premium fuel system service. None of which I asked for, none of which I was approached and asked if I wanted them to provide these services. But I was expected to pay for these services. The charge for just the premium fuel system service was $114.00. How can they provide a service I did not ask for and did not agree to them doing?
  
  

  Customer response

  03/16/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and I accept it.

*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. ↩