Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/20/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On March 4, 2024, I took my ****** Solara to mainly fix an oil leak at Smith Automotive. When I dropped the car at Smith Automotive, Smith Automotive determined I needed a radiator, water pump, and timing belt to go along with replacing the engine valve cover gasket. Once I got home I noticed within a couple of weeks the oil leak was stil relevant. In the the month of January, 2025, I noticed the oil leak was worst than when I dropped the car off in March 4, 2024. The manager at Smith Automotive claimed that the valve cover gasket was faulty and so they replaced the valve cover gasket for free according to the invoice but still charged me for labor on January 24, 2025. On February 11, 2025, I had to take the car back once again for the heavy oil leak that was accumulating in my garage. Smith Automotive claimed the valve cover gasket was not the problem and stated in the invoice uploaded that the oil pump seals or oil pump assembly may be the problem due to oil being observed in the oil pump area. Smith Automotive claimed this was due to wear and tear and mileage. I did not feel comfortable taking the car back for those repairs and my co-worker **** ****** specifically asked the manager will there be a problem with the valve cover gasket. The manager replied the valve cover gasket would not be the problem because the gasket was dry. **** ****** explicitly stated to the manager that if the gasket was a problem we will want a refund for the work done for the oil leak. The manager stated well we would have to have proof that the gasket is wet because Smith Automotive must protect themselves from being taken advantage or exploited. On March 18, 2025, I took my car to Everyday Performance to get the oil leak repaired. Right away, Everyday Performance pointed directly to the valve cover gasket and explained that Smith Automotive had performed a lack luster job on replacing the valve cover gasket noting that Smith did not put the proper sealant around the entire gasket.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/02/2025

  Hey and good afternoon *******. I'm forwarding the signed papers regarding Miss Lloyds complaint. As I explained to her, Customer Satisfaction is our main goal and I agreed to reimburse her for the charges we had charged her for the oil leaks that we attempted to repair. As you can see in the attached paperwork she agreed and signed documentation to prove it.

  Also advised her the tech that had worked on her car is no longer here, as we don't accept shoddy work from our techs.

  Please advise me if we need to go any further or if the case is closed.

   

  Thank you,

   

  ****** Smith

  Smith Automotive, LLC

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/23/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I took my car to get serviced the middle of October where I got a power take off unit fixed for my car; A 2*** **** ****. A couple days l started having the same problem and was told it was now the catalysts converter. I dropped my car back off the morning of November 3rd before my surgery. I picked it back up on the 10th for the same problem to occur again. I took it back to be told it was the radiator. Dropped it off got it fixed. Picked my car up still not fixed. I took my car back and was told it was now a censor. Dropped it off to have it fixed and problems still occurred. I have had my car for a total of maybe 7 days in a total of two and a half months because of this. Please keep in mind I had surgery on November 3rd so I haven’t even been driving only to the store and my car is still not fixed this day. I have plaid over $6000 in repairs for them to tell me that that’s just how it goes. This is completely unacceptable and I completely feel taken advantage of. I would love to have a working car given I commute to work I have paid well then more than enough.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/26/2023

  Wow, after reading this complaint, I'm shocked and can't believe what she wrote and especially what was omitted. Miss ****** came in Nov. 2022 with a 16 year old vehicle with 245000 plus mile on it. The check engine light was on, vehicle making grinding and clunking noises, and smoking while driving. We found extensive damage to the driveshaft, axle seal leaking and RIGHT side cat converter faulty, per computer code. Miss ****** elected to have the driveshaft replaced, Right side converter replaced and axle seal replaced, though she was told the power transfer case was bad and could burn up the axle seal again. She elected to have the power transfer case ordered and picked up the vehicle and would bring the vehicle back once part arrived. She elected to take a chance and drive the vehicle until part came in. The part arrived the following week, and after a phone call, Miss ****** decided NOT to have the power transfer case installed at this time, meaning I had to send the part back to **** with hopes of not being charged for it.

  10 months later, in Sept of 2023, and almost exactly 20000 miles later. Miss ****** called and said she needed to have the power transfer case replaced as the noise was getting worse and she didn't want to take a chance with it leaving her stranded anymore. The power transfer case was replaced along with a wheel bearing and worn out stabilizer bar links. Wear and tear at 265000 miles. At 265000 miles,things wear out, normal, very normal.

  2 months later, Miss ****** came in and needed a ** State Inspection and oil change and check engine light was on. The vehicle now had 269467 miles on it. We found the LEFT side cat converter had set a code in the computer, and was not surprised with a vehicle with close to 270000 miles on it. As mentioned above, the RIGHT side converter had been replaced a year ago, close to 25000 mile ago, now the LEFT side converter had gone bad. Again, a car 16 years old, with 269467 miles on it. Miss ****** had us replace the LEFT side converter, repair rear turn signals, to pass NC Inspection and also did and oil change.

  Almost a month later, Miss ****** had the vehicle brought in for a coolant leak. We found the radiator leaking, and NO coolant in the engine. We replaced the radiator, added proper amount of coolant and road tested. We advised Miss ****** at that time verbally that if the engine had overheated when the radiator started leaking, it could lead to overheating issues, headgaskets issues, skipping issues, internal engine issues, especially with a vehicle with over 270000 miles on it. She told us she stopped the car when the temp hand was showing hot, but we told her with a vehicle with 270000 miles on it, overheating issues could happen in an instance, whether she cut the vehicle off in time or not was to be seen. When we road tested the vehicle we noticed it did show a computer code for cylinder head temp sensor, meaning the cylinder head temp sensor was faulty, more than likely due to the engine being overheated. We advised Miss ****** of this. She picked up the car without replacing the cylinder head temp sensor at this time as she was getting ready for surgery, would not drive the car much and bring it back while  she was recuperating.

  A week and a few days later, while recuperating from surgery, Miss ****** brought the car back in for the sensor replacement. At this time Miss ****** was scheduled to go back to work in a few days. Because we wanted to replace the cylinder head temp sensor with a genuine **** part, we had  to wait a few days for its arrival, and the job was a half day job. Because we couldn't get the parts in time to finish the job before Miss ****** went back to work, I let Miss ****** use MY vehicle, at no charge for 6, the 14th of Dec until Dec the 19th. I advised Miss ******, after installing the Cylinder head temp sensor, we road tested the car and found it skipping. After checking the skip out, I called Miss ****** and left messages on her phone. After not getting a response, we elected to replace the faulty, burn spark plugs and one ignition coil, probably due to wear and tear at 270000 miles and with the engine having been overheated, because she expressed she wanted the vehicle right as she had to drive to ********e for work. I expressed all this to her upon pick up of car, and she said she agreed with my decision. Again, I expressed the wear and tear with overheating, the gambles with an engine being overheated, and especially with the vehicle being 16 years old with 270000 miles on it. She took the car and at the time, the car was running fine.

  A few days later. Miss ****** came back in with a check engine light coming on. This was on Dec 21st. I scanned the vehicle and it had a code for a misfire. This was late in the day and I advised Miss ****** that we were packed for the next day, the last day we were going to be open before Christmas Holidays, but if she could bring the car in  early, I would do everything in my power to get her car repaired. She agreed to bring it in early the next morning.

  The following day, Miss ****** didn't bring the car in until after 10 am, far from being there early, and I explained to her we were closing early for Christmas Holidays, but again, I promised to do everything I could to help her out. Again, I let her use my vehicle while we were trying to work in car in in front of other customers that had arrived earlier in the day. While all this was going on, unfortunately, I had to go to a cardiologist appointment, and I told the guys running the shop while I was gone, to make sure we got to Miss ******s car. They did and found Miss ****** had one bad fuel injector. Upon arrival from the cardiologist, which I received bad news, I found Miss ****** here to pick up her car and complaining about having to pay for the injector. The gentleman running the shop while I was away, (Carson) explained to Miss ****** this was a different issue, had nothing to do with anything before, but she didn't want to hear that. I understand where shes coming from, but she has to remember and understand that the vehicle is 16 years old, has over 270000 miles on it and things do and will wear our. Our fault, not hardly. On a car with high mileage, the reality is things break, wear out, wear and tear. How can anyone seriously think that is our fault? Because Miss ****** was making a big scene, not understanding the nature of the beast so to speak with a vehicle with very high mileage, and it being Christmas, I gave Miss ****** a goodwill discount. She agreed and took the car after giving me back my keys to may vehicle.

  I'm totally disappointed that we try so hard to make sure our customers are taken care of, that their vehicles are repaired properly, because I guess I'm form the "old school" where I still believe in customer satisfaction and doing things to the best of our ability. For Miss ******s car, if you check with ****, she will see, and been told, the the prices on most parts were discounted way below ****s retail prices, and unfortunately, there's more ignition coils, fuel injectors. etc that may fail in the future due to wear and tear, age of vehicle, mileage and due to where parts made by man can fail at any time.

  In closing, Smith Automotive is in no way responsible for any parts, labor, etc on Miss ******s car for any repairs we made to Miss ******s car over the past year and months before hand, due to normal wear and tear, age and mileage of her vehicle.

   

  Darrel S****

  Smith Automotive, LLC

  336-855-8717

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/26/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  No matter the age and miles on my car I have never had any problems with my car until now. I have paid and have not complained until now because I have fully accepted payment. However, for what I have paid and my car still not be fixed is unacceptable. I got my car used 7 years ago and again no problems. I have known many of cars that have went for longer with more miles and still have not had any problems. Please run my vin number and you will see the history of my car. To make the excuse that my age and mileage is the cause of your poor work on cars is unbelievable. My check engine light is still on and my car still is stuttering; something it was not doing before now. You all failed to provide a service I have paid fully for and I expect my car to be fixed or pay for someone else to compete a job you cannot do.