Complaint# *** *** *** We stand behind our prior sent statements regarding this matterI would like to respond to Ms*** statement in her rebuttal where see claims she was not giving an estimateIn her original dispute she acknowledges she knew the cost of the flywheel prior to the vehicle being completed and at that time she could have declined the repairShe was give on option on two different parts and chose to go with the lesser expensive one It is apparent we will not find a resolution regarding this matter and recommend the case be sent to the ARAC board If you have any questions, please contact me a ###-###-#### Sincerely, Chris D*** General Manager
To Whom this May Concern,On January 5, Ms*** brought her Hyundai Santa Fe to our Chandler facility to have a starting concern checkedUpon her arrival she stated that she was having problems getting the vehicle to start and that she had a check engine light onShe stated that she
had the code checked at her local auto parts store and that they had told her that it was a sensorWe offered to perform a diagnostic on the vehicle to verify the concern,as in often cases, when a parts store pulls the engine codes it is not always the problem that they diagnosePulling engine codes only gives you a direction to head,not verifies a concernMs*** agreed and we proceeded with the inspectionUpon inspection it was discovered that the vehicle had a code for the crankshaft position sensor (P0335) and that there was a stated noise coming from the timing areaTo inspect and to replace the sensor requires removal of the timing belt to verify and so this was suggested to Ms***She agreed and we began the process of removing the timing coversOnce the covers were removed it was verified that the crankshaft postion sensor was indeed intermittently failing and that the water pump was cutting in tothe side of the timing coverIt was suggested at that time to replace the timing components since we were already there and would cost no further labor, and to replace the water pumpAgain,this would cost no further labor as we were already to the area of repairMs*** declined and opted to just have the sensor replacedWe replaced the sensor and re-verified that no further concerns existed with the engine lightAfter driving the vehicle and then allowing the vehicle to sit for a period of time, the technician went to start the vehicle again and the vehicle would not crank overWhen placing the key in the start position,there was no response from the starter.The technician performed a furtherinspection and found that the starter would intermittently stick and it was recommended that the starter also be replaced on the vehicleMs*** agreed and the starter was replacedThe service advisor told Ms*** that we would perform a full vehicle inspection once the vehicle was fully operational and inform her of any further problems that the vehicle may haveUpon this inspection the technician found that the power steering pump was leaking, there mere multiple other leaks and that the vehicle should be steam cleaned, there were maintenance items that had been previously advised and that there was still a lingering concern as the vehicle had previous transmission concerns that were never addressedOn June 14, the vehicle had been in for us to retrieve the engine codesUpon that inspection we found that the transmission had some internal concerns and a code Pwas present and we recommended that the transmission be removed, disassembled and inspected for internal problemsMs*** declined and that recommendation was noted on her invoice at that time(mileage was 170,185)Ms*** only wanted to address the immediate issues at hand and opted to wait to have the repairs performedWe agreed to this and replaced the starterMs*** arrived later that day to pick up her vehicle and was informed that we had discovered one other additional problem upon further inspectionThe connector to the camshaft position sensor was brittle and had come apart during the repair process and we would need to replace itWe offered to replace the connector at no charge in the interest of helping her out and good customer serviceMs*** agreed and came back the next day to pick up her vehicleMileage at that time was 174,158.When Ms.*** arrived the next day to pick up her vehicle the store manager again approached Ms*** to discuss the concerns in her timing cover as he was concerned that driving it in the condition that it was in would cause greater damage and offered to still replace it without charging her labor, as we had just been working in that areaHe stated that we were willing to go back in and replace the components, even though she had declined previously, and perform the parts replacement at no cost on laborHe also offered to help her with the power steering pump labor as this was of a serious concern as wellMs.*** declined, again and picked her vehicle up
To Whom this May Concern, Please be advised that our position on this matter has not changedWe feel that we have acted in Mr*** best interest and have attempted to offer him a fair resolutionHis brake drums are seriously oversized, which will continue to cause him brake concerns. He has clearly stated that he does not want to address thisOur offer still stands for him, to replace the parts at no cost on labor, and a fair price on parts We thank you for your time and attention to this matterShould you have any further questions we encourage you to contact us directlyThank you Sincerely, Montgomery LM*** Sun Devil Auto Store Supervisor
To Whom This May Concern, Please be advised that our position on this matter has not changedWe have
offered to reimburse Mr*** for the alignment concern he was having, however
we do not believe that the power steering pump leak was a result of the
transmission work. Mr*** still has a
full warranty on his transmission and as of yet have been unable to duplicate
his concernsIf Mr*** has issues with his transmission, he needs to return
to one of our repair facilities to have it examinedIf no problem is
determined to be found, there is no corrective course of actionWe again, thank you for your time and attention to this matter*** * ***Sun Devil AutoStore Supervisor
We are sorry to say we do not feel Sun Devil Auto worked with us at all. The only "offer" they gave us is to put the money we spent towards the new transmission. We knew all along we were not going to rebuild a transmission in the van and told them this. It is an old car and we were not going to put more money into it. We were mainly concerned with having the car pass emissions. We were told they were confident the first fix of $would fix the problem The quote we were given is transmission rebuild would be between $and $2700. Wouldn't know until they got into it. We were not going to spend that much money and they knew that so the did not work with us at all.Why didn't they send us to the "outside transmission specialist" to start with, rather than have the in-house one look at the car. They should have had the most qualified person look at it in the beginning. We thought Sun Devil was a stacompany and would be fair to their customers. We do not feel that is the case. We do not agree with their response. *** ***
To Whom this May Concern, On April 10, Ms*** brought her vehicle in to ourRay Rd Facility for an oil change on her Toyota PriusThis was the firsttime we had seen this vehicle for any type of serviceHer mileage at that timewas 131329. On October 11, Ms***
brought her vehicle in to ourMcDowell Rd facility for an oil changeAt that time we found that her waterpump was leaking and made recommendations for replacementMs*** declinedand requested that only the oil change be performedHer mileage at that timewas 143149. On April 10, Ms*** brought her vehicle, onceagain, to our Ray Rdfacility for an oil changeIt was noted that when shearrived that there was no oil on the dipstickMs*** was made aware ofthisHer mileage at that time was On June 25, Ms*** brought her vehicle back to ourRay Rd facility for an oil changeIt was noted at that time that the waterpump was still leaking, and getting worse, the serpentine belt was starting tocrack, the air filter was dirty, and the cabin air filter was dirtyMs***again declined the work and left our facilityHer mileage at that time was On August 18, wereceived a call from Ms*** stating that her car had broken down on thefreeway and that she had it towed to *** Toyota in MesaShe was told bythe service advisor there, that the vehicle had a bad hybrid battery, but thatthe gas engine had locked upIt appeared as though the gas engine had locked because“the oil filter fell off the car”Ms*** had called us to inquire as towhat our intentions were to help herThe service advisor explained that hewould have to consult with someone higher up and get back with herMs***later spoke with the manager of the Ray RdFacility and he informed her thatwe would need to send someone out to inspect the vehicle and we would be intouch once that happenedThe manager then spoke with the service advisor atToyota to inquire about what had happenedHe explained that they weren’t surewhat had happened but that the vehicle had a locked up engine and that the oilfilter was missingWe scheduled a time to have the vehicle inspected On August 21, 2015, our mobile diagnostic technician and Iarrived at *** Toyota to examine the Toyota PriusUpon arrival we metwith the service advisor and requested to inspect the vehicleWe were ledoutside to the parking lot near the service bays and shown the carWerequested to have the vehicle placed on a lift so that we could examine theunder-chassis and see what extent of damage there was to the vehicleTheadvisor was somewhat hesitant on this, but stated that he would return with thekeys “in a bit”We performed the initial under hood examinationThe engineoil was to the “full” mark when examined and it had fresh and clean oil in it.The service advisor returned and handed us the keys and said “Here you go.” We,again, inquired as to getting the vehicle placed on a rack for examinationTheadvisor was still hesitant, and then stated that we could see Jim, their mastertechnician, in the shop and he’d help us out The advisor then had the technician come outto the vehicle, and with the help of a few others, they pushed the vehicle into the service bay and hoisted the vehicle into the air for examinationOur technician and I both observed that there was oil downthe under-chassis, but not in the immediate area of the oil filterThe oilfilter was missing from the vehicle, with no damage to the threadsWe inquiredas to why the vehicle had oil in it, and the technician stated that they hadfilled it recently “just to see if it was low and would resolve the issue.” Wewere unable to engage the motor as the hybrid battery is faulty and will notallow the vehicle to operate as the synergy drive will not properly engage witha faulty hybrid batteryThis will also disengage the gas motor and not allowthe vehicle to runWe took pictures of the under-chassis and left thedealershipWe contacted *** and inquired of them if any problems haddocumented with the oil filter that was used on this vehicle, and no suchissues were found*** has had no problems at all with this filter, andstated that without the filter off of this vehicle that there could be nodetermination made of faultHowever, based on the fact that there is no damageto the threads of the filter adapter, the likelihood of the filter falling offthe vehicle was almost noneThe mileage currently on the vehicle at time offailure was It was also concluded that after miles the filterfalling off the vehicle was also very unlikelyIf there had been a problemwith the filter or the installation thereof, the filter would have had issuesmuch sooner, not close to 2,miles after installationOil filters will gettighter with expansion from heat at the engine, versus getting looserThis iswhy an oil filter is hand tightened at installation, but requires a filterwrench to remove during the oil changeThe natural expansion of the metal withheat causes the filter to tighten against the threadsFurthermore, the waythat an oil filter works is that oil is pressurized into the filter via theadapter which the filter threads onto; the oil is then forced back into themotor around the sides of the filter after passing through the filterparticulateIf an oil filter were to come off a vehicle while running, the oilwould be forced straight back against the motor initially, then straight downand out as the filter comes offThere is no immediate oil in the area of thefilter, indicating that the vehicle was started and ran without a filter,versus the filter coming off while driving Ms*** called us back the following Monday and we spokewith her in regards to this issueWe explained that we were not willing toaccept liability for the damages due to the facts and findings at handWeexplained that with the lack of damage to the threads, the vehicle being filledwith oil upon our arrival, the lack of maintenance previously and prior to thevehicle, the findings with Toyota, and the fact that we have no oil filter toexamine on the vehicle that we could definitively state that the problem was asa result of service provided by Sun Devil AutoWe also stated that had therebeen an issue with the oil filter as previously thought by Ms***, therewould have been signs that this was transpiringShe would have seen oil leaksand oil spots prior to the supposed oil filter failureThe oil light wouldhave illuminated as the level began to get lowNone of these factors came into play prior to the date of failureWe also, again, stated that if theproblem had rested with the work we performed, it would have failed within thefirst miles or less, not miles laterMs*** was unhappy with thisanswerShe stated to us that Toyota clearly stated that we had installed theoil filter incorrectly and this resulted in her oil filter falling offShestated that she witnessed the oil filter coming off her vehicle, but did notretrieve it to bring it as evidenceWhen I inquired as to why Toyota wouldthen fill her engine with oil without first assuring that the oil filter was inplace to “check and see” if there was damage, Ms*** stated that thedealership had informed her that it was impossible for the filter to just falloff like that and she likely had a different issueWe have attempted to act in Ms***’ best interestthroughout all of thisWe performed our due diligence by going to examine thevehicle, and involving the parts manufacturers in attempting to help us resolvethe issue as wellGiven all the facts at hand, we believe that there are othermitigating factors that led to Ms*** issuesWe have done multiple oilchanges, at varying mileages, with no issues With the lack of damage to the threads, thefact that there is fresh and full oil in the motor at time of examination, thelack of oil filter, and the explanations given by the dealership we do not feelthat the issue was caused by the services provided almost days and 1846miles previously We appreciate your time and attention to this matterShouldyou have any further questions, we request that you contact us directlyThankyou Sincerely,*** * ***Sun Devil AutoStore Supervisor
To Whom It May Concern,We have been in contact with Mr*** and he has agreed
to let us re-inspect his vehicle and allow us to do the necessary repairs to
fix any issues he is having. He stated
that he will be bringing the vehicle into our Bell Road location on December 2nd or
3rd. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at
###-###-####.Sincerely,Scott D’***General Manager
To Whom This May Concern,On March 20, Ms* *** brought her BMW 325ci to our Main Stfacility and asked us to bleed and flush her cooling system, and to inspect her lower radiator hoseShe had replaced the upper hose herself and was looking to get the cooling system flushed out and
ensure that she had no air pockets in the systemShe also requested that we not look at anything else on her vehicle, as she tried to do most of the repairs on her ownWe agreed to help her with this and proceeded to flush thecooling systemWe examined the lower hose and found no current issues other than the vehicle had over 150,miles on it, and most of the cooling system parts were original and as preventative maintenance, they should be changedMs* *** requested that only her cooling system be flushedAs we were performing the service, she asked us to price the cost of replacing an oxygen sensor whilewe were working on itThe technician noticed that the check engine light was on and offered to retrieve the engine codes at no costIt was at this time that different engine codes were present, and that with the large number of codes we suggested performing a diagnostic to determine true cause of failure instead of replacing parts that may not need to be replacedMs* *** declined the diagnostic, paid for her cooling system flush and left.On March 21, Ms* *** returned to our Main Stfacility and stated that the vehicle was overheating and steaming and asked us to examine itIt was at that time that we discovered that the radiator overflow tank was leaking and that the radiator was also leakingWe quoted her a price to repair these items, and offered to replenish the coolant at no chargeThis was offered as a sign of goodwill and in an effort to gain her business as a customerMs* *** agreed to the repairs and we proceeded to repair her vehicleUpon completion the vehicle was test driven and no further issues were found at that timeMs* *** was called and she paid for and picked up her vehicle.On Friday April 14, Ms* *** called our Main Street location to tell them that she was having issues with her vehicle overheating and that she was having another shop repair it and wanted to be reimbursed for the repairsThe store manager explained to her that we needed to examine the vehicle prior to them repairing it, and that she had a warranty for repairs with us, so any items that were replaced with our facility would be handled at no chargeMs* *** declined and hung up with the managerShe called our corporate office on Monday April 17, and stated the same things that she had said to the managerIt was explained to her that we needed to have an opportunity to examine the vehicle and determine if there was any wrongdoing on our part, and to be able to examine any other issues that may have transpired during the installationMs* *** declined this stating that she didn’t feel confident in having us look at her vehicle and wanted another shop to perform the repairsWe tried to explain to her that before we could make any kind of determination of how to proceed we had to be given the opportunity to examine the vehicle and warranty any parts that we are responsible forHer invoice clearly states that “all warranty work must be performed by Sun Devil Auto.” Ms* *** did not feel that this was an appropriate response and hung up.We feel that we have acted in Ms* ***’s best interestWe performed the repairs as requested by her, we have offered to honor her warranty if parts are defective or installed improperly, and we have tried to effectively communicate with her about these things on several occasionsWe have not been given an opportunity to examine the vehicle to determine what, if any, problems exist and need to be rectifiedWe encourage her to bring her vehicle in to any of our locations to have us examine it and see how we may assist her further. We thank you for your time and attention to this matterIf you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us directlyThank you.Sincerely,Montgomery LM***Sun Devil AutoStore Supervisor
I was NEVER called and given ANY estimates of the cost of the flywheel When I told Jeremy what happened Tuesday morning, he confirmed with Joe that Sun Devil dropped the ball by not calling me on Monday to inform me about my car I was told how much the flywheel would cost on Monday, the part was ordered on Monday, and the part came in Tuesday at 3pm So, if they worked on my car, and I supposed received my car the next day which would be on Wednesday, then why is the invoice dated on Thursday 04/21/Please look that up in your system And why would I EVER decide to have them "go with" the special order of a part instead of a local part Jeremy told me they looked around and found the cheaper flywheel, emphasis on "they" since I was never notified, I found out all this information when I called to let them Monday evening to let them know I was on my way to pick up my car Also, Jeremy told me that the warranty on the clutch expired months ago, and yes that was very nice of him to warranty that out But, don't fabricate the situation, which was they dropped the ball on communicating, and allowing me to decide what I wanted to do as far as service and replacing a flywheel shouldn't have taken days!!!!
To Whom It May Concern, Please be advised that our position on this matter has not changedMs* *** needs to bring her vehicle in for re-examination as per her invoiceFurthermore, if there was a problem with the installation of the radiator or coolant reservoir, this would not affect or cause damage to the water pump or thermostat as those operate with the cooling system, but independent of the replaced itemsShould you have any further questions regarding this matter, please feel free to contact us directlyThank you Sincerely, Montgomery LM*** Sun Devil Auto Store Supervisor
October 2, 2015 To Whom It May Concern, It is unfortunate that Sun Devil Auto and Ms*** can’tcome to an understanding on this issue. Our position on this matter has not changed as we have thoroughly investigatedher concerns and found that we were not at fault. We would ask that this matter be reviewed bythe ARAC Board. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at###-###-####. Sincerely, *** ***Store Supervisor
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait until for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.This issue has been resolved and a portion of my original request was settled on. Thank you for you help
Regards,
[redacted]
It is unfortunate that Mr. [redacted] and Sun Devil Auto can not come to an agreement on this matter. We are requesting that this be brought to the ARAC for their review.Sincerely,Chris D[redacted]General Manager
To Whom It May Concern, We have been in contact with Mr. [redacted] and have come to a satisfactory resolution. We consider this matter closed. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at [redacted] Sincerely, Chris D[redacted] General Manager
12-29-16In regards to response from Montgomery l M[redacted] Store Supervisor at Sun devil Auto,The next day after (12-14-16) Sun Devil did the inspection etc I notice the rt rear brake making a squeaky noise and the 15th the noise started to sound like the loose parts in rt rear drum that the tech pried off to check rear brake. On the 16th I attempted to get ahold of the owner/president of Sun Devil Auto to talk to him about the situation and ended up talking to a couple different employees of Sun Devil in which the last person I talked to said the manager of all the stores would contact me and it ended up with the same person that give me the story on what happened, at that time I mentioned I wanted to talk to the Owner/President, he the manager said that will never happen. Anyway, to make a long story as short as I can at the time I took my car to get an oil change there were no loose parts in rear brakes they became loose when they pried the drum off, they won’t admit that they broke the spring cup at that time and the parts they found loose came from the force they used to get the drum off do to not de-adjusting enough. The parts that they took off my car and replaced with new ones they gave to me. The brakes were not frozen to the drum that’s why I had the brake travel noise from brakes pulling back in (after parked) from other springs to keep away from drum while driving. You can see on the spring cup when they pried the brake drum off it pulled the post that goes through the spring cup that holds the brake shoe on against the back plate through the cup. I have the parts they took off and can prove that what I’m saying is the truth because there is no mangling of parts that would be caused from loose parts inside the rear drums for over a year, all my brakes needed at that time was adjusted. Being in the automotive business for many years from being a brake specialist, owned repair shops and dealerships I have a great knowledge of the business and would like to talk to the owner/president of Sun Devil Auto (Which I wanted to do to start with but Store manager said it would never happen) to see if this is a common practice on what has happened to me in regards on what really took place.PS it will be interesting to see what is making the loose parts noise I now have in the rt rear wheel they forced/pried the drum off of…Sincerely,Concerned customer
THE EVENTS AS STATED ARE CORRECT ACCEPT YOU MANAGER LEFT OUT A FEW THINGS..... LIKE WHEN I FIRST WENT TO PICK UP THE TRUCK THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. THE MANAGER CLAIMED IT WAS FOR A DIFFERENT REASON AND HAD IT RESET. SEEM LIKE TO ME IT SHOULD HAD BEEN CHECKED BEFORE RELEASE TO THE CUSTOMER. ON THE SECOND OIL LEAK HE QUOTED ME ONE PRICE AND WHEN I REFUSED HE LATER CALLED ME BACK AND OFFERED A DIFFERENT PRICE SAYING HE MIS-QUOTED THE SECOND REPAIR. iF THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A SWINDLE I DON'T KNOW WHAT DOES. WE FIXED THE LEAK OH ITS LEAKING SOMEWHERE ELSE AND IT WILL COST MORE OH WE MIS-QUOTED YOU......GET THE DRIFT.MY ISSUE IS WITH TRUST, A MECHANIC SHOULD BE ABLE TO FINE ONE OR ALL THE LEAK IN A OIL SYSTEM NOT MAKE THE CUSTOMER BRING IT BACK. ALL I DID WAS DRIVE IT HOME AND LET IT SIT TO FIND THE SO CALLED SECOND LEAK. SO AT BEST THEY ARE POOR MECHANICS, AT WORST THEY ARE RUNNING SOME PRICING SCAM. EITHER WAY, NEVER GOING BACK. DON'T WANT A DISCOUNT DON'T EVEN WANT IT FOR FREE. THEY ARE JUST BAD NEWS. THIS COMPLAINT WAS SO OTHERS CAN SEE THE ISSUES AND MAKE UP THEIR OWN MINDS ABOUT THE QUALITY OF WORK DONE THERE.THANK FOR YOUR TIME. I CONSIDER THE ISSUE CLOSED.
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait until for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
I will call them today.
[redacted]
To Whom It May Concern, After review, it appears as though Mr. [redacted] was, indeed, correct about his vehicle being driven to our location on the initial visit versus being towed in. However, our position on the rest of this matter has not changed. Mr. [redacted] has a 12 month / 12,000 mile warranty on the items installed in his vehicle and if a problem can be duplicated, we will be happy to work with him in regards to coming to a resolution. As of this time, we have found no problems with his vehicle. We appreciate your time and attention, once again, to this matter. If you have further questions or concerns, please contact us directly. Thank you. Sincerely, Montgomery L. M[redacted] Store Supervisor Sun Devil Auto
The business did not notify me that there was an issue with the power steering pump, water pump and timing belt when they were originally in the vehicle. It was for this reason after the fact that Jeremy, the store manager, offered me a quote to repair these without labor included since he admitted they were wrong to have not notified me of all the issues that needed to be addressed especially since I paid for a diagnostic. The transmission had been replaced 5 months ago so the transmission that they previously recommended be repaired was not the same one in the vehicle when they had previously looked at. So the fact that the had previously recommended my old transmission be repaired, which I did, does not prove their point. The business did not do their due diligence to provide me with proper information after my diagnostic was performed and if they had told me that there were multiple issues to be repaired I would not have move forward with the initial repair they charged me for. If you look at the date in the picture of the estimate for the power steering pump I attached, it was not issued until 1/7 which was after I initially brought my car in for repair. The attached quote alone should be enough evidence to see that they did not tell me about the power steering pump upfront at the time of service especially since that is not in line with the attached statement by the business that states they told me when they first examined the car and provided me a quote on 1/5. Ultimately, the business did not disclose to me at time of service that the power steering pump, water pump, and timing belt needed to be repaired even though they charged me labor during the diagnostic to examine it and tell me that it was an issue therefore, whether or not they agree that their contractor damaged my transmission sensor, they did not provide me information regarding what was wrong with my vehicle and if they had that would have influenced my purchasing decision.
April 27, 2016 Revdex.com 4428 N. 12th Street Phoenix, AZ 850114 ###-###-#### / ###-###-#### RE: ID#[redacted] We feel we have acted in good faith and it is unfortunate that Mr. [redacted] feels otherwise. We stand by our original letter regarding this matter. I would like to remind Mr. [redacted] of parts of my original statement. Regarding his oil leak, the intake manifold was leaking on top of his engine down the engine on to the oil pan. We could not in good faith recommend replacement of the oil pan gasket even though it was wet with oil knowing the oil was leaking from the top down the engine, that leak need to be repaired first. Also Mr. [redacted] stated in his comments the location manager made a mistake when pricing the repair needed to fix his oil leak and discovered his mistake then corrected it. Mr. [redacted] views this as a bad thing and I have to disagree. What it shows is we are a capable of making mistakes and correcting them. No further action is recommended regarding this matter. If you have any question you can contact me at ###-###-####. Sincerely, Chris D[redacted] General Manager
Complaint# *** *** *** We stand behind our prior sent statements regarding this matterI would like to respond to Ms*** statement in her rebuttal where see claims she was not giving an estimateIn her original dispute she acknowledges she knew the cost of the flywheel prior to the vehicle being completed and at that time she could have declined the repairShe was give on option on two different parts and chose to go with the lesser expensive one It is apparent we will not find a resolution regarding this matter and recommend the case be sent to the ARAC board If you have any questions, please contact me a ###-###-#### Sincerely, Chris D*** General Manager
To Whom this May Concern,On January 5, Ms*** brought her Hyundai Santa Fe to our Chandler facility to have a starting concern checkedUpon her arrival she stated that she was having problems getting the vehicle to start and that she had a check engine light onShe stated that she
had the code checked at her local auto parts store and that they had told her that it was a sensorWe offered to perform a diagnostic on the vehicle to verify the concern,as in often cases, when a parts store pulls the engine codes it is not always the problem that they diagnosePulling engine codes only gives you a direction to head,not verifies a concernMs*** agreed and we proceeded with the inspectionUpon inspection it was discovered that the vehicle had a code for the crankshaft position sensor (P0335) and that there was a stated noise coming from the timing areaTo inspect and to replace the sensor requires removal of the timing belt to verify and so this was suggested to Ms***She agreed and we began the process of removing the timing coversOnce the covers were removed it was verified that the crankshaft postion sensor was indeed intermittently failing and that the water pump was cutting in tothe side of the timing coverIt was suggested at that time to replace the timing components since we were already there and would cost no further labor, and to replace the water pumpAgain,this would cost no further labor as we were already to the area of repairMs*** declined and opted to just have the sensor replacedWe replaced the sensor and re-verified that no further concerns existed with the engine lightAfter driving the vehicle and then allowing the vehicle to sit for a period of time, the technician went to start the vehicle again and the vehicle would not crank overWhen placing the key in the start position,there was no response from the starter.The technician performed a furtherinspection and found that the starter would intermittently stick and it was recommended that the starter also be replaced on the vehicleMs*** agreed and the starter was replacedThe service advisor told Ms*** that we would perform a full vehicle inspection once the vehicle was fully operational and inform her of any further problems that the vehicle may haveUpon this inspection the technician found that the power steering pump was leaking, there mere multiple other leaks and that the vehicle should be steam cleaned, there were maintenance items that had been previously advised and that there was still a lingering concern as the vehicle had previous transmission concerns that were never addressedOn June 14, the vehicle had been in for us to retrieve the engine codesUpon that inspection we found that the transmission had some internal concerns and a code Pwas present and we recommended that the transmission be removed, disassembled and inspected for internal problemsMs*** declined and that recommendation was noted on her invoice at that time(mileage was 170,185)Ms*** only wanted to address the immediate issues at hand and opted to wait to have the repairs performedWe agreed to this and replaced the starterMs*** arrived later that day to pick up her vehicle and was informed that we had discovered one other additional problem upon further inspectionThe connector to the camshaft position sensor was brittle and had come apart during the repair process and we would need to replace itWe offered to replace the connector at no charge in the interest of helping her out and good customer serviceMs*** agreed and came back the next day to pick up her vehicleMileage at that time was 174,158.When Ms.*** arrived the next day to pick up her vehicle the store manager again approached Ms*** to discuss the concerns in her timing cover as he was concerned that driving it in the condition that it was in would cause greater damage and offered to still replace it without charging her labor, as we had just been working in that areaHe stated that we were willing to go back in and replace the components, even though she had declined previously, and perform the parts replacement at no cost on laborHe also offered to help her with the power steering pump labor as this was of a serious concern as wellMs.*** declined, again and picked her vehicle up
To Whom this May Concern, Please be advised that our position on this matter has not changedWe feel that we have acted in Mr*** best interest and have attempted to offer him a fair resolutionHis brake drums are seriously oversized, which will continue to cause him brake concerns. He has clearly stated that he does not want to address thisOur offer still stands for him, to replace the parts at no cost on labor, and a fair price on parts We thank you for your time and attention to this matterShould you have any further questions we encourage you to contact us directlyThank you Sincerely, Montgomery LM*** Sun Devil Auto Store Supervisor
To Whom This May Concern, Please be advised that our position on this matter has not changedWe have
offered to reimburse Mr*** for the alignment concern he was having, however
we do not believe that the power steering pump leak was a result of the
transmission work. Mr*** still has a
full warranty on his transmission and as of yet have been unable to duplicate
his concernsIf Mr*** has issues with his transmission, he needs to return
to one of our repair facilities to have it examinedIf no problem is
determined to be found, there is no corrective course of actionWe again, thank you for your time and attention to this matter*** * ***Sun Devil AutoStore Supervisor
We are sorry to say we do not feel Sun Devil Auto worked with us at all. The only "offer" they gave us is to put the money we spent towards the new transmission. We knew all along we were not going to rebuild a transmission in the van and told them this. It is an old car and we were not going to put more money into it. We were mainly concerned with having the car pass emissions. We were told they were confident the first fix of $would fix the problem The quote we were given is transmission rebuild would be between $and $2700. Wouldn't know until they got into it. We were not going to spend that much money and they knew that so the did not work with us at all.Why didn't they send us to the "outside transmission specialist" to start with, rather than have the in-house one look at the car. They should have had the most qualified person look at it in the beginning. We thought Sun Devil was a stacompany and would be fair to their customers. We do not feel that is the case. We do not agree with their response. *** ***
To Whom this May Concern, On April 10, Ms*** brought her vehicle in to ourRay Rd Facility for an oil change on her Toyota PriusThis was the firsttime we had seen this vehicle for any type of serviceHer mileage at that timewas 131329. On October 11, Ms***
brought her vehicle in to ourMcDowell Rd facility for an oil changeAt that time we found that her waterpump was leaking and made recommendations for replacementMs*** declinedand requested that only the oil change be performedHer mileage at that timewas 143149. On April 10, Ms*** brought her vehicle, onceagain, to our Ray Rdfacility for an oil changeIt was noted that when shearrived that there was no oil on the dipstickMs*** was made aware ofthisHer mileage at that time was On June 25, Ms*** brought her vehicle back to ourRay Rd facility for an oil changeIt was noted at that time that the waterpump was still leaking, and getting worse, the serpentine belt was starting tocrack, the air filter was dirty, and the cabin air filter was dirtyMs***again declined the work and left our facilityHer mileage at that time was On August 18, wereceived a call from Ms*** stating that her car had broken down on thefreeway and that she had it towed to *** Toyota in MesaShe was told bythe service advisor there, that the vehicle had a bad hybrid battery, but thatthe gas engine had locked upIt appeared as though the gas engine had locked because“the oil filter fell off the car”Ms*** had called us to inquire as towhat our intentions were to help herThe service advisor explained that hewould have to consult with someone higher up and get back with herMs***later spoke with the manager of the Ray RdFacility and he informed her thatwe would need to send someone out to inspect the vehicle and we would be intouch once that happenedThe manager then spoke with the service advisor atToyota to inquire about what had happenedHe explained that they weren’t surewhat had happened but that the vehicle had a locked up engine and that the oilfilter was missingWe scheduled a time to have the vehicle inspected On August 21, 2015, our mobile diagnostic technician and Iarrived at *** Toyota to examine the Toyota PriusUpon arrival we metwith the service advisor and requested to inspect the vehicleWe were ledoutside to the parking lot near the service bays and shown the carWerequested to have the vehicle placed on a lift so that we could examine theunder-chassis and see what extent of damage there was to the vehicleTheadvisor was somewhat hesitant on this, but stated that he would return with thekeys “in a bit”We performed the initial under hood examinationThe engineoil was to the “full” mark when examined and it had fresh and clean oil in it.The service advisor returned and handed us the keys and said “Here you go.” We,again, inquired as to getting the vehicle placed on a rack for examinationTheadvisor was still hesitant, and then stated that we could see Jim, their mastertechnician, in the shop and he’d help us out The advisor then had the technician come outto the vehicle, and with the help of a few others, they pushed the vehicle into the service bay and hoisted the vehicle into the air for examinationOur technician and I both observed that there was oil downthe under-chassis, but not in the immediate area of the oil filterThe oilfilter was missing from the vehicle, with no damage to the threadsWe inquiredas to why the vehicle had oil in it, and the technician stated that they hadfilled it recently “just to see if it was low and would resolve the issue.” Wewere unable to engage the motor as the hybrid battery is faulty and will notallow the vehicle to operate as the synergy drive will not properly engage witha faulty hybrid batteryThis will also disengage the gas motor and not allowthe vehicle to runWe took pictures of the under-chassis and left thedealershipWe contacted *** and inquired of them if any problems haddocumented with the oil filter that was used on this vehicle, and no suchissues were found*** has had no problems at all with this filter, andstated that without the filter off of this vehicle that there could be nodetermination made of faultHowever, based on the fact that there is no damageto the threads of the filter adapter, the likelihood of the filter falling offthe vehicle was almost noneThe mileage currently on the vehicle at time offailure was It was also concluded that after miles the filterfalling off the vehicle was also very unlikelyIf there had been a problemwith the filter or the installation thereof, the filter would have had issuesmuch sooner, not close to 2,miles after installationOil filters will gettighter with expansion from heat at the engine, versus getting looserThis iswhy an oil filter is hand tightened at installation, but requires a filterwrench to remove during the oil changeThe natural expansion of the metal withheat causes the filter to tighten against the threadsFurthermore, the waythat an oil filter works is that oil is pressurized into the filter via theadapter which the filter threads onto; the oil is then forced back into themotor around the sides of the filter after passing through the filterparticulateIf an oil filter were to come off a vehicle while running, the oilwould be forced straight back against the motor initially, then straight downand out as the filter comes offThere is no immediate oil in the area of thefilter, indicating that the vehicle was started and ran without a filter,versus the filter coming off while driving Ms*** called us back the following Monday and we spokewith her in regards to this issueWe explained that we were not willing toaccept liability for the damages due to the facts and findings at handWeexplained that with the lack of damage to the threads, the vehicle being filledwith oil upon our arrival, the lack of maintenance previously and prior to thevehicle, the findings with Toyota, and the fact that we have no oil filter toexamine on the vehicle that we could definitively state that the problem was asa result of service provided by Sun Devil AutoWe also stated that had therebeen an issue with the oil filter as previously thought by Ms***, therewould have been signs that this was transpiringShe would have seen oil leaksand oil spots prior to the supposed oil filter failureThe oil light wouldhave illuminated as the level began to get lowNone of these factors came into play prior to the date of failureWe also, again, stated that if theproblem had rested with the work we performed, it would have failed within thefirst miles or less, not miles laterMs*** was unhappy with thisanswerShe stated to us that Toyota clearly stated that we had installed theoil filter incorrectly and this resulted in her oil filter falling offShestated that she witnessed the oil filter coming off her vehicle, but did notretrieve it to bring it as evidenceWhen I inquired as to why Toyota wouldthen fill her engine with oil without first assuring that the oil filter was inplace to “check and see” if there was damage, Ms*** stated that thedealership had informed her that it was impossible for the filter to just falloff like that and she likely had a different issueWe have attempted to act in Ms***’ best interestthroughout all of thisWe performed our due diligence by going to examine thevehicle, and involving the parts manufacturers in attempting to help us resolvethe issue as wellGiven all the facts at hand, we believe that there are othermitigating factors that led to Ms*** issuesWe have done multiple oilchanges, at varying mileages, with no issues With the lack of damage to the threads, thefact that there is fresh and full oil in the motor at time of examination, thelack of oil filter, and the explanations given by the dealership we do not feelthat the issue was caused by the services provided almost days and 1846miles previously We appreciate your time and attention to this matterShouldyou have any further questions, we request that you contact us directlyThankyou Sincerely,*** * ***Sun Devil AutoStore Supervisor
To Whom It May Concern,We have been in contact with Mr*** and he has agreed
to let us re-inspect his vehicle and allow us to do the necessary repairs to
fix any issues he is having. He stated
that he will be bringing the vehicle into our Bell Road location on December 2nd or
3rd. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at
###-###-####.Sincerely,Scott D’***General Manager
To Whom This May Concern,On March 20, Ms* *** brought her BMW 325ci to our Main Stfacility and asked us to bleed and flush her cooling system, and to inspect her lower radiator hoseShe had replaced the upper hose herself and was looking to get the cooling system flushed out and
ensure that she had no air pockets in the systemShe also requested that we not look at anything else on her vehicle, as she tried to do most of the repairs on her ownWe agreed to help her with this and proceeded to flush thecooling systemWe examined the lower hose and found no current issues other than the vehicle had over 150,miles on it, and most of the cooling system parts were original and as preventative maintenance, they should be changedMs* *** requested that only her cooling system be flushedAs we were performing the service, she asked us to price the cost of replacing an oxygen sensor whilewe were working on itThe technician noticed that the check engine light was on and offered to retrieve the engine codes at no costIt was at this time that different engine codes were present, and that with the large number of codes we suggested performing a diagnostic to determine true cause of failure instead of replacing parts that may not need to be replacedMs* *** declined the diagnostic, paid for her cooling system flush and left.On March 21, Ms* *** returned to our Main Stfacility and stated that the vehicle was overheating and steaming and asked us to examine itIt was at that time that we discovered that the radiator overflow tank was leaking and that the radiator was also leakingWe quoted her a price to repair these items, and offered to replenish the coolant at no chargeThis was offered as a sign of goodwill and in an effort to gain her business as a customerMs* *** agreed to the repairs and we proceeded to repair her vehicleUpon completion the vehicle was test driven and no further issues were found at that timeMs* *** was called and she paid for and picked up her vehicle.On Friday April 14, Ms* *** called our Main Street location to tell them that she was having issues with her vehicle overheating and that she was having another shop repair it and wanted to be reimbursed for the repairsThe store manager explained to her that we needed to examine the vehicle prior to them repairing it, and that she had a warranty for repairs with us, so any items that were replaced with our facility would be handled at no chargeMs* *** declined and hung up with the managerShe called our corporate office on Monday April 17, and stated the same things that she had said to the managerIt was explained to her that we needed to have an opportunity to examine the vehicle and determine if there was any wrongdoing on our part, and to be able to examine any other issues that may have transpired during the installationMs* *** declined this stating that she didn’t feel confident in having us look at her vehicle and wanted another shop to perform the repairsWe tried to explain to her that before we could make any kind of determination of how to proceed we had to be given the opportunity to examine the vehicle and warranty any parts that we are responsible forHer invoice clearly states that “all warranty work must be performed by Sun Devil Auto.” Ms* *** did not feel that this was an appropriate response and hung up.We feel that we have acted in Ms* ***’s best interestWe performed the repairs as requested by her, we have offered to honor her warranty if parts are defective or installed improperly, and we have tried to effectively communicate with her about these things on several occasionsWe have not been given an opportunity to examine the vehicle to determine what, if any, problems exist and need to be rectifiedWe encourage her to bring her vehicle in to any of our locations to have us examine it and see how we may assist her further. We thank you for your time and attention to this matterIf you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us directlyThank you.Sincerely,Montgomery LM***Sun Devil AutoStore Supervisor
I was NEVER called and given ANY estimates of the cost of the flywheel When I told Jeremy what happened Tuesday morning, he confirmed with Joe that Sun Devil dropped the ball by not calling me on Monday to inform me about my car I was told how much the flywheel would cost on Monday, the part was ordered on Monday, and the part came in Tuesday at 3pm So, if they worked on my car, and I supposed received my car the next day which would be on Wednesday, then why is the invoice dated on Thursday 04/21/Please look that up in your system And why would I EVER decide to have them "go with" the special order of a part instead of a local part Jeremy told me they looked around and found the cheaper flywheel, emphasis on "they" since I was never notified, I found out all this information when I called to let them Monday evening to let them know I was on my way to pick up my car Also, Jeremy told me that the warranty on the clutch expired months ago, and yes that was very nice of him to warranty that out But, don't fabricate the situation, which was they dropped the ball on communicating, and allowing me to decide what I wanted to do as far as service and replacing a flywheel shouldn't have taken days!!!!
To Whom It May Concern, Please be advised that our position on this matter has not changedMs* *** needs to bring her vehicle in for re-examination as per her invoiceFurthermore, if there was a problem with the installation of the radiator or coolant reservoir, this would not affect or cause damage to the water pump or thermostat as those operate with the cooling system, but independent of the replaced itemsShould you have any further questions regarding this matter, please feel free to contact us directlyThank you Sincerely, Montgomery LM*** Sun Devil Auto Store Supervisor
October 2, 2015 To Whom It May Concern, It is unfortunate that Sun Devil Auto and Ms*** can’tcome to an understanding on this issue. Our position on this matter has not changed as we have thoroughly investigatedher concerns and found that we were not at fault. We would ask that this matter be reviewed bythe ARAC Board. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at###-###-####. Sincerely, *** ***Store Supervisor
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait until for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.This issue has been resolved and a portion of my original request was settled on. Thank you for you help
Regards,
[redacted]
It is unfortunate that Mr. [redacted] and Sun Devil Auto can not come to an agreement on this matter. We are requesting that this be brought to the ARAC for their review.Sincerely,Chris D[redacted]General Manager
To Whom It May Concern, We have been in contact with Mr. [redacted] and have come to a satisfactory resolution. We consider this matter closed. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at [redacted] Sincerely, Chris D[redacted] General Manager
12-29-16In regards to response from Montgomery l M[redacted] Store Supervisor at Sun devil Auto,The next day after (12-14-16) Sun Devil did the inspection etc I notice the rt rear brake making a squeaky noise and the 15th the noise started to sound like the loose parts in rt rear drum that the tech pried off to check rear brake. On the 16th I attempted to get ahold of the owner/president of Sun Devil Auto to talk to him about the situation and ended up talking to a couple different employees of Sun Devil in which the last person I talked to said the manager of all the stores would contact me and it ended up with the same person that give me the story on what happened, at that time I mentioned I wanted to talk to the Owner/President, he the manager said that will never happen. Anyway, to make a long story as short as I can at the time I took my car to get an oil change there were no loose parts in rear brakes they became loose when they pried the drum off, they won’t admit that they broke the spring cup at that time and the parts they found loose came from the force they used to get the drum off do to not de-adjusting enough. The parts that they took off my car and replaced with new ones they gave to me. The brakes were not frozen to the drum that’s why I had the brake travel noise from brakes pulling back in (after parked) from other springs to keep away from drum while driving. You can see on the spring cup when they pried the brake drum off it pulled the post that goes through the spring cup that holds the brake shoe on against the back plate through the cup. I have the parts they took off and can prove that what I’m saying is the truth because there is no mangling of parts that would be caused from loose parts inside the rear drums for over a year, all my brakes needed at that time was adjusted. Being in the automotive business for many years from being a brake specialist, owned repair shops and dealerships I have a great knowledge of the business and would like to talk to the owner/president of Sun Devil Auto (Which I wanted to do to start with but Store manager said it would never happen) to see if this is a common practice on what has happened to me in regards on what really took place.PS it will be interesting to see what is making the loose parts noise I now have in the rt rear wheel they forced/pried the drum off of…Sincerely,Concerned customer
THE EVENTS AS STATED ARE CORRECT ACCEPT YOU MANAGER LEFT OUT A FEW THINGS..... LIKE WHEN I FIRST WENT TO PICK UP THE TRUCK THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. THE MANAGER CLAIMED IT WAS FOR A DIFFERENT REASON AND HAD IT RESET. SEEM LIKE TO ME IT SHOULD HAD BEEN CHECKED BEFORE RELEASE TO THE CUSTOMER. ON THE SECOND OIL LEAK HE QUOTED ME ONE PRICE AND WHEN I REFUSED HE LATER CALLED ME BACK AND OFFERED A DIFFERENT PRICE SAYING HE MIS-QUOTED THE SECOND REPAIR. iF THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A SWINDLE I DON'T KNOW WHAT DOES. WE FIXED THE LEAK OH ITS LEAKING SOMEWHERE ELSE AND IT WILL COST MORE OH WE MIS-QUOTED YOU......GET THE DRIFT.MY ISSUE IS WITH TRUST, A MECHANIC SHOULD BE ABLE TO FINE ONE OR ALL THE LEAK IN A OIL SYSTEM NOT MAKE THE CUSTOMER BRING IT BACK. ALL I DID WAS DRIVE IT HOME AND LET IT SIT TO FIND THE SO CALLED SECOND LEAK. SO AT BEST THEY ARE POOR MECHANICS, AT WORST THEY ARE RUNNING SOME PRICING SCAM. EITHER WAY, NEVER GOING BACK. DON'T WANT A DISCOUNT DON'T EVEN WANT IT FOR FREE. THEY ARE JUST BAD NEWS. THIS COMPLAINT WAS SO OTHERS CAN SEE THE ISSUES AND MAKE UP THEIR OWN MINDS ABOUT THE QUALITY OF WORK DONE THERE.THANK FOR YOUR TIME. I CONSIDER THE ISSUE CLOSED.
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait until for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
I will call them today.
[redacted]
To Whom It May Concern, After review, it appears as though Mr. [redacted] was, indeed, correct about his vehicle being driven to our location on the initial visit versus being towed in. However, our position on the rest of this matter has not changed. Mr. [redacted] has a 12 month / 12,000 mile warranty on the items installed in his vehicle and if a problem can be duplicated, we will be happy to work with him in regards to coming to a resolution. As of this time, we have found no problems with his vehicle. We appreciate your time and attention, once again, to this matter. If you have further questions or concerns, please contact us directly. Thank you. Sincerely, Montgomery L. M[redacted] Store Supervisor Sun Devil Auto
The business did not notify me that there was an issue with the power steering pump, water pump and timing belt when they were originally in the vehicle. It was for this reason after the fact that Jeremy, the store manager, offered me a quote to repair these without labor included since he admitted they were wrong to have not notified me of all the issues that needed to be addressed especially since I paid for a diagnostic. The transmission had been replaced 5 months ago so the transmission that they previously recommended be repaired was not the same one in the vehicle when they had previously looked at. So the fact that the had previously recommended my old transmission be repaired, which I did, does not prove their point. The business did not do their due diligence to provide me with proper information after my diagnostic was performed and if they had told me that there were multiple issues to be repaired I would not have move forward with the initial repair they charged me for. If you look at the date in the picture of the estimate for the power steering pump I attached, it was not issued until 1/7 which was after I initially brought my car in for repair. The attached quote alone should be enough evidence to see that they did not tell me about the power steering pump upfront at the time of service especially since that is not in line with the attached statement by the business that states they told me when they first examined the car and provided me a quote on 1/5. Ultimately, the business did not disclose to me at time of service that the power steering pump, water pump, and timing belt needed to be repaired even though they charged me labor during the diagnostic to examine it and tell me that it was an issue therefore, whether or not they agree that their contractor damaged my transmission sensor, they did not provide me information regarding what was wrong with my vehicle and if they had that would have influenced my purchasing decision.
April 27, 2016 Revdex.com 4428 N. 12th Street Phoenix, AZ 850114 ###-###-#### / ###-###-#### RE: ID#[redacted] We feel we have acted in good faith and it is unfortunate that Mr. [redacted] feels otherwise. We stand by our original letter regarding this matter. I would like to remind Mr. [redacted] of parts of my original statement. Regarding his oil leak, the intake manifold was leaking on top of his engine down the engine on to the oil pan. We could not in good faith recommend replacement of the oil pan gasket even though it was wet with oil knowing the oil was leaking from the top down the engine, that leak need to be repaired first. Also Mr. [redacted] stated in his comments the location manager made a mistake when pricing the repair needed to fix his oil leak and discovered his mistake then corrected it. Mr. [redacted] views this as a bad thing and I have to disagree. What it shows is we are a capable of making mistakes and correcting them. No further action is recommended regarding this matter. If you have any question you can contact me at ###-###-####. Sincerely, Chris D[redacted] General Manager