I had a flat tire in my rvHave had aaa with rv service for many yearsCalled for help was told the rv service was discontinued last yearThey say they told meWhy would I not continue with same service if I have same vehiclesWhat a scamYou're dealing with a large company that doesn't careThey've just lost a customerI know they really don't care because they're so bigI'll try to tell people I know about horrible service
On 1/26/called for towing and was told my personal vehicle could not be towed, it is an excluded vehicle, bigger than a pickup truck after being a customer for yrs and never receiving a list or other information about excluded vehicles, feel violated and ripped off
Yesterday, 1/5/17, my year old mother became stranded in her car in West Seneca She called AAA at 3:30pm At approximately 6:15pm she received a text message that [redacted] and [redacted] would be there by 6:30pm No one showed up My sister came to help my mother and she had to abandon her car At approximately 10pm my mother received a call from someone who did not identify himself, "So you called for a tow?? If you're stuck we might not be able to get to you because we don't want to get stuck." So - from 3:30pm to 10pm no one either assisted or contacted my mother (other than the 6:15pm text when no one showed up) during the bad weather conditions Had my sister not put herself in peril to come help my mother, she would have been sitting in the car in the snow for 7+ hours!!! Our entire family has been AAA members for over years My complaint will not end here
This member received roadside assistance on January 12, on his [redacted] pickup truck The member told us his car would not start We sent a driver to try to start the vehicle The driver did try to start the vehicle As an experienced driver performing a basic roadside duty, he determined that his attempts to start the vehicle would not be successful and worked to find a tow truckThe driver was on scene for a total of minutes, which includes all conversation, evaluation, attempts to start the vehicle, and making arrangements to obtain a second truck to tow the vehicle Though it can be difficult to gauge time at the scene of a disablement, the member’s claim the driver tried starting for at least minutes does not fit the timeline of this call In addition, the driver is a trained, experienced roadside service provider He would have quickly determined that the vehicle was not going to start The driver also would have seen that the vehicle had been having problems starting, due to a bypass that was installed to sidestep the manufacturer’s equipment designed to start the vehicleThe member had the car towed to a shop of his choosing, who diagnosed the problem as a failed starter and cap/rotor The member claims that the shop told him the starter was the issue, though the cap and rotor was also in need of replacement After calling to ask for a refund for the repair, we sent a damage investigator to personally handle the matter Our investigator spoke to the driver, the member, and went to the repair shop to look at the vehicle He reports: The member said he tried starting the vehicle before the driver got there The member also says he put in an additive for possible frozen lines We have no way of knowing if potential damage was done during that starting process, or by the additives added to the gas Our investigator saw the bypass and tells us that the member said it was installed about years ago by ***’s because the starter kept failing on the vehicle The member reports that the problem also involves the fuse box, which the member says he continually had to jump to get the car going, prior to the bypass Member claims the starter was also a problem while on a trip to [redacted] and [redacted] and that he had to resort to temporary solutions to get the car going on his trip The member claims that he received no phone calls regarding resolution of this issue, but our records show attempts were made to call on several occasions and we specifically went out to see the vehicle, also speaking to him at that time I received this complaint a few days ago and continued to investigate After investigating myself, I determined the failure of the starter did not appear to be justified by the driver’s attempts to start the vehicle I spoke to the member on 3/19/about it, but after determining that his request would be denied, he quickly told me I could not satisfy him and that he would pursue it with the Revdex.com As a result, I was not able to advise him of the findings surrounding his claim Our records show a the following service requests, all related to a failure-to-start: Date Provider Reported Problem Other Info From our Records 10/4/ AAA Roadside Assistance- no start, clicking noise Couldn’t start it – had to tow 11/11/ AAA Roadside Assistance- no start Bad starter, cleaned battery, tow 11/12/ ***’s garage From 11/11/roadside called, towed to ***’s Service unknown 11/30/ AAA Roadside Assistance- no start Tow destination unknown 4/19/ AAA Roadside Assistance- no start Got vehicle started 5/27/ AAA Roadside Assistance – no start Member pulled fuses – tow car 5/29/ AAA Car Care [redacted] location, no crank, no start Odometer reading: 77, Fuse Box repair 6/21/ AAA [redacted] Tow by AAA MidAtlantic on a trip problem unknown 6/23/ AAA [redacted] Tow by Auto Club South on a trip Problem unknown 9/15/ AAA [redacted] Roadside Assistance, by AAA East [redacted] , no a trip no start, possible battery *out of territory calls seem to correlate with members statement that starter had also been a problem on a trip from [redacted] to [redacted] , requiring temporary repairs 4/12/ AAA Roadside Assistance – no start Refused service at the scene 1/12/ AAA Roadside Assistance – turns over but no start Odometer Reading at ***'s: 100, Member tried to start it himself and used fuel additives before driver arrived As demonstrated in requests for service due to failure-to-start breakdowns, the member’s [redacted] pickup has a substantial history of failure-to-start problems The provided list is only a record of services performed by AAA, so it’s quite possible that additional service has been provided or performed on the vehicle as well Based on service requests received since October 2011, a number of critical starting components have been a problem, including the starter In addition, installing a mechanism to bypass the manufacturer’s start design is an extreme repair measure, indicative of substantial underlying problems that could not be fixed or were not worth the effort/money to fix With preexisting problems firmly established and that those problems were not fixable by conventional repair methods, it is not reasonable to hold the AAA driver responsible for the failure of the starter in this case Though we understand that ongoing vehicle repairs, particularly on aging vehicles, can be frustrating and costly, we have found the member’s claim to be unjustified We apologize for the inconvenience of this situation However, we must respectfully decline the members request for payment of $
The manager spoke with the member He advised her that we had several technicians review the vehicle when it was in the shop and stand by the repair diagnosis, The member was concerned that the Service Advisor told her the plastic thermostat housing was cracked, but the housing was aluminum, which led to an immediate mistrust The manager explained that we failed by not asking her to come review the findings at the vehicle with the technician, and that the Service Advisor was speaking from his knowledge of the type of vehicle when he mentioned that it was plastic The manager explained how we have a very tight policy on selling un-needed services, and gave her every assurance that we were not attempting to sell her things that were not needed The manager promised a refund of her diagnostic fee The member accepted this resolution and thanked him for looking into the situation
The e-mail correspondence to which the member is referring was sent to some members in error on June 20th . Immediately upon learning of the mistake, the correspondence below was sent via e-mail to all members who received the original message erroneously:
Dear AAA Member,
We inadvertently
sent an email to you earlier this morning with incorrect information about your AAA membershipThis email was sent by mistake, and we want to assure you that your membership has not expiredWe apologize for this errorIf you have any questions about your AAA membership, you can call us at ###-###-#### at any timeThank you, and again we apologize for the error
I have verified that the Primary member on the membership account was sent the above apology at the email account listed on the membership. In the interest of privacy I am not listing the specific email address, but was the first initial and last name of the primary member, @***.**.com. That same email address is listed for both the Primary and Associate members on the account
Again, please accept our apologies for the error
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
I will sign a release of liability once its reviewed by my attorney and I will accept the terms of paymentI already have the and will await the attorney's letter
It is my understanding that once I sign the release of liability I will receive another check for for all the towing city fees, storage, etc., and termination of service between myself and AAAI also agree to not try to obtain the
towing cost from AAA from the night of December 17th and agree that all the free tows were used by this point
My only question is the associate member should not be held responsible for this issue between AAA and myselfShe is my girlfriend and we are not married so if down the road she wants to get AAA services
I would hope she would be able to because she had nothing to do with this issue
Regards,
*** ***
Thank you for your responseI understand that it is difficult to face the unexpected costs associated with car repairs
In any business situation, service may not go exactly as planned, as we experienced in dropping the member’s vehicle off at *** *** *** on December 17thThough days to notify us of this issue is excessive, we have decided to make the following offer as a matter of goodwill, contingent upon the member signing a release of liability prepared by our attorneyThe request for a full refund of the towing, storage and parking ticket expenses will be grantedIn addition, we will grant the request for a refund of membership dues, which includes both the primary and associate membersThough the member is not entitled to a refund based on the time since renewal, in reviewing this situation as well as the roadside history on the account, it is in the best interest of AAA to grant the member’s request to end the membershipThe member is also asking for the surcharge he paid for the service call to be returnedThe $paid at the time of service was as a result of prior use of all the free calls on the membership and was due at the time of serviceThe services were indeed performed, and he is not due that fee back
The refund will consist of:
City of *** Tow:
$
Storage Cost:
$
Parking tickets
$
Membership, Primary and Associate
$
Total
$
LESS check already received
$-
TOTAL REFUND
$396
This offer should not be construed as an admission of liabilityBefore the member receives a check in the amount of $396, he will receive a letter from our attorney, with a release of liability that must be signed, notarized, and received back before additional funds are issued
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me The business should consider offering an extension and/or refund to those members who responded and renewed months ahead of deadline
Regards,
*** ***
Mr***’s service call was placed on Tuesday, December 17, at 12:p.m. As there were significant weather delays and the member was not with the vehicle, the member service representative arranged for the driver to contact the member directly when en route to his vehicle
The
AAA driver providing service to Mr*** indicates that he was not aware that the residential address he was provided as the tow destination was a repair locationThe driver attempted to drop off the vehicle at the tow location, *** *** *** in ***, NY, but there was no available parkingAs such, the vehicle was parked a few houses down the street within sight of the tow location. According to our driver, Mr*** was to follow him to the tow locationThe driver waited for Mr*** to arrive, but when he did not, the keys were left in the visor and the driver left the tow destinationIn his complaint, the member indicates that the shop owner was expecting the vehicle. However, neither the shop owner nor the member contacted AAA to indicate that the vehicle had not arrived or that it would need to be re-towed into the garage
On January 3, 2014, Mr*** contacted AAA at 2:p.mand indicated that the driver towed the vehicle weeks ago, but erroneously parked it on the street, and the city subsequently took possession of the vehicle because it was abandoned. Mr*** spoke with our Contact Center management team regarding the details of his concern and indicated that he wanted his truck back from the impound lot. He was assured that the matter would be investigated
On January 6, 2014, a call was placed at 11:a.mto tow the vehicle from the impound lot to *** at *** *** *** in ***, NY. As AAA was unable to tow the vehicle before the impound lot closed, the vehicle was towed to *** on Tuesday, January 7th The impound lot agreed not to charge Mr*** for the additional night of storage and AAA Western and Central New York did not count the tow as one of Mr***’s four free allowable service calls for the membership yearIt is should be noted that in speaking with the impound lot, AAA was informed that the vehicle had been impounded because of an expired inspectionOn January 21, 2014, Mr*** contacted AAA indicating that he had not received any further contact regarding his concernOur Member Contact Center supervisor informed Mr*** that our notes indicate that the vehicle was not impounded because it was abandoned, but rather, it was impounded due to an expired inspection As such, the AAA tow provided on January 7th was a courtesy service and we would not reimburse for the costs of the impound and storage. Furthermore, she indicated that AAA was never informed by the shop owner or the member that the vehicle had not arrived at the shop or needed to be moved into the driveway. Mr*** contended that the vehicle was impounded because it was abandoned, and felt it was the driver’s responsibility to inform him and/or the shop owner that the vehicle was not left in the driveway as per his instructions As such, our supervisor stated that if he provided us receipt from the impound lot indicating that the vehicle was abandoned we could review the issue further
Our Western Region Fleet supervisor attempted to contact Mr*** on January 22nd and on January 23rd to discuss his concern in further detail, but had not received a return phone call She has also indicated via voicemail that AAA will need to review a copy of the receipt from the impound lot before further action can be takenOn Monday, January 27th, Mr*** personally delivered a copy of the receipt for the towing and storage along with a receipt for five parking tickets, totaling $
After thorough review of Mr***’s concern and the supporting documentation, AAA Western and Central New York has confirmed with City Impound that the vehicle was impounded thirteen days after Mr***’s AAA service call due to both unpaid parking tickets and an expired inspection. Furthermore, AAA was not informed that the vehicle had been impounded until January 3, 2014, a total of seventeen days after the original service call. Seventeen days is a significant period of time in which neither Mr*** nor the shop owner communicated to each other or AAA regarding the status of Mr***’s vehicleWhile AAA understands that Mr*** assumed his vehicle was left in the driveway of *** *** ***, it is ultimately his responsibility to communicate any concerns with his AAA service call in a timely manner so that it can be addressed by AAA accordingly. As Mr*** did not contact AAA in a reasonable period of time, AAA Western and Central New York will not reimburse Mr*** for resulting fees he incurred for the vehicle’s impound and storage. Nonetheless, AAA sincerely regrets any miscommunication that may have occurred between Mr***, the AAA driver, and shop owner regarding the vehicle’s drop off location. Therefore, as a gesture of goodwill, AAA will reimburse Mr*** for cost of the parking tickets he received in the amount of $225.00. Mr*** will receive a check via postal mail in the amount of $within 7-business days
I had a flat tire in my rv. Have had aaa with rv service for many years. Called for help was told the rv service was discontinued last year. They say they told me. Why would I not continue with same service if I have same vehicles. What a scam. You're dealing with a large company that doesn't care. They've just lost a customer. I know they really don't care because they're so big. I'll try to tell people I know about horrible service.
We would like to thank our member for sharing his concern regarding his recent request for emergency roadside assistance and subsequent request for reimbursement. We sincerely apologize for any confusion regarding the status of his free call allotment.
After reviewing the matter, I contacted the member to advise that the service call on November 22, 2015 will not count as one of his four free service calls for the membership year. In addition, I have issued a check in the amount of $148.56, the remainder of the costs incurred by the member.
Thank you again for bringing this matter to our attention. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly, and I’ll be happy to speak with you.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
[redacted]
AAA Western & Central New York
100 International Drive
Buffalo, NY 14221
[redacted]
[redacted]
[redacted]
On 1/26/15 called for towing and was told my personal vehicle could not be towed, it is an excluded vehicle, bigger than a pickup truck after being a customer for 12 yrs and never receiving a list or other information about excluded vehicles, feel violated and ripped off.
The manager spoke with the member. He advised her that we had several technicians review the vehicle when it was in the shop and stand by the repair diagnosis,
The member was concerned that the Service Advisor told her the plastic thermostat housing was cracked, but...
the housing was aluminum, which led to an immediate mistrust. The manager explained that we failed by not asking her to come review the findings at the vehicle with the technician, and that the Service Advisor was speaking from his knowledge of the type of vehicle when he mentioned that it was plastic. The manager explained how we have a very tight policy on selling un-needed services, and gave her every assurance that we were not attempting to sell her things that were not needed. The manager promised a refund of her diagnostic fee. The member accepted this resolution and thanked him for looking into the situation.
[redacted]
Dear Sir or Madam,
Thank you for contacting AAA regarding our member’s recent request for Emergency Roadside Assistance in Wauchula, Florida. We apologize that he was not satisfied with his experience. Our attempts to contact the member regarding his concern on March 21, 2016 and March 23, 2016 were unsuccessful.
While our member’s AAA membership covers him anywhere throughout the U.S. and Canada, each AAA club in a particular region will have its own set of policies and procedures which may differ slightly from the club in which his membership resides. Nevertheless, AAA holds all clubs, no matter which region they come from, to a high level of member satisfaction and we regret that he did not receive that. Please be assured that after receiving his concern, I followed up with the Member Relations Department from AAA Auto Club Group- Southern Region. They have assured me that this has been forwarded to the appropriate manager for proper follow up with all associates involved.
AAA is a service-oriented association and we work diligently to furnish services as efficiently and professionally as possible, as well as provide members with peace of mind in unforeseen circumstances. Our member’s experience does not reflect the level of member care for which we’re known, and I can certainly understand his disappointment. As the member suggests, to help rectify the situation, I have issued a full refund of the Associate membership dues and the optional RV Rider. A check in the amount of the $115 will be mailed to the address listed on his AAA membership account within 7-10 business days and the member can be assured that his benefits will remain in full force and effect throughout the remainder of his membership year.
Thank you again for sharing our member’s experience. I can certainly understand his frustration over the service he received and hope that my action can redeem the situation to the extent possible. If you would like to discuss this matter further, please feel free to contact me, and I’ll be happy to speak with you.
Sincerely,
Katie Gagliano
Senior Member Relations Analyst
AAA Western & Central New York
100 International Drive
Buffalo, NY 14221
716-633-9860 ext. 78205
716-929-3637 (fax) [email protected]
Our records show Mr. [redacted]’s visit. The shop manager, [redacted], recounts the visit and service, below:
My service center was very aware of Mr. [redacted]’s dissatisfaction in not passing the NYS inspection process. I happened to be at the...
counter when Mr. [redacted] was getting cashed out. He expressed his displeasure for his vehicle not passing his NYSI process. My service advisor, [redacted], told him that it was the inspector who failed his vehicle due to the poor condition of his brake rotors. He went on to explain that according to NYS Inspection law, you pay for the inspection whether you pass or fail. It also states in the inspection process law section 79.27 paragraph #13 that the rotors must be free from deterioration or scoring. The technician documented that his rotors were deteriorated in both the front and rear. He specifically noted the flaking of both the front and rear rotors. [redacted] offered him the opportunity to go out into the shop to see his rotors on his vehicle and he refused. The estimate that was given to Mr. [redacted] was for front & rear services for the rotors with new brake pads to be replaced at his special AAA member package price. The estimate could have been for just the rotors, however, in the interest of our patron we included the new brake pads as well to promote the life of both the pads and the rotors. Mr. [redacted] claimed his brakes were low but working and in his opinion this should qualify as passing. [redacted] explained that it was the inspector who held the responsibility for issuing the approval and according to what he had seen on the vehicle it did not pass. When Mr. [redacted] was expressing distain for not passing, not realizing that [redacted] offered a look at his vehicle, I pointed to the sign on our shop door which reads, “WELCOME TO OUR SHOP” and offered him the chance to look at his vehicle and even said I would pull the car back into the shop to do so if he wanted, he refused again. I talked to Mr. [redacted] again on 3/13/2014 and once again offered to him to stop back and evaluate the brake rotors together but for the third time he chose not to look at his rotors. I also offered him an additional discount off on the repairs we estimated for him to pass the inspection of $75-$100 per axle and would conduct the re-inspection for free. Humbly, we have afforded all opportunities to Mr. [redacted], other than to ignore the inspection code and pass the vehicle, including the chances to witness for himself the condition of his vehicle and understand why it failed.” Unexpected vehicle repairs costs can be difficult. Though we understand Mr. [redacted]'s thoughts that the breaks seemed to be performing fine, the technician is ultimately responsible to the law as quoted above, and upon inspection, could not pass the vehicle. There is no effort to bait and switch and we tried 3 times to show Mr. [redacted] exactly what the technician had observed in the rotors that caused the failure-to-pass. According to NYS law, a repair shop is permitted to collect the inspection fee, pass or fail. That being said, we apologize that Mr. [redacted] felt his experience was poor. In light of his membership with AAA, I will offer to refund the fee of $21 he paid for the inspection so that he may have his vehicle inspected elsewhere.
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
The driver giving assistance on January 12, 2014 to the 2000 [redacted] pick-up truck belonging to me should have towed my truck to my mechanic. Instead he proceeded to try to start it. He is not a mechanic. The argument that AAA makes is evasive and unprofessional, and has nothing to do with the evasive argument they give about the starter in my truck. That starter works just fine. I do not have any trouble with it at all, and I did not have any trouble with it for over a year, until AAA's mechanic or driver wore down my starter with his constant starting my truck. AAA is untrustworthy and I want my words of complaint against the driver put on the internet, so everyone using that internet knows about AAA's untrustworthy so called service to ailing vehicles. They capitalize on the vehicle wrongfully and by fraud.
All of AAA's exhibits have nothing to do with why my truck would not start on January 12, 2014. The reason why it would not start is because cap and rotor were worn out. See my exhibits in my complaint to this Revdex.com dated 3/17/14 exhibit A.
Regards,
[redacted]
Yesterday, 1/5/17, my 76 year old mother became stranded in her car in West Seneca. She called AAA at 3:30pm. At approximately 6:15pm she received a text message that [redacted] and [redacted] would be there by 6:30pm. No one showed up. My sister came to help my mother and she had to abandon her car. At approximately 10pm my mother received a call from someone who did not identify himself, "So you called for a tow?? If you're stuck we might not be able to get to you because we don't want to get stuck." So - from 3:30pm to 10pm no one either assisted or contacted my mother (other than the 6:15pm text when no one showed up) during the bad weather conditions. Had my sister not put herself in peril to come help my mother, she would have been sitting in the car in the snow for 7+ hours!!! Our entire family has been AAA members for over 35 years. My complaint will not end here.
This member received roadside assistance on January 12, 2014 on his 2000 [redacted] pickup truck. The member told us his car would not start. We sent a driver to try...
to start the vehicle. The driver did try to start the vehicle. As an experienced driver performing a basic roadside duty, he determined that his attempts to start the vehicle would not be successful and worked to find a tow truck. The driver was on scene for a total of 28 minutes, which includes all conversation, evaluation, attempts to start the vehicle, and making arrangements to obtain a second truck to tow the vehicle. Though it can be difficult to gauge time at the scene of a disablement, the member’s claim the driver tried starting for at least 20 minutes does not fit the timeline of this call. In addition, the driver is a trained, experienced roadside service provider. He would have quickly determined that the vehicle was not going to start. The driver also would have seen that the vehicle had been having problems starting, due to a bypass that was installed to sidestep the manufacturer’s equipment designed to start the vehicle. The member had the car towed to a shop of his choosing, who diagnosed the problem as a failed starter and cap/rotor. The member claims that the shop told him the starter was the issue, though the cap and rotor was also in need of replacement. After calling to ask for a refund for the repair, we sent a damage investigator to personally handle the matter. Our investigator spoke to the driver, the member, and went to the repair shop to look at the vehicle. He reports:
The member said he tried starting the vehicle before the driver got there. The member also says he put in an additive for possible frozen lines. We have no way of knowing if potential damage was done during that starting process, or by the additives added to the gas.
Our investigator saw the bypass and tells us that the member said it was installed about 1.5 years ago by [redacted]’s because the starter kept failing on the vehicle.
The member reports that the problem also involves the fuse box, which the member says he continually had to jump to get the car going, prior to the bypass.
Member claims the starter was also a problem while on a trip to [redacted] and [redacted] and that he had to resort to temporary solutions to get the car going on his trip.
The member claims that he received no phone calls regarding resolution of this issue, but our records show attempts were made to call on several occasions and we specifically went out to see the vehicle, also speaking to him at that time. I received this complaint a few days ago and continued to investigate. After investigating myself, I determined the failure of the starter did not appear to be justified by the driver’s attempts to start the vehicle. I spoke to the member on 3/19/14 about it, but after determining that his request would be denied, he quickly told me I could not satisfy him and that he would pursue it with the Revdex.com. As a result, I was not able to advise him of the findings surrounding his claim.
Our records show a the following service requests, all related to a failure-to-start:
Date
Provider
Reported Problem
Other Info From our Records
10/4/11
AAA
Roadside Assistance- no start, clicking noise
Couldn’t start it – had to tow
11/11/11
AAA
Roadside Assistance- no start
Bad starter, cleaned battery, tow
11/12/11
[redacted]’s garage
From 11/11/11 roadside called, towed to [redacted]’s
Service unknown
11/30/11
AAA
Roadside Assistance- no start
Tow destination unknown
4/19/12
AAA
Roadside Assistance- no start
Got vehicle started
5/27/12
AAA
Roadside Assistance – no start
Member pulled fuses – tow car
5/29/12
AAA Car Care
[redacted] location, no crank, no start
Odometer reading: 77,155
Fuse Box repair
6/21/12
AAA*
Tow by AAA MidAtlantic on a trip
problem unknown
6/23/12
AAA*
Tow by Auto Club South on a trip
Problem unknown
9/15/12
AAA*
Roadside Assistance, by AAA East [redacted], no a trip
no start, possible battery
*out of territory calls seem to correlate with members statement that starter had also been a problem on a trip from [redacted] to [redacted], requiring temporary repairs
4/12/13
AAA
Roadside Assistance – no start
Refused service at the scene
1/12/14
AAA
Roadside Assistance – turns over but no start
Odometer Reading at [redacted]'s: 100,569
Member tried to start it himself and used fuel additives before driver arrived
As demonstrated in requests for service due to failure-to-start breakdowns, the member’s 2000 [redacted] pickup has a substantial history of failure-to-start problems. The provided list is only a record of services performed by AAA, so it’s quite possible that additional service has been provided or performed on the vehicle as well. Based on service requests received since October 2011, a number of critical starting components have been a problem, including the starter. In addition, installing a mechanism to bypass the manufacturer’s start design is an extreme repair measure, indicative of substantial underlying problems that could not be fixed or were not worth the effort/money to fix. With preexisting problems firmly established and that those problems were not fixable by conventional repair methods, it is not reasonable to hold the AAA driver responsible for the failure of the starter in this case. Though we understand that ongoing vehicle repairs, particularly on aging vehicles, can be frustrating and costly, we have found the member’s claim to be unjustified. We apologize for the inconvenience of this situation. However, we must respectfully decline the members request for payment of $400.08.
I had a flat tire in my rvHave had aaa with rv service for many yearsCalled for help was told the rv service was discontinued last yearThey say they told meWhy would I not continue with same service if I have same vehiclesWhat a scamYou're dealing with a large company that doesn't careThey've just lost a customerI know they really don't care because they're so bigI'll try to tell people I know about horrible service
On 1/26/called for towing and was told my personal vehicle could not be towed, it is an excluded vehicle, bigger than a pickup truck after being a customer for yrs and never receiving a list or other information about excluded vehicles, feel violated and ripped off
Yesterday, 1/5/17, my year old mother became stranded in her car in West Seneca She called AAA at 3:30pm At approximately 6:15pm she received a text message that [redacted] and [redacted] would be there by 6:30pm No one showed up My sister came to help my mother and she had to abandon her car At approximately 10pm my mother received a call from someone who did not identify himself, "So you called for a tow?? If you're stuck we might not be able to get to you because we don't want to get stuck." So - from 3:30pm to 10pm no one either assisted or contacted my mother (other than the 6:15pm text when no one showed up) during the bad weather conditions Had my sister not put herself in peril to come help my mother, she would have been sitting in the car in the snow for 7+ hours!!! Our entire family has been AAA members for over years My complaint will not end here
This member received roadside assistance on January 12, on his [redacted] pickup truck The member told us his car would not start We sent a driver to try to start the vehicle The driver did try to start the vehicle As an experienced driver performing a basic roadside duty, he determined that his attempts to start the vehicle would not be successful and worked to find a tow truckThe driver was on scene for a total of minutes, which includes all conversation, evaluation, attempts to start the vehicle, and making arrangements to obtain a second truck to tow the vehicle Though it can be difficult to gauge time at the scene of a disablement, the member’s claim the driver tried starting for at least minutes does not fit the timeline of this call In addition, the driver is a trained, experienced roadside service provider He would have quickly determined that the vehicle was not going to start The driver also would have seen that the vehicle had been having problems starting, due to a bypass that was installed to sidestep the manufacturer’s equipment designed to start the vehicleThe member had the car towed to a shop of his choosing, who diagnosed the problem as a failed starter and cap/rotor The member claims that the shop told him the starter was the issue, though the cap and rotor was also in need of replacement After calling to ask for a refund for the repair, we sent a damage investigator to personally handle the matter Our investigator spoke to the driver, the member, and went to the repair shop to look at the vehicle He reports: The member said he tried starting the vehicle before the driver got there The member also says he put in an additive for possible frozen lines We have no way of knowing if potential damage was done during that starting process, or by the additives added to the gas Our investigator saw the bypass and tells us that the member said it was installed about years ago by ***’s because the starter kept failing on the vehicle The member reports that the problem also involves the fuse box, which the member says he continually had to jump to get the car going, prior to the bypass Member claims the starter was also a problem while on a trip to [redacted] and [redacted] and that he had to resort to temporary solutions to get the car going on his trip The member claims that he received no phone calls regarding resolution of this issue, but our records show attempts were made to call on several occasions and we specifically went out to see the vehicle, also speaking to him at that time I received this complaint a few days ago and continued to investigate After investigating myself, I determined the failure of the starter did not appear to be justified by the driver’s attempts to start the vehicle I spoke to the member on 3/19/about it, but after determining that his request would be denied, he quickly told me I could not satisfy him and that he would pursue it with the Revdex.com As a result, I was not able to advise him of the findings surrounding his claim Our records show a the following service requests, all related to a failure-to-start: Date Provider Reported Problem Other Info From our Records 10/4/ AAA Roadside Assistance- no start, clicking noise Couldn’t start it – had to tow 11/11/ AAA Roadside Assistance- no start Bad starter, cleaned battery, tow 11/12/ ***’s garage From 11/11/roadside called, towed to ***’s Service unknown 11/30/ AAA Roadside Assistance- no start Tow destination unknown 4/19/ AAA Roadside Assistance- no start Got vehicle started 5/27/ AAA Roadside Assistance – no start Member pulled fuses – tow car 5/29/ AAA Car Care [redacted] location, no crank, no start Odometer reading: 77, Fuse Box repair 6/21/ AAA [redacted] Tow by AAA MidAtlantic on a trip problem unknown 6/23/ AAA [redacted] Tow by Auto Club South on a trip Problem unknown 9/15/ AAA [redacted] Roadside Assistance, by AAA East [redacted] , no a trip no start, possible battery *out of territory calls seem to correlate with members statement that starter had also been a problem on a trip from [redacted] to [redacted] , requiring temporary repairs 4/12/ AAA Roadside Assistance – no start Refused service at the scene 1/12/ AAA Roadside Assistance – turns over but no start Odometer Reading at ***'s: 100, Member tried to start it himself and used fuel additives before driver arrived As demonstrated in requests for service due to failure-to-start breakdowns, the member’s [redacted] pickup has a substantial history of failure-to-start problems The provided list is only a record of services performed by AAA, so it’s quite possible that additional service has been provided or performed on the vehicle as well Based on service requests received since October 2011, a number of critical starting components have been a problem, including the starter In addition, installing a mechanism to bypass the manufacturer’s start design is an extreme repair measure, indicative of substantial underlying problems that could not be fixed or were not worth the effort/money to fix With preexisting problems firmly established and that those problems were not fixable by conventional repair methods, it is not reasonable to hold the AAA driver responsible for the failure of the starter in this case Though we understand that ongoing vehicle repairs, particularly on aging vehicles, can be frustrating and costly, we have found the member’s claim to be unjustified We apologize for the inconvenience of this situation However, we must respectfully decline the members request for payment of $
The manager spoke with the member He advised her that we had several technicians review the vehicle when it was in the shop and stand by the repair diagnosis, The member was concerned that the Service Advisor told her the plastic thermostat housing was cracked, but the housing was aluminum, which led to an immediate mistrust The manager explained that we failed by not asking her to come review the findings at the vehicle with the technician, and that the Service Advisor was speaking from his knowledge of the type of vehicle when he mentioned that it was plastic The manager explained how we have a very tight policy on selling un-needed services, and gave her every assurance that we were not attempting to sell her things that were not needed The manager promised a refund of her diagnostic fee The member accepted this resolution and thanked him for looking into the situation
The e-mail correspondence to which the member is referring was sent to some members in error on June 20th . Immediately upon learning of the mistake, the correspondence below was sent via e-mail to all members who received the original message erroneously:
Dear AAA Member,
We inadvertently
sent an email to you earlier this morning with incorrect information about your AAA membershipThis email was sent by mistake, and we want to assure you that your membership has not expiredWe apologize for this errorIf you have any questions about your AAA membership, you can call us at ###-###-#### at any timeThank you, and again we apologize for the error
I have verified that the Primary member on the membership account was sent the above apology at the email account listed on the membership. In the interest of privacy I am not listing the specific email address, but was the first initial and last name of the primary member, @***.**.com. That same email address is listed for both the Primary and Associate members on the account
Again, please accept our apologies for the error
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
I will sign a release of liability once its reviewed by my attorney and I will accept the terms of paymentI already have the and will await the attorney's letter
It is my understanding that once I sign the release of liability I will receive another check for for all the towing city fees, storage, etc., and termination of service between myself and AAAI also agree to not try to obtain the
towing cost from AAA from the night of December 17th and agree that all the free tows were used by this point
My only question is the associate member should not be held responsible for this issue between AAA and myselfShe is my girlfriend and we are not married so if down the road she wants to get AAA services
I would hope she would be able to because she had nothing to do with this issue
Regards,
*** ***
Thank you for your responseI understand that it is difficult to face the unexpected costs associated with car repairs
In any business situation, service may not go exactly as planned, as we experienced in dropping the member’s vehicle off at *** *** *** on December 17thThough days to notify us of this issue is excessive, we have decided to make the following offer as a matter of goodwill, contingent upon the member signing a release of liability prepared by our attorneyThe request for a full refund of the towing, storage and parking ticket expenses will be grantedIn addition, we will grant the request for a refund of membership dues, which includes both the primary and associate membersThough the member is not entitled to a refund based on the time since renewal, in reviewing this situation as well as the roadside history on the account, it is in the best interest of AAA to grant the member’s request to end the membershipThe member is also asking for the surcharge he paid for the service call to be returnedThe $paid at the time of service was as a result of prior use of all the free calls on the membership and was due at the time of serviceThe services were indeed performed, and he is not due that fee back
The refund will consist of:
City of *** Tow:
$
Storage Cost:
$
Parking tickets
$
Membership, Primary and Associate
$
Total
$
LESS check already received
$-
TOTAL REFUND
$396
This offer should not be construed as an admission of liabilityBefore the member receives a check in the amount of $396, he will receive a letter from our attorney, with a release of liability that must be signed, notarized, and received back before additional funds are issued
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me The business should consider offering an extension and/or refund to those members who responded and renewed months ahead of deadline
Regards,
*** ***
Mr***’s service call was placed on Tuesday, December 17, at 12:p.m. As there were significant weather delays and the member was not with the vehicle, the member service representative arranged for the driver to contact the member directly when en route to his vehicle
The
AAA driver providing service to Mr*** indicates that he was not aware that the residential address he was provided as the tow destination was a repair locationThe driver attempted to drop off the vehicle at the tow location, *** *** *** in ***, NY, but there was no available parkingAs such, the vehicle was parked a few houses down the street within sight of the tow location. According to our driver, Mr*** was to follow him to the tow locationThe driver waited for Mr*** to arrive, but when he did not, the keys were left in the visor and the driver left the tow destinationIn his complaint, the member indicates that the shop owner was expecting the vehicle. However, neither the shop owner nor the member contacted AAA to indicate that the vehicle had not arrived or that it would need to be re-towed into the garage
On January 3, 2014, Mr*** contacted AAA at 2:p.mand indicated that the driver towed the vehicle weeks ago, but erroneously parked it on the street, and the city subsequently took possession of the vehicle because it was abandoned. Mr*** spoke with our Contact Center management team regarding the details of his concern and indicated that he wanted his truck back from the impound lot. He was assured that the matter would be investigated
On January 6, 2014, a call was placed at 11:a.mto tow the vehicle from the impound lot to *** at *** *** *** in ***, NY. As AAA was unable to tow the vehicle before the impound lot closed, the vehicle was towed to *** on Tuesday, January 7th The impound lot agreed not to charge Mr*** for the additional night of storage and AAA Western and Central New York did not count the tow as one of Mr***’s four free allowable service calls for the membership yearIt is should be noted that in speaking with the impound lot, AAA was informed that the vehicle had been impounded because of an expired inspectionOn January 21, 2014, Mr*** contacted AAA indicating that he had not received any further contact regarding his concernOur Member Contact Center supervisor informed Mr*** that our notes indicate that the vehicle was not impounded because it was abandoned, but rather, it was impounded due to an expired inspection As such, the AAA tow provided on January 7th was a courtesy service and we would not reimburse for the costs of the impound and storage. Furthermore, she indicated that AAA was never informed by the shop owner or the member that the vehicle had not arrived at the shop or needed to be moved into the driveway. Mr*** contended that the vehicle was impounded because it was abandoned, and felt it was the driver’s responsibility to inform him and/or the shop owner that the vehicle was not left in the driveway as per his instructions As such, our supervisor stated that if he provided us receipt from the impound lot indicating that the vehicle was abandoned we could review the issue further
Our Western Region Fleet supervisor attempted to contact Mr*** on January 22nd and on January 23rd to discuss his concern in further detail, but had not received a return phone call She has also indicated via voicemail that AAA will need to review a copy of the receipt from the impound lot before further action can be takenOn Monday, January 27th, Mr*** personally delivered a copy of the receipt for the towing and storage along with a receipt for five parking tickets, totaling $
After thorough review of Mr***’s concern and the supporting documentation, AAA Western and Central New York has confirmed with City Impound that the vehicle was impounded thirteen days after Mr***’s AAA service call due to both unpaid parking tickets and an expired inspection. Furthermore, AAA was not informed that the vehicle had been impounded until January 3, 2014, a total of seventeen days after the original service call. Seventeen days is a significant period of time in which neither Mr*** nor the shop owner communicated to each other or AAA regarding the status of Mr***’s vehicleWhile AAA understands that Mr*** assumed his vehicle was left in the driveway of *** *** ***, it is ultimately his responsibility to communicate any concerns with his AAA service call in a timely manner so that it can be addressed by AAA accordingly. As Mr*** did not contact AAA in a reasonable period of time, AAA Western and Central New York will not reimburse Mr*** for resulting fees he incurred for the vehicle’s impound and storage. Nonetheless, AAA sincerely regrets any miscommunication that may have occurred between Mr***, the AAA driver, and shop owner regarding the vehicle’s drop off location. Therefore, as a gesture of goodwill, AAA will reimburse Mr*** for cost of the parking tickets he received in the amount of $225.00. Mr*** will receive a check via postal mail in the amount of $within 7-business days
I had a flat tire in my rv. Have had aaa with rv service for many years. Called for help was told the rv service was discontinued last year. They say they told me. Why would I not continue with same service if I have same vehicles. What a scam. You're dealing with a large company that doesn't care. They've just lost a customer. I know they really don't care because they're so big. I'll try to tell people I know about horrible service.
March 23, 2016
Roman" size="3"> Re: Case ID#[redacted]
Dear Sir or Madam:
We would like to thank our member for sharing his concern regarding his recent request for emergency roadside assistance and subsequent request for reimbursement. We sincerely apologize for any confusion regarding the status of his free call allotment.
After reviewing the matter, I contacted the member to advise that the service call on November 22, 2015 will not count as one of his four free service calls for the membership year. In addition, I have issued a check in the amount of $148.56, the remainder of the costs incurred by the member.
Thank you again for bringing this matter to our attention. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly, and I’ll be happy to speak with you.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
[redacted]
AAA Western & Central New York
100 International Drive
Buffalo, NY 14221
[redacted]
[redacted]
[redacted]
On 1/26/15 called for towing and was told my personal vehicle could not be towed, it is an excluded vehicle, bigger than a pickup truck after being a customer for 12 yrs and never receiving a list or other information about excluded vehicles, feel violated and ripped off.
The manager spoke with the member. He advised her that we had several technicians review the vehicle when it was in the shop and stand by the repair diagnosis,
The member was concerned that the Service Advisor told her the plastic thermostat housing was cracked, but...
the housing was aluminum, which led to an immediate mistrust. The manager explained that we failed by not asking her to come review the findings at the vehicle with the technician, and that the Service Advisor was speaking from his knowledge of the type of vehicle when he mentioned that it was plastic. The manager explained how we have a very tight policy on selling un-needed services, and gave her every assurance that we were not attempting to sell her things that were not needed. The manager promised a refund of her diagnostic fee. The member accepted this resolution and thanked him for looking into the situation.
March 29, 2016
Re: Case ID#...
[redacted]
Dear Sir or Madam,
Thank you for contacting AAA regarding our member’s recent request for Emergency Roadside Assistance in Wauchula, Florida. We apologize that he was not satisfied with his experience. Our attempts to contact the member regarding his concern on March 21, 2016 and March 23, 2016 were unsuccessful.
While our member’s AAA membership covers him anywhere throughout the U.S. and Canada, each AAA club in a particular region will have its own set of policies and procedures which may differ slightly from the club in which his membership resides. Nevertheless, AAA holds all clubs, no matter which region they come from, to a high level of member satisfaction and we regret that he did not receive that. Please be assured that after receiving his concern, I followed up with the Member Relations Department from AAA Auto Club Group- Southern Region. They have assured me that this has been forwarded to the appropriate manager for proper follow up with all associates involved.
AAA is a service-oriented association and we work diligently to furnish services as efficiently and professionally as possible, as well as provide members with peace of mind in unforeseen circumstances. Our member’s experience does not reflect the level of member care for which we’re known, and I can certainly understand his disappointment. As the member suggests, to help rectify the situation, I have issued a full refund of the Associate membership dues and the optional RV Rider. A check in the amount of the $115 will be mailed to the address listed on his AAA membership account within 7-10 business days and the member can be assured that his benefits will remain in full force and effect throughout the remainder of his membership year.
Thank you again for sharing our member’s experience. I can certainly understand his frustration over the service he received and hope that my action can redeem the situation to the extent possible. If you would like to discuss this matter further, please feel free to contact me, and I’ll be happy to speak with you.
Sincerely,
Katie Gagliano
Senior Member Relations Analyst
AAA Western & Central New York
100 International Drive
Buffalo, NY 14221
716-633-9860 ext. 78205
716-929-3637 (fax)
[email protected]
Our records show Mr. [redacted]’s visit. The shop manager, [redacted], recounts the visit and service, below:
My service center was very aware of Mr. [redacted]’s dissatisfaction in not passing the NYS inspection process. I happened to be at the...
counter when Mr. [redacted] was getting cashed out. He expressed his displeasure for his vehicle not passing his NYSI process. My service advisor, [redacted], told him that it was the inspector who failed his vehicle due to the poor condition of his brake rotors. He went on to explain that according to NYS Inspection law, you pay for the inspection whether you pass or fail. It also states in the inspection process law section 79.27 paragraph #13 that the rotors must be free from deterioration or scoring. The technician documented that his rotors were deteriorated in both the front and rear. He specifically noted the flaking of both the front and rear rotors. [redacted] offered him the opportunity to go out into the shop to see his rotors on his vehicle and he refused. The estimate that was given to Mr. [redacted] was for front & rear services for the rotors with new brake pads to be replaced at his special AAA member package price. The estimate could have been for just the rotors, however, in the interest of our patron we included the new brake pads as well to promote the life of both the pads and the rotors. Mr. [redacted] claimed his brakes were low but working and in his opinion this should qualify as passing. [redacted] explained that it was the inspector who held the responsibility for issuing the approval and according to what he had seen on the vehicle it did not pass. When Mr. [redacted] was expressing distain for not passing, not realizing that [redacted] offered a look at his vehicle, I pointed to the sign on our shop door which reads, “WELCOME TO OUR SHOP” and offered him the chance to look at his vehicle and even said I would pull the car back into the shop to do so if he wanted, he refused again. I talked to Mr. [redacted] again on 3/13/2014 and once again offered to him to stop back and evaluate the brake rotors together but for the third time he chose not to look at his rotors. I also offered him an additional discount off on the repairs we estimated for him to pass the inspection of $75-$100 per axle and would conduct the re-inspection for free. Humbly, we have afforded all opportunities to Mr. [redacted], other than to ignore the inspection code and pass the vehicle, including the chances to witness for himself the condition of his vehicle and understand why it failed.” Unexpected vehicle repairs costs can be difficult. Though we understand Mr. [redacted]'s thoughts that the breaks seemed to be performing fine, the technician is ultimately responsible to the law as quoted above, and upon inspection, could not pass the vehicle. There is no effort to bait and switch and we tried 3 times to show Mr. [redacted] exactly what the technician had observed in the rotors that caused the failure-to-pass. According to NYS law, a repair shop is permitted to collect the inspection fee, pass or fail. That being said, we apologize that Mr. [redacted] felt his experience was poor. In light of his membership with AAA, I will offer to refund the fee of $21 he paid for the inspection so that he may have his vehicle inspected elsewhere.
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
The driver giving assistance on January 12, 2014 to the 2000 [redacted] pick-up truck belonging to me should have towed my truck to my mechanic. Instead he proceeded to try to start it. He is not a mechanic. The argument that AAA makes is evasive and unprofessional, and has nothing to do with the evasive argument they give about the starter in my truck. That starter works just fine. I do not have any trouble with it at all, and I did not have any trouble with it for over a year, until AAA's mechanic or driver wore down my starter with his constant starting my truck. AAA is untrustworthy and I want my words of complaint against the driver put on the internet, so everyone using that internet knows about AAA's untrustworthy so called service to ailing vehicles. They capitalize on the vehicle wrongfully and by fraud.
All of AAA's exhibits have nothing to do with why my truck would not start on January 12, 2014. The reason why it would not start is because cap and rotor were worn out. See my exhibits in my complaint to this Revdex.com dated 3/17/14 exhibit A.
Regards,
[redacted]
Yesterday, 1/5/17, my 76 year old mother became stranded in her car in West Seneca. She called AAA at 3:30pm. At approximately 6:15pm she received a text message that [redacted] and [redacted] would be there by 6:30pm. No one showed up. My sister came to help my mother and she had to abandon her car. At approximately 10pm my mother received a call from someone who did not identify himself, "So you called for a tow?? If you're stuck we might not be able to get to you because we don't want to get stuck." So - from 3:30pm to 10pm no one either assisted or contacted my mother (other than the 6:15pm text when no one showed up) during the bad weather conditions. Had my sister not put herself in peril to come help my mother, she would have been sitting in the car in the snow for 7+ hours!!! Our entire family has been AAA members for over 35 years. My complaint will not end here.
This member received roadside assistance on January 12, 2014 on his 2000 [redacted] pickup truck. The member told us his car would not start. We sent a driver to try...
to start the vehicle. The driver did try to start the vehicle. As an experienced driver performing a basic roadside duty, he determined that his attempts to start the vehicle would not be successful and worked to find a tow truck. The driver was on scene for a total of 28 minutes, which includes all conversation, evaluation, attempts to start the vehicle, and making arrangements to obtain a second truck to tow the vehicle. Though it can be difficult to gauge time at the scene of a disablement, the member’s claim the driver tried starting for at least 20 minutes does not fit the timeline of this call. In addition, the driver is a trained, experienced roadside service provider. He would have quickly determined that the vehicle was not going to start. The driver also would have seen that the vehicle had been having problems starting, due to a bypass that was installed to sidestep the manufacturer’s equipment designed to start the vehicle. The member had the car towed to a shop of his choosing, who diagnosed the problem as a failed starter and cap/rotor. The member claims that the shop told him the starter was the issue, though the cap and rotor was also in need of replacement. After calling to ask for a refund for the repair, we sent a damage investigator to personally handle the matter. Our investigator spoke to the driver, the member, and went to the repair shop to look at the vehicle. He reports:
The member said he tried starting the vehicle before the driver got there. The member also says he put in an additive for possible frozen lines. We have no way of knowing if potential damage was done during that starting process, or by the additives added to the gas.
Our investigator saw the bypass and tells us that the member said it was installed about 1.5 years ago by [redacted]’s because the starter kept failing on the vehicle.
The member reports that the problem also involves the fuse box, which the member says he continually had to jump to get the car going, prior to the bypass.
Member claims the starter was also a problem while on a trip to [redacted] and [redacted] and that he had to resort to temporary solutions to get the car going on his trip.
The member claims that he received no phone calls regarding resolution of this issue, but our records show attempts were made to call on several occasions and we specifically went out to see the vehicle, also speaking to him at that time. I received this complaint a few days ago and continued to investigate. After investigating myself, I determined the failure of the starter did not appear to be justified by the driver’s attempts to start the vehicle. I spoke to the member on 3/19/14 about it, but after determining that his request would be denied, he quickly told me I could not satisfy him and that he would pursue it with the Revdex.com. As a result, I was not able to advise him of the findings surrounding his claim.
Our records show a the following service requests, all related to a failure-to-start:
Date
Provider
Reported Problem
Other Info From our Records
10/4/11
AAA
Roadside Assistance- no start, clicking noise
Couldn’t start it – had to tow
11/11/11
AAA
Roadside Assistance- no start
Bad starter, cleaned battery, tow
11/12/11
[redacted]’s garage
From 11/11/11 roadside called, towed to [redacted]’s
Service unknown
11/30/11
AAA
Roadside Assistance- no start
Tow destination unknown
4/19/12
AAA
Roadside Assistance- no start
Got vehicle started
5/27/12
AAA
Roadside Assistance – no start
Member pulled fuses – tow car
5/29/12
AAA Car Care
[redacted] location, no crank, no start
Odometer reading: 77,155
Fuse Box repair
6/21/12
AAA*
Tow by AAA MidAtlantic on a trip
problem unknown
6/23/12
AAA*
Tow by Auto Club South on a trip
Problem unknown
9/15/12
AAA*
Roadside Assistance, by AAA East [redacted], no a trip
no start, possible battery
*out of territory calls seem to correlate with members statement that starter had also been a problem on a trip from [redacted] to [redacted], requiring temporary repairs
4/12/13
AAA
Roadside Assistance – no start
Refused service at the scene
1/12/14
AAA
Roadside Assistance – turns over but no start
Odometer Reading at [redacted]'s: 100,569
Member tried to start it himself and used fuel additives before driver arrived
As demonstrated in requests for service due to failure-to-start breakdowns, the member’s 2000 [redacted] pickup has a substantial history of failure-to-start problems. The provided list is only a record of services performed by AAA, so it’s quite possible that additional service has been provided or performed on the vehicle as well. Based on service requests received since October 2011, a number of critical starting components have been a problem, including the starter. In addition, installing a mechanism to bypass the manufacturer’s start design is an extreme repair measure, indicative of substantial underlying problems that could not be fixed or were not worth the effort/money to fix. With preexisting problems firmly established and that those problems were not fixable by conventional repair methods, it is not reasonable to hold the AAA driver responsible for the failure of the starter in this case. Though we understand that ongoing vehicle repairs, particularly on aging vehicles, can be frustrating and costly, we have found the member’s claim to be unjustified. We apologize for the inconvenience of this situation. However, we must respectfully decline the members request for payment of $400.08.