AAMCO Transmission

In the [redacted] matter.  My [redacted] (father) had contacted AAMCO headquarters.  The Senior Regional Manager for AAMCO also contacted Mr. [redacted].  This matter was resolved.   Thanks and regards.  
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Jason forwarded me this email and has asked that I respond. My name is Vince and I am the General Manager for Jason's company.The transmission was replaced on [redacted]'s vehicle January 2015. She recently brought her vehicle in complaining of the transmission not shifting into 3rd gear. Our checks...

revealed transmission fluid level was ok and condition of the fluid to be normal. A diagnostic scan of the vehicles computer system revealed transmission trouble codes present. An under vehicle check revealed the solenoid block leaking externally. On a road test we verified customers concern of the transmission not wanting to shift into 3rd gear. Based on our findings, we recommended to replace the solenoid block at no charge due to the block leaking and code present, then retest. After the solenoid block was replaced we found the vehicle is still going into "Fail Safe" and not allowing the transmission to shift past 2nd gear. Our tech continued testing and found there was an open circuit in the wire going from the Power Control Module to the transmission which is an external electrical issue that is not covered under AAMCO's warranty on the transmission. Our tech repaired the wire and continued testing the vehicle finding that the Power Control Module (PCM) had failed due to the open circuit in the wire.[redacted] authorized the Power Control Module to be replaced and reprogrammed to the latest software. Power Control Module arrived late Thursday, was installed Friday and reprogrammed. We performed the final road test and found the vehicle still to be going into fail safe. Our technician returned and found the Power Control Module that we got from Chrysler to be defective. Tuesday 12/27/16 a replacement PCM was ordered through Chrysler and was estimated to arrive by 12/29/16.Our General Manager Vince reached out and spoke with [redacted] on Tuesday 12/27/16 confirming and updating [redacted] with everything that we were dealing with not only with the vehicle but from the dealer that we purchased the part from. When Vince spoke with [redacted], he offered to have her vehicle put back together the way it was and picked up at no charge so that she could take her vehicle to the dealership and deal directly with them if she did not have confidence in our facility or employees. [redacted] requested the vehicle to stay with us and wait for the warranty replacement PCM to arrive so we could install and recheck it.At this point we are directly at the mercy of the dealership providing us with a good working part to repair this vehicle. The issues we have dealt with have been out of our control and we have explained that to [redacted]. These issues are not due to, "AAMCO's apparent incompetence", they are a direct result of a Chrysler product malfunction an unavailability of the part. As explained to [redacted], we can only estimate a time of completion for repairs and not guarantee a completion time due to the many factors that we are dealing with. UPDATE: 12/30/16 - PCM arrived from Chrysler, has been installed and reprogrammed. Final road test has been performed and vehicle is no longer going into fail safe. PCM was the direct cause of failure for the vehicle going into fail safe. [redacted].Operations Manager2257 Arden WaySacramento, CA 95825

I have read the complaint from Mr. [redacted].  We have attempted to contact the customer for weeks with no response.  The initial work on his vehicle is completed.  There is additional work to be done which we have received authorization from the customer today, March...

4.     Thank you and regards.   [redacted]

This Aamco provided excellent service to me when the transmission installed by a different Aamco failed on my route from West Tennessee to Florida. We broke down late on a Sunday night, had the vehicle towed to the Nolensville Pike Aamco 60 miles away, and rented a car to continue on to Florida. We then called the manager of the Nolensville Aamco the next morning to explain the situation. He was extremely friendly. We informed him that the transmission that had failed was still under warranty and sent him the documentation. Without ever meeting us in person, he replaced the transmission under warranty and had the vehicle ready for me to pick up the next weekend. Not only that - but the transmission is running like new. I am very happy with the friendliness, efficiency, quality of work, and integrity of this business!

Complaint[redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:Wasn't suppose to be charged for diagnostic because I informed the worker(Jason & Owner) that the problem was the ignition switch.Also,Jason called me an stated that the housing was  not salvageable because it was broken.Which is a lie..When I got to the shop to pick up my vehicle.I asked to see the part that was broken.Upon look & inspecting the part..Realized the housing was in good workin condition & only the Actuator Rod was broken. Another guy who worked in the shop told the parts didn't come apart it was one unit which is also a lie(they are seperate parts & sold seperately also)..The Owner also charged me 289.99 for the same part I found online for 189.99..then confessed that the part only cost him 200 but he upcharged me. The Owner and his works lied to me & overcharged me. I still have the part removed from my car. It shows nothing is wrong with the housing. Just the rod was broken.It can be removed by taken out the two screws that holds it in place.
Regards,
[redacted]

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: If this person is not the owner since 2010 so who is the owner.
Regards,
[redacted]

Spoke to [redacted] of the business. He stated that the car needed a new transmission and could not just be rebuilt due to the problems it was having. Having to get a new...

transmission would have been much more expensive for the customer, but they agreed to only charge them the price of the rebuild. They brought in a third party company to help finance the rest of the balance. This company requires checks in order to pay for the balance. The customer did not have the right types of checks at first and then when the right type of checks was presented they were rejected. The business tried to find the customer additional financing but it did not work so the business allowed the customer to keep the car on their lot, they did not charge them storage fees or interest fees, and to pay on the car until the balance was paid. The business is willing to let them pay for the car over three months and once the car is paid for the car will be released. However, due to liabilities the car cannot be released until it is fully paid for in case something happen to the vehicle. [redacted] said that the customer can call him to discuss this issue and to find a solution to the problem that works for both parties.

AAMCO offers a "Free Check Engine Light SCAN", which includes scanning the vehicle for trouble codes, documenting the trouble code and giving the code and description of the code to the customer. Our scan applies to vehicles 1996 and newer and additional diagnostic charges may apply. We performed...

our free scan and found trouble codes related to the fuel trim for the vehicle. Allen informed the customer of the code in the system as well as offered further diagnosing for the root cause of failure at the cost of $120.00 . Customer authorized further diagnosing for $120.00 . In the process of diagnosing the trouble code, our tech found the oxygen sensor not reading correctly and recommend replace oxygen sensor. Our tech also noted additional items on the vehicle that were in need of attention / repair. Customer declined the recommended repair stating they could fix the problem themselves, paid the $120 diagnostic charge and took their vehicle.  After reviewing the customers paperwork as well as authorizations, AAMCO has done what we have said we would do. We advertised a "Free Scan". We provided the trouble code and description of the trouble code, as advertised. We estimated $120 to further diagnose the trouble code in the system in which the customer authorized and was provided with the recommended repair and estimate as well as estimate for additional repairs. The customer declined the services and was charged for the diagnostic.  We are not willing to refund the authorized diagnostic charge that was received for an authorized diagnostic

I am glad that AAMCO customer REJECTED the response you sent to AAMCO customer. (Not My Customer) Do you Seriously expect me to tell AAMCO customer as to who is the current OWNER??? Are you kidding me ??? [redacted]

April13, 2015Revdex.com Of San DiegoFax 858-496-2141Re: [redacted]TRANSMITTAL BY FACSIMILEIn response to [redacted] complaint, we have the following response;Upon several attempts to repair the transmission on [redacted] vehicle, we sublet histransmission to a...

[redacted] Specialist, [redacted] at [redacted], who does all thetransmission repairs for San Diego [redacted]. During the process of repair, we forwarded theinformation to our Insurance carrier for assistance. When the insurance company contacted[redacted], he Insisted the vehicle be repaired by the dealership. It was explained to theInsurance company that the repair that would be performed by San Diego [redacted] would bedone by [redacted], however the dealership Insisted the transmission bereassemble and put back In the vehicle. The request was honored and the transmission wasreassembled and installed in the vehicle. Our Insurance carrier has offered [redacted] theamount of $10,070.45 which Includes the amount [redacted] paid to us for repair.If [redacted] did not Insist the repairs be done by San Diego [redacted], the repair would havebeen completed within a few days and would have been back on the road.[redacted]AAMC1Transmission[redacted]

I apologize for the late response we have been having error messages every time we try to respond. I hope third time is the charm. I have attached our response. Thank you.Mr. [redacted] came into the shop with a 1999 Honda Odyssey stating...

that he just purchased the vehicle and it was skipping 2nd gear and shifting hard on the first shift. We performed an external diagnostic service and determined the problem was internal in the transmission. We made an estimate for the overhaul of his transmission and he gave us approval for the repair. After completion and successful testing of the transmission we delivered the vehicle to the customer with a 12 month/12,000 mile nationwide warranty on parts and labor. Mr. [redacted] came into the shop 11 months later stating the vehicle’s speedometer is reading 10 miles off the actual speed and he feels a hard shift at hard throttle. We performed a free external diagnostic service and found a cracked mount which would cause a “hard shift” feeling and improperly functioning speed sensors would cause speedometer to not function correctly. We checked to make sure there was power and correct voltage to the speed sensors because incorrect voltage or no power to speed sensors would cause good speed sensors to not properly. We found that the speed sensors did have power and correct voltage so we recommended replacing the mount and the speed sensors. We made an estimate and Mr. [redacted] approved the repairs. During the repair there was a change in the price of the mount. Mr. [redacted] was here in the shop during the repair and we found that the mount I was quoted over the phone by the parts vendor was for the incorrect mount. We found this out because the mount we received was the incorrect mount. The correct mount was a different price and I explained this to Mr. [redacted] and he said “that’s fine I just want my vehicle fixed”. A week later Mr. [redacted] calls and says that the speedometer is off still and I asked him to bring the vehicle in so we can check it. We did confirm that his speedometer was off and we found a new symptom of slippage that wasn’t there before. We recommending pulling the transmission out and overhauling it again under warranty, we also offered to refund the cost of the speed sensors and Mr. [redacted] said “I don’t want the money I want my vehicle fixed”. Mr. [redacted] authorized the work and we completed the overhaul and testing of the transmission. We did find that the speedometer was still showing the incorrect speed. We checked and verified every possible cause to the speedometer not reading correctly and found everything to be in order. We have determined that the issue was pre-existing and that the speedometer was reading incorrectly prior to coming into our shop and it was not from any work that we performed on the vehicle. We asked Mr. [redacted] if he had checked the accuracy of the speed before the first time the vehicle came to us and he said he had not. We explained everything to Mr. [redacted] and when he came in to pick up the vehicle we went for a road test with him to make sure he was happy and satisfied with the repairs. I am sorry to hear that Mr. [redacted] is still unhappy because he said he was happy the vehicle was fixed and he was satisfied with our work.

I am very sorry to hear that Mr M[redacted] has submitted a complaint. I was under the understanding that we had addressed all his concerns. Initially, we performed a reseal service for Mr M[redacted] on his transmission. He provided the bearing, front seal, right axle seal and fluids. We provided the left axle...

seal and rear seal for the customer. We also spoke with the parts company that he purchased his clutch set from and was able to get approval to replace his clutch at no cost to him even though the clutch set was out of warranty. We installed all parts and re-installed transmission, we expedited the service for him because he needed the vehicle to return to work. When he picked up the vehicle I explained to him the technician that was working on his vehicle did not use the fluid that he brought but we would not charge him we will just keep his fluid as a trade it was the same fluid that he brought as what we put into his vehicle. The next day he came in upset saying that there was things that he was not happy about on his vehicle. He said we didn't do the job right, lug nuts were tightened too much and we used the wrong size ratchet extension that is why it was too tight. He said he was taking things apart trying to see if there was anything else he found wrong. We asked him to show us what his concerns were and we asked him to allow us to put the vehicle in on the lift and have our lead technician do a complete inspection on everything so nothing is missed and everything is addressed right away. Mr M[redacted] refused. We apologized for any inconvenience we caused and he said that he was okay he just wanted to have the fluid he brought returned to him and he was satisfied. The following day he came back and he said he was unhappy again and said we damaged his air filter and wanted to be paid for the damage. We paid him $110 that he asked for. We asked him again to let us check the vehicle. It would be done by our lead technician. It is a different tech than who did the original work, it would be done by our best tech, but he refused again. He came back again a few days later and said he found a broken bolt in the transmission and he checked with the dealer to see how much to fix it and wanted us to pay for it. I told him that I would reimbursed him for the repair and he can take it to anyone he wanted just bring me the receipt and I will pay him. He wasn't satisfied with that he wanted the money. I told him to be fair we asked him several times to allow us to check the vehicle for any errors we may have done but he had refused and has since then been taking things apart and doing his own work on the vehicle. I told him since you haven't allowed us to check the vehicle how can I allow you to keep coming back every few days stating we have done something that you want to be paid for. I will take your word that the broken bolt was our fault and I will reimburse you for the repair on the broken bolt please just bring me the receipt. A week later he came back saying he was hearing noises when he drove but he didn't have time to show us. I was able to persuade him to go for a road test and have him drive so that he can show me. Mr M[redacted] and I went out but we never heard any noise. I said please let us put it on the lift and run it to hear any noises and he finally agreed allow us to inspect the vehicle. With Mr M[redacted] present there,we didn't find any problems with the work we originally did for him and we heard no noises and the inspection showed everything to be okay.  I told him please if you hear the noise again, just come in and we will look at it right away, that way we can identify where the noise is coming from. He agreed there was no noises and he said it was driving good and he would bring it in if he heard it again. I feel we have gone above and beyond to satisfy the customers concerns and have verified that all work was done correctly and feel everything has been resolved. The complaint filed by Mr M[redacted] are all issues that we have already addressed with him and confirmed he was satisfied.

On April 28, 2014 I took my trooper to the Aamco @ [redacted]. They assured us that they would diagnosed the issue & resolve it. Two days later they determined that the vehicle speed censor malfunctioned & would need 2 be replaced. I paid them $371 only to find out when I arrive that there is still a major problem with 2nd gear in the transmission of my vehicle. I decide reluctantly to leave the trooper with Aamco to continue to work on it. One week later I am told th at the transmission will need to be rebuilt & the pump stator needs replacing totaling $2800. When previously quoted $1800. I pick up the trooper take it home only find my self calling a tow truck 3 hours later because while driving on the highway it began smoking & leaking transmission fluid heavily. Now it is 5:55pm on Friday May 9, 2014. I still don't have my vehicle & the manager refuses compinsate me for any of this.

We own a diesel pickup truck that needed it's transmission rebuilt. After calling around to local shops, we decided to go with Aamco Transmission because the quote we received from them was almost $500 cheaper than any other transmission shop. After taking our truck there to get it fixed, we quickly began realizing why we were quoted so cheap. Our truck was completed three days later than we were originally informed. Additionally, the quote we had received was $800 less than what we were actually charged and the warranty we received was much worse than any other transmission shop's in Topeka.
Three weeks later, our rebuilt transmission starts sputtering again. So we call up Aamco to get an appointment to take it back in and get it fixed. After dropping off the truck, we were told they would look at it that day and give us a call. We didn't receive a call that day or the next. However, on the second day, we spotted our truck sitting at a golf course nearly 10 miles away from Aamco Transmission at 7:00pm. We proceeded to call the police, not knowing what else to do, and waited with the officer to determine who drove our truck to the golf course. The manager of Aamco pulled up in a golf cart and couldn't understand what the big deal was with him driving our truck after store hours and for personal use. His excuse for driving the truck was that he hadn't been able to get it to act up in a test drive around town. In addition to all of this, our truck was parked in a place where it was hit by a golf ball and the head light was damaged.
Needless to say, after our year warranty is up on our truck, we will not be doing business with Aamco Transmission again. Furthermore, we would like to warn others of the terrible business practices and breach of trust we have been struggling with, in hopes of deterring others from experiencing similar problems.

Review: I took my 2008 Honda Civic to Aamco Transmissions in Yuma AZ to have my transmission serviced on 1/15/2016. When I got the car back I inspected the work they did to my car.

I then noticed damage to my transmission and engine parts.

There were bolts missing and broken on the transmission and the clutch flywheel shudders really bad.

The car has not run right since I took it to Aamco transmissions.

With several attempts to resolve problems with ARMANDO the owner and Jennifer the shop manager.

I have called them several times and asked to speak to the owner himself at first I got a hold of him and he told me that if I had any more problems to contact him.

I called him back several times ,but he has not spoken to me again.

From then on I have only had contact with Jennifer who has had an attitude with me and even went as far as to claim that I broke my own vehicle.

I am also disappointed in the shop because they got oil inside of my car and they also over tightened my lug nuts.

I have been trying to work with them since I realized the problems and have given them many opportunities to resolve the issue to no avail and this is the reason that I am now contacting you.Desired Settlement: I would like to see a refund.

Minus 110 dollars that they have already given me for a damaged air filter and computer wiring bracket.

Business

Response:

I am very sorry to hear that Mr M[redacted] has submitted a complaint. I was under the understanding that we had addressed all his concerns. Initially, we performed a reseal service for Mr M[redacted] on his transmission. He provided the bearing, front seal, right axle seal and fluids. We provided the left axle seal and rear seal for the customer. We also spoke with the parts company that he purchased his clutch set from and was able to get approval to replace his clutch at no cost to him even though the clutch set was out of warranty. We installed all parts and re-installed transmission, we expedited the service for him because he needed the vehicle to return to work. When he picked up the vehicle I explained to him the technician that was working on his vehicle did not use the fluid that he brought but we would not charge him we will just keep his fluid as a trade it was the same fluid that he brought as what we put into his vehicle. The next day he came in upset saying that there was things that he was not happy about on his vehicle. He said we didn't do the job right, lug nuts were tightened too much and we used the wrong size ratchet extension that is why it was too tight. He said he was taking things apart trying to see if there was anything else he found wrong. We asked him to show us what his concerns were and we asked him to allow us to put the vehicle in on the lift and have our lead technician do a complete inspection on everything so nothing is missed and everything is addressed right away. Mr M[redacted] refused. We apologized for any inconvenience we caused and he said that he was okay he just wanted to have the fluid he brought returned to him and he was satisfied. The following day he came back and he said he was unhappy again and said we damaged his air filter and wanted to be paid for the damage. We paid him $110 that he asked for. We asked him again to let us check the vehicle. It would be done by our lead technician. It is a different tech than who did the original work, it would be done by our best tech, but he refused again. He came back again a few days later and said he found a broken bolt in the transmission and he checked with the dealer to see how much to fix it and wanted us to pay for it. I told him that I would reimbursed him for the repair and he can take it to anyone he wanted just bring me the receipt and I will pay him. He wasn't satisfied with that he wanted the money. I told him to be fair we asked him several times to allow us to check the vehicle for any errors we may have done but he had refused and has since then been taking things apart and doing his own work on the vehicle. I told him since you haven't allowed us to check the vehicle how can I allow you to keep coming back every few days stating we have done something that you want to be paid for. I will take your word that the broken bolt was our fault and I will reimburse you for the repair on the broken bolt please just bring me the receipt. A week later he came back saying he was hearing noises when he drove but he didn't have time to show us. I was able to persuade him to go for a road test and have him drive so that he can show me. Mr M[redacted] and I went out but we never heard any noise. I said please let us put it on the lift and run it to hear any noises and he finally agreed allow us to inspect the vehicle. With Mr M[redacted] present there,we didn't find any problems with the work we originally did for him and we heard no noises and the inspection showed everything to be okay. I told him please if you hear the noise again, just come in and we will look at it right away, that way we can identify where the noise is coming from. He agreed there was no noises and he said it was driving good and he would bring it in if he heard it again. I feel we have gone above and beyond to satisfy the customers concerns and have verified that all work was done correctly and feel everything has been resolved. The complaint filed by Mr M[redacted] are all issues that we have already addressed with him and confirmed he was satisfied.

Review: car was taken into AAMCO shop for repair,LINEAR SOLENOID and TRANSMISSION FLUSH was recommend for replacement. whole AIR INTAKE SYSTEM was removed in order to replace LINEAR SOLENOID. the following day the car owner inspected the work done by AAMCO. the owner immediately notice the AIR INTAKE HOSE was DAMAGED and different CLAMPS were used, they also used electrical tape to seal off air hoses.less then 24 hours I presented the issues to the mechanic shop and they denied the damages,the car still has a rough ride,rough shifting.(i have all the receipts in hand,in less then 15 months I have paid near $2900.00 for transmission rebuilt and solenoid replacements,also I have pictures of damaged parts)Desired Settlement: im asking for a refund of $617.00 I will no longer have AAMCO touch my car even if they offer free repairs, I will take my car to another transmission shop for a complete transmission check up.

Business

Response:

On

October **, 2015, [redacted] brought his car 2004 Acura in with a transmission

concern. He was complaining that the transmission was banging on its shifts and

that the fluid smelled burnt. We told [redacted] that we would perform a

multi-point inspection on his vehicle and advise him on what services would be

needed. In February 2014, we had performed previous repairs on [redacted]'s

transmission but he is out of warranty on those services. Since he was beyond

the warranty period we told him that he would have to pay for repairs but would

not be charged for the initial inspection.

Our diagnostic inspection found that the transmission was banging on the shifts

and the fluid had a slightly burnt odor. The vehicle also had a trouble code

stored in the computer – “P0746 – Pressure Control Solenoid A”. Based on these

findings we recommended changing the linear solenoid and performing a

transmission fluid service.

When the repairs were complete, we road tested the vehicle and found the

transmission shifting properly, no banging, and no trouble codes were stored in

the computer. [redacted] paid for and picked up his vehicle on Fri, October

30th.

The following day, [redacted] returned stating that his air intake hose had a

hole and was taped up and had different clamps on it. He said that we should

have told him that it was damaged. When I later asked the technician who worked

on the vehicle about the intake hose, he told me that he could see that the

intake was already broken since it had dust built up the tape. Our technician

he retaped it and put new clamps on it to help the customer.

I told [redacted] that I wasn't aware that the intake was damaged and didn't

think it was damaged by us but offered to replace the part anyway for his

satisfaction. [redacted]'s response was “You think I care about a $30 piece of

rubber I can get at the junk yard?”. I was a bit surprised by his reaction. I

asked if the transmission had a problem or was acting up and he didn't reply to

the question and just said “that is not the issue”. He did not state that the

transmission had a problem. If he did have a problem with the solenoid we

replaced, he would be covered under warranty at any Aamco center.

I am not sure why [redacted] is asking for a refund. His vehicle had a

transmission problem and we repaired it. He did not return to say the

transmission was acting up. When asked, he did not even accuse us of breaking

the air intake. His complaint was that we didn't tell him it was already

broken. It is his rationale to find any fault in our service and justify his

request for a refund. It appears that [redacted] is simply looking for an

opportunity to avoid paying for the repair. As stated earlier, if [redacted] has

an issue with the transmission service we performed, he is welcomed to bring

the vehicle back to us or any Aamco center for repairs under warranty.

Review: took my car to them to repair a slipping transmission, they did the work to the cost of $2033.00. When I picked up my car the problem was not fixed, but now the speedometer was off by 15 mph. Took it back for warranty work was told the problem was bad transmission mount and bad speed sensors. was told it would cost an additional $723.00 Had work done, upon retrieving the car the original problem still existed and speedometer was still off. Took car to the Honda dealer for a diagnostic and was told that I was over charged for the transmission mount. Aamco quoted me $35.00, but was charged $148.00 and the part from Honda was $37.22. Speed sensors were another $400.00 and still the problem was not fixed. Took the vehicle for a third time to repair the same problem under warranty, was told there was definitely a problem and they would take care of it. picked up car for the third time and the transmission was fixed but was told the speedometer still did not work, and they could not do anything about it.Asked for my money back for the speed sensors and transmission mount that I did not need and was told NO. They would give me a 6 month extended warranty, LIKE I WOULD EVER TAKE MY CAR BACK TO THEM OR EVER RECOMENT THEM TO ANYONE.Desired Settlement: would like my money back for the transmission mount and speed sensors that I was told that I needed but did not. Total reimbursement should be $710.83 plus $100.00 that I spent at Honda for a diagnostic. A grand total due $810.83.

Business

Response:

I apologize for the late response we have been having error messages every time we try to respond. I hope third time is the charm. I have attached our response. Thank you.

Mr. [redacted] came into the shop with a 1999 Honda Odyssey stating that he just purchased the vehicle and it was skipping 2nd gear and shifting hard on the first shift. We performed an external diagnostic service and determined the problem was internal in the transmission. We made an estimate for the overhaul of his transmission and he gave us approval for the repair. After completion and successful testing of the transmission we delivered the vehicle to the customer with a 12 month/12,000 mile nationwide warranty on parts and labor. Mr. [redacted] came into the shop 11 months later stating the vehicle’s speedometer is reading 10 miles off the actual speed and he feels a hard shift at hard throttle. We performed a free external diagnostic service and found a cracked mount which would cause a “hard shift” feeling and improperly functioning speed sensors would cause speedometer to not function correctly. We checked to make sure there was power and correct voltage to the speed sensors because incorrect voltage or no power to speed sensors would cause good speed sensors to not properly. We found that the speed sensors did have power and correct voltage so we recommended replacing the mount and the speed sensors. We made an estimate and Mr. [redacted] approved the repairs. During the repair there was a change in the price of the mount. Mr. [redacted] was here in the shop during the repair and we found that the mount I was quoted over the phone by the parts vendor was for the incorrect mount. We found this out because the mount we received was the incorrect mount. The correct mount was a different price and I explained this to Mr. [redacted] and he said “that’s fine I just want my vehicle fixed”. A week later Mr. [redacted] calls and says that the speedometer is off still and I asked him to bring the vehicle in so we can check it. We did confirm that his speedometer was off and we found a new symptom of slippage that wasn’t there before. We recommending pulling the transmission out and overhauling it again under warranty, we also offered to refund the cost of the speed sensors and Mr. [redacted] said “I don’t want the money I want my vehicle fixed”. Mr. [redacted] authorized the work and we completed the overhaul and testing of the transmission. We did find that the speedometer was still showing the incorrect speed. We checked and verified every possible cause to the speedometer not reading correctly and found everything to be in order. We have determined that the issue was pre-existing and that the speedometer was reading incorrectly prior to coming into our shop and it was not from any work that we performed on the vehicle. We asked Mr. [redacted] if he had checked the accuracy of the speed before the first time the vehicle came to us and he said he had not. We explained everything to Mr. [redacted] and when he came in to pick up the vehicle we went for a road test with him to make sure he was happy and satisfied with the repairs. I am sorry to hear that Mr. [redacted] is still unhappy because he said he was happy the vehicle was fixed and he was satisfied with our work.

Review: My car was brought to Aamco to have a clutch replaced. The repair took longer than stated, I was overcharged, my old parts were discarded (I had asked them to be saved in writing on the drop off form), and the repair wasn’t properly done. When letting out the clutch at low speeds, the car shook and shuddered. I told the technician about it, and he said it was probably just a lighter clutch than I had before, and would get used to it. This was May 30th.

I gave it some time, and it became clear that it wasn’t a matter of getting accustomed, the repair was bad. I called, and was told to bring it in for an adjustment. When I went to the shop, the story changed and I was told that it wasn’t a matter of adjustment, but that a heavier duty clutch needed to be installed. The one they had installed wasn’t strong enough for my car. The shop manager didn’t ask to see the car, or road test it and agreed to replace the clutch. His lack of wanting to see the issue for himself leads me to believe that he knew the clutch was bad in the first place, and gave me a car with a faulty part / repair.

I made an appointment to have the new clutch put in on a Saturday. I was told to show up at opening to give them time finish the job. I did, and arrived at 8 a.m.. Upon arriving, I was told that a technician had called in sick and they couldn’t fix my car. I received no call about this, and had someone waiting to pick me up. My time as well as theirs was wasted.

I was given an appointment for the following Saturday, again at 8. To avoid a repeat of my previous appointment, I called Friday to confirm that they’d be able to work on my car. I was told that the part had been “sent back”, and that I’d have to reschedule. At this point, I was tired of getting jerked around, so called Aamco’s national customer service hotline. All they could do is tell me to take it back, preferably on a weekday so they’d have a full day to repair the car properly.

I called ahead, and made an appointment for a Friday, and told that it would be done in a day. I dropped my car off Thursday evening. I didn’t hear anything from Aamco on Friday. On Saturday morning, I called around 10:30 and asked if my car was ready yet. The guy told me they were working on it, and he’d check to see if it would be ready by noon. He called back, and now had a completely different story. He said that he had sent the flywheel out to a vendor to get resurfaced the night before, and that when he sent his guy to pick it up in the morning, the machine shop was closed and that he couldn’t get the flywheel. At this point, I was getting jerked around some more, and decided to go in person. I spoke to the manager, who gave me a bunch of excuses. I told him I wanted to speak to the owner. He told me that was impossible, because the owner was on a military base and couldn’t receive electronic communications. I said I needed to contact him. The manager told me he could get in touch with him. I asked how? He told me he’d call him. Apparently the electronic communication rule didn’t apply to him. The manager assured me that they’d get my flywheel on Monday, and that my car would be properly repaired.

I called Monday afternoon, and was told that the replacement clutch was bad and that it was making a horrible noise. He said they’d have to order a new one, and that it wouldn’t be ready till Wednesday. On Wednesday, I was called and told that the car was ready, and was working great. I picked it up that night, and noticed grease or oil smudges on the body, top, and interior of the car. Also, the clutch still shuddered badly when being released at slow speeds. I’ve had this car for over 6 years, and it has never done that shaking until Aamco tried to replace a clutch on it.

I gave it several days to make sure it wasn’t some sort of break in period (they had told me this might be the case), but the clutch slipped and shook. I called the national customer service and left a message. The following morning I got a call from the local Aamco manager. He said that the clutch was probably fine, but my flywheel probably needed to be replaced. The flywheel is a part that Aamco (at least) twice removed, inspected, determined it was good, and sent to have resurfaced. If it is indeed no longer good, it is because Aamco had it resurfaced twice, and possibly had it resurface improperly. Had the clutch been replaced with the correct part in the first place, it would have only had to be resurface once. Now Aamco wants me to bring my car back in, and pay for a new flywheel. I asked them to refund my money so I can have the job done elsewhere, and they refuse to do so. The national customer service guy said if I took my car elsewhere to have it repaired, he’d try to have the owner of Aamco Richmond cover that expense. Even if he paid that bill, which I have no idea will be, that will likely not be sufficient compensation for this debacle.

My experience with Aamco has been a nightmare. They have been incompetent, dishonest, and are now trying to get more money out of me for a job that they’ve botched from the beginning. They have had my car for over 7 days over the course of two visits. All that time, for a transmission shop to replace a simple clutch. They’ve twice released my car with defective parts/repair. Additionally, they’ve likely ruined a perfectly good flywheel and now want me to pay for it. I’ve made many, many phone calls, visits to the shop, and e-mails trying to get my car fixed properly. Aamco has wasted my time, lied to me, made and cancelled appointments, and dirtied my car. I want to be done with this business, get my money back, and find a shop that will be honest and fix my car properly. It is now mid August, and my car has yet to be fixed properly.Desired Settlement: I want, at minimum, a full refund so I can take my car to get repaired elsewhere. If it is determined that Aamco damaged my transmission and or flywheel, I may request additional compensation.

Business

Response:

We at AAMCO can sympathize with the frustration that [redacted] is going through and the un-satisfaction he may have with the performance with his

Many components in a vehicle other than the clutch can cause a

shudder, chatter or vibration during clutch engagement. These possibilities

range from the engine, engine mounts, transmission or drive shaft bearings,

drive shaft, differential, suspension and tires. Worn mounts, u-joints, rear ends

and springs can exaggerate this effect. Often, what seems like clutch chatter is really a

worn out universal joint or a defective engine mount. Since the original

clutch had failed due to the throw out bearing blew apart and the poor condition

of the original clutch, the cause of the shudder symptoms may have been masked.

The original replacement

clutch installed was the correct clutch for the vehicle and met or exceeded the

OEM specifications for the vehicle. The new clutch, pressure plate and

throw-out bearing were replaced and the flywheel was professionally resurfaced. No shudder was detected during the test drive

after the new clutch was installed.

A few days later, the

customer complained about the clutch feel and a shudder at low speeds. Customer

was told to allow for clutch break-in and if he still had the shudder, it may

just need a readjustment and to bring it back in and AAMCO would perform the

adjustment at no charge.

[redacted]NOTE[redacted] To

properly seat a clutch and prolong it life, most clutch manufacturers recommend

a break-in period of up to 500 miles of normal city type driving to allow for

the friction material to properly match to the

flywheel and pressure plate. No aggressive driving. No hole shots or

drag launches. No speed shifting.

When the customer returned with the vehicle it was

determined that the clutch was in adjustment and that due to the high

performance of the vehicle and the customer’s complaint about the clutch feel,

a stronger clutch may be needed. The customer was informed that AAMCO would

install the stronger clutch under warranty and at no additional cost. The stronger clutch was ordered and AAMCO

worked with the customer on scheduling issues. The customer was requesting that

all of the work be performed on a Saturday but unfortunately, the time required

to perform the job did not allow for it to be performed on a Saturday and it

would need to be performed over a weekday.

The customer dropped the vehicle off on to have the stronger

clutch installed on Thursday night, July 31st. The new clutch,

pressure plate and throw-out bearing were replaced on Friday and the flywheel

was sent out to be professionally resurfaced. The flywheel was ready on Monday

morning and the clutch was reinstalled in the vehicle and test driven. Unfortunately,

during the test drive, the replacement clutch did not sound right. It was

suspected that it was a defective clutch from the vendor. A new replacement

clutch was immediately ordered and installed in the vehicle. The vehicle was test driven and the clutch

performed great and no shudder was noticed.

A few days later, the customer complained again about a

shudder at low speeds. The customer was informed that the previous clutch repair

is under warranty, to bring to vehicle in so we could experience the issue, AAMCO

would fix any issue related with work that was performed and that AAMCO would

work with him to address any issue that could cause the shudder that were not

related to the original repair.

The clutch manufacturer was notified about the issue and they

stated that there are any number of issues that are not related to the clutch

that can cause a shudder when engaging the clutch. A proper diagnosis needs to

be performed. Since the clutch has been replaced and the flywheel professionally

turned twice, the shudder at low speed could be related to one of the other

issues listed above.

Under the

terms of the warranty, the customer will need to return the vehicle to the

AAMCO, on [redacted] so that further diagnostics could be performed to

determine the cause of the low speed shudder. If the cause of the shudder is related

to parts or work performed in the clutch replacement, it will be repaired under

warranty. If it is determined that the issue is not related to the original

repair, AAMCO would work with the customer to address any issue that could

cause the shudder. If the customer is

not comfortable with the work performed at the AAMCO located on [redacted], arrangements can be made for the customer to take the vehicle to one of

the other AAMCO’s in the Greater Richmond area.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID[redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

Dear[redacted], thank you for getting in touch with Aamco regarding my complaint. Their offer to diagnose and work on my car for a third time is not acceptable to me. Aamco’s suggestion that the shudder may be due to tires, engine mounts, etc. is ridiculous. I’ve owned this car for over 6 years, and it never shuddered until Aamco replaced the clutch. It is clear to me that they did an improper job, and now they want more of my time and likely money.

The people I’ve dealt with at Aamco have shown a lack of competence, professionalism, and honesty. For instance, their response states that “the time required to perform the job did not allow for it to be performed on a Saturday”. If that was true, why did their [redacted] give

me two appointments on Saturdays? The first time I heard anything about Saturday not being a good day was from Aamco’s national customer service manager. Additionally, my complaint was not “clutch feel”, as mentioned in their response. It is that my car shakes and shudders when releasing the clutch at slow speed, and never did so before Aamco touched my car.

Their offer requires that I a.) bring the car to them for however long they deem necessary (they’ve already had it twice, for 7 days, for what they said was a one day job) b.)rely on them to properly diagnose and fix the problem which they have failed to do so far and c.) trust them to honestly tell me what is wrong and not make up a reason and charge me for a false cause. Given all my previous interactions with them, my car will likely be in their shop for many days, not get repaired properly, and I’ll get stuck with additional charges for parts that they deem to be outside of the warranty. I have no faith in their abilities or ethics, and as such don’t want to give them an opportunity to make this situation even worse.

Since I am rejecting their offer, what is my next step? Is there any forum for mediation or is legal action my sole course at this time?

Thanks for your help,

Review: My vehicle has been at this location since 6/19/13. The manager, [redacted], at this location has lied to me numerous times about my vehicle being ready for pickup. He's rude & nasty and seems to not care about the situation. I have been involved in a few arguements with him on the phone. He has hung up on my fiance when he's called. I have a warranty that covers the repair cost and they have approved all claims at the time that he calls them in. He has been disrespectful to me & my fiance. My warranty does cover rental however they only cover 5 days. They were very helpful and gave me an addtional 5 days to total 10. My vehicle has been there for 30 days. I have called to speak with someone from the customer relations department, [redacted], and she took a report in detail of the many issues that I have encountered with him. Since this particular location is a franchise she stated she would need to contact the owner, however I have yet to hear back from her. Each day I talk to [redacted] he has given me a new day as to when my vehicle will be ready for pickup and each day has been a lie. My fiance and I are currently having to share one car in which we have to take turns as to who can go to work and which one has to stay home because we work totally different hours in 2 different locations. This situation has been such an inconvenince and it seems that no one is trying to correct this situation. We have lost money because we can't go to work eveyday. We don't live in an area where we have friends or family that we can just call for rides to work. This whole situation has been a nightmare and we are having trouble paying bills because we don't have enough money. [redacted] continues to tell me each time I speak with him that my repairs are costing him money because my car is inside the bay taking up space. At this point due to the issues that I have been encountering with him I am in fear of my safety when I get the vehicle back because I don't know what they may do to my vehicle.Desired Settlement: I want my vehicle back in working condidtion. As part of my warranty agreement I am require to pay a deductible and I don't feel that I should with all the inconvience I am having to deal with along with the treatment I have received from this manager. I have missed time from work and wish to be compensated.

Business

Response:

[redacted] from the company stated the drive shaft is on a national back order and the customer is their top priority once the part is received.

The service was very unreliable,not helpful at all and very disrespectful in so many different manners. [redacted] who is the woman who works at the front office and also holds the manager title. [redacted] was very rude and disrespectful and didn't give me the service that I deserve as a customer. This is my state of claim for the poor service I received.