Allied Automotive

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/08/20) */
[redacted] came to the shop in April 2015, requesting a catalytic convertor for his 1999 Volvo S80. He did not ask us to diagnose the vehicle. We replaced the catalytic convertors. The customer thought that that would fix his problem, the vehicle...

did not run very well at all after replacing the catalytic convertors. The vehicle had a check engine light on and we offered to pull codes from the vehicles computer. The vehicle had 8 codes, varying from 1) 2 catalytic convertors codes (which we cleared after replacing), 2)throttle unit internal fault, 3)throttle unit internal signal too low, 4)TPS, 5)accelerator pedal fault, 6)RPM signal missing, 7)central electrical module fault signal and 8) O2 sensor. We recommended replacing the fuel pedal position sensor and throttle body unit and he approved that work to be completed. We also recommended replacing the O2 sensor, but [redacted] said that he had already done that. The vehicle ran well after this work was completed. At the time he came to pick up the car, he saw that the check engine light was still on (due to the O2 sensors) and at that point, he asked us to do additional work to the light switch and the cluster. We completed that work and he left with the car without problems. [redacted] returned to the shop with the car in late July complaining that the problem was back. At that point I explained to him that if the problem was any of the work that we completed, that it would be covered under the warranty. We examined the vehicle and found that the engine control module was not longer sending a signal to the throttle body unit. I explained to him that the symptoms were the same but the cause was different. The engine control module sends a signal to the throttle body unit which activates the coil packs which gives a charge to the spark plugs. The original problem was the throttle body unit, this later problem was the engine control module was no longer working correctly. I have confirmed with another shop that is familiar with this problem, and they have confirmed our findings. I have informed [redacted] to call this shop and have given him their phone number. He feels he has spent too much money on this vehicle, which I understand, but expecting my shop to do these additional repairs for free is not the answer.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 8, 2015/08/30) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Response to the Mechanic:
I took my car to his shop late June not July. My car was parked in the parking the entire time between May 15 to June 20 because I was out of the country. So even if the car had any issue I did not know at the time until I started using it again late June. When I took my car to his shop he checked it and confirmed that it has the exact same problem (pushing the gas pedal, but car would not go forward). He became upset and told me that the mechanic who fixed my car had already left his shop and he should ask his other mechanic to fix my car when he has free time, since the repair is under warranty and I wouldn't be charged, then I have to let them work on it during their free time. He told me he would call and let me know what happened. He didn't call after 10 days or two weeks, so I called. He said he hadn't called his mechanic who fixed the car to know what he had done to my car and know his idea of how to fix it. I waited a week and did not hear back from him, so I called again. He said that he took the broken part to the dealer to fix it again. He was supposed to call me, but he didn't. So I called again after a week. He told me he got the part back, but he hadn't installed it yet because his mechanic was busy. He promised to call me by the end of the week to let me know if my car was ready. It was end of the July and he didn't call me, so I called again. It had been more than a month that my car was in his shop. This time he told me that he took my car to another shop because his mechanic couldn't fix it. And he said this shop asked him between $1200.00-$1500.00 to fix the car, and he wanted me to pay the other shop to fix my car! I already paid him ($1684.61+$644.99=$2329.60).
Every time I called him, he told me my car would be ready by the end of the week. My car has been in his shop mostly within the last 5 months since April except the month that I was out of the country and my car was parked in front of my home for a month. Some mechanic shops would give me a replacement car during the period of repair. My car has been in his shop for such a long time. I need that car to go to work. How come he kept telling me he would fix it, but all of a sudden he said he gave my car to another shop to fix it. I have already paid the repair cost; I am not asking him to fix it for free. I have paid him already to fix this issue. Same issue as pushing the gas pedal but the car does not move forward much. The second and third time that I took my car to his shop, my car had the exact same symptoms. I believe this mechanic shop made a mistake in recognizing the problem earlier and that is why my car was not really fixed, and same symptom came back again as soon as I started to use my car after my trip.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 10, 2015/09/11) */
I have contacted [redacted] and we have come to a settlement agreement.
Final Consumer Response /* (2000, 12, 2015/09/21) */
Hi Dear
We have settled our case together. He had closed his business and offered me to partially refund the fee ($600.00) and I agreed. I have received the payment.
Sincerely,
[redacted]