American Tire Depot

Barstow, California: 7/1/23 around 8:15 a.m. On Saturday, 7/1/23 at 8:15 a.m., I arrived at American Tire Depot to have my brakes changed and a new air filter replaced. When I arrived, my vehicle was not making any type of noise, not any brake noise, no steering or wheel sounds or vibration, or air noise. No noise whatso ever! (Miles when I dropped off the car for breaks replaced was, 90538 miles) Randy took my vehicle to perform the brake inspection and replacement. An employee to took me back to my residence in their shuttle van, in order they could have my vehicle most of the day to perform the service task. Randy called my cell phone at 1:08 p.m. and informed me that the brakes has been replaced and was ready for pick up. I requested the shuttle please come and pick me up because I did not have a ride into town because they had my car, they picked me up approximately 1:30 p.m. Randy went over the service sheet of service and charges which were: 1. “Labor-Front Disc Brake Service – Replace Front Disc Pads, Resurface Both Front Rotors Where Applicable Repack Front Wheel Bearing Where Applicable. Inspect And Replace Front Grease Seals As Needed. Add Necessary Brake Fluid, Adjust System And Road Test”. Cost: $168.00 2. “Outside Purchase-Rear Brake Pads” Cost: $104.96 3. “Outside Purchase-Air Filter” Cost: 49.99 4. “Labor-Rear Disc Brake Service – Replace Front Disc Pads, Resurface Both Front Rotors Where Applicable Repack Rear Wheel Bearing Where Applicable. Inspect And Replace Front Grease Seals As Needed. Add Necessary Brake Fluid, Adjust System And Road Test”. Cost: $168.00 5. “Outside Purchase-Front Brake Pads” Cost: $104.96
Randy gave me instruction that it would take 50 or more miles to be “bedded - in” on the breaks. Now we are at a TOTAL of $618.64. at 1:47 p.m. I paid my bill and left.
I drove home and noticed that something didn’t feel right and though that it must need a few miles to break in the breaks. 7/8/23 and 7/17/23 went back with complaints , about viberation and squick talked to Randy again an explained that all of the problems still exist and are not getting better (strange sound “like a sick cat or a whining (sounds like a get engine winding down.) in it and there is a vibration in the steering wheel, and I could feel the vibration coming through my seat and the steering pulled to the right.) every time you apply the brakes. I told him I wanted something done about it; he coped an attuited and then agreed to have a look at it again. So, they gave me a ride back home (the took me home in my own car and the mechanic drove so I could point out and explain what was wrong). I identified all the sounds that were not there when I had the breaks serviced. At 1:10 PM Randy called me and told me they were going to reinspect the breaks. At 2:28 Randy called again and told me the problem must be in the front rotors, so they were going to replace them, which they were going to charge me…I said I was not going to pay them more money for something that they did not do or do the right way the first time they serviced my car. There was a heated discussion and then there was no charge in the end. his is the service they performed: Brake Inspection-Cust Request N/C:Brake Inspection-Check Linings, Rotors Or Drums Were Applicable, Fluid Levels and Visually Check Brake Hoses ABS Diagnosic Not Included. Cost 0.00 Outside Purchase-Front Rotors Cost: $280.00 Customer Satisfaction Cost: $-304.50 In the end no charge for this service.
Randy called me at 4:44 PM telling me they had fixed my vehicle. They drove my car out to pick me up. I drove the mechanic back to the shop; The vibration and the shaking was fixed but it still pulled to the right and that strange sound was still there. At the shop when I told Randy it still wasn’t right, he coped the attitude again. I said this was bad customer service when they can’t even tell me what the strange noise is or where it is coming from. That is when I was told it must be the “turbo” and I was going to have to take it in for that. I told Randy so you are telling me that from the time on 7/1/23 and I brought my car in (with no noises at all) to have the breaks fixed and it sat in you shop all day getting the break repair that it just magickly “blew the turbo”. I again declared that I didn’t have the sound when I brought the car in for repair and that when I left it had the sound and issues. He said I would have to take it someplace else to be fixed; I said are you telling me that I have to go run around on my time and my dime to get someone else to fix your screwups. This was crazy. Again he said I was going to have to take it someplace else because they don’t know what it is except to say it is the Turbo. So, I left (mostly because I was upset) and the next week we tested it…the first thing I realize that if the “turbo” had issues the “check engine” light would come on and it did not. The second thing was that when test driving you could shift into neutral, and the “turbo” would not in use but when applying the brakes, the same sound was still there. It is not the turbo. took it back to complain several more times, no change.
8/5/23 Saturday, I went back to American Tire Depot and talked with Randy again. I told him I was here to complain. Told him all the noises are still there and it also pulls to the right and it feels like it drags in the rear brakes, and I have a break squeak. Randy said he didn’t know and take it to someone to figure it out. I said, “are you kidding, you want me to take the car on my time to someone else because you either don’t want to fix it or can’t.” I also said “that this is not going to be on my dime. I just came from work, and I was hot, tired, and now very aggravated”. I said “I am not going to pay for this you are. And if this means that we go to court then that is what I will do”. Then Randy told me to take my car out to Main St. Auto and have Jaime look at it. I told him that I am not pay for this – you are, all he said was to have Jaime call him. He wrote Jaime name and telephone number on a piece of paper and gave it to me and went back to his computer. Court case seems to be the only answer.

I took my vehicle in on July 29th to American Tire Depot in Tulare for oil change, light fixture & top-off of wiper fluid. The service department proposed to fix my engine light and gave the authorization. At the end of the day my car wasn't fixed and I was told by the manager Bobbie that he would refund my travel expenses. I received my car back on the second day and the engine light was still on and he told to drive around and it would go away or bring it back the next day. I brought it back the next day and they ran more test and recommend repairs and I gave authorization. After repair was completed the engine light was still on and again was told that they needed to keep the car to find out. They even had to take out of their business to another auto repair shop to find the problem and it was only a temporary fix because when I got my car back and drove home the engine light came back on.

The whole process took 10 working days to complete. I gave the manager by email copies of my travel receipt for reimbursement. I followed up at the end of the month for the status of my refund and the manager said he would look into and reach back to me. I did this three times and he never replied back to me and I also sent an email to the headquarters office and I also never received a reply back.

And my car still has the engine light on but I was no longer going to return the vehicle to them since my car is to hard for them to repair.