Firestone Sky Stores

Review: They fixed my car charge me over 300 dollars to fix my cooling system and 2 days later my car overheats and further inspection from another all the work they said they did was not done. They pretty much scammed me.Desired Settlement: 300.00

Review: On Monday, August **, 2014, I brought my 2000 Mazda MPV to Firestone Sky Store, located at [redacted], for a routine state inspection and a routine oil change. My 2000 Mazda MPV was in mint condition when I brought it into Firestone Sky Store in [redacted]. My car has low mileage and servicing of it was kept up with continuously over its entire lifetime. Oil changes were always done timely, in fact, ahead of time. Driving it was like driving a brand new car.

Following the routine inspection and oil change at Firestone Sky Store located at [redacted] in [redacted] on August **, 2014, I drove my Mazda out of Firestone onto the Southern State Parkway entering the parkway not far from Firestone off of [redacted] at the exit 39 ramp. As I drove onto the parkway, I immediately started to hear a clanking noise which increased and increased to a very [redacted]d clanking, rattling noise. Moments later the engine abruptly stopped dead in the middle of the Southern State parkway between exit 32 - 31. Smoke was billowing from the car; the car was completely surrounded in smoke. My car slowly rolled to the right side of the highway, cars slowly passing around me, and finally made it onto the edge of the grass off the highway. Concerned for my safety, I ran from the car concerned for an explosion evidenced by all the smoke and smell of burning. I saw that the car was completely covered with a splattering of oil everywhere. Apparently the engine ruptured after driving just about 8 miles after leaving Firestone Sky Store in [redacted] following their oil change.

I had my car towed back to Firestone. The [redacted] said "You must have hit something". First he said there was a puncture; then contradicted himself and said a hole. There is a big gaping hole underneath - the metal mushrooming out - indicating something from within pushed out - opposite of if I hit something; and the exhaust that is lower than the oil pan wasn't damaged in any way which would have been if damage was from hitting debris on the road; neither was there any debris on the road. Clearly something from within pushed out and blew through the engine causing a gaping hole. Oil was found spread out all throughout underneath the car and spreading back and up the back of the car, indicating that the oil was leaking out continuously after I left the Firestone Sky Store on [redacted] in [redacted].

There is no question that this incident happened because of Firestone's negligence during the routine oil change. It appears to be carelessness during the oil change: a careless, improperly sealed cap or improperly unplugged oil plug that lead to the draining out of all the oil in an approximately 8 mile drive. There was no oil left. Thus, a completely dry engine caused something like a piston to blow out right through the oil pan causing a complete rupture of what was a perfectly good engine.

According to [redacted], the [redacted] at Firestone Sky Store in [redacted], "the motor is unrepairable".

This occurrence is unimaginable and Firestone Sky Store in [redacted] must be held accountable for this unimaginable occurrence, an occurrence that not only destroyed my car but was dangerous and devastating to me. After driving only 8 miles from leaving their Firestone, NB shop my car is ruined by carelessness, inattention to a routine oil change, a sloppy job done by a careless employee of the Firestone Sky Store in [redacted]. I have never had a problem such as this until this Firestone Sky Store in [redacted] touched my car.Desired Settlement: I would like my car restored to the condition it was in when I brought it in for a routine oil change. My car underwent a serious malfunction and was ruined due to carelessness at Firestone Sky Store, NB and I remain concerned about the spillover effect that the impact of driving a car that is completely empty of oil can have on the rest of the car. Without knowing that, I expect at the very least that my car be brought back to it's original condition by Firestone Sky Store, NB by compensating me fully for a replacement engine in the car. If it is determined that a replacement engine in this car will not result in the satisfactory running of this car because of spillover damage from the ruptured engine then I would expect Firestone to be responsible for providing me with a replacement car.

Business

Response:

First I would like to say that we have been in business for over 30 years and we go above and beyond to make sure our customers are satisfied and happy and safe prior to leaving our shop. This customer came in for a routine oil change and State Inspection stating the car sat for four months and has not been driven, customer stated "should I change the oil, my car is vibrating?" The customer states she heard a [redacted]d clanking noise. This could have happened because something came up in the road or she hit something in the road making a hole and cracking the oil pan. We have pictures of her oil pan showing the hole and the crack as well as an intact tight new oil filter and drain plug showing no signs of leakage or being left loose. Nothing "mushroomed" out of her oil pan as she stated. From exit 39 to exit 31 is quite a distance to drive hearing such a [redacted]d rattling noise as the customer states which would take approximate ly 15 minutes. This did not happen "moments later" as the customer states. If there was no oil in the customers car prior to her leaving she would not have been able to leave the parking lot and drive to southern state parkway (we are exit 39) let alone drive to exit 31 on Southern State Parkway. She would have heard [redacted]d knocking which didn't occur. While we feel badly that this happened to a customer of ours, this was not the fault of my business, my employees or my shop, so we cannot assume responsibility for her vehicle.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

I would like to make something very clear right from the start. On August [redacted], 2014, I drove my perfectly good well running car into the Firestone Sky Store at [redacted] in [redacted].

Within approximately 8 miles from driving out of that Firestone store the engine of my car exploded.

I am going to respond one-by-one with facts to the irresponsible comments about this experience given by Firestone Store, [redacted]:

1. I did not go into the Firestone Store and ask “Should I change my oil?” I went into the Firestone store stating I wanted an oil change.

2. I drove into the Firestone store with a car in excellent condition, with a documented history of being well-maintained and currently referred to as “like new”, just to get a routine oil change.

3. I NEVER said to Firestone “My car is vibrating.”

4. The reason the car had not been driven for approximately 3-4 months was because the owner was ill battling cancer and being treated at an in-patient facility. The car was at the owner’s house while he was in treatment. After the owner passed away, it was recommended that I get a routine oil change for the car.

5. The approximately 8 mile drive from Firestone in [redacted], located nearby the Southern State Parkway entrance ramp at exit 39 to almost exit 31 on the Southern State Parkway is a documented fact. The exact mileage is noted on the State Of New York Vehicle Inspection Report that Firestone also provided for me that same day. It was approximately 8 miles later – as evidenced by the new additional 8 miles on the odometer -that my car exploded.

6. The clanking noise began soft; as my drive continued the clanking noise got progressively [redacted]der until there was a “pop”. Then the clanking noise peaked to a violently [redacted]d rattling sound. Suddenly my car abruptly stopped dead just west of exit 32. Smoke enveloped the car. After jumping out of the car I saw that a drenching of oil had spewed from underneath throughout all over the back of my car. It was an unbelievably devastating and dangerous scenario that erupted only approximately 8 miles after driving out of the Firestone store in [redacted].

7. During that 8 mile drive there is no evidence whatsoever that my car hit anything.

8. There is no other damage to the car, for example to the exhaust underneath that lies lower, that would have suggested hitting something – especially a big something – to have caused the gaping hole.

9. The appearance of the gaping hole is such that the metal is curled out – pushed out – indicating that something from within exploded out.

10. There is no question that carelessness during the oil change – a seal not sealed properly – a plug not plugged properly causing a loose item to blow out through the oil pan – creating a gaping hole, causing a splattering of oil all over my car as the car moved forward, leaking oil out steadily, depleting the oil supply, causing smoke to envelope my car from an emptied, drained out oil supply, bringing my car to a dead halt with a ruined engine – just because of carelessness during a routine oil change.

11. This is despicable.

12. Firestone needs to be accountable.

13. There are additional reviews of similar kind of this Firestone store in [redacted] referring to the carelessness of the work done at this Firestone location that has led to serious damage to vehicles, potential injury and additional cost borne by the customer to repair the faulty work done at this Firestone Store in [redacted]. The reviews are on [redacted] and [redacted].

14. The right thing for this Firestone store to do is to restore my car to the condition it was in when I brought it into this store – in good faith – for a routine oil change.

15. If Firestone questions anything at all about the facts I have stated here and is willing to have a Third Party Specialist evaluate the damage to my car and the events leading up to what happened to my car and if it is determined I am wrong and that Firestone is not at fault I am willing to pay for it.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

%

Review: I went to the business this morning for a state required inspection. I was told I needed a repair to my brake system and two new tires. I had the required work done. THE WRONG SIZE TIRES WERE INSTALLED ON MY VEHICLE. I noticed this error a couple of hours later, when a friend pointed out the error. I called the business regarding this matter and they refused to correct the error and hung up on me.Desired Settlement: I've contacted Firestone Corp headquarters. I've spent hours of my time. I want a refund and compensation for my time trying to get this error corrected.