Meineke Car Care of Bristol # 227

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the responseIf no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because: I brought my car into the shop on Saturday, February 28th for completion of an exhaust repair that was INPROPERLY done Saturday, December 13th. Due to the fact that I was in the hospital and in recovery for the entire month of January and half of February, the car not driven. I was able to return to Meineke on Saturday, February 28th. I brought the car in for repairs for the poor exhaust work previoulsy done in December. The car was leaking very minimal coolant. Meineke quickly indicated I needed a new radiator. On Wednesday, March 4th, not Thursday, March 5th as indicated, I brought the car to Meineke for a new radiator to SOLVE the the coolant leak problem. On Wednesday, March 4th, I brought it to Meineke's attention that the car was hesitating and I left the car approxitmately, 12:30p for the repairs to be done. I picked up the car on Friday, March 6th at 8:32am. Therefore, Meineke had my car for two days Weds, March and Thursday, March 7th to fix repair the coolant leak situation. The car WAS STILL LEAKING COOLANT!!! after I picked up the car. I kept putting coolant in the car while I was driving for the three weeks and that's when I returned informing Wayne M***, the manager, that the car NEVER STOPPED leaking coolant. I've been driving the car for three weeks with bottles of coolant at all times in the car. Wayne and I got into a heated argurment where he indicated the coolant leak was now coming from some where under the intake manifold and they were INCAPABLE OF FIXING THE PROBLEM AND HE SAID HE COULD RECOMMEND ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP TO FIX IT. They had my car for two days and that's more than enough time to diagnose the problemI don't feel it was the radiator, because the car never OVERHEATED, NOR DID I SEE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE RADIATOR. I was told it was the radiator and I was TOLD BY WAYNE, I HAVE A SIX MONTH WARRANTY FOR THE COOLANT REPAIR LEAK. Now, they don't want to stand by their work. The car came and left with the same problems and it NEVER STOPPED LEAKING COOLANT AFTER THE RADIATOR WAS DONE. I want my monies returned for the radiator since it obvious WAS NOT THE RADIATOR AS MEINEKE STATED!!! I NEVER INDICATED THE CAR WAS NOT LEAKING FOR THE THREE WEEKS AFTER THE INITIAL RADIATOR REPAIR. They just don't want return any of my money, nor admit they ARE WRONG!!! My car has high mileage, HOWEVER it has been very well maintenanced over the years.
Regards,
*** ***

This letter is in response to complaint id # [redacted], from [redacted]. On 2/28/2015 [redacted] brought her 1999 [redacted] with 238,000 miles on the vehicle into our shop to have an exhaust repair done. At that time our tech noticed that coolant was leaking from the front of...

the vehicle , under the radiator. Also the vehicles check engine light was on, and it was running poorly,We informed [redacted] of what we had noticed, and asked her if she wanted us to check it out and give her an estimate which she agreed to. we put a scanner on the computer,which showed that the mass air flow sensor was malfunctioning, we then pressure tested the cooling system, which showed that the top seam of the radiator where the tank and core meet was leaking, We informed [redacted] of the results , and gave her an estimate for repairs.On 3/05/2015 [redacted] brought in the vehicle to have the repairs done which were completed on that day. [redacted] picked up the vehicle the next morning. 3 weeks later, [redacted] came in stating the vehicle was again leaking coolant. Looking at the vehicle in the parking lot,we could see the coolant leaking onto the ground from what appeared to be from the rear of the engine. We brought the vehicle into the shop to check it out.Upon examination we detirmined the vehicle was leaking coolant from somewhere under the intake manifold, which could mean a number of possibilities. This vehicle has coolant pipes which run under the intake manifold also the intake manifod itself, or the head gaskets could be leaking under there also, we informed [redacted] of the problem took her into the shop and shined a light between some components to show her the puddle of coolant that was lying on top of the engine block under the intake manifold.We then informed [redacted] that there was no way of seeing which one of the components was leaking without removing the top of the engine. [redacted] was insistant that we should of seen this when we checked the coolant leak 3 weeks earlier, and that it somehow was our fault that we couldn't forsee this other coolant problem arising.....or that it should of been seen when we first checked the coolant system, as I stated earlier , we pressure tested the system and the radiator was the only thing leaking at thattime no leaks appeared from the rear of the engine........nor did they appear for 3 weeks. This vehicle has over 238,000 miles on it , and all the coolant components appear to be original , without replacing every single component .....radiator...hoses...coolant pipes... water pump heater core intake and head gaskets there is no way to predict or forsee a problem or guarantee that another one may not arise .when [redacted] left our shop on 03/06/2015 the vehicle was running properly, and there were no appearant coolant leaks nor did any appear for 3 weeks and when they did...it was from another problem, We will honor our guarantee for the work which we performed...properly...but we will not take responsibility for this or any other problems this vehicle may have .
Sincerely,
Wayne M
Manager