[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
From: [redacted] <mandb[redacted].com>Date: Thu, Jun 11, 2015 at 7:35 PMSubject: Fw: You have a new message from the Revdex.com of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania in regards to your complaint #[redacted].To: [redacted] <[redacted]@myRevdex.com.org>[redacted], I am not a mechanic. The problem was explained to you in detail. You chose to fix what you wanted to in order to get money. The engine light and misfire was a sign of a problem. You fixed coil pack which did not fix the problem. You should refund our money just merely because you did not fix our problem and changed the problem on the third invoice. This is poor business. It did take up your time. But if you fixed the problem the first time or stated the "real" problem, we all could have moved on. But you are 700 dollars richer, now. I know you have done this to others. I won't let this go. I will let everyone know my experience with you. You took seven hundred dollars and did not cure the problem because you guessed. I will continue to write letters and voice my opinion. Sincerely,[redacted]
[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:From: [redacted] <mandb[redacted].com>Date: Thu, Jun 11, 2015 at 7:35 PMSubject: Fw: You have a new message from the Revdex.com of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania in regards to your complaint #[redacted].To: [redacted] <[redacted]@myRevdex.com.org>[redacted], I am not a mechanic. The problem was explained to you in detail. You chose to fix what you wanted to in order to get money. The engine light and misfire was a sign of a problem. You fixed coil pack which did not fix the problem. You should refund our money just merely because you did not fix our problem and changed the problem on the third invoice. This is poor business. It did take up your time. But if you fixed the problem the first time or stated the "real" problem, we all could have moved on. But you are 700 dollars richer, now. I know you have done this to others. I won't let this go. I will let everyone know my experience with you. You took seven hundred dollars and did not cure the problem because you guessed. I will continue to write letters and voice my opinion. Sincerely,[redacted]
[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
June 3, 2015To: Whom it May Concern:The vehicle in question was taken in because it was not riding smoothly or properly. We specifically asked for the coolant system to be tested because we had been filling it up on occasion. It is news to me that the mechanic didn’t know this, we asked for this to be tested for leaks and pressure. Why would we ask for this if it wasn’t a concern? We have been informed that a cylinder 3 misfire, which the car had, is an indicator of a blown or leaking head gasket. The coolant was not leaking from the car, however, it was filling up cylinder three. I am not sure why the coil pack repair was done when that never fixed what it came in for. It seems to me that a repair was made up, didn’t fix the problem and I paid almost 700 dollars for a repair. We were not informed of any head gasket issue until the third visit after we had already paid for something that wasn’t even necessary. My first invoice says coolant pressure fine. No invoice for second visit. Third visit, head gasket issues mentioned. Well, if I knew that was the problem from the beginning, it wouldn’t have gotten this far. My husband and I had a choice to keep the car going for a while or get a new one. We figured we would spend 700 dollars on a repair to keep it on the road. The repair completed wasn’t necessary and/or did not fix what we came in for. As far as the second visit, coil packs defective. They weren’t defective, the coil pack wasn’t going to fix the issue. Rick’s should have completed the research that they speak of in their rebuttal before we paid 700 dollars. I should not be responsible for them guessing what the problem was. That is the way business is supposed to work.
Sincerely,
[redacted]'s car was brought to our shop on 4/14/2015 with the complaint that the engine was running roughly and a request to test the coolant. There was a pronounced misfire in the engine, so we directed our technician to scan the vehicle for engine codes, which would report specific malfunctions...
through data collected from monitors within the engine. The initial engine code was [redacted]-Cylinder 3 Misfire Detected (attachment 1a). Further diagnostics indicated that Cylinder 1 was also firing weakly. The spark plug in cylinder #3 was measured at .050, while the manufacturer recommends a gap of no more than .043. In addition, there was a significant amount of oil on the spark plugs, as rubber grommets within the valve cover gasket, deteriorated with age, were allowing oil to seep down to the spark plug. In the case of Cylinder #3, the spark plug was saturated with oil. The rubber grommets, valve cover and gaskets are available from the manufacturer only as a complete assembly.The coolant was tested as requested, was found to be full and tested to -25 degrees, an adequate strength. No coolant was added or replaced. (Attachment 1)
A few days later, we were contacted by [redacted] telling us the engine light was back on. We suggested they bring the car back in and it was determined that the #3 coil pack was defective from the manufacturer (attachment 2b). It was replaced without charge.On April 22, we received an email from [redacted] (attachment 4) informing us that the engine light was on again and asked us to correct the situation. As evidenced in the attached emails, (attachment 5) I did not discover the email until the next afternoon and passed the email to Rick who called [redacted] immediately to get more facts on the vehicle, [redacted] confirmed that the engine was running smoothly, but the engine light had come on again. It was determined that the [redacted] would bring their vehicle in once more and we would run the diagnostics again.
On this third visit, at the time the car was brought in, there was no engine light on, although the owners reported that it would go on and off intermittently. The technician drove the vehicle for 6 miles, found the engine to be running smoothly and the engine light did not come on. The diagnostics revealed no codes through the monitor system (attachment 3b). Rick then called [redacted] to glean more information as to when the light would come on and under what conditions. [redacted] confirmed that the engine had continued to run smoothly but the engine light had continued to come on and off intermittently, usually going off after the car had been driven for a while. During the course of this conversation, [redacted] revealed that he had been adding coolant to the cooling system, a fact which he had not mentioned before this conversation. This bit of information was key to determining why the engine light kept coming on.
Our technician spent a significant portion of time researching this particular vehicle and determining why the engine light would go off and on and how it might relate to the problems the [redacted] had experienced. There were no engine codes and the light was not on at that time. He inspected for any loose wires or connections, finding none. He tested each ignition coil and found all to be OK.
A pressure test indicated no leaks within the cooling system, which includes the heater core, radiator, hoses and the reservoir.Further research through professional resources found that a head gasket leak in this make and model vehicle is Sometimes indicated when the engine misfires for a short time upon start up after the vehicle has been sitting for awhile. After running for a short time it straightens out and runs fine. If coolant is leaking out through the head gasket and collects on the piston, the faulty gaskets gradually reseal as they heat up and any coolant collected on the pistons is burned off as the car is driven. Therefore, the leak isn't immediately obvious.
After reading this information, the technician pulled each spark plug and checked with a bore scope to see if any coolant was visible on top of the pistons. No coolant was present, just as the resource had indicated.
After learning of the head gasket history and how it sometimes presents in this particular vehicle, Rick telephoned [redacted] again and had a lengthy conversation to explain what may be the problem. Rick cautioned that a head gasket repair was very costly and with better than 200,000 miles on this 10-year old vehicle, the [redacted] may want to consider replacing the vehicle rather than investing in another expensive repair. [redacted] expressed a desire to keep the vehicle another year or more and to that end, Rick advised him to continue to keep an eye on the coolant and not take the vehicle on long trips. At no time was it suggested that the engine would only last another three months.
Later that same day, when [redacted] picked up the car, Rick explained to her as well what our research had revealed. An abbreviated explanation of the same information was provided on her receipt. (Attachment 3b)
As a courtesy, the [redacted] were not billed for any research or diagnostic time after their initial repair. All labor and supply costs were absorbed by our business.
It is our policy to address customer concerns in person or by telephone. This allows for the greatest exchange of information and the best opportunity for all parties involved understanding one another. For this reason, [redacted]'s emails were answered by telephone, as evidenced by our response email dated 4/23/2015. Their final telephone conversation was on April 24, after it was determined the most likely source of the coolant leak was a head gasket leak and [redacted] confirmed that the engine misfire, which was the initial complaint, was corrected. You will note in the emails dated 4/28 and 5/22 that other mechanics are advising the [redacted]'s that it either is or isn't the head gasket (attachments 6 and 9).
Although it has no bearing on the situation, I would like to address the issue of our contacting [redacted]'s boss. In his emails, which were sent from [redacted]'s work account, he referred to “my agency and I" and in the email dated Tuesday April 28, [redacted] again referred to "his agency” and employees within the agency being dissatisfied with our service. At this point we felt it prudent to sit down with our contact person at the [redacted] to determine if there was a level of dissatisfaction within the agency that was yet unexpressed. At no time did we discuss the [redacted]'s vehicle or compromise their privacy in any way. Our conversation solely concerned our relationship with and service to the [redacted].
We certainly understand the [redacted]'s frustration; however our shop did not perform any unnecessary work. Our shop addressed what we had been asked to diagnose: why the engine was misfiring. There was a clear need for the work we recommended and performed.Had [redacted] revealed to us that he had been adding coolant to the system, we would have included this problem while initially diagnosing the vehicle rather than diagnosing the engine misfire alone. The coil pack and waive cover gasket were still necessary, Mr. and [redacted] were not deceived and were not cheated. In good faith, we continued to diagnose the vehicle and work to determine the problem at our cost once we had complete information. For this reason, we do not believe the [redacted]'s are due a refund,
Sincerely,Winona H.
President,
[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
From: [redacted] <mandb[redacted].com>Date: Thu, Jun 11, 2015 at 7:35 PMSubject: Fw: You have a new message from the Revdex.com of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania in regards to your complaint #[redacted].To: [redacted] <[redacted]@myRevdex.com.org>[redacted], I am not a mechanic. The problem was explained to you in detail. You chose to fix what you wanted to in order to get money. The engine light and misfire was a sign of a problem. You fixed coil pack which did not fix the problem. You should refund our money just merely because you did not fix our problem and changed the problem on the third invoice. This is poor business. It did take up your time. But if you fixed the problem the first time or stated the "real" problem, we all could have moved on. But you are 700 dollars richer, now. I know you have done this to others. I won't let this go. I will let everyone know my experience with you. You took seven hundred dollars and did not cure the problem because you guessed. I will continue to write letters and voice my opinion. Sincerely,[redacted]
[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:From: [redacted] <mandb[redacted].com>Date: Thu, Jun 11, 2015 at 7:35 PMSubject: Fw: You have a new message from the Revdex.com of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania in regards to your complaint #[redacted].To: [redacted] <[redacted]@myRevdex.com.org>[redacted], I am not a mechanic. The problem was explained to you in detail. You chose to fix what you wanted to in order to get money. The engine light and misfire was a sign of a problem. You fixed coil pack which did not fix the problem. You should refund our money just merely because you did not fix our problem and changed the problem on the third invoice. This is poor business. It did take up your time. But if you fixed the problem the first time or stated the "real" problem, we all could have moved on. But you are 700 dollars richer, now. I know you have done this to others. I won't let this go. I will let everyone know my experience with you. You took seven hundred dollars and did not cure the problem because you guessed. I will continue to write letters and voice my opinion. Sincerely,[redacted]
[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
June 3, 2015To: Whom it May Concern:The vehicle in question was taken in because it was not riding smoothly or properly. We specifically asked for the coolant system to be tested because we had been filling it up on occasion. It is news to me that the mechanic didn’t know this, we asked for this to be tested for leaks and pressure. Why would we ask for this if it wasn’t a concern? We have been informed that a cylinder 3 misfire, which the car had, is an indicator of a blown or leaking head gasket. The coolant was not leaking from the car, however, it was filling up cylinder three. I am not sure why the coil pack repair was done when that never fixed what it came in for. It seems to me that a repair was made up, didn’t fix the problem and I paid almost 700 dollars for a repair. We were not informed of any head gasket issue until the third visit after we had already paid for something that wasn’t even necessary. My first invoice says coolant pressure fine. No invoice for second visit. Third visit, head gasket issues mentioned. Well, if I knew that was the problem from the beginning, it wouldn’t have gotten this far. My husband and I had a choice to keep the car going for a while or get a new one. We figured we would spend 700 dollars on a repair to keep it on the road. The repair completed wasn’t necessary and/or did not fix what we came in for. As far as the second visit, coil packs defective. They weren’t defective, the coil pack wasn’t going to fix the issue. Rick’s should have completed the research that they speak of in their rebuttal before we paid 700 dollars. I should not be responsible for them guessing what the problem was. That is the way business is supposed to work.
Sincerely,
[redacted]'s car was brought to our shop on 4/14/2015 with the complaint that the engine was running roughly and a request to test the coolant. There was a pronounced misfire in the engine, so we directed our technician to scan the vehicle for engine codes, which would report specific malfunctions...
through data collected from monitors within the engine. The initial engine code was [redacted]-Cylinder 3 Misfire Detected (attachment 1a). Further diagnostics indicated that Cylinder 1 was also firing weakly. The spark plug in cylinder #3 was measured at .050, while the manufacturer recommends a gap of no more than .043. In addition, there was a significant amount of oil on the spark plugs, as rubber grommets within the valve cover gasket, deteriorated with age, were allowing oil to seep down to the spark plug. In the case of Cylinder #3, the spark plug was saturated with oil. The rubber grommets, valve cover and gaskets are available from the manufacturer only as a complete assembly.The coolant was tested as requested, was found to be full and tested to -25 degrees, an adequate strength. No coolant was added or replaced. (Attachment 1)
A few days later, we were contacted by [redacted] telling us the engine light was back on. We suggested they bring the car back in and it was determined that the #3 coil pack was defective from the manufacturer (attachment 2b). It was replaced without charge.On April 22, we received an email from [redacted] (attachment 4) informing us that the engine light was on again and asked us to correct the situation. As evidenced in the attached emails, (attachment 5) I did not discover the email until the next afternoon and passed the email to Rick who called [redacted] immediately to get more facts on the vehicle, [redacted] confirmed that the engine was running smoothly, but the engine light had come on again. It was determined that the [redacted] would bring their vehicle in once more and we would run the diagnostics again.
On this third visit, at the time the car was brought in, there was no engine light on, although the owners reported that it would go on and off intermittently. The technician drove the vehicle for 6 miles, found the engine to be running smoothly and the engine light did not come on. The diagnostics revealed no codes through the monitor system (attachment 3b). Rick then called [redacted] to glean more information as to when the light would come on and under what conditions. [redacted] confirmed that the engine had continued to run smoothly but the engine light had continued to come on and off intermittently, usually going off after the car had been driven for a while. During the course of this conversation, [redacted] revealed that he had been adding coolant to the cooling system, a fact which he had not mentioned before this conversation. This bit of information was key to determining why the engine light kept coming on.
Our technician spent a significant portion of time researching this particular vehicle and determining why the engine light would go off and on and how it might relate to the problems the [redacted] had experienced. There were no engine codes and the light was not on at that time. He inspected for any loose wires or connections, finding none. He tested each ignition coil and found all to be OK.
A pressure test indicated no leaks within the cooling system, which includes the heater core, radiator, hoses and the reservoir.Further research through professional resources found that a head gasket leak in this make and model vehicle is Sometimes indicated when the engine misfires for a short time upon start up after the vehicle has been sitting for awhile. After running for a short time it straightens out and runs fine. If coolant is leaking out through the head gasket and collects on the piston, the faulty gaskets gradually reseal as they heat up and any coolant collected on the pistons is burned off as the car is driven. Therefore, the leak isn't immediately obvious.
After reading this information, the technician pulled each spark plug and checked with a bore scope to see if any coolant was visible on top of the pistons. No coolant was present, just as the resource had indicated.
After learning of the head gasket history and how it sometimes presents in this particular vehicle, Rick telephoned [redacted] again and had a lengthy conversation to explain what may be the problem. Rick cautioned that a head gasket repair was very costly and with better than 200,000 miles on this 10-year old vehicle, the [redacted] may want to consider replacing the vehicle rather than investing in another expensive repair. [redacted] expressed a desire to keep the vehicle another year or more and to that end, Rick advised him to continue to keep an eye on the coolant and not take the vehicle on long trips. At no time was it suggested that the engine would only last another three months.
Later that same day, when [redacted] picked up the car, Rick explained to her as well what our research had revealed. An abbreviated explanation of the same information was provided on her receipt. (Attachment 3b)
As a courtesy, the [redacted] were not billed for any research or diagnostic time after their initial repair. All labor and supply costs were absorbed by our business.
It is our policy to address customer concerns in person or by telephone. This allows for the greatest exchange of information and the best opportunity for all parties involved understanding one another. For this reason, [redacted]'s emails were answered by telephone, as evidenced by our response email dated 4/23/2015. Their final telephone conversation was on April 24, after it was determined the most likely source of the coolant leak was a head gasket leak and [redacted] confirmed that the engine misfire, which was the initial complaint, was corrected. You will note in the emails dated 4/28 and 5/22 that other mechanics are advising the [redacted]'s that it either is or isn't the head gasket (attachments 6 and 9).
Although it has no bearing on the situation, I would like to address the issue of our contacting [redacted]'s boss. In his emails, which were sent from [redacted]'s work account, he referred to “my agency and I" and in the email dated Tuesday April 28, [redacted] again referred to "his agency” and employees within the agency being dissatisfied with our service. At this point we felt it prudent to sit down with our contact person at the [redacted] to determine if there was a level of dissatisfaction within the agency that was yet unexpressed. At no time did we discuss the [redacted]'s vehicle or compromise their privacy in any way. Our conversation solely concerned our relationship with and service to the [redacted].
We certainly understand the [redacted]'s frustration; however our shop did not perform any unnecessary work. Our shop addressed what we had been asked to diagnose: why the engine was misfiring. There was a clear need for the work we recommended and performed.Had [redacted] revealed to us that he had been adding coolant to the system, we would have included this problem while initially diagnosing the vehicle rather than diagnosing the engine misfire alone. The coil pack and waive cover gasket were still necessary, Mr. and [redacted] were not deceived and were not cheated. In good faith, we continued to diagnose the vehicle and work to determine the problem at our cost once we had complete information. For this reason, we do not believe the [redacted]'s are due a refund,
Sincerely,Winona H.
President,