I hope someone out there can help me with this problem. I hope some one would tell me what are the legal steps I can take to solve this, and maybe put an end to this game that most auto repair shop are playing to get more money out of our pocket.
It started like this; I took my car for inspection and I was told because the engine light is on can’t pass the test and they have to run diagnostics test and the charge for that would be $ 89.00, I told them this test was done and I was told it is the EGR( exhaust gas recirculation) system, and they told me that is not good, they have to do the test so they can pin point the problem and find the actual part that is not working and change that, not keep changing part until they get to bad one, we have to do the test our self. So they charged me for the inspection and told me you have fifteen days to solve the problem and bring it back for the inspection other wise you have to pay for the inspection again.
First of all if you want to do the repair and your are calling yourself specialist you must be able to find the defective part and replace it, and when you are charging people for labor what is the meaning of this diagnostics charge, isn’t this just another excuse to get more money from people? And when you did not do anything why did you charge me for the inspection?
I tried to solve the problem, I took my car to other places and I was told the problem is the EGR (code 401), so I bought the valve and I changed it, and it took me 15 minutes to change it for which some places were going to charge me 3 hours of labor to change it and after driving the car for 10 miles the engine light came back on and since I was not able to solve the problem I had no choice but to take the car to the same place before I lose that inspection and I did that and asked them to do what ever needed to be done so I can have my inspection. And I told them I have changed the EGR valve.
After about half an hour they told me;” the problem was the TRANSDUCER” and because I, never in the past have heard that word and never even seen that word in the TOYOTA book, I thought it’s better if I don’t say any thing. So I asked them how much this is going to cost? I was told “part and labor is going to be $ 229.00 and I said it is OK. And I went home.
After few hours I called them to see what happened to my car and they told me they changed the part and took the car out for the road test and after some driving the ENG light came back on and they had to look for the problem. And there is another part that they have to change!!! So what happened to pin pointing the problem?
To make the long story short; they called me after five pm and told me since they are going to be closed soon they can deliver my car and they asked for my credit card number they told me every thing is ok and they are going to run another test and put the sticker on my car and bring it to me.
They did that and they gave me the bill for $ 335.79. It was almost 6 pm on Saturday, Sep,28,08 or even later that they brought my car and their shop was closed and Sunday they are also closed, so I called them very early Monday morning and ask them to leave all the parts that they changed on my car, because I would like to pick those parts, immediately I have received this respond; “we do not keep the parts and we dumped them, I told them please get them out of the trash can even if you did so, I would like to have those parts back, I was told we will check.
After some time I have received a call and was informed that they do not have the parts, because the trash truck was there on Monday morning and pick them up and they are gone.
Believe me, I knew they are lying, and did not give up, by calling them and talking, and trying to reason with them, they come up with this story; we have find one of the parts it was under the table, but we can not find the other one, (this is the one that I told them it was working and you should not have changed that). At this time they offer me, “the best we can do for you is giving you $ 40.00 back”. I told him thank you and hang up.
I was not about to give up, I called the corporate office of that business and talk to a gentleman who I was told is in charge and will take care of this problem; I should mention that now it is almost 20 days past, and the gentleman told me, he is going to talk to the mechanic and people in that location and get back to me, and after few hours and couple of times calling me and asking question, he finally called me and said.
“I asked the mechanic who worked on your car to go and look for those parts and they find your parts you can pick them up. Now I have the parts but I am sure the part is not going to work this part was check at other place and it was OK I am positive that they have tampered with this part before they give it back to me to save themselves, so I hope some one can help me and guide me so maybe I can put an end to this non since that repair s