ComplaintsforLithia Chevrolet of Redding

• Initial Complaint

  05/10/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I took my car into Lithia Chevrolet in Redding on April 30th, 2024. The appointment was at 7:30 and I was there on time. My only requested services were new tires, a new battery and a new key fob. Nothing else was requested or wanted. My best who is also the father of my child did all of the oil changes for the last few years. So, once I got home, I asked him to come look at the car because I could tell something was wrong. After checking the car out, he mentioned that there was way too much oil in it, the tires were inflated way too much and that I should schedule an appointment with a trustworthy mechanic. I took his advise and discovered that Lithia Chevrolet put over a quart of oil in my engine, didn't align my tires correctly and did a poor job with replacing the battery. I was also told that for the service received, I over-payed about $500. Then, I looked at the reviews online about Lithia Chevrolet and found out that they have done this to other people as well and that I was lucky to catch it. When your engine has way too much oil in it, it can cause the entire engine to eventually blow out. Unless you catch it before you leave the dealership, there is no real way to prove they did it. it's the perfect crime and I have no doubt that they have caused accidents over the years that has resulted in deaths. These people belong behind bars but all I can really do is warn people. My daughter and I could have died if I hadn't done anything. Lithia Chevrolet has denied it but no one else could have put oil in the engine besides them. My best friend would not endanger me or his daughter in such a terrible way. I think the only reason that they are still in business is because no one has been able to connect the dots until now. Also, I was told that there was a mail-in rebate for $180 for the purchase of 4 tires but that was a lie. I never received paperwork for it and when I researched it, the price for any rebate is much lower than $180. I'd like a refund of $500.

  Business response

  05/13/2024

  This customer has stated that we performed an oil change, or topped off the oil; however, both are not accurate. Based off the service records, video surveillance footage, and the employees involved, we did NOT touch the oil. We did install four tires, wiper blades, and a new battery. The customer has accused our staff of being drug dealers, or drug addicts, and felons on other review platforms. She has even accused our store of "hate crimes", which doesn't make a lot of sense. She is eligible for a mail-in rebate, which she did not know how to complete. She called and spoke to ******* - who provided the information, and she hung up on him without notice (the phone call was recorded, and we have listened to it). I cannot speak to the accusations of putting her or her family in danger as I'm not sure what was actually wrong with the car? As for an alignment - the customer did not pay for an alignment, and we did not perform one. The customer paid for services, and we provided them as described. There is no refund due. *************************, General Manager

  Customer response

  05/13/2024

  I am rejecting this response because: Provide proof of the "video recording" that clears your mechanics then. I've read several other instances where your actions have resulted in car engines failing as well as services you provided other customers who didn't request the services provided so I know I'm not alone in this . I never accused any of your employees of committing a hate crime, maybe you should learn to read. Also, accusing me of things instead of taking responsibility for your staff seems pretty childish. I'm asking for a $500 refund after you endangered my life as well as my child's life. If you would like for me to take even more drastic and legal measures, I'd be happy to do so. As for the "mail-in-rebate", I never received paperwork and the price for it was much lower than your staff had quoted me for. I have no reason to lie and I'm not very good at it anyways so anything I've typed here is nothing but the honest truth. I'd feel rotten if I didn't warn my community of your terrible service and your faulty business practices which has already endangered the lives of several of your past customers. Your establishment needs better management, better staff and better mechanics.
  

  Business response

  05/14/2024

  This customer has accused our store of "hate crimes", being "meth heads" or drug addicts, and employing convicts - on numerous different online platforms. We are not going to argue the specifics of the visit - the customer was charged for four tires, a battery, and wiper blades. All three services were rendered and completed for the agreed upon price which the customer signed an estimate for prior to services. There is no refund due. We encourage the customer to "contact local authorities", as she has threatened to do on numerous platforms, or contact the ****** of ********** Repair (BAR) if she feels we did anything wrong.

  The customer did, in fact, receive a copy of the repair order (RO) and receipt for payment upon services rendered, just as every single customer receives at our facility. And the customer can receive a mail-in rebate from the tire manufacturer if she chooses to fill out the required documentation for that (which is how all mail-in rebates work in any industry).

  Lastly, the customer has failed to explain exactly how Lithia "endangered" her life. We did not touch her oil - but even if we did, oil levels do not endanger people's lives. She again stated that we didn't align the tires and we agree - she did not pay for or request a vehicle alignment. To reiterate, there is no refund due to this customer. Thanks, *****.

  Customer response

  05/15/2024

  I am rejecting this response because:I checked the oil prior to taking it into your dealership, *****. You can't comprehend how blowing out someones engine could endanger them??? That is exactly the kind of thing a con artist would say and I do believe you because most con artists aren't very bright. Still, going to the local authorities is certainly something I'm already planning on doing but I'll be reaching out to the other people who you wronged first. There is no proof that you did or didn't put more oil in my engine, even though you claim to have video of proof. The mail-in-rebate doesn't match the price that **** gave me either. I have a printer at home as well as the ability to fill out the online rebate but that's not the problem. Your dealership refuses to take responsibility and you refuse to treat your customers with respect. Furthermore, putting too much air in a tire can cause them to blow out which can cause an accident and that is also a form of endangerment. I haven't accused your employees of anything drug related or hate crime related but I have suggested it as a possibility for an explanation as to such poor service and poor people skills. You keep taking things I've typed out of the original context as well which is extremely dishonest as well as manipulative. Your employees were told that my child and I were autistic and that we were planning on taking a long trip in a few months. **** also couldn't help but to point out that my 2018 ***** had really low mileage. Doesn't take a genius to figure out the rest. Refund or not, you should not be in charge of a dealership or any business that deals with the public's safety. My main goal is to make my community a safer place and that can't happen while people like you are scamming and endangering people.   
  

  Business response

  05/16/2024

  BBB, this will be my last response to this customer:

  We have reviewed video footage of the visit and the customer's services were performed as requested. We show that tires were set to factory levels, a battery was replaced, and the wipers were installed (in which the customer has also accused us on other platforms of installed backwards, which is impossible due to wipers clips only clipping one way). She's stated the vehicle wasn't aligned - and she is correct, that's not what she paid for us to do. She was aware of the tire manufacturer rebate and was provided all repair order (RO) documents upon closure of the *** she is responsible for filling that out. The customer did NOT contact store management regarding her concerns or bring the vehicle back in to point out what she thinks was wrong, like a typical customer would, and request us to make adjustments to any repair. The customer has indeed accused our employees of being "meth heads", doing drugs, and/or being 98% convicts/druggies... all on other public platforms. This customer is not allowed back at our facility, and we again encourage her to reach out to local authorities or the *** if she feels she was wronged. I will not subject my employees to this customer's banter and insults any longer, and there is no refund due. *****, General Manager

  Customer response

  05/16/2024

  I am rejecting this response because:
  I'm sure you think that your response is valid but it's not. You do not have video proof of anything and if you did, it's been edited. My oil was fine and was at the right level prior to taking it into your dealership. No one else had access to my vehicle and I know I didn't put any oil in it so that kind of leaves your dealership as the only suspect. Just because you claim that you're innocent doesn't mean that you are and once I get statements and interview the other people you have wronged, I'll be able to turn everything over to the local authorities. Maybe you'll learn your ****** once you and your employees get arrested for a long list of illegal activities. Again, I never accused your employees of drug use, I mentioned that it as a possible excuse for why they would endanger people. You clearly are in on it because you're willing to cover for them. Yes, your employees look like convicts but I never claimed that they were. Maybe you'd have less complaints if you weren't constantly ripping people off and being so unprofessional. Don't worry, I'll never go back to that "dealership" again because it's extremely unsafe and none of the people I interacted with were very bright or very nice. I prefer not to waste my time in places with such horrible reputations.

• Initial Complaint

  01/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I had to take my car to the dealership for repairs in March of 2023. 4 wheel drive issues. I was told it was okay to drive while waiting for repairs. Repairs were made and back on the road. Then in September 2023 I had to take my car back again and now it needs a new transmission. My car is a **** Jeep compass with only ****** miles on it. It should not be needing a new transmission. My car has been in the shop for over 90 days during this time we have got little to no answers on when it will be done. We were given a loaner vehicle by the dealership, to which we were grateful . On December 23 a rock hit the windshield of the loaner car. I called the dealership and told them about it. They called back the next day and told me to bring in the loaner and they would get me a new vehicle and we would figure out how to pay for the windshield. They quoted me almost $850. Told me I was not getting another vehicle from them and told me I was costing them lots of money. I called the auto glass place and they only quoted me $650. I have brought that to lithias attention, and now have not received any kind of call back from them. I called again today and was told not to call the service department again, and that I needed to speak with the general manager only. I left a message with the general manager today and hope to hear back soon. Lithia had asked me to apply for a credit card to pay for the windshield. I was not approved for the credit card. I was unaware that my insurance didn't cover rentals. Lithia took my insurance information and should have checked with them before giving me a loaner vehicle. I feel I keep getting the run around and not the proper information about my car that is being worked on.

  Business response

  01/05/2024

  Hi, I was just able to speak with the customer and informed her that we received the backordered transmission yesterday. The repair should be completed within the week now. In addition, we agreed to split the windshield replacement cost - each party will pay half. Due to the United Auto Worker (UAW) strike, many Mopar parts have been on massive backorder. This vehicle's transmission took almost three months to receive. The extended warranty is covering the repair less the deductible. In short, I think we are all squared away here, and fingers crossed the repair goes smooth. *************************, General Manager

  Customer response

  01/05/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my concern, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  12/13/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 10/6/23, I signed a lease for a 2023 ***** Bolt from Lithia and paid to have it transported to ****. I paid for the shipping on 10/9, and it was delivered on 10/12. I chose Lithia because **** has very few Bolts.On 10/13, Lithia said GM Financial rejected the lease because Lithia miscalculated a fee. I re-signed the new lease the next day.On 10/16, I asked Lithia what the Utah *** needed to register the car. They told me on 10/21 to contact GM Financial directly. GMF sent me paperwork to send to their title administrator, PDP Group. I sent it on 10/25.PDP said on 10/30 that they were still waiting for the vehicles title from Lithia. I asked Lithia for a courtesy credit. I got no response.On 11/1, Lithia said that there was no title for the car because it was a new vehicle, only an MSO, and they were waiting for it from the LA dealer where they got the vehicle. I asked for its name, but Lithia only told me that the other dealer mailed it to them. I asked for a tracking number, but they didn't reply.On 11/2, General Manager ************************* offered to annul the lease. I asked if I could look for another vehicle before choosing to annul it, but I got no reply. I sent more paperwork to Lithia on 11/4 ****** tracking #************). It arrived on 11/6. Lithia said they sent the docs to the *** on 11/13, a week later ***** tracking number **********************), but accidentally sent it by mail instead of *** overnight. It didn't arrive until 11/21.On 11/28, the *** rejected and mailed back the application. ***** refused to credit me and said I could no longer undo the lease either. On 12/4, Lithia overnighted the packet back to the *** with more info the *** wanted (*** tracking number: 1Z9552450193391223).On 12/8, the *** rejected and returned the documents again. ***** again refused credit, saying that I should have known there would be delays when I leased the vehicle from an out-of-state dealer, but much of the delay has been Lithias fault.

  Business response

  12/22/2023

  Hello - I have personally been in direct contact with this customer. He has been explained on numerous occasions that we are a ********** dealer and are not licensed for DMV and registering processes in **** (where he resides), which means we cannot complete the process electronically like we do in **********. Normally, it's the customer's responsibility to register their car when purchasing a vehicle out-of-state. ********** is a non-*** state - meaning the manufacturer does not ship Manufacturer Certificates of Origin for the vehicles they build (it is not required here like it is in other states). **** does require it, and we requested the document from Chevrolet immediately after purchase, however, it can take up to 6 weeks to obtain. Without the ***, the vehicle cannot be registered in his state. In addition, the customer leased the vehicle - meaning he is not the registered owner, but rather GM financial is the owner. So, he cannot register the vehicle without a ***** of ******** (***) from GMF. Because of this, our store also obtained the *** on behalf of the customer and GMF to expedite his registration. We have since mailed all copies and required documents to the Utah DMV last Friday (12/15/2023) and they should be in the possession of his State's DMV office. In short, our store has completed everything, even going "above and beyond" to ensure the customer can register his vehicle and obtain state license plates.

  It's important to note that I have informed the customer that ALL states issue temporary driving permits while these sorts of things are processed, because it does indeed take time. For whatever reason, the customer is unwilling to pay Utah DMV for a temp permit and/or unwilling to contact GMF to obtain a *** to provide Utah DMV so that he can get a temp permit. Lastly, our store is competent and knowledgeable on out-of-state deliveries - we complete approximately 40 annually - there is nothing that has been out of the ordinary in this transaction despite the customer feeling like we aren't helping him. We are confident that the customer will soon be able to finalize his registration after the Utah DMV processes all paperwork.

  
  *************************, General Manager

• Initial Complaint

  09/17/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  i went there in august, to have a leak down test done. i get my car back a week later and they performed a compression test. not what i asked for,90$ lost. (i believe the car had a bad head gasket and wanted the confirmation with the leak down test as i already had done a compression test myself. i then took the car back in for a head gasket replacement. they told me i had to go over to parts and have them order the parts if i wanted, if i wanted them in sooner, so i did. they tell me its going to be another 300-500$ to get my head sent off to get cleaned and resurfaced. so i had them order a new one to save time on labor, sounds easy right? it was not. they then tell me they have to charge me 125$ to charge my ac. my ac was never disconnected in first place and i have pictures. i had to grab something out of my car on november 19th. i get there to find they left my window down all weekend and they also drained my battery as it was still plugged in as my motor was torn apart, sounds safe right? they had installed a water pump and thermostat then they tell me my motor is no good. i told them that's not correct. i had a random tech (that wasn't assigned to the work order) and also the service manager ******, argue with me on how im wrong. they are not helping but cause issues. they would not give me a warranty on the motor work i requested to have done nor a refund on the parts they installed only to tell say my motor was bad. i don't understand why pay for parts when i couldn't use them on the motor? they also left all old parts in my back seat and oil on my floor board. a few days later ****** calls me and i explain my frustration with him and he yells at me on the phone. (my dad worked there) so i choose this place to work on my car as i got employee discount. and they had brought my dad into the office when ****** had called me,i was not aware. they communicated more with my father than they did with me about my own car. i ended up losing 5000$ due to them.

  Business response

  09/19/2023

  Tell us why here...I have attached the three Repair Orders (RO) related to the customers visits and subsequent complaints. On September 28th, per RO #******, the customer entered our shop and informed our advisor that 1) the engine had a misfire on cylinder 4, code P300 and P304, and requested a leak down test 2) vehicle runs on E85 fuel (unsure why), and in order to put into reverse, you must put into third and fourth gear, then reverse, for the clutch and/or transmission to engage reverse. Clearly, this vehicle has high miles and serious mechanical issues with the transmission and engine, both were indicated to have problems by the customer at check in. The tech notated that he was able to verify the customers suspicions, performed a pressure test and verified low pressure of 125 psi, and inspected the cylinder walls and valves with a bore scope and found coolant and vertical striations on cylinder walls. Given the number of miles of the vehicle (******* miles at time of check in) recommend replacing engine. The customer was only charged $80 for the visit and diagnosis, even though our customer door rate is $185 per hour. The customer returned on November 1st on RO #****** and requested our store to 1)replace cylinder head and related gaskets 2) customer requests to be careful removing injectors and fuel pump on the block (because the customer attached them using RTV silicone during his own repairs performed at his residence (this is an extremely odd request by the customer and clearly the vehicle has more problems than what we are addressing). At the customers direction and approval of the estimate, we began repairs and tear down. During that time, ************** noticed fluid was leaking down through the cylinders and into the engine. He found that the piston rings were failing, and the engine was compromised. Our team advised the customer, and the customer instructed us to push the vehicle to the parking lot and await further instructions, which we did. The customer later declined to replace the engine and authorized a tow from our facility. He did not have the money to pay his bill, so his father (who worked at Lithia) paid the bill for him.
  It's important to note that this customer has already submitted a complaint with the ****** of ********** Repair (***). The *** inspector investigated the customers complaints and reviewed all of the documentation; he also met with the service manager and the technician he found that the dealership performed ALL work as requested by the customer and that we ceased work at the instruction of the customer. He closed the case in record time and notated that the dealership did everything by the book. The customer owns a vehicle with 175k miles he has done most repairs (incorrectly) at his house and tried to use our dealership to perform certain work that he did not know how to perform. Unfortunately, the vehicle is aged and tired and needs the engine replacement if the customer wants to continue to drive this vehicle as an everyday vehicle.
  
  Due to the customers explicit instructions at time of check-in, which is clearly documented on each RO, and due to the ***s investigation that found no wrongdoing by our store, we will not refund this customer or perform future work on this vehicle.
  
  *************************
  General Manager
  Lithia Chevrolet of Redding

  Customer response

  09/19/2023

  I am rejecting this response because:

  1st) i asked for a leak down test and was given compression numbers for a compression test which i did myself prior to bringing it. Which I told them about the compression numbers being different for one cylinder for a hot and cold motor. So not sure why the incorrect service was performed? 2nd) And also, why would I be charged for parts installed then be told my motor is no good? How can I actually use the parts then? 3rd) The transmission doesnt have anything to do with what happened here. I had work performed at another shop and the issues occured on picking up of my vehicle. I stated that to advisor when I dropped it off at ****** 4th) Im unsure why I was charged so much. Even the 50% restocking fee seems fair fetched for the cylinder head. The whole transaction was handled every unprofessionally. I have talked to several people about this. 5th) I should not have been yelled at on the phone either. I paid for 11hours of work to dissemble a motor that I probably could have done myself but as an individual I did not have the full mechanical knowledge of putting the motor in time. 6th) communication is key. Failed to be communicate with me. Talk to me, not my father. He does not drive nor own the car. I believe I do, last time I looked at my registration. 

  
  

  Business response

  09/20/2023

  Hello -

  If the customer was so dissatisfied with the leak down / compression test visit on September 28th, 2022, as indicated in his original complaint and subsequent response, or with the communication from our dealership, he would not have returned for service three days later on November 1st with request for us to complete additional, more costly repairs at his direction - despite the knowledge that ************** recommended an engine replacement three days prior. The customer believes he knows how to work on vehicles, and in some cases is more knowledgeable than our technicians - it's why we provided numerous witness statements to the *** regarding the customer arguing and yelling at our technicians on the back lot. Because he believes to be more knowledgeable than our technicians, he did not trust our diagnosis and returned three days later with his own parts and specific requests for repairs (because he didn't know how to do them). In addition, the customer has waited 1 year to dispute this service work on this platform. In the meantime, he has complained to the ***, as indicated in my response, and the *** found zero merit to the customer's complaints after completing an investigation. The customer owns an older vehicle with extremely high miles and has attempted numerous faulty and/or questionable repairs on his own vehicle. The dealership completed all work as requested by the customer and the customer chose not to move forward when further work was recommended. At the customer's own expense and direction, the vehicle was towed from our facility.

  *************************

  General Manager

  Customer response

  09/20/2023

  I am rejecting this response because

  i asked for a leak down test. I was charged for a compression test and given numbers for a compression test. which I already knew the results. 2 completely different test. Rather not have to repeat myself. Again. Its not that I did not trust your diagnoses. Its that, The wrong service performed and I brought that up to the service desk.  

  And I brought the car in middle of November for work. And doesnt matter how many miles it has on the car. A job is a job. Less than 800 of theres cars were produced and I explained to the guys that Ive collected these cars and they are hard to find parts for. Which I why I brought it to the dealer to help with the process of repairing it.  And i did not bring my own parts for the job. Not sure where that info came from.i was told to go over to parts to have them order parts for the job so it can be completed sooner . And with me being in the back lot yelling I was not yelling. I was upset the way my car was left as stated In pictures attached originally in the claim. Would you be happy with oil all over your floor of the car and window down all weekend? Also battery completely drained due to lack of knowledge to disconnect a battery before performing head/top end work? Not to mention, vehicles were stolen days prior from them. My stuff was not properly secured. I never said I knew more than the techs. I explained I owned many of THESE cars so may have some knowledge or 2 about them. When youve owned 5, you tend to understand the vehicle more and the goods/bads of one. 
  No communication was done with me as it was mainly done with my father who worked there at the time. Which I didnt understand. They brought my father into this which I dont appreciate at all. I am still lost on why you guys charged me for parts installed then tell me my motor is bad. Why pay for parts I cant use? 

  Like stated in last reply. I would have done the work myself if I was mechanically knowledgeable on timing these motors. I am tired of repeating myself. Again. I hesitated on making the claim as I talked to several other people And had personal stuff come up. Not sure why thats a issue? Several points I pointed out on first statement were ignored and I will not be addressing them again. Youd be frustrated to, to pay for things that you cant use/incorrect services were done and leaving the vehcle a complete mess with oil on the floor. Am I wrong? I was told not to come back and to take my vehicle out as soon as possible. And for ****** to yell at me on the phone was highly unprofessional. This whole thing was unprofessional. It was supposed to be a simple 2k job that turned into 5k for myself. 

  Business response

  09/21/2023

  We will need to agree to disagree here - your father was involved because HE WAS THE PAYING CUSTOMER. You did not have the money, and your father paid the final invoice because you couldn't. 99% of our **s have parts billed out on them - we would not have directed you to purchase them outside of the *** The rare instances where parts are not on the ** are when customer brings their aftermarket parts in for us to install... not OE parts. I'm not sure why you chose to purchase them on your own directly through our parts department, but that would be considered extremely rare and unconventional - and none of our employees would have directed you to do that. Ordering parts at the front desk vs ordering parts on an ** do NOT increase or decrease the availability or timetable of receipt for those parts... under any circumstance.

  We would have repaired and/or replaced any items missing or damaged while in the care of our facility. I understand being frustrated about your window being down - but nothing was damaged or stolen... and again, we would have covered that. Our service manager ****** offered to clean or replace your floor mats that *** have gotten oil from the parts placed in the back floor (under your direction), but you refused that offer. For the last time (I won't be responding again), your claim was investigated by the *** and they found no merit to your complaints. In addition, I (the ** of the store) was not involved in your visit but have also investigated your claims and found no merit to them either. We will not be offering a refund and not offering any future service to you. 

  *************************

  General Manager

  Customer response

  09/21/2023

  I am rejecting this response because:

   your counter guy at service told me to do so on ordering parts at parts department if I wanted the work to start on my car sooner. And again. The wrong service as performed as far as the leak down test went. I was never offered a refund for it as again, I brought this up when I went to pay for it. I was told by your tech that it was the service side that made the mistake but then the service side it must have been a mistake with the tech. See how we just went in a circle there? The wrong service was performed as requested. I did not bring in any aftermarket parts. Yes the car had parts on it and I just spent a lot of money trying to fix it but as we both see it was more than that. I would like my money back. You guys dont care to see why I am upset on the issue. I asked for a top end  job to be done along with maintenance parts. But to leave my car the way I received it and also to have your service manager yell at me? Uncalled for. Also to pay for parts AFTER the business tells me the motor is deemed. Doesnt sound right. Doesnt sit right when a customer has to clean his own car after the shop leaves OIL IN THE BACK floor board. Hopefully you can understand. Please stop making false accusations against me.i ********* you keep making out different points and cant keep it on track to see why I am frustrated with the whole thing. Especially on how I received my car and the way I was treated by your employees. We can agree to disagree. Im sure if you took your vehicle in for service and received it the way I received mine, youd be upset.

  I am not going to repeat my self again. Lets please come to a conclusion to this. 

• Initial Complaint

  06/01/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We purchased a vehicle from them 3 months ago & the transmission is bad. We brought it in previously to be looked at but they found no problem supposedly . But now that our warranty is up they all of a sudden found out that our transmission is no good & are refusing to cover it even though we previously stated an issue. I have had 3 others say they have had a similar encounter with them & that they would never buy from because of them doing the same thing to them. Now we are out a vehicle even though we just bought it from them. They knew this problem was there but did not want to admit it while they were going to be responsible

  Business response

  06/02/2023

  The customer purchased the ***** on March 3rd, 2023 with ****** miles on the vehicle. The customer received a complimentary 60 day / ***** mile comprehensive warranty at time of sale but declined the option to purchase an extended warranty for their vehicle. On March 13th, the customer opened a repair order at ****** miles stating "cust states vehicle wouldn't engage into 4wd. They were stuck in the snow." (repair order is attached with customer signature). We were unable to duplicate the concern - we scanned for codes and found none. In addition, the vehicle's 4wd system was operating as intended in 4 high, 4 low, and 2wd. Specifically, this complaint was related to the 4wd system and/or the vehicles transfer case. On May 30th, the customer dropped the truck off in our overnight drop and filled out the check in envelope (copy attached). The vehicle's odometer was now ******, meaning the customer had driven ***** miles since purchasing the vehicle. The envelope, written and signed by the customer, reads "check transmission loud going into gear and sometimes when shifting." Our service department created a new repair order (attached) after opening on May 30th stating Line A "customer states vehicle in making a whining noise please check and advise" and Line B "customer states 4wd system is not working please check and advise." Again, we were unable to duplicate or substantiate a 4wd system complaint. We did, however, duplicate the whining sound coming from the transmission under load and recommended a transmission replacement for $7,011.15 since the vehicle was long outside the ***** comp warranty and the customer did not have extended warranty coverage, which was offered at time of sale.

  The customer's husband then contacted sales management (******) upset that we would not retroact the current transmission issue to the 4wd compliant on March 13th. We explained that's not possible and that it's considered fraudulent as the two complaints are not related. In addition, we have not found any issues with the 4wd system. The customer then got extremely nasty and tried to bully our employees into his demands - stating, in part, that "this was now personal", "I'm going to get my entire family out front to picket your business", "we are going to cost you thousands of sales", and more threatening language. His conversation was with ******, our sales manager, and I listened to the last few minutes of the call on speaker due to the customer yelling and cussing at ******. I had casually walked into the sales office and found ****** being verbally assaulted by the customer on the phone, which is when I started to listen. We had now offered to complete the repair, as an offer of goodwill and to pacify the customer, at employee pricing instead of retail pricing - which would have brought the repair to $5,301.39. He declined and demanded free replacement.

  The customer then returned the following day to speak with the General Manager, which is me. He tried to enter my office while the door was closed as I was on a conference call and I asked him to wait patiently please. He then stood outside my office staring at me for many minutes until I wrapped my call up. He then came in and tried to discuss his issues and ****** was present for the conversation. The customer initially was frustrated and loud, but under control, but soon became aggressive and angry, attempting to bully me into doing what he wanted. He would not let me speak - continued to interrupt as I was trying to explain that I would cover half of a remanufacturer transmission as an offer of goodwill. Ultimately, I was not able to explain that as he continued to cut me off stating our staff works for "pennies on the dollar" and we should do this for free. I explained that the two vehicle complaints were not related and that he has driven the vehicle nine thousand miles already. He raised his voice and stood up as if he was going to assault someone - so I ended the conversation and told him to leave immediately or I would contact the Redding ****************** He yelled a few things back, slammed my door on the way out of my office and started to walk towards our service department. I followed him and repeatedly said "sir, you've been asked to wait outside", possibly 10 times or more ... I even again threatened to call the police. He stood there yelling back in front of our service waiter lounge as multiple customers/employees witnessed the situation unfold. Eventually, he did comply and waited outside while I personally located his keys and asked him not to return.

• Initial Complaint

  01/05/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Lithia Chevrolet of Redding, CA did not process our cancelation of the extended warranty of our vehicle we traded in May 2022, which is when I called the Finance Manager to have him have it cancelled. They gave us several reasons verbally and through email which were not valid as to why they were not able to process the cancellation. They finally cancelled the warranty in December 2022. I am still waiting for the refund which is significantly less than if the warranty would have been cancelled when I requested it to be cancelled. The extended period of time for not canceling the warranty was a ruse to have a lower refund returned to me. I would like to receive the refund amount that would have been issued to me in May had it been cancelled as I requested at that time.

  Business response

  01/06/2023

  Hello, the first communication we have with this customer regarding cancellation of their warranty was 9/15/2022. We are not aware of any May communication / trade-in as it was not done at our dealership or in the state of CA. We believe this is a typo from the customer's complaint; however, if the customer has supporting documentation of an earlier conversation than Sept 15th, 2022, please let us know. In regard to the September communication, the customer (******) did in fact email *******, our new finance manager, regarding cancellation. They did not, however, sign a cancellation form as required by ******, their policy holder. After further investigation, it was not the fault of the customer since our newer finance manager did not have cancellation experience with this specific warranty company. This was due to the fact that the customer purchased this policy "outside the deal", meaning the vehicle it covers was not purchased from our store. Our Point of Sale (POS) warranty we offer is FESC and/or ****** ... which is the policy that 99% of our customers carry. These two companies do not offer coverage for non-POS purchases... therefore, when the customer purchased the warranty "outside the deal", our staff sold them the ****** policy as it was the only option. Cancellation forms, options, and timing are difference for each of the warranty companies.

  Moving into December, the customer (Melody) contacted me (*****) directly on the 9th (Friday) to escalate her concerns. It was then discovered that the customer had not signed proper cancellation form and those were then signed by both parties on the 12th (Monday). It is customary and industry standard that warranty cancellations can take 4-6 weeks to process. In addition to that, we have the Christmas and New Year holiday to mix in as well. Since December 12th (the date the cancellation form was signed by both parties), we are only at 25 days and still within the 4-6 week window these can take from signatures. However, the customer's refund has been forwarded to our store by ****** as of today and those funds will be forwarded to the customer within 3-5 business days of this response.

  It's important to note that the warranty company ****** has stated they only retro a warranty cancellation 45 days from request. The customer's first request was Sept 15th, 2022 and, based off this information, the warranty would only be allowed to retro back to August 1st... not their request to backdate the May trade-in date that was facilitated out of state. Therefore, ****** only refunded 63% of sale price. However, due to the mistake made by our newer finance manager which led to the Sept delay, I have authorized my business office to "make up" the difference back to the May request. This calculation shows the customer will now receive a refund of 68% of the warranty's original price, minus the $25 cancellation fee.

  We hope this will alleviate some of the frustrations the customer has had with the delays. As previously stated, these funds will arrive within 3-5 business days. Please reach out to me with any further questions.

  *************************, General Manager, Lithia Chevrolet

  Business response

  01/11/2023

  Hello, I don't see a response from the customer above yet it's prompting me to respond.

  Update: we have resolved this matter with the customer and mailed her the refund check. It should be received by today or tomorrow. Thanks!

  *************************, General Manager, Lithia Chevrolet of Redding

  Customer response

  01/13/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my concern, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  08/29/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I purchased a vehicle on 8-19-22 at this dealership in which there was some issues with his vehicle sales person stated they would fix them which was the alignment and headlight. i couldn't take the vehicle that day due to them needing to replace headlight they promised repair would be done the next day went to pick you car and which they told me repairs weren't fixed so I had to bring car back the following day left car there all day to headlight to be fixed, later that day picked up the vehicle and I noticed the car was pulling the the right and also heard rattling from the back and car is sputtering. went back to dealership following day had them check out vehicle and they had told us the issues so we talked to ****** which is the service manager ON 8-22-2021 he took me and my mother into his office asking us what was going on he asked us what can they do to make us happy and to keep us as happy customers, and for us to feel safe driving one of their cars and for us to keep coming back to them for vehicles, we had told them they needed to fix these issues because we just got the car and they shouldn't have even had car for sale in this condition. The problems are: FRONT AXLE, SHOCKS AND STRUTS!! ****** THEN STATED HE WOULD TALK to the general manager and get back to us. following day 8-23-22 went back to dealership to talk to ****** since he didn't call us and ****** wasn't there for the next 3 days so asked to talk to a service manager which has name was ************************** told us before me and my mother talked to ****** that the general manger had declined to fix these issues and ****** would be back on Thursday. Contacted the sales guy woh sold us this vehicle which his name is ****** he stated that the car should have been fixed before even being on the lot for sale and for us to contact **** which is the used car manager so he can help us with this issue so we did that we went into dealership again on ********** talked to **** he stated they're not fixing car

  Business response

  08/30/2022

  Hello - the 2014 Focus with 120k miles in question was sold for a purchase price of $6,000 and sold as-is. We completed the necessary safety related concerns and various cosmetic issues prior to customer delivery. At time of sale, the customer indicated they wanted the alignment checked for a "slight pull." To provide backstory to the customer's complaints, they left a negative ****** review a few days ago which states, in part, "Lithia sold my daughter a 2014 **** focus which was supposed to be a certified used vehicle. The car pulled a little to the left..." This was not a certified used vehicle. This was sold as-is and all documents relating to an as-is sale were included with the paperwork. Also, as noted by the complaint, there is a slight pull. This is not a safety related concern. We did notate on the due bill to check the alignment; therefore, we should check the alignment as promised. On repair order (RO) #******, customer complaints were: right front headlight out, rattle sound coming from rear, vehicle from a stop sputters. We repaired the headlight as this is a safety concern. However, the other two items do not pose a safety risk. We should still check the alignment as it appears the customers complaints on RO****** did not request an alignment. Our service department would be glad to complete an alignment check and/or adjustment, if needed.

  Due to the nature of this vehicle being sold as-is, the low dollar amount of the vehicle and what should be expected by a reasonable person, and all safety and smog related repairs that have already been completed, we are not going to repair these "wish list" item related to the front and rear shocks. *************************, General Manager

  Customer response

  08/31/2022

  I am rejecting this response because:how can a business sell a car that has so much work to be done and tell me how the axle isnt a safety issues? What if the axle breaks while my daughter is driving?? Then whos fault is it?? when we brought it to your business attention the day after purchasing this vehicle that is suppose to be safe what was the point of sitting my wife and daughter down in your office and asking what can we do to make you happy?? And for us to come back for another car? When you knew your company wasnt going to fix any of these issues! Now my daughter is stuck with this vehicle that needs a lot of work which is almost half the price of the vehicles worth?? Instead she will have to spend $2,300 to fix her so called new car that is safe which is a bunch of crap!! 
  

  Business response

  09/01/2022

  Hello again - I'm sorry you are not satisfied with the response. As mentioned in the original response, we will complete an alignment free of charge as that was agreed to during the sale. Also, as another option, I will gladly return the vehicle if you are unhappy with the purchase. The axle is not going to "break." Your vehicle was not new, it was used - a $6,000 car at that. The expectation from a customer should be that this is used and aging, but affordable. Your vehicle did pass safety inspection (and smog inspection) and none of your complaints were considered safety concerns (except for the headlight which was repaired). *************************, General Manager

  Customer response

  09/07/2022

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my concern, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  The car was returned and we got our money back

• Initial Complaint

  08/29/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 8/26/2022 **** my step dad, my mom and I went to lithia Chevrolet of Redding expecting to pay the price that the car was advertised for and that was $9997 which is the advertised price of the car. When we go to buy the car and discuss the amount we wish to pay for the car wish was $10,000 out the door the sales person ***************** then sent the offer to management. They then came back and said that that was not the retail price but it is actually closer to $11,500. If the price was closer to $11,500 why was the retail price listed then at $9997. This would appear to be false advertising. To advertise a car for $9997 then tell the customer that the advertised retail price for the car is in the retail price. Then what was the price that said it was the retail price right on it. This doesnt make sense to me. I would like to pay the retail valve if the car not a made up price once you sit down with them.

  Business response

  08/29/2022

  Hello ******* - I have reviewed the contract documents you signed at time of sale. I'm not sure if you're confused; the sales price advertised for this 2008 ****** Outback in question was $9997. You paid $9867.56. Are you are including sales tax and DMV registration fees in your overall calculation? There's not a lot to respond to here - I think this just may be a misunderstanding on the price paid for the vehicle. You also submitted a complaint yesterday through our "ask a manager" link on our website. ******, our sales manager, reached out and discussed the transaction at length with you. He believed you were satisfied with the response and wanted to move forward with the sale. The vehicle is still getting it's detail and finalizing the inspection process - if you don't want the vehicle or believe you have overpaid, I will gladly unwind the paperwork. We don't want you to feel upset or slighted regarding the purchase. Please let me know if you would like to unwind the sale documents. Sincerely, ************************* - General Manager

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