ComplaintsforSteve's Auto Service

• Initial Complaint

  02/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Date of Transaction: 1/24/2023 We took our 2006 Toyota Sienna van to Steve's for a muffler and Oil change. We requested that the frame be checked since the Van is almost 16 years old. They went ahead and did the work, they said frame was fine. When I took the van to a Toyota dealer on 2/22/23 for a brake inspection, they found rust damage and a crack caused by rust in the front engine cradle frame that holds the suspension and engine. This is a safety issue as it was near breaking, which would have resulted in the wheel coming off, loss of steering, loss of control and physical harm. I called Steve's to bring this to their attention, Sent them pictures, talked with the service desk person *** on 2/24. He said the owner would call me, no call yet. I had to sell the car for scrape since the work to fix the engine cradle is over $4000 and the vehicle was not safe to drive. The work statement documents that we asked for the frame to be checked for durability, which it was not. Steve’s should have seen this rust damage and rust through. The repair work should not have been done without consulting us about the rust through damage on the frame. The rust damage and rust through was observed easily by two other certified *** mechanics, one at a Toyota Dealership and the other at a car buying inspection location. I am requesting a full refund. My feeling is that this place of business has a lack of respect for customer safety. It is their responsibility to insure that vehicles are safe. Seems making money is a higher priority than customer safety.

  

  Business response

  03/22/2023

  [BBB transcription via phone]

   

  The vehicle was brought in for exhaust repair. They were told verbally the frame did have rust on it. The vehicle left and went to tire place. The issue was never brought up to the business or brought in for reinspection. In the repair notes at the time of inspection it was stated there are no physical holes. The business only received an email and pictures. In the pictures the business saw a weld on the sub frame where rust appears to have been scrapped off. There was nothing that previously indicated the vehicle was unsafe until after this was done. If the issues were brought to the businesses attention it could have been looked at and possibly repaired. This is not an uncommon repair for the business. If it was determined there was an issue or crack at the time of repair, the business would have brought it to the consumers attention and would have recommended repair for safety and or referred out. The business is unable to determine if anyone else had worked on the vehicle after the repair and the consumer did not bring it in for reinspection. 

  Customer response

  03/29/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  The vehicle was inspected by both **** Toyota (attached report) and a certified mechanic from the company ***************. The certified mechanic did a full inspection with pictures, he supplied the picture I have submitted. Both businesses determined that the vehicle was unsafe to drive and that the rust through front engine cradle was beyond repair. Both estimated the cost for replacement to be over $4000, which was more than double the vehicle value after the repair. *******, which installed tires the day after the disputed work by Steve's, is reimbursing us for the full cost of the tires and wheels based on the picture provided. They determined that their service tech should have seen the rust through damage and advise us the customer not to proceed with new tires as the vehicle was unsafe to drive. They worked with us to understand the issue and have made the safety of the customer a priority. 3 business have determined that this vehicle had significant rust through damage and was not safe to drive. Steve's auto service should have seen the damage and how unsafe driving the vehicle was.
  

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