ComplaintsforWarwick Collision Center

• Initial Complaint

  08/12/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Date of the transaction:In April, my car was involved in a hit-and-run accident. My insurance company, Progressive, arranged repairs at Warwick Collision Center. I dropped off my car on July 11, 2024.Details of the problem:On August 12, 2024, I picked up my car and noticed significant interior damage, particularly to the dashboard. The dashboard appeared waterlogged, especially on the passenger side, with some damage on the drivers side as well. This damage was not present when I dropped off the car for repairs.I immediately brought this to the attention of Warwick Collision Center. They claimed the damage was due to a clogged sunroof drain and advised me to contact my insurance company to cover the costs. However, I have never experienced any issues with my sunroof or water leakage before the car was in their possession. My vehicle had previously been exposed to various weather conditions, including heavy rain and snow, without any such problems.Nature of the dispute:The core issue is that my car's interior was in perfect condition when I handed it over to Warwick Collision Center. The damage occurred while it was in their care, likely due to improper storage or mishandling. According to their warranty, they should be responsible for any damage while the vehicle is in their custody, except in cases of fire or theft, which do not apply here. Their refusal to take responsibility for this issue is unacceptable.Attempts to resolve the problem:I have made multiple attempts to resolve this issue with Warwick Collision Center, but they deny responsibility and are trying to shift the cost to me or my insurance. I seek BBB's assistance to ensure Warwick Collision Center covers the interior damage repairs.

  Business response

  08/13/2024

  August 13, 2024
  BBB of **********, ME, RI & VT
  ********************************************
  
  RE: Complaint #******** filed on 8/12/2024 by ********
  
  The repairs done to ************ vehicle were focused on fixing cosmetic damage to the front bumper cover on the driver's side. A new bumper cover was painted and then attached to the vehicle. The vehicle was kept in a secure area that was monitored by security cameras and personnel. When ******** collected his vehicle, it was discovered that the material on the dash panel surface had shrunk and separated. This was due to rainwater leaking from the sunroof tray to the headliner's leading edge and then onto the passenger side of the dash panel. The hot summer temperatures inside the vehicle caused the material to shrink as it dried.
  The rainwater should have drained through the sunroof drains located at the corners of the sunroof tray, passing down tubes through the A pillars to the underside of the vehicle. If these tubes get blocked with debris, the rainwater will overflow the sunroof tray and seep into the vehicle's interior. The only repair requested for the vehicle was the replacement of the bumper cover. The vehicle was securely stored and monitored at all times by security cameras and personnel at Warwick Collision Center.
  There was no prior knowledge of any underlying issues with the vehicle in this case. ******** mentioned that he had tried multiple times to address the water leakage issue. But there was only one meeting with ******** when he picked up his vehicle on Monday, August 12, 2024. Warwick Collision Center clarified that they were not liable for any damage caused by water intrusion due to clogged drains, as it was unrelated to the repairs done on the vehicle and was unforeseeable by anyone. At the time of pickup, Warwick Collision Center offered to help locate and clear the obstruction and assist ******** in filing an insurance claim for the related damage, which he declined.
  
  Sincerely,
  **********************
  General Manager Warwick Collision Center

  Customer response

  08/13/2024

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as *************************************************** you for your response. However, I have several concerns that need to be addressed.

  First and foremost, before I brought my car to Warwick Collision Center, I never experienced any issues with water leakage from the sunroof or any other part of the vehicle. The car had been exposed to various weather conditions, including heavy rain and snow, without any such problems. Despite this, your team did not conduct any inspection on the sunroof during the repair process, yet you confidently assert that the water leakage originated from the sunroof. This raises a critical question: How can you be so certain that the sunroof was the cause without performing any inspection? We cannot rule out the possibility that someone at the shop may have left a window or the sunroof open during a rainy day, allowing water to enter the vehicle. When I dropped off the car, your team performed a full inspection and documented the condition of both the interior and exterior, with no noted issues of water leakage.

  Moreover, when I collected my car on August 12, no one informed me of the significant damage to the dashboard. The car was cleaned thoroughly, both inside and out, prior to my collection. Given the obviousness of the damage, it seems unlikely that such extensive deterioration could have gone unnoticed by your staff. This leads me to believe that there was an attempt to conceal the damage, hoping I would drive away without noticing, thereby absolving Warwick Collision Center of responsibility.
  As per the contract, the only damages not covered by your shop are those resulting from fire or theft. Therefore, any other damage that occurred while my car was in your care, including the water damage, should be covered by your shop. The reason I declined your offer to "assist" me in contacting my insurance company is that this situation is not my fault. Just as with the initial car accident, when I was not at fault, I should not be required to go through my insurance to cover damages caused by someone elses negligence.

  Lastly, the term "secure" storage should not merely imply a location with cameras; it should also ensure the vehicle is protected from extreme weather conditions, as you mentioned "hot summer temperatures" in your response. Your responsibility includes storing my car in a dry, cool place. To draw an analogy: if you stored my car in a garage with a leaky roof that allowed rainwater to seep in, would that still be considered a secure area? Clearly, security involves much more than just surveillanceit requires proper care and protection from environmental factors.

  I respectfully ask that Warwick Collision Center reconsider its stance and appropriately address the water damage issue. This is not about assigning blame to me or my vehicle; rather, it is about ensuring that the proper care and responsibility were exercised while my vehicle was under your care.

  Sincerely,

  Hanbo

   

   

  Business response

  08/14/2024

  ********,
  We cannot speak to the history of the vehicle only to that which applies to the time of this repair. An inspection of the sunroof was not called for during the repair process due to the nature of the repairs being performed. The damage to the dash panel was first noted by you at pick up and was not evident when the vehicle was parked in that spot upon completion 3 days prior. We are confident in the source of the water intrusion in that the vehicle was brought to our Shop Manager to inspect when you discovered the damage, and he noted dampness on the inside leading edge of the headliner on the front passenger side.
  As previously noted, our security allows for both video and visual monitoring of all vehicles throughout the day. There is no obligation or need to store vehicles within an indoor climate-controlled environment unless a specific condition is identified that warrants it. The vehicle as you will note was parked in front of our building, backed into the parking spot which has an incline putting the rear of the vehicle higher than the front. It rained nearly during the early hours of Saturday, August 10th. This would have the rainwater running toward the front of the vehicles roof line. The temperatures for both Saturday the 10th and Sunday the 11th was 80+ degrees. The vehicle having been parked on level surfaces up to that point during the repair visit explains why the issue was not evident until that time.
  6 individuals worked on, inspected or moved your vehicle the day that it was parked awaiting pick up, the damage did not go unnoticed as it was not present prior to parking it for pick up and as such there was nothing to conceal. Our team has a reputation for their integrity as well as quality repairs and would never not note or attempt to conceal such damage.
  We are not attempting to assign blame to any individual including Warwick Collision Center. No one in this case including yourself could have foreseen that the sunroof drains would be restricted causing rainwater to overflow the sunroof tray. Sunroof drains can become restricted due to obstructions over time, most notably from environmental debris including dirt, leaf particles, etc. Manufacturers maintenance manuals reference these drains as an inspection point during regular service intervals. As a Collision Center I cannot speak to the maintenance history of your vehicle.
  We empathize with your position, however as outlined above and in my original response, we are not responsible for the cause of the water leak which resulted in the damage to the dash panel.  Our recommendation as presented to you when you picked up your vehicle to assist in locating the obstruction, replacing the damaged parts as well as assisting with an insurance claim should you chose to file one remains unchanged.
  Sincerely,
  **********************, General Manager Warwick Collision Center

  Customer response

  08/17/2024

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as *************************************************** you for your detailed response. However, I would like to clarify several points that remain unresolved.

  Firstly, I understand that the repair scope was limited to cosmetic work on the bumper, and that sunroof inspection was not part of the repair process. However, the fact remains that the water damage occurred while the vehicle was in your possession. Before dropping off my vehicle, I never had any issues with water leakage despite exposure to various weather conditions, including rain and snow. The explanation regarding the incline of the vehicle and rainwater running toward the front fails to account for the fact that the vehicle was stored on your premises, and that no such water intrusion issues had occurred previously, even in similar environmental conditions.

  Moreover, your team performed a thorough cleaning and inspection before returning the vehicle to me. It is highly improbable that such significant dashboard damage would have gone unnoticed if proper care had been taken during this process. Given the obvious nature of the damage, it is hard to believe that no one noticed it until I pointed it out.

  While I understand that maintenance of the sunroof drains is a long-term vehicle care issue, the fact that the damage occurred while the car was under your care indicates that proper precautions were not taken to ensure the vehicles protection from environmental factors, such as rain. Regardless of whether the drains were clogged, the vehicle should have been stored in a manner that prevented water from entering.

  I appreciate your offer to help file an insurance claim, but I must reiterate that this situation was not caused by neglect on my part. I expect Warwick Collision Center to take responsibility for the damage that occurred while my car was under your care and to repair the interior damage as outlined in the contract. As previously mentioned, the contract only excludes damages caused by fire or theft, meaning that the water damage falls under your shops responsibility.

  I respectfully ask that you reconsider your position and address the issue accordingly.

  Sincerely,

  ***************
   

• Initial Complaint

  01/17/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was rear-ended by a truck and brought my vehicle in for a quote and what I hoped would be repair to my vehicle. I was informed by insurance company that vehicle was deemed a total loss and that I needed to pick up my vehicle (still drive-able) and return my rental. When I attempted to pick up my vehicle, Christine from Warwick Collision Center refused to let me take my vehicle. She said I could not retrieve until my insurance company paid for the cost of the quote and storage. Unfortunately, it took several months before this was straightened out between the two insurance companies. Warwick Collision Center kept charging $30 per day for storage while this was being sorted by the insurance companies. In the end, there was an additional $2,500 in storage charges that ended up getting paid by me. I contacted Christine and requested that this amount be credited and she said she would check with her Supervisor. I never heard back from Christine, and she failed to return several calls that I placed. In addition, my vehicle was not stored in a garage. When my wife went to retrieve some personal items, it was located in an empty, uncovered, security-less parking lot next to Home Depot on Bald Hill Ave. The battery was dead, the electronic key to the vehicle was broken. The vehicle was not protected from the elements due to damage to the trunk. When my wife opened the trunk, there was a family of mice living amongst her belongings.

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