Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/13/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I took my car to this shop to be repair while my car was still under warranty. They attempted to repair but now that my car is out of warranty the problem still exist. I had to have the car towed to another location to honor the warranty for a water pump and they informed me what the real problem is. After over $2000 worth of work I'm being told that all was for nothing because what actually needs to be fixed would have took care of the problem. The area manager at this location refuse to return my calls and they also will not return the call of the corporate office. I am so disappointment because now we can't really drive the car because we're being told it can cause more damage. I would like for them to work with me on getting this car matter resolved at another location because I honestly I don't think they know how to fix it and should've just said so.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/15/2024

  Dear BBB,
  Over the last year and a half this vehicle has been in several times for different issues. Every time other than the November 2023 visit the service was approved and paid for by an extended warranty company. Anyone that knows anything about extended warranty companies would know that Meineke can only do the work they approve with the information that we give them.  I can only assume the extended warranty period had expired before the visit in November 2023.  That repair was not covered by a warranty and the service was paid by credit card.  The last time prior to the November 2023 visit was ****** miles ago in February 2023. (November 2023) This time the water pump had failed and was the cause of leaking engine coolant.  *********** manager did question and advise the customer that there appeared to be an oily substance in the coolant reservoir.  This fluid can only get there two ways; either someone topped off the reservoir with the wrong type of fluid or engine oil was getting into the coolant.  At the time of the water pump replacement there were no other signs of any other issues so the reservoir was drained and refilled. Five months later the vehicle has been diagnosed with a blown head gasket or cracked head.  This would answer how the coolant was being contaminated. All that being said, in November 2023 had the problem been more identifiable Meineke not only would have recommended the leaking water pump, but also the head or head gasket repair.  Meineke has nothing to gain by not recommending making a head gasket repair.  I cannot answer what the $2000 worth of work is.  The water pump was $446.40.  If the water pump needs replaced we can certainly do so under the warranty terms. If another Meineke is doing the head gasket and the water pump needs replaced this would be a perfect time to do so and the water pump would be covered under the terms of the warranty. Either way the head gasket or whatever it may be has nothing to do with a water pump.   Our GM would be happy to work with the customer on the labor since they have been a steady customer.  I can have our GM call to arrange picking up the vehicle, take it to one of our locations in **, diagnose and estimate the repair.  As I said before, any prior repairs made would be covered under warranty if needed.   Any new repairs will come at a cost.   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/08/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Attached is a letter that details the timeline with supporting documents that were sent to **** *******, District Manager and **** ***********, Owner of the **** *****, IL Meineke location. The high level summary is, I took my truck to Meineke in **** ***** to have my starter replaced. In the process of replacing the starter, the technicians at Meineke clamped off the transmission line and forgot to remove the clamps before releasing the truck to me. The clamp restricted the fluid to the transmission and caused the transmission to burn up. I incurred an expense in getting the issue diagnosed and another expense to have my transmission rebuilt. The total expense that I incurred was $3,375. This does not include being without a vehicles for 8 days. Meineke's neglect caused the transmission to burn up and I want to be reimbursed for my expenses.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/09/2022

  
  
  Sorry for the delay.  With the Holiday weekend and needed time to
  study it has taken longer than I would have liked to respond.  Our GM has had a conversation with *** ******* on this issue.
  
  We received your letter and email
  through the BBB at our office and I want to first apologize you had problems
  with your transmission.  It’s an
  unfortunate timeline of events and I am sure it’s easy to look back at the last
  shop that performed work on the vehicle to place blame.  I also know for sure that in no way is anyone
  perfect and we have made mistakes in the past and will make some in the future.
  What separates our centers from others is our willingness to make a wrong
  right. In this case I feel you were given some incorrect information from the
  shop that repaired your vehicle.  I want
  to first assure you the technician that repaired your vehicle did not leave
  line clamps on your transmission lines.  He does own the tools, but his are accounted
  for and are still in his tool box.  I
  will walk you through some reasonable facts and I hope you will find some
  comfort at least with the Meineke brand and our integrity.
  
  I have researched and reviewed this case with multiple people
  that could be or are involved including but not limited to an ASE Master Tech
  with another company, Insurance Agent, Attorney, more than one Transmission
  repair shop, an X-GM Technician, Meineke franchisees and our own Meineke Staff.

  
  The biggest issue that
  arose among others is with ************* ** **.  After you diagnose the cause of the failure and before you connect Lines
  and Radiator/Cooler to the newly rebuilt transmission you flush all the damaged
  interior particles out of the Lines and Cooler/Radiator so the debris does not
  end up in the newly rebuilt transmission.  If this is not done the debris will more than likely cause damage to the
  new transmission.  Even if ************* ** ** has a different method of performing this service it would have been 100%
  impossible to do with line clamps on the vehicle’s transmission lines.  It would also have been impossible to fill
  the transmission to the correct level of fluid.  It is so important that some repair centers
  require a new Radiator/Cooler to obtain the transmission warranty.

  
  Secondly, we also question ******* GM.  You are telling me that someone wanted you to
  spend $5600 without looking at the Lines and the Radiator/Cooler?  How would they have known if the Lines or the
  Radiator/Cooler were not the cause of the transmission failure?  They surely were not going to install a new
  transmission without verifying what caused the problem at a Dealership.
  

  I would
  think for $175 ******* would have taken the time to properly inspect and diagnose
  the issue.  If they did that they would
  have saw line clamps the size of scissors as soon as they inspected the vehicle
  and so would ************* ** **. 
  
  And third, although somewhat irrelevant and without testing
  the theory, many experts do not believe the vehicle would have made it 50
  miles.  From my experience and several others
  in this business it is highly unlikely that this vehicle went 50 miles without a code immediately kicking
  on once operating temperature was reached as it did when the vehicle left ************* ** **.

  
  My honest opinion is your
  transmission failed because it has over 200k miles on it just like other
  vehicle parts fail like your starter.
  
  ************* ** **’s claim on the
  return visit after the transmission was rebuilt was that line clamps were left
  on by Meineke and that “ultimately damaged the transmission”.  You will find hopefully with a very small
  amount of homework that claim is impossible. What you will find is that it is
  reasonable during the transmission replacement that line clamps would be used.
  It is also reasonable that technician doing a big job that requires multiple
  days of work could forget about the line clamps he put on days prior.  I believe the shop that did the physical
  repair, flushed the Lines and Radiator/Cooler like any responsible transmission
  shop would and accidently left the line clamps on during their install.  Why they are kicking the can down the road I
  cannot explain. What I do know for sure is there is not a transmission shop in
  world that would replace a burned up transmission without flushing the Lines and
  Radiator/Cooler.
  
  My claim will make perfect sense to
  you if you are willing to take 5 minutes out of your day and call 3
  transmission repair shops and ask this simple question. “Would your transmission shop
  ever repair a transmission without flushing the transmission cooler and lines”.
  
  I am truly sorry we have to respond
  to such a claim. It’s unfortunate that another repair shop would consider
  making a false claim but here we are.  Ask
  yourself those 2 very simple questions I posed above and it will not take you
  long to sort through the truth. Very odd they found line clamps on the return
  visit in such short order and even odder they were able to flush the cooling
  system if the Meineke technician left line clamps on the transmission lines.  You will find it would be 100% impossible to
  flush and that shop would have found them right away.
  
  In closing I find no fault of Meineke
  that would render any reimbursement.
  
  Sincerely
  
  **** ************
  President