ComplaintsforRad Air Complete Car Care and Tire Center - Strongsville

• Initial Complaint

  01/10/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  August 2, 2023 - *** *** worked on MKX for $3,773.41 Front Brake Pads Front Brake Rotors Front Lwr Control Arms Center Hub Assist Front Wheel Bearings Front Axle Assembly Outer Tie Rod Performed Thrust Angle Wheel Alignment. Checking & Adjusting where needed Received call from **** with Rad-Air. He said they completed my car and that everything was replaced and I have a new front end. September 19, 2023 - The left front wheel locked up while I was turning into a residential neighborhood. Called Heidi’s Towing to tow car to Rad-Air $319.18 September 21, 2023 - **** from *** *** called to let me know my car is repaired and ready to be picked up. He said there is no cost to me for the repairs. (I did not receive any paperwork for these repairs so I cannot confirm or deny what work was completed) October 6, 2023 - The right front wheel locks up while I was driving. Called ******* ****** to tow car to Rad-Air…Again $373.62 Received a call from **** from Rad-Air. He said that the wheel coming off was not the result of the work they completed. I asked how this could be since he had told me they replaced everything. He said that the damage was from the front strut going bad. **** quoted the repairs at approximately $1,300. Told him I would get a second quote. I called Center Towing to tow MKX from Rad-Air to Bennet’s Auto Care across the street. October 13, 2023 **** from Bennet called to let me know he had my car repaired. Total cost $749.52 The Strut was damaged but, not broken. **** removed and replaced the strut. He said it looked like I locked the front wheel in a vice and forced the steering wheel to turn, resulting in twisting the strut. (I did hear a pop & had a tough time turning the wheel right before the wheel fell off) I argue that the strut was fine until I needed to force the steering straight. I struggled to do this because something that Rad-Air replaced failed. Their poor work caused the damage to the strut along with all the remaining damage & costs.

  

  Business response

  01/18/2024

  Please see all attachments for complaint # ********.  Thank You

  

  Business response

  01/18/2024

  Please see all attachments for complaint # ********.  Thank You

  Customer response

  01/18/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  
  Regards,
  
  ***** ********
  
  
  
  
   

  Customer response

  01/18/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  
  Regards,
  
  James Harrison
  
  
  
  
   

• Initial Complaint

  02/21/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 02/18/2023, I dropped off my 1998 ***** CR-V because my anti-brake (ABS) system indicator light had popped on indicating that I was in need of new brakes, as well as I wanted an oil change and a replacement car horn installed ! I soon received a phone call from ****, and I was told that my front brakes were fine after inspection, but I needed back brakes and all the associated hardware ! **** further explained that after inspecting my vehicle they found that I needed my right front lower Ball Joint replaced. After consideration, I elected to have "all" of the work performed at one time to avoid future worries. Upon going to receive my vehicle after receiving a call from **** informing that all the work was completed I was presented with an invoice of $1,146.69 which I believe was inflated due to the color of my skin ! As I was paying the invoice, **** turned to me and said "by the way, you need front struts because your springs are broken" and I in turn stated why didn't you inform me when you first called after your initial inspection of the vehicle and he stated that they had missed it ! He went on to quote me a price of over $700.00 and I told him I would have to think about it and get back to him. I was taken aback because I was would have considered having the work done with all the other work. Nevertheless, after paying the invoice, I got in my vehicle and became aware that my ABS indicator light was still on !!! I went back in and ask **** why this is the case and he became indignant and said that the ABS is the different issue, and after I stated to him that I came in to get my brakes issues resolved, **** undertook a condescending, dismissive, and racist disposition that I soon recognized as being due to my being black and my African -American heritage and my daring to question him !! I seek to have the proposed inflated charges examined, have the ABS issue resolved, and have **** held accountable for his racist, demeaning attitude directed towards me.

  

  Business response

  02/27/2023

  Please see attached explanation and check in sheet  for *** ****'s complaint.  Thank You **** Rad Air Strongsville

   

  *** *****’ complaint is totally based on three factors. 1) *** **** himself (without any input from us) was under the assumption that his ABS (antilock braking system) light illuminated on the dash would also be repaired by simply repairing his grinding brake issue he originally brought the vehicle in for. 2) *** **** has a somewhat compromised communication issue, and it is a bit difficult to discuss some issues to him. 3) Note, this is a 1998, ***** CRV with 187,215 miles on it. It is not uncommon to find several issues on a vehicle of this age and mileage in our environment. 
  *** **** came in requesting a quote to repair his front brakes, (said he feels he needs front brakes because they were grinding), also *** **** requested an oil change service and also wanted us to install a horn for him that he had already purchased. Our first step in checking brakes is to road test the vehicle. When we completed the road test our technician felt a grinding coming from the rear brake area and also experienced a loud clunk noise from front end over bumps. Our technician proceeded to raise the vehicle on the lift and remove all four wheels and tires to inspect the brakes, and look for the source of the noise. Our findings were that the left rear brake hardware had broken and fallen apart and was grinding inside the brake drum, and the brake shoes were damaged and breaking apart. The front brakes had 45% life left in them. We also found the noise to be coming from the right front lower ball joint, which was worn out to the point the wheel could have fallen off the vehicle at any time. At this point I prepared and estimate for these repairs, installing his horns, completing the oil change service, and completing a wheel alignment. I Called *** **** and advised him of our recommendations and that estimate would be $ 1,061.75 plus taxes with tax it would be $1,146.69.  *** **** approved all the repairs. 
  
  Late in the afternoon, our technician called me over to look at *** *****’ vehicle. He informed me that he was just about done with the front-end work for *** ****; however, when he was reinstalling the front tires on the vehicle, he noticed something odd looking about the front springs. Upon inspection, he found both front coil springs were very rusty and that one of the coils (one coil on each spring) was broken on each spring on both sides of the vehicle. I inspected the vehicle with the technician and found it was indeed very hard to see the failed spring due to the rust. Additionally, the springs must have been broken for a very long time because the cracks were rusted solid (this was not a recent failure). At this time the only thing I could do is attempt to source the springs and related parts and develop an estimate for this repair, this was close to our closing time and I barley completed the estimate before *** **** arrived.  
  When *** **** arrived to pick up his car, I informed him about the broken springs we found late in the day and I barely had time to source the springs and produce an estimate before he arrived. *** **** was very upset and said if he knew about the needed repairs, he would have had them completed while it was here. I informed him that it was not found until installing tires back on vehicle and was not enough time to source the parts late in the day and / or make the repairs in the same day. I provided *** **** with an estimate and offered for him to leave car for the additional repairs and that we would supply him with a free loaner vehicle for the weekend at no charge. Or he could return for the repairs on Monday. *** **** chose to take his vehicle for the weekend.  
  
  *** **** left with his vehicle and immediately returned and inquired as to why his ABS light was still illuminated on the dash. I attempted to explain that the ABS system is an electronic controlled hydraulic 
  function of the braking system and has nothing to do with the mechanical aspect of the actual rear brake repairs we completed for him. Additionally, *** **** did not request that we diagnose the illuminated ABS light when he brought the vehicle in for service; therefore, we assumed *** **** was not concerned with the illuminated ABS light since he has been ignoring the illuminate ABS light for some time. We were instructed by *** **** to repair the brakes due to grinding noise, not to diagnose the illuminated ABS light. Again, I explained that the manual part of brakes always needs to adressed first, and that the illuminated ABS light was not on due to the bake failure we addressed for him. 
  *** **** was still very upset , again I attempted to explain the systems operations by utilizing an A/C Delco illustration book of brake system components and pictures / explanations of a complete brake system operations. I pointed out the areas we serviced and where / how the ABS system is and how it operates. No matter how I tried, I still fell short on fully addressing *** ****’s concerns. I also offered to perform a free antilock brake diagnostic for him if he were to drop the vehicle off on Monday.  I spent a lot of time attempting to explain the workings of the brakes and / or ABS system to *** *****’ satisfaction; NTL, I believe I failed.    
  The offer still stands for fee ABS diagnostic testing, a free loaner car, and a discount for any further repairs for *** ****. I feel we did a very excellent job of repairing *** ****’s vehicle for the issues presented and requested of us, at a fair price (with all discounts) and treated *** **** with dignity and respect.  Please contact me if you have any questions. 
    Sincerely, **** ****** / Service Manger

• Initial Complaint

  06/01/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I brought my son's car into Rad Air to replace a brake light that was out. Then ****, who I believe is a Manager there called me and said the brakes and barrings were unsafe to drive with, even though I drove it all winter and had no problems. However, he knew it was my son's car so he used words lke "unsafe" wheel is going to fall off,' and "for him to be safe". So, instead of the repair casting $18.95, my bill wasover $1,800. Then after having the car for just a day or 2, the car would not start, so I had to pay $100 to get it towed theie. Then **** calls me and tells me he needs a new alternator. Now, I am far from a car expert, but I just paid them $125 to run a diagnostic report, so I would think if the alternator was bad, it would have shown on the $125 test they performed. **** claimed it would not show that, I still don't know if he was being honest or not, but a new alternator cost me another $800. So I apid it and we have had a few problems since they took the front end aparr

  

  Business response

  06/18/2021

  *** ***** came to Rad Air in Strongsville the first part of April.
  

  *** ***** His requested the following to be inspected, checked and performed on his 2004 Audi:
  Back brake light bulb replaced.
  Determine why the “Check engine light” was illuminated,
  Complete a LOF special, oil and filter change, rotate tires, safety inspection.
  *** ***** was quoted $125.95 for the check engine light diagnostic procedure, a full synthetic oil change and safety inspection at $66.90, and rear taillight bulb replacement at $20.95, plus taxes (see attached Pre-Service Check In form).
  

  Note: When we went to work on the vehicle, we noted that the hood strut supports were not working, and we had to use a hood prop-rod to hold the hood open. To us, this is a normal occurrence to us. We find this all the time on older vehicles because may owners of older vehicles do not want to invest $ to replace the hood struts that are only used occasionally.

  
  I (**** ******, service manager) called *** ***** with the results for the diagnostic testing.  I advised *** ***** of the 18 multiple codes stored in the ECM / PCM computers and that his main concern on the vehicle was that it had a broken vacuum hose which was causing a lean fault code, and possibly a cascade of outer failures causing many of the other codes to set. This one condition could very well cause the additional fault codes, and when the check engine light came on, the monitors all stopped running; therefore, we had no clue how reliable the data was. Note, at this time the battery voltage, and alternator output were within specifications and there we no stored alternator / battery codes in the systems history (review Back of Shop ticket attachment). I advised *** ***** that the best course of action was to repair the vacuum leak and reset the monitors to run again and see if any of the other codes re-appear in the future (it would have been foolish to spend time and money tracing codes that could have been caused by the initial failure). We repaired the broken vacuum hose, erased the stored codes to reset the monitors as part of the original $125.95 diagnostic quote. I informed *** ***** that most likely some of the 17 additional codes found in the system will come back, and we will retest them at that time. 
  I also informed *** ***** that the results of our safety inspection showed that the front wheel bearings were very, very loose.   Also, that the front and rear brakes were worn out, the Left front axle boot was ripped / torn and had grease coming out of boot.   *** ***** approved the front wheel bearing work and front brake work and left front axle boot repair.

   

   I gave provided *** ***** a discount on the front brakes because he was also doing the wheel bearing and axle work at the same time.  ($90.00 discount). *** ***** picked up his vehicle on Saturday April 3rd.    
  

  On April 6th, 2021, *** ***** called and said his car quit running while driving the vehicle. *** ***** had the car towed to us, and we completed a starting system check and found that the battery was completely dead.  We charged the battery and found Alternator was not charging.  I called *** ***** and explained the test results.  Results were that the alternator was not charging and battery was run down because of that.  *** ***** approved the estimate of replacing the alternator.  ($769.39) This included discounting the Alternator and charging system testing off his bill and a $35.00 coupon to help.  His car left with the alternator charging and battery holding a charge. 

  April 21, 2021, *** ***** called and said his car will not start, he was very upset.   I sent a tow truck to pick up his vehicle at no charge thinking that it was related to our work.   The car was towed from downtown Cleveland to Strongsville at the cost of $150 (we absorbed). 
  When the vehicle was dropped off the tow truck it started and we drove it into our bay.   We rechecked charging system and battery.  No problems found.  I talked to *** *****s son about his vehicle not starting and he said he has had problems with the alarm before and had another shop disconnect it, but he felt like it was still acting like the same internment alarm issue.  We kept the car for three days, starting it on and off all day / every day with no issues.  There were no problems found with the starting / charging system and we absorbed the $150.00 tow fee out of client satisfaction.      
  

  *** ***** called two weeks later and complained that the hood on this car will not stay up and we broke hood supports. As stated above, we received the vehicle in this condition, and I explained that to *** *****. Basically, there is really no way we (anyone) could have damaged the hood strut supports, they wear-out and just go bad over time.
  

  Please note that this is a 17-year-old vehicle that the required basic maintenance has not been completed on a timely basis and needs a lot of attention.  All the work Rad Air did on this vehicle was done correctly and professionally and is still under warranty with us.  We completed only what was needed and with full authorization of *** *****.    We feel we did everything possible to make things right with *** ***** including a free tow. We believe *** ***** does not warrant any additional compensation form us.
  If you have any questions, please feel free to call or e-mail.
  Sincerely,
  **** ******
  ************ * ****************

  
  

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