Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Automobile Club of Southern California's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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• 

  Automobile Club of Southern California

  PO Box 25001 Santa Ana, CA 92799-5001

• 

  Automobile Club of Southern California

  569 Telegraph Canyon Rd Chula Vista, CA 91910

• 

  Automobile Club of Southern California

  800 La Terraza Blvd #200 Escondido, CA 92025

• 

  Automobile Club of Southern California

  4973 Clairemont Dr #C San Diego, CA 92117

• 

  Automobile Club of Southern California

  12630 Sabre Springs Pkwy #301 San Diego, CA 92128

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:03/19/2025

  Type:Customer Service 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.

  02/20/2025 35 year membership with AAA who dispatched a so-called commercial wrecker service without vetting the company or verifying their insurance. Our car was damaged and wrecker service refused to take responsibility. AAA claims their only process to have a low level employee send two letters and follow up with the wrecker company. What a scam outfit, after 35 years AAA states this is their process. Worthless membership as there are multiple roadside assistance options and after paying for this, I can't recommend AAA to anyone. We have requested AAA to pay our $1000 deductible and for AAA to pursue the wrecker service for the $1000. AAA has declined.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/19/2025

  004- Please forward to ******************** at ********************************************************************************************** for review/response. ************************************

  Business Response

  Date: 05/01/2025

  
  You requested a reimbursement for your deductible. While we must decline your request for reimbursement, please be aware that Sargents Wrecker is an independent tow company that is not under any contract with AAA *****. As an independent business, **************** is fully responsible for its own actions and those of its employees. Should you wish to pursue this matter further, you may consider doing so by filing suit against Sargents Wrecker in small claims court. If you have any questions, please contact, Ms. ********* *******, at **************.
  
   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/14/2025

  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 had my truck towed for my ignition lock the driver went underneath and messed with my gears to tow it so when I fixed my ignition and went to drive my truck now my transmission is messed up the gears change but it doesnt move while pressing the gas its not catching and the driver told them he went underneath my car and now they are telling me they are not responsible I filed a complaint with aaa and the tow yard neither one wants to solve the situation

  Business Response

  Date: 03/25/2025

  Please know it is our mission to assist our members with mediating a resolution when situations such as yours arise in which you are stating damage was caused to your vehicle by the servicing station. As an independently owned and operated business, M & ******** is responsible for any damage resulting from its own actions or those of its employees. In an effort to assist you, the ********* has taken the role as mediator and enlisted the assistance from our *************************** to intervene. During the mediation process a Member Relations representative will contact you to collect your detailed statement, photos/videos, diagnostic paperwork and repair estimates in order to move forward with the investigation phase of your damage case. Once the investigation is complete, you will be contacted back with the outcome of your damage case. To proceed with the investigation, please submit your written statement, photos of the damage, mechanic statement of findings/diagnostic report, and an official repair estimate which reflects the type of damage and cost of repairs. Please note, all repair estimates must be on the repair facility letterhead to be deemed as valid. You may submit this information to ************************************************ you have any questions, please contact, Ms. ****** *******, at *************.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/06/2025

  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.

  On 1/13/25, I received a policy cancellation notice from AAA, stating that my home insurance policy would be canceled effective 3/31/25. This decision appears unfair and misleading, as I have only filed two legitimate claims, both of which were due to severe weather conditions beyond my control. Furthermore, AAA representatives previously assured me that my first claim was classified as a catastrophic event and would not impact my policy status. October 2023 Claim: My home sustained damage due to a catastrophic weather event, and AAA approved and covered the claim under my policy. AAA representatives assured me that this claim, classified as a catastrophic event, would not impact my premiums or policy renewal. November 2024 Claim: My home was again impacted by high winds, which resulted in shingles blowing off the roof, exposing it to potential water damage. The adjuster assessed the damage and stated that it was similar to my previous claim, confirming that my policy covered this type of event. The adjuster specifically advised me that if I could not find someone to install temporary tarps, AAA would be obligated under my paid policy to provide them. AAA subsequently covered the cost of installing two tarps, but the invoice was an outrageous $1,600 for just 2 tarps. I asked if my claim would impact my policy rates. While my first claim in October 2023 was classified as a catastrophic event, I was assured that it would not result in increased premiums or policy cancellation. However, despite my second claim in November 2024 being even more severe, I later received a policy cancellation notice, contradicting these assurances. Both claims were due to uncontrollable weather events, yet AAA is penalizing me for using my coverage. AAA provided a tarp service at an excessively high cost, which contributed to my claims history, despite telling me it would not impact my policy.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/25/2025

  The response sent to the member explains with respect to the nonrenewal of your homeowners policy, the Exchanges Underwriting Department reviewed your insurance file, including its loss history, to determine if an unacceptable increase in the risk of loss had arisen since the previous review. During this review, the Underwriter assigned to your policy noted that you had sustained three losses within the last seven years. Our Underwriting Renewal Acceptability Guidelines state that a policy may be considered for nonrenewal if more than one paid loss has occurred in the last seven years. Since these losses occurred within the experience period, we considered not only the number of losses that were sustained, but also their type and whether they were indicative of future similar losses.Please know that we are required to apply our underwriting criteria in a fair and equitable manner to all insureds. This means we cannot offer you renewal when the homes loss history does not meet our guidelines. To do so constitutes a violation of our standard practices and procedures. should you have any questions, please feel free to contact ****** ******  at **************.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/04/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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 am filing this complaint regarding damages caused by a towing driver dispatched by AAA ********** of Southern California) for roadside assistance.On February 9, 2025, I contacted AAA for help with a flat right rear tire on my ************* GLE 350 in ******, *************, **. AAA dispatched Sea Country ********************** to replace the tire. However, the driver improperly installed the spare tire using long studs instead of the correct shorter studs, causing damage to the wheel carrier, rear axle wheel, studs, lugs, and other components. After realizing his mistake, he reinstalled the spare tire correctly later that night.On February 11, 2025, ************* of West Covina inspected my vehicle and confirmed that the damage was caused by the towing drivers improper handling. The necessary repairs are documented in Invoice #MBCS25121 (dated February 13, 2025). I provided AAA and ********************************** with the invoice, a detailed list of damaged and replaced parts, and photos of the damage. The total repair cost was $3,318.58, and I also incurred additional expenses for a rental car.AAA acknowledged the issue and created Complaint Case #********, but their handling has been slow and unclear:Delays in responding to emails and a lack of clear communication.Unclear claim resolution procedures, making it difficult to move forward.AAA insists on using an AAA-approved repair shop for inspection without ensuring neutrality, raising concerns about a conflict of interest.Despite my repeated attempts to resolve this fairly, AAAs delayed responses and lack of transparency have unnecessarily prolonged the process, impacting my time and finances. Therefore, I am seeking BBBs assistance in facilitating a resolution.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/04/2025

   
  
  You advised the independent contract station dispatched to assist you by the name of Sea Country Towing & Recovery installed your spare tire; however, their service technician installed the incorrect lug bolts on the spare tire. You reported they used the lug bolts that go to the regular tire instead of the lug bolts that come with the spare tire which caused damage to your wheel assembly. You explained that you have provided all correspondence related to your damage claim, yet your case remains unresolved. Ultimately, you are seeking follow-up to address your concerns and reimbursement for your out-of-pocket costs associated with repairing the damage to your vehicle and rental car fees. Please know that it is our mission to assist our members with mediating a resolution when situations such as yours arise in which you are stating damage was caused to your vehicle by the servicing station. As an independently owned and operated business, ****************** & Recovery is solely responsible for any damage caused by its own actions or those of its employees. To assist you, the ********* enlisted assistance from our *************************** to mediate. Upon further review of the statements, estimate, and photos, ********* has reached a resolution on your damage case. It has been determined that Sea Country Towing & Recovery is responsible for the reported damage done to your vehicle. In your letter correspondence, you requested reimbursement for the repair costs to fix your vehicle. We provided a reimbursement check which represents the cost as outlined in the repair invoice for replacing the wheel and hub assembly along with lug bolts and other suspension components. With regards to your request for rental car reimbursement, you advised our Member Relations Representative that you did not have to pay out of pocket for the rental car that was provided to you by ***************************************. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. ****** ******* at **************.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/04/2025

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
  
  Regards,
  
  Sitao Sun
  
   
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/27/2025

  Type:Product 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.

  On 02/07/2025 I reenrolled in my yearly membership. To save $4.50 I opted for automatic payments. A charge for $142.50 was processed on 02/11/2024. On 02/12/2024, a second duplicate transaction was deducted from my bank account.I immediately called AAA customer service on 02/12/24 and spoke to ****** who assured me the money would be returned in 24 hrs. It was not.I called again on 02/13/24 and spoke to *** at 8:54 am who told me the ***** I needed to speak to was not open til 9:30 am and he would e explain to them my situation, he saw there was aware of the duplicate charge and they would return it back to my account in 24 hrs. He was to call me back that day which he did not and the charge was not reversed.I called again on 02/18/24 and spoke to ****** who informed me that There was no refund yet and that I should dispute with my bank which I did to no avail.On 02/21/24 I contacted the AAA customer service again and spoke to ******** who told me there was a refund processing but could not tell me when it was going to go to my bank.only it could take 7-14 Buisness ********** 02/27/24 I called yet again and spoke to ***** who informed me that the refund was processing from 02/24/25 and would take 7-14 Buisness days but w old not supply any further details.The second transaction caused my bank account to be overdrawn. I want my refund asap and I want to be dissented from auto pay.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/04/2025

  
  Please accept our apologies on behalf of the organization, for any frustrations you may have experienced when contacting us regarding your membership. We wish to assure you that lapses in member services of this nature are not indicative of the importance we place in providing our members and former members with outstanding service. As a follow up to the message left by **** ****, our records reflect that the overpayment of $142.50 has been credited to you by your financial institution and that automatic payments have been disabled for the membership.  If you have any questions, please contact Ms. **** at **************.
  
   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/26/2025

  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 was notified that my battery was at 383cca at a mechanic, informing me it needs to be replaced. I have used aaa battery replacement several times in the past for my car. My current battery was replaced by aaa on March 20, 2020 and still under the 6 year warranty period. I called aaa on Monday, January 27, 2025 to find out about battery replacement. The representative was extremely helpful and nice, giving me information about the process and a quote for the price with proration ($149.99). After making time during a weekday and taking time off work, I called aaa roadside assistance as instructed to get my battery replaced on February 7, 2025. The representative was much less helpful. He would not quote a price on the phone, unlike the previous representative. He told me the price was up to the tow truck driver, which is very surprising considering this is aaa service. I asked several times and he refused to quote anything but a full price replacement; he refused to look up any info about my current battery (AS THE PREVIOUS REPRESENTATIVE DID). This was all very frustrating. Feeling I had no other option and the battery needed to be replaced and I already took time off work, I scheduled the battery replacement for the same day. Bafflingly, the representative then had the gall to try to upsell me on other services. When the driver (***** from KearnyMesaTowing) arrived, he was courteous and tested the battery. He showed me the battery passed his test. At this point, the driver would not offer a proration for the currently covered aaa battery replaced previously and only offer complete replacement at the full cost. I asked for a quote on the proration amount and since my aaa battery is covered under the program, was I able to replace it. He refused. On February 26, 2025, the same driver came back after I called AAA AGAIN!!! to get my battery replaced, they noted my file, AND THE SAME GUY REFUSED TO CHANGE MY BATTERY. This is terrible service from aaa.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/25/2025

  Please note that only our Member Relations supervisors have access to this specific quote tool, which is why the representative you spoke with during your follow-up call was unable to validate the prorated price quote. We want to assure you that the representative you spoke with adhered to our established protocols. Please know that to obtain a battery replacement under warranty, your battery test must yield a failed test result. Based on the results of your test conducted February 7, 2025, your battery passed the testing. As such, the warranty terms for a prorated replacement would not apply. However, due to your experiences our supervisor made a one-time exception to honor your 3rd party battery test results which indicated a failing test. As of writing this letter, we can confirm that you have obtained your prorated warranty for battery replacement. We extend our apologies to you for any inconvenience that you experienced when in need of roadside assistance. You requested a refund for the inconvenience experienced.While we cannot accommodate this request, we thank you for the opportunity to address the matter with you. If you have any questions, please contact Ms.********* ******* at **************.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/26/2025

  This was a terrible experience and very frustrating especially after decades of membership. And I participated previously and it wasn't such as issue. Kearny Mesa towing is terrible and has horrible customer service. Just leaving a member stranded and not wanting to help resolve the issue. 
  I brought this all up so I would never have such an experience again (or anyone else). 
  

  constantly re-explaining why this terrible customer service was "ok" is also frustrating and demeaning. With double talk from aaa representatives and different stories. 

  Business Response

  Date: 03/28/2025

  Again, we can confirm that you have obtained your prorated warranty for battery replacement. You requested a refund for the inconvenience experienced. While we cannot accommodate this request, we thank you for the opportunity to address the matter with you. If you have any questions, we encourage you to contact Ms. ********* ******* at **************.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/02/2025

  This complaint can be closed. No additional explanations are helpful from aaa

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/24/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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.

  AAA SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INSURANCE DATE: 11/7/2024 ELECTRONIC TRANSFER I sent payment to AAA via my ************************** BillPay on 11/7/2025 and they have stated they have not received payment. I have contacted Schools First third party *** and they stated payment has been sent to correct account. I also sent a copy of the tracer # and they have not been able to find my payment. Please assist with this matter. For Schools First has reached out to them and AAA has not been able to resolve this matter.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/19/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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.

  On 11/4 I used ***** ***** **** pay to pay AAA for membership in the amount of $147. Because I paid them 3 weeks before it was due on 11/23 they kicked back payment to **. ** again attempted to send payment but AAA denied it because I had been canceled for non payment. I filed a claim with ** and it was denied because they say AAA still has the $147.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/18/2025

  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.

  In July 2024, my husband ***** ******* went to pay his car registration at AAA located at ************************************************He was informed he was not a member. There was some confusion on switching members, ****** ******* (his mother) had replaced my husband and he was removed from the policy by mistake.He spoke to the Manager, *** and asked to be reinstated. *** responded no, so my husband called me on my cell to speak to ***. During the conversation *** was very rude, especially when asking to have my husband reinstated. He told us to call customer service instead. While listening to the entire conversation, my husband told *** he did not provide good customer service as a manager. He became very agitated and threatened to discontinue our membership. True to his word, that is what happened! We have tried to appeal our case to AAA, because we believe that *** is defaming our character and not being honest about the entire situation. After waiting for 3 months, our appeal was denied. We have been loyal customers with this company for 20 years. We had a filed a formal complaint and we were told that *** could have reinstated my husband's membership, at the AAA facility. We find they way AAA decided to handle this situation very concerning.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/13/2025

  Our initial notice the membership was being cancelled outlined the reasons for this action. An appeal was received and our ************* denied the appeal. We confirm the membership is cancelled and will not be reinstated.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/23/2025

  Dear BBB,

  We feel as long-time customers of **********************, we should be able to express our opinion professionally, when we are not receiving great service. In this incident, it was totally accurate.

  Unfortunately, *** is not being honest with his version of the story. We feel he is abusing his power as a manager and dictating the narrative to his superiors.

  We were loyal customers for 20 years and perceive *** was not trained properly in customer service. Our fate was decided by an unprofessional manager who could not make customers happy, with exceptional service.

  We are very disappointed with AAA allowing ***, to represent their company and treat people like trash!

  We would like an apology letter and to be reinstated.

  Best regards,

  ******** and ***** *******

  Business Response

  Date: 03/25/2025

  Our prior letter explained the ******************** has taken the appeal into consideration and regrets that your request to retain your membership has been denied.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/31/2025

  Dear BBB,

  These are some of the reasons for AAA cancelling their services for members.

  Abusive use of roadside assistance services, excessive use of services, unpaid dues, inappropriate or illegal conduct, and using the membership for harmful purposes. As long time loyal customers, we were not in violation of their rules and regulations.

  We have read many customers receiving letters regarding their membership cancelled for reasons that are not clearly stated.  It is difficult obtaining a clear explanation for their decision to cancel our membership.

  We are dismayed with the choices that AAA uses to treat customers.

   

  Best regards,

  ******** and ***** *******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/06/2025

  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.

  7/8/23 AAA installed bad battery in our vehicle. 7/13/23 call made to AAA to tow vehicle to home 7/13/23 at 4:30 pm pu in ******** (should of been 2 hrs for drop off ) Arrived in T.O. residence at 8:10 pm. The tow truck had another vehicle added behind ours(pu on the way to me)Tow ** damages our vehicle by pushing, bouncing &rocking car violently backwards down flat bed ramp While In PARK the entire time. (nothing used to help slide it down no care for vehicle) hearing the horrible screeching and banging sounds as it was forcefully jumping up & down, off loading down this entire long flat bed ********************** taken of incident. Complaint made w AAA for the damages caused. Documents & estimates produced, still many ****************** On 8/26/24 AAA Deny, & shifts their responsibility of these damages to the tow ** they, AAA hired to do their job. I called AAA to arrange this vehicle to be towed home.AAA roadside towed our vehicle using unknown to me at the time a sub**ntracting tow **. This tow ** from AAA, damaged our vehicle when unloading it off flat bed backwards (while in park the whole time), violently bouncing and forcing it backwards down their ramp. Damages seen and reported, videos of this too. Complaint to AAA, They deny any responsibility, claiming we need to go after the tow ** they hired, not them. We did not hire anyone other than AAA. We put in a claim with AAA, produced all documentation but still over a year+ w deception, **************************************** will not reimburse us for the damages caused from their negligence. AAA tells me that this other tow ** they **ntract w is under AAA **ntract, & that I need to go after them, not AAA. I called AAA for tow, not this LLC Who are we to trust when paying to be a member, the **mpany we pay or who they choose to do their jobs?. The ** or employee they hired damaged our vehicle. We want AAA to take responsibility for who they sub **ntract or hire & be responsible for the damages and expenses caused to us.