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.

  Service date; 4/15/24 Service advisor; *********************. I went to have my brakes checked and service tech came to me and told me my tires were bad. I explained Killian put those tires on and only had ****** miles on them. I asked him to rotate the tires and he said they are too far gone to even bother with them. He also quoted rear brakes and rotors for $485.60 and front rotors for $346.46. I received a follow up call from **** about my visit and I explained the poor customer service and the quality of tire they sold me for getting ****** miles from a good set of tires (4). He explained that the manufacturer won't warranty the tires until they have been worn down more and that I had at least 2 more oil changes out of those tires. I asked him to rotate and align the tires at no service charge for poor customer service and he told me to come back and he would take care of the rotation and alignment at no charge. So I went back 4/22/24 and had the tires rotated and aligned. I drove home less than *************************************************************** my garage the dash board lit up with the Vehicle Suspension System error, check engine light, and the suspension button was disengaged on dashboard. I called and spoke to **** and he said that could be my catalectic converter or a gas cap issue and to bring it in as soon as possible. I took it to another mechanic and ran the code finder and it sent him directly to the suspension connector under the hood. He showed me where the wires to the connector were cut. He checked for rodent damage under the hood or possible nesting of outdoor animals. I explained that my car is garage kept and no damage was found other than those wires being cut. I went to ****** to get the housing connector ($16.05) and the connecting wires ($105.47) and the mechanic fixed the cut wires for $83.18. Killian Automotive was the last place that had access under the hood of my car.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/14/2024

  To Whom it May ***************** briefly describe Killian Automotive, Killian is a thriving, 17-bay shop that was founded in 1996.  Its the busiest independent repair facility in ***************, a county of over ******* people.  Killian has won numerous awards for excellence in auto repair from AAA and local community magazines, and has been featured in Ratchet Wrench, an industry trade magazine.  In 2021, Killian won the award for Small Business of the Year from the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce.  Since 2021, Killian, through its Repair it Forward program, has provided over $53,000 worth of free repairs to people in need in partnership with Must Ministries, Cherokee *********************** and other local non-profits.  Killian is dedicated to providing excellence in auto repair, helping our community, and striving each day to provide a high level of hospitality to our customers. 

  We are sorry to hear that a client is disappointed with her visit.  We make every effort to ensure our customers have a positive experience, and we are always willing to put trust before money, even when the customers perception does not align with our own.  After performing our own due diligence, which includes speaking with our District Manager, ************** Service Advisor and technicians involved, as well as consulting Carfax vehicle history, we discovered the following.

  ******************** came in for a routine free tire rotation and brake check.  We inspected the tires/brakes and gave her an estimate to replace her worn brake parts front and rear.  She declined the brake repair and had them repaired elsewhere upon leaving our facility.  In her best interest, we suggested replacement of her tires instead of rotating since they were worn to the manufacturer wear bars in the front and only approximately 1/32 above the wear bars in the rear.  This worn set of tires had lasted approximately ****** miles and were installed by Killian Automotive.  It is important to mention that her two previous sets of tires, not installed by Killian, lasted ****** miles and ****** miles, respectively.  The brand of tires previously installed by Killian were Toyo tires, a brand that is routinely rated higher than Michelin, the industry gold standard per Consumer Reports magazine.  The worn set of Toyo tires performed consistently with the two prior sets of tires.  This is a good indicator of what ******************** should expect with future tire life expectancy as long as her driving habits stay consistent.  Upon delivering the news that the brake components and tires needed to be replaced and the cost of the services, it became apparent that ******************** felt her tires should have lasted longer than ****** miles, even though the mileage was consistent with the previous sets.  Perhaps our Advisor could have been more empathetic with her feelings at the moment.  Nevertheless, he informed her of the facts and provided her with a solution with cost.  He was not incorrect with his information and was respectful in his delivery.  ******************** pushed back by insinuating our shop installed a poor quality tire.  Our Service Advisor was unable to satisfy her at that point and she left.  Later, a Killian Manager called to attempt a resolution.  As a gesture of goodwill, we offered a free alignment ($120 value) and free tire rotation, and ******************** accepted our offer.  

  Upon returning for the free alignment, our technician noticed new front brake parts had been installed since her last visit, which required removal of brake components often attached to anti-lock brake system wiring.  This is relevant to her accusation that we disconnected or cut her brake system wires.  We are unsure how her wires became damaged.  We did not touch the wires and had no reason to tamper with a safety-related system.  There are 16 security cameras that monitor our facility including the bay where alignments are performed.  None of the cameras indicate any action which would be consistent with tampering with braking system wires.  The only adjustment necessary to align the vehicle involved loosening two nuts and making a toe adjustment to a tie rod.  Our technician test drove the vehicle after the alignment to check his work and noticed no warning lights illuminated on the instrument cluster.  Upon leaving the shop after we performed the alignment, ******************** drove home 20 miles without any warning lights.  As she mentioned, she noticed a light on the next day.  A cut wire typically will cause a warning light to appear instantly.  

  We do not know what may have happened in the **************************************** what may have happened overnight.  Although we offered to inspect the wiring free of charge, we were not given the opportunity.  She stated in her complaint that the tech who saw the wire damage was concerned about the possibility of rodent damage, which can occur whether the vehicle is parked indoors or outdoors.  It is not uncommon for rodents to gain access to the inside of a garage and cause damage to wiring.  They are naturally attracted to the wiring of a vehicle as the wiring insulation often contains a soy product and is a food source for rodents.  The fact that the tech at the other shop saw wiring damage and suspected rodents is significant.  He also inspected for nesting.  This would suggest he discovered chewed wires from rodents instead of clean-cut wires from a tool.

  In conclusion, we feel terrible that we fell short of Ms. ********* expectations.  Although she is upset about the life of the tires we installed ****** miles ago, the mileage is consistent with the lifespan of her two previous tire sets and the wear is not considered abnormal for her car.  Although we emphatically believe we did not cause the wiring issue, we have mailed her a check as yet another act of goodwill for the requested $204.70 as a benefit-of-the-the-doubt gesture.  We will continue to use this example as a training opportunity for our staff and wish ******************** the best in the future.