Complaints
This profile includes complaints for Brown's Automotive Experts's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Complaints Summary
- 5 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 3 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe 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:11/26/2024
Type: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.
They worked on my 1997 mercury mountaineer and when I got home, I opened the hood to find the dipstick missing. I called them immediately and was told to come back. Instead of looking for my dipstick, they told me that their techs put it back. I told them they were mistaken. They verified that it was missing... but after weeks of trying to get it back, they instead blamed me for it as if I would take the dipstick myself. This explains why they didn't even attempt to look for it... they never believed that one of their guys could make a mistake. They did offer a new dipstick that didn't fit, however I just want my original dipstick back.
Business Response
Date: 12/05/2024
Hello ****,
We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you and appreciate you bringing it to our attention. Our District Manager *** has reached out to you and I believe you two are working together to resolve the issue. There are 3 dipsticks at the shop waiting for your Mercury. When you are available, please bring the vehicle in and we can get this situation handled.
Thank you,
****** *****
Initial Complaint
Date:11/20/2024
Type: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.
We took our car in for a regular oil change. They came up with a list of everything that needed fixed and one of the things was new tires. The bill was over $3000. Immediately after getting my car back, I noticed that every time I get in the car the "low tire" indicator is on. These are brand new tires. So I called to ask them if they could fix the tires I had just bought and paid for. They said, "Oh well, that´s irritating but it will be better when the weather is warmer." So I made a call to the manager to talk about getting my tires fixed and to let him know how disappointed I have been with the service. The manager never called me back.Business Response
Date: 11/26/2024
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We have discussed the issue with our staff and use this information to help us improve our services. We appreciate you taking our call and we are happy that we have got you scheduled at another one of locations to address the TPMS light. Let us know if there is anything else we can do to help!Customer Answer
Date: 11/26/2024
[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Better Business Bureau®:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. I talked to theDistrict Manager ***, who very kindly took care of my issue. It took less than 10 minutes to resolve. I´m grateful that it is resolved. I´m sorry that Brown´s
on the corner of 4th and Los Ranchos lost a good customer.
Regards,
****** ****Initial Complaint
Date:10/29/2024
Type: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 truck to them to fix a lock actuator issue and to give me an estimate on installing a new alternator which I had already purchased.
They evaluated everything thing else instead and then charged me for it. I kept calling and finally 6 hours later I get a lengthy list of recommendations that included an oil change (which I had done 2 weeks prior.) new windshield wipers (which I replaced a month prior.). My husband and I had just installed shocks and new wheels and tires and they even inspected those. We had already purchased all the parts for new rotors and pads to install this week ourselves and they tried to insist that they do that work before giving us our truck back under duress.
I feel they charged me for work they didn’t complete and I want my money back. I can install the actuator myself.Business Response
Date: 10/29/2024
Thank you for reaching out regarding your recent experience with Brown's Automotive. We value your feedback and want to address your concerns fully.
Our records indicate that you brought in your vehicle to diagnose an issue with the passenger door lock actuator. During the diagnostic process, our technician found the issue with the actuator and recommended its replacement to resolve the locking concern.
As part of our standard service, we performed a complimentary multipoint inspection to review the vehicle's overall condition. This inspection highlighted some safety concerns, particularly that your front brakes were metal-to-metal. For liability reasons, we feel obligated to notify customers of any urgent safety concerns.
The $129.95 charge on your invoice reflects the diagnostic fee for identifying the actuator issue, and no additional charges were applied for other inspections. We apologize for any confusion regarding our communication during your visit. Our aim is always to prioritize transparency and customer safety, and we hope this clarifies the nature of our recommendations.
If there is anything further we can assist you with or clarify, please let us know. Thank you again for sharing your experience, and we hope to serve you better in the future.Customer Answer
Date: 10/30/2024
Complaint: ********
I am rejecting this response because:
I did not ask for a diagnosis, I told you out there was an issue with the door lock actuator and that it needed to be replaced.
I did not ask you to check anything else
your response proves that you did not provide the exact service I requested.Doing any diagnostic was on you, I did not request it.
You need to refund my account
Your practice as a service is shady and you weee looking for more work rather than talking to me and following what I requested you do
You Never even gave me an estimate on insulation of the alternator I have for my vehicle.If it is your objective to run customers off you’re doing a good job
You said your boss would call me and he never has
Regards,
****** *****[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, the consumer must give a reason why they are rejecting the response. If the consumer does not provide a reason the complaint will be closed Answered]Initial Complaint
Date:10/11/2023
Type: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 10/24/2022 I brought my 2014 Ford Edge to Brown's Automotive complaining that the car's heater was not working. On my invoice, Brown's stated, "Visually inspected the blend door actuator and actuator not operating. Recommend replacing blend door actuator." I was charged $506.63 to diagnose and fix the problem. Less than a year later, the car's heater again quit working. On 10/5/2023, Brown's fixed the problem by again replacing the blend door actuator. Despite an advertised 3 year warranty on their work, I was charged $681.20. I was understandably upset, and the manager promised to get back to me "within 3 hours" to see if an adjustment was possible. I have never heard from him. In other words, I paid for the same repair twice, despite an advertised warranty. Additionally, Brown's said my car's battery "failed a load test." That seemed surprising considering the battery was less than two years old, so I took the car to the Interstate Battery location on ******** Road in Albuquerque. They performed a test showing the battery in perfect condition.Business Response
Date: 10/12/2023
Good afternoon,
I spoke with ***** ******* about this claim and confirmed this should have been warranty and credited him back the labor and the diagnostic charges for the repair, and he will stop by this afternoon the run the credit back to his card
Thank you for your assistance in this matter.
*** *****
District Manager
10/12/2023
Customer Answer
Date: 10/18/2023
[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Better Business Bureau®:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Regards,
***** *******Initial Complaint
Date:12/05/2022
Type: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 November 28, 2022 I took my 1969 camaro into Browns Automotive Experts and asked them to fix by turn signals and three gauges which are in a cluster. The turn signals were supposed to be fixed on a privious work order dated 1/21/22 in which I paied them $3,780.38 which includes other repairs. And then on the latest work order they charged me $495.00 for repairs that should have been covered other then the gauges, because Lance would'nt fix them right when I asked him on several calls I made. And now when I talked to Art Z*****, He made me feel confident that he would not charge me for the turn signal portion. When I picked up the car on 12/2/22 I didnt want to get into an argument with Art because I felt like he was treating me the same way as Lance did. So i let them know in a customer servey that they sent me to fill out. Which by the way, they want to know how they did now and they dont care about if I have problems in the future. So I mentioned that in my answers along with my complaint. If those turn signals would have been repaired right the first time when Lance said that they were, I would not be requesting/filing this complaint now. ThanksBusiness Response
Date: 12/14/2022
Thank you for bringing this issue up to our attention. We appreciated talking with you on the phone and you giving us the opportunity to work with you find a solution that will be satisfactory. We look forward to getting the vehicle repaired and back to you quickly.Customer Answer
Date: 12/14/2022
Yes. I would like to settle my complaint with Browns Automotive case# ******** I was contacted by a Mr. Tim S**** from the company and we came to an agreement. Thanks a bunch for your help. ****** ******
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