Complaints

This profile includes complaints for AAA Western and Central New York's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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• 

  AAA Western and Central New York

  100 International Dr Buffalo, NY 14221-5757

  
• 

  AAA Western and Central New York

  19482 Us Route 11 Watertown, NY 13601-5387

  
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  AAA Western and Central New York

  5103 W Genesee St Camillus, NY 13031-2371

  
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  AAA Western and Central New York

  3240 Monroe Ave Rochester, NY 14618-4627

  
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  AAA Western and Central New York

  3475 Amelia Dr Orchard Park, NY 14127-1561

  

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:01/06/2023

  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 Dec 26 2022 AAA towing company towed my vehicle to one of their repair certified locations (*******). The tow truck driver advised me to leave the keys of the vehicle on the dash so that the AAA certified shop could find it since they were closed during holiday weekend. No mention of a drop box was made by the AAA tow truck driver he said it would be ok and to just call the shop when they open and let them know the key was inside the vehicle. When I contacted the shop they informed that that no key was present in the vehicle. Because the driver was the one who told me to leave the key in the vehicle and it is no longer there due to the negligent instructions provided by the driver I would like to hold the AAA towing company responsible and liable to pay for damages related to replacing the key. I contacted their claims department and they did not resolve my issue they said I would be contacted again in a week I have had no working vehicle for weeks I need this resolved asap therefore I am contacting the better business bureau to insure the company is held responsible for the misdirection and negligence that has left me without a vehicle.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/12/2023

  Thank you for sharing our member’s concern
  about the key to his vehicle.  Upon
  receiving this complaint, our management team reached out to the member and made
  arrangements with a locksmith to replace the key.If you have any additional questions or
  concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly.Sincerely,Katie G******* Assistant Manager of Member RelationsAAA Western & Central New York100 International DriveBuffalo, NY 14221

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/18/2022

  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.

  At approx. 10p on Nov. 12th, my car got stuck with the left-rear tire suspended over a culvert in mud. I called AAA to tow my car so I could drive it home. A person from ********** arrived. Instead of pulling the car straight out, the way it got in, they put the car in park, winched around the front/back right tires, and pulled the car. This caused multiple large rocks to become wedged in between the wheel and the underside of the car. I told the driver he shouldn’t keep pulling with the rocks in there, and that we should take them out first, but he-without saying anything- went back to his truck and kept pulling. This caused the wheel to bend at an unnatural angle and did nothing for getting the car out of its position. A witness recommended jacking the car up and getting the rocks out. After doing so and hammering them out, the driver then continued to pull the car in the same position and the car got out. While driving home, my brakes did not work and I feared for my safety. I called in a claim to AAA and then to my insurance, who couldn’t help- stating that they did not cover damage caused by the tow driver. AAA sent Todd C****** to investigate and make a decision of fault. I had to call in to work, AAA refused to pay for my car to get towed to a mechanic so I had to pay out-of-pocket, and they wouldn’t pay for a rental. Initially, Mr. C****** assured me that the fault was with the tow. The management at ********** lied to Mr. C****** and told him repeatedly that the rocks were already stuck in my car when the driver arrived, which was not true. Mr. C******, along with his supervisor, refused to believe me over **********. They stated that they “value my membership” and “want to help” but would not and that it was my fault for having my car stuck on rocky terrain. I paid for the work to be done myself, since it took nearly a week for Mr. C****** to get back to me, only to be accused of lying. This disrespect and lack of professionalism is unacceptable.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 11/22/2022

  Thank
  you for contacting AAA Western and Central New York regarding our member’s
  recent request for emergency roadside assistance request. We apologize that she
  was not completely satisfied with the service from our team. Upon reviewing our
  records, I found that our member requested service on November 12, 2022 for her
  2014 *** ****.  When the service technician arrived, he found the member’s
  vehicle was stuck on a rocky embankment.  The vehicle was winched out to
  the road and a tow was not required. The service was provided
  by an independent contractor, not a AAA employee in a club-owned service
  vehicle.  While these matters are typically resolved between the member
  and the servicing facility, our business advisor opened an investigation upon
  learning of our member’s concern.  He visited the location of the incident,
  spoke with the service provider, and spoke with the member.  The service
  provider contends that the rocks were present before the vehicle was
  winched.   The driver could not safely jack the vehicle up to remove
  the rocks in its current location.  Once the vehicle was winched and on
  solid ground, he was able to remove the rocks.  However, the member
  indicates the rocks became wedged after the technician began to winch the
  vehicle.  When the damage investigation was complete, our business advisor
  could not attribute the damage to the service technician with any certainty,
  and as such, the servicing facility declined to reimburse the member for the
  damage.

  
  While AAA Western &
  Central New York was unable to secure evidence that the damage from the rocks
  was a result of the winch, AAA has agreed to reimburse the member for her
  repairs as a one-time gesture of goodwill. A check in the amount of $179.56
  will be mailed to the address listed on the AAA membership account.
  
  Thank you again for
  contacting AAA regarding our member’s concern. If you would like to discuss
  this matter further, please feel free to contact me, and I’ll be happy to speak
  with you.  
  

  Sincerely,
  
  Katie Gagliano
  Assistant Manager of Member
  Relations
  AAA Western & Central New York
  100 International Drive
  Buffalo, NY 14221
  Phone: 716-362-7777
  E-mail: [email protected]

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/17/2022

  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.

  As AAA members since 2015 we have a AAA battery under warranty currently. We’ve had to make two separate service calls in the past week about the battery not working. Each time the AAA service provider came out and tested the battery before jumping the car, it was said that it was not a battery issue. I had the car towed to an auto mechanic who did their own test on the battery and said it was absolutely a battery issue. We are now being told that we will be charged for the service of AAA coming to yet again check the battery and or replace it under the warranty because we ran out of our allotted services. Even though it was miss diagnosed two SEPERATE times under our AAA membership.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 11/23/2022

  Thank
  you for contacting AAA Western and Central New York regarding our member’s
  recent emergency roadside assistance requests. We apologize that she was not
  completely satisfied with the service from our team. Our records show the
  member contacted AAA Western & Central New York for service 5 times during
  the current membership year.  All of the calls were for a Black ***** ****. Below, I have provided a summary of each road service request, according
  to our records. August 22, 2022:   Locksmith services were requested and received. September 19, 2022:   A
  battery test revealed the battery needed to be charged, and tested again
  after it was recharged.  A copy of the battery test is attached. The
  battery was not replaced under warranty because the battery test revealed
  that the battery was discharged and could possibly be serviceable, a
  warranty exclusion.  November 9, 2022:   A battery test was performed and revealed that the battery was good and
  passed testing.  A jump start was provided.  Our records
  indicate the individual on site stated that vehicle is a secondary vehicle
  and is not driven much.  This is a common reason a good battery would
  fail to start multiple times.  Our service provider recommended to
  have it fully charged at a full service shop.  The battery was not
  replaced under warranty because the test results did not reveal a
  manufacturer defect. November 14, 2022:   Battery service was not available during the time of the request.  A
  jump start was provided to the member.November 17, 2022:   A complimentary courtesy call was provided to the member. The battery
  failed testing and the member was offered a battery at a discounted price,
  as allowed under her battery warranty. The service provider states
  that the member agreed to the discounted price, and the battery was
  installed.  Once installed, the member refused to pay for it, indicating
  that it was covered under warranty.  As such, the battery was removed
  and the old battery placed back in the vehicle.  There is no evidence to suggest that the battery tests were incorrect or the diagnosis was missed on
  September 19th, November 9th and November 14th.
    Accordingly, each of those service requests counts as one of the
  member’s four free service calls for the membership year.  While the
  member had already reached her limit of four free service calls for the
  membership year on November 14th, a courtesy call was provided on
  November 17, 2022.  Under
  the terms of AAA membership, each member is allowed four free road service
  requests. After those four have been used, AAA may assist members in obtaining
  private service from AAA-approved contractors when available.  Keeping in
  mind the needs of the vast majority of our members, a reasonable limit of free
  calls must be enforced, as over usage of Emergency Roadside Assistance benefits
  would drive up membership rates. By enforcing this policy, we can ensure that
  AAA is affordable enough to maintain membership and always be there when our
  members need us.  As the member was already provided one complimentary
  courtesy call, and there is no evidence to suggest our service providers missed
  a proper diagnosis, AAA Western & Central New York respectfully declines to
  provide additional free service requests for the current membership year.
    If the member would like to purchase a battery replacement from AAA
  Western & Central New York, she must pay our AAA member private service
  rate of $76.50 plus tax, along with the discounted cost of the battery.
  Alternatively, if the member opts to renew her AAA membership account upon her
  December 15, 2022 expiry date, she will receive four new free service requests
  for the upcoming membership year.Thank you again for
  sharing our member’s feedback with us. you would like to discuss this matter
  further, please feel free to contact me, and I’ll be happy to speak with you. Sincerely, Katie G******* Assistant Manager of Member
  Relations AAA Western & Central New York

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/12/2022

  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.

  I had an issue with my car on 7/2/2022 in New Mexico. I called AAA as I have coverage through them. The person they sent came in a regular red truck, not a tow truck, and took a piece that was dragging off of my car and told me it was the muffler and I didn't need it and they couldn't put it back on. He proceeded to tell me not to let thr mechanics say he took the catalytic converter. Due to it being a holiday I had to stay in the nearest town which was 65 miles away for a few days. I took my car to a mechanic and he said the guy took my secondary catalytic converter. I called AAA to file a complaint and have been waiting for a resolution since and it is now 8/12/2022.
  AAA has been absolutely horrible about getting back to me regarding the issue. They never even offered trip interruption until the 3rd of 4th time I mentioned it did someone finally send me the paperwork.
  My case was assigned to an agent whose name was Debbie G*****. Who after me calling her because she only reached out to me once in a months time. She told me to not do anything until I hear back from her. She never called back. I left several messages and finally called the general AAA number only to be told my case was sent to a different agent. Terrible customer service.
  As I type this that other agent whose name is Scott is just as bad at communicating. He takes more than a week to reply and when he does he never answers my questions. He sent a text to me on Monday 8/8/2022 asking if my dad needed a call back. My dad called over a month ago and you're just now thinking of getting back to him? Absolutely disgusting. I have since reached out to Scott several times regarding my trip interruption claim and have yet to hear anything back.
  Absolutely disgusted by lack of communication from AAA this whole time and would never recommend them to anyone as if you have an issue they won't get back to you. Imagine if I was still waiting as Debbie told me to without any type of reimbursement from AAA.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/16/2022

  Thank
  you for contacting us regarding our member’s recent request for emergency
  roadside assistance in New Mexico. We apologize she was not completely
  satisfied with her experience.While AAA membership
  covers our members anywhere throughout the U.S. and Canada, each AAA club in a
  particular region contracts with its own towing providers.  As such, upon
  learning of the member’s concern on July 5, 2022, our member relations team
  reached out to the servicing club, AAA New Mexico, to investigate the matter
  further.  Typically, our members will hear from our member relations team
  within 3 business days.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t until July 14th that our representative from AAA New Mexico first spoke to the member about her
  concern. I apologize that neither AAA New Mexico nor AAA Western & Central
  New York reached out to the member sooner, but I assure our member and the
  Better Business Bureau that our team was working diligently behind the
  scenes.  Nonetheless,  this is not the service our members expect and
  I have shared her concerns with the appropriate management teams for proper
  follow up with all involved.According to our
  records, the member called for service on July 2, 2022 in Cedarvale, NM. 
  The AAA contracted service provider found that the pre-muffler was corroded and
  was falling off, so he removed it and offered to leave it with the
  member.  The contracted service provider indicated that the member declined,
  so he retained the pre-muffler – the service provider advised AAA that the
  member’s response was that the part was junk and she had no need for it. Our
  records indicate that the member subsequently went to AAA Exhaust and Muffler,
  a repair facility that is not AAA approved.  The facility advised the
  member that the AAA contracted service provider stole the member’s catalytic
  converter.  The repair facility also installed a straight exhaust pipe on
  her vehicle.  Subsequently, on July 5, 2022, the member contacted AAA
  Western & Central New York to express her concerns. The member also filed a
  police report with the Torrance County Sheriff’s Department indicating that the
  catalytic converter had been stolen by the technician who provided service to
  the member on 7/2/22.AAA’s first attempt to
  resolve the matter was on July 14, 2022. Specifically, our representative from
  AAA New Mexico contacted the member to advise that the contracted service
  provider confirmed that he did not take the catalytic converter, but rather the
  muffler.  Our representative reports that the member was insistent that
  the part was the catalytic converter.  As our AAA
  representative was able to retrieve the removed part in question, he attempted
  to resolve the complaint a second time by obtaining another opinion from a AAA
  Approved Repair facility located in Albuquerque, NM.   Our
  representative contacted the member on July 15th and advised that it
  was confirmed by our AAA Approved Auto Repair facility that the part was indeed
  the muffler.  He shared a copy of the schematic of the exhaust system to
  show where the catalytic converter is supposed to be, along with the attached
  photo of the part in question.  The member confirmed that part was indeed
  the one removed, but remained unconvinced that the catalytic converter was not
  stolen. Our representative offered to return the part via overnight mail at no
  cost, but the member declined.  As a third attempt to
  resolve the complaint, our representative at AAA New Mexico scheduled a
  complimentary inspection at a AAA Approved Auto Repair facility in Flagstaff,
  AZ, where the member was located at the time.  The member agreed to visit
  the station and have her vehicle inspected to see if her catalytic converter
  was missing or was still intact on the vehicle. As our representative from AAA
  New Mexico did not hear from the member after her scheduled appointment, he
  attempted to follow up with her on three separate occasions – Monday, July 18,
  Wednesday, July 20 and Friday, July 22. The representative was unable to speak
  with the member or leave a voicemail as the mailbox was full. The member contacted AAA
  Western & Central New York on Friday, July 22nd for an
  update.  The very next week, upon learning that the member did not visit
  the AAA Approved Auto Repair facility in Flagstaff as scheduled, our AAA
  Western & Central New York Business Advisor worked with the member and AAA
  New Mexico to make another appointment at a AAA Approved Auto Repair facility
  in San Diego on August 10th.  The vehicle was inspected and the
  AAA Approved Auto Repair facility confirmed that the catalytic converters were
  intact and not stolen.  The AAA Approved Auto Repair facility also
  confirmed that the straight pipe repair provided to the member was sufficient
  for the vehicle and all smog tests in California.  Upon learning the
  results of the inspection, our Business Advisor made his fourth and final
  attempt to resolve the member’s concern on August 12th.  They
  discussed the results of the inspection and she was advised that the claim of
  theft is unfounded and AAA Western & Central New York will not be providing
  reimbursement for the repair. In addition, our Business Advisor explained that
  the member is not eligible for Trip Interruption benefits.  Specifically,
  as per the terms and conditions of membership available on AAA.com/terms,
   Trip Interruption
  Protection begins 7 days after Plus or Premier enrollment or upgrade and
  pre-existing breakdowns are not eligible for Trip Interruption Protection.   As the member upgraded to the Plus
  level on July 2, 2022, the same day as her breakdown, she was not yet eligible
  for Trip Interruption Protection as outlined in the Terms & Conditions of
  membership described above.Ms. ********, thank you
  again for sharing our member’s feedback. While I regret the initial delay in
  contacting our member, our records show that the teams in both New Mexico and
  Western & Central New York made four attempts to resolve the member’s
  complaint between July 14th and August 12th.
   Unfortunately, the member remained unconvinced of our findings each time,
  requiring our teams to provide additional evidence that the catalytic converter
  was not stolen.  Nonetheless, we recognize that our initial response to
  the member was delayed.  As such,  as a gesture of goodwill, I have
  issued a full refund of her membership dues.  Her membership remains
  active through her original expiry date of April 30, 2023 at which time she can
  opt to renew or cancel. As the member was not eligible for Trip Interruption
  Protection at the time of the incident, however, AAA respectfully declines to
  provide reimbursement for her hotel and rental car expenses.If you have any
  questions, or if I can be of any further assistance, please contact me, and
  I’ll be happy to speak with you. Sincerely,Katie G*******Assistant Manager of Member
  RelationsAAA Western & Central New York100 International DriveBuffalo, NY 14221Phone: ###-###-####E-mail: *******************