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:07/09/2024

  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.

  I am a senior citizen I took my car in to find out about a noise that I was hearing. Asked them to listen to the noise. They said No Need. They charged me ****** and never heard the noise. When I picked up the car the noise was still there. They stated that they fixed something else. They did not give me my money back. Please Help Me. Now I have to pay someone else to check my car and fix it. I get one check a month and barely making it.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/12/2024

  TAutowise ********** provides motor vehicle service to customers vehicles at our service shop at ***********************************. Autowise has been serving thousands of satisfied customers for more than twelve years at this location. Services are explained and approved by customers in person at the time of service in compliance of Wis. Admin. Code, Chapter ATCP 132, Motor Vehicle Repair.
  At Autowise, customers are required to fill out our Pre-service check in sheet, which asks for customer information, vehicle information, lists our popular fees and a space for customer to describe service requested and describes their rights under Wis. Admin. Code, Chapter ATCP 132. Our customers are asked to read and sign this document before we can procced with their requests.
  On July 1, 2024, ******************* arrived at our Autowise location and spoke with our **************** Representative, Mr. **** *******.  Ms. ***** requested service to her 2011 Chevrolet HHR with ******* miles because she indicated that a noise was coming from the right front of her vehicle. Our service technician rode with her in her vehicle to listen for the noise in the right front of the vehicle. The technician observed several noises in several locations, but she insisted that she wanted the noise in the right front diagnosed. Our technician then placed her vehicle on our service lift to examine the right front side. He diagnosed the source of the noise was the right front lower control arm with ball joint. Ms. ***** was quoted a price for the replacement of the right front lower control arm with ball joint and signed authorization document to proceed with the work. Ms. ***** then left our premise and was told that we would call her when her vehicle was ready.  
  The technician replaced the lower control arm with ball joint and test drove her vehicle. With the noise silenced in the right front, he could now hear additional noise coming front the left front of her vehicle.  He communicated that the noise was the left front hub bearing to ****. **** prepared a quote to replace the left front hub bearing and called Ms. ***** to inform her to the additional repair, however she did not answer her phone. In anticipation of her approving the left front hub bearing, **** ordered the part from our parts supplier, so if she approved the repair, it could be done quickly.  Unannounced, Ms. ***** returned and wanted her vehicle because she was in a big hurry. **** tried to inform her of the additional noise in the left front, but she was not interested in listening to him explain the need to replace the left front hub bearing. She paid her invoice and left in a hurry. 
  At Autowise we respect our customer and follow Wis. Admin. Code, Chapter ATCP 132, Motor Vehicle Repair. We did exactly what Ms. ***** insisted, which was to silence the noise in the right front. We silenced the noise in the right front and we tried to explain the additional noise in the left front. We strive to have 100% customer satisfaction; however, Ms. ***** feels we did not.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/25/2022

  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.

  On April 28th I took my truck in to have a couple of sensors repair, so my check engine light will go off. I spoke with ***************************** a week prior to bring my truck in. I explain to him that I just paid fire stone to for a diagnostic test that revealed that 2 of my sensors has gone bad and that was causing the check engine to come on and stay on. I showed him the paper work I received from ********* and he also diagnostic the issues, it revealed the same 2 sensors on his scanner. I didn't go with *********, because I was told that they were over charging me. When I can in to Autowise **************************** ********************** ensured me that he could fix it and at a better price, He quoted me around $500 so I told him I had to arrange for a ride to bring me home when I dropped off my truck. So on April 28th I dropped my truck off at Autowise ******************** center at 8:30am. I was told by ********* and other Auto shop that this will be at least an 8 hour job, because they have to drop my gas tank to get to the sensor. at around 2:00pm I received a call from the receptionist at the Auto wise shop stating my truck was ready. When I arrived I notice my truck was in the exact same spot I parked it in this morning, My wheel was even turn the same. so I went into the shop and paid for the service. I was charged a total of $543.58. I paid $38 for a diagnostic which they took off because I decided to have them fix the issues, because their price was better then *********. I paid got my keys and started up my truck to see my check engine light was still on. I went back inside and ask to speak with ***** and he and the Mechanic when out to my truck and started up and seen for themselves that my check engine was still on the Mechanic went and got his scanner and to see why the check engine light was still on when the scanned my truck the exact same 2 sensor code was showing. I do not believe they even moved my truck, because it was parked exactly how I left it.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/05/2022

  Autowise ********** provides motor vehicle service to customers vehicles at our service shop at ******************************************************. Autowise has been serving thousands of satisfied customers for more than ten years at this location. Services are explained and approved by customers in person at the time of service in compliance of Wis. Admin. Code, Chapter ATCP 132, Motor Vehicle Repair.
  At Autowise, customers are required to fill out our *********** check in sheet, which asks for customer information, vehicle information, lists our popular fees and a space for customer to describe service requested and describes their rights under Wis. Admin.Code, Chapter ATCP 132. Our customers are asked to read and sign this sheet before we can procced with their requests.
  On April 21, 2022, ***************************** arrived at our Autowise location spoke with our **************** Representative, ***************  ****************** requested service to her 2012 Chevrolet Traverse. Her conversation with ***** was that she had been to ********* for a check engine light-on diagnostic test and she just wanted Autowise to replace a part. ***** explained to her that we needed to perform our own code scan and diagnostic test to confirm ********** diagnoses and to give her a second opinion as to the reason her check engine light was on.  She refused our code scan and diagnostic test because she did not want to pay the cost of our tests. She had brought in her own part, which she said she had purchased a long time ago and just wanted Autowise to install her part. ***** told her installing her part may not solve her check engine light on issue, plus Autowise does not warrantee work performed with customer supplied parts because we do not know the condition of the part as to whether it is a new part or a used part.  At that point she, became very agitated and loud, so ***** requested ********************************* to come to the front office to speak with her.
  ***** came to the front to speak with ****************** regarding her request. ***** also repeated Autowise s policy of not replacing parts based upon others code scan and diagnostic tests. ***** told her that we needed to perform a code scan and diagnostic test to try to determine the possible causes for the vehicle check engine light on. He explained to her that just reading the codes with a vehicle scanner gives you only possible clues to the problem, but an in-depth testing of all related components is required before changing any part. In her complaint she states that ***** ensured her that he could fix the 2 sensors which was causing her check engine light to stay on, but in contrast, ***** with ***** standing next to him, never told her that statement.  He was explaining the exact opposite that we need to perform a code scan and diagnostic to actually read the code before we could suggest which parts or sensors maybe causing her check engine light to stay on. She again became very agitated and loud insisting she did not want pay for a code scan or diagnostic test and that she just wanted us to replace her part. She was convinced that the vehicles Evaporative Emission Canister Vent Solenoid Valve was the problem. She had brought the replacement evaporative emission canister vent solenoid valve that she had purchased a long time ago and wanted Autowise to install her part. ***** told her that changing the evaporative emission canister vent solenoid valve may not solve her check engine light on issue, but she insisted she just wanted the valve replaced.
  At that point, ***** explained to her that the evaporative emission canister vent solenoid valve was located on top of the vehicles fuel tank, which the fuel tank was located under her vehicle above the vehicles rear suspension. The fuel tank would need to drained, dropped down from under the vehicle, remove and replace the evaporative emission canister vent solenoid valve, reposition the tank up under the vehicle and return the fuel to the tank. 
  ***** explained to her we needed to examine the underside of her vehicle. She agreed and signed authorization to perform an underbody inspection of $35.00 + $2.99 tax = $37.99, this transaction was on our invoice ****** completed on April 21, 2022.
  Then, ***** estimated the labor time to perform this task, based on our estimating repair software *********, was 4.8 hours at our labor rate of $105 per hour was about $500 plus tax. ***** explained to her, she would need to bring her vehicle back on April 28, 2022,since it would take about 5 hours to perform this task.
  ***** also repeated our position that changing the evaporative emission canister vent solenoid valve may not solve the check engine light on. He told her there is No Warranty on work when customer supplies their own parts. He again suggested that Autowise perform a code scan and diagnostic test to determine possible causes of her vehicle check engine light on. She refused the code scan and diagnostic test and made appointment for April 28, 2022.  
  ****************** arrived on the morning of April 28, 2022 for her appointment. She filled out and signed our pre-service check in sheet. Enclosed is this pre-service check in sheet she signed with the statement that she wanted her part installed and there is NO WARRANTY on work with customer supplied parts with the estimate of $500 + tax. ***** asked ***** to come to the front to discuss the service she was requesting.
  ***** came to the front and again urged ****************** to let Autowise perform a code scan and diagnostic test before installing her evaporative emission canister vent solenoid valve she brought in. She refused and was convinced that her part would solve her check engine light on issue. She would not tell us the engine codes that ********* had discovered nor would she allow Autowise to perform code scan or diagnostic test and at no time did any person at Autowise tell her that the work we were performing on her vehicle would fix her check engine light on issue. As she left, ***** told her that we would call her when we completed installing her part.
  Autowise technicians performed the work requested by draining the fuel from the fuel tank, dropping the vehicle fuel tank, removing and replacing customer supplied evaporative emission canister vent solenoid valve, repositioning the fuel tank up under the vehicle and returning the fuel to the tank. During this process it require two technicians to handle the large fuel tank while dropping and raising the tank up under the vehicle. In ****************** complaint she states,they never touch my vehicle, because she was told by several different auto shops that this job would take approximately 8 or more hours since they have to drop the gas tank to replace the part, but according to our estimating software labor time should be less than 5 hours. We do not overcharge for labor and we follow the industry book labor time. Our technicians finished the job within our estimated time. In ****************** complaint she states, they never touch my vehicle, because it was parked in the same spot when she dropped it off. We have limited parking spaces in front of our building, our technicians who performed the labor to change her evaporative emission canister vent solenoid valve, said when he finished the job, he pulled it around and parked the vehicle in the only empty spot in front of our building. ***** remembers it being parked close to the spot where she dropped it off.
  ***** prepared our invoice number ****** with the labor amount of $500, minus an $35.00 discount for the underbody inspection performed on April 21, **** on invoice ******, plus sales tax and shop supplies, which brought the total invoice to $505.58. ***** also retrieved the old evaporative emission canister vent solenoid valve which our technician removed. It is our standard policy to return the old parts we remove from a customer vehicle. Many times, our customers will examine the parts and ask us to properly dispose of their old parts.
  When ****************** arrived to pick up her vehicle, ***** presented her with her old removed evaporative emission canister vent solenoid valve and our invoice ****** for $505.58, pointing out the statement of No Warranty on work with customer supplied parts. ****************** reviewed the invoice and signed acceptance of invoice. She presented her credit card for payment and signed the credit card receipt. She walked out to her vehicle with the old evaporative emission canister vent solenoid valve we had replaced on her vehicle.
  Minutes later, ****************** comes back inside to state that her check engine light is on. ***** explained that we did exactly what she insisted we do, which was to replace the evaporative emission canister vent solenoid valve she had brought to us. He reminded her that we urged her to perform a code scan and diagnostic test before installing her evaporative emission canister vent solenoid valve, but she refused and made her decision to replace the evaporative emission canister vent solenoid valve.***** could see that she regretted her decision to not to allow Autowise to perform a code scan and diagnostic test, so he asked our technician to perform our first code scan on her vehicle at no charge.
  The scan revealed a code which could indicates that the evaporative canister and evaporative emission canister vent solenoid valve both may need to be replaced. The evaporative emission canister vent solenoid valve is attached to evaporative canister.  Our guess is ********* quoted her a price for changing these two parts, which if ****************** would have let us scan and diagnosed her vehicle, we would have most likely recommended the same. Our quote for these two parts and labor would be right around $1,000. The labor would stay the same whether one parts is changed or both are changed. So, had ****************** brought us both parts, the labor would have been the same $500.
  At Autowise we respect our customer and follow Wis. Admin. Code, Chapter ATCP 132, Motor Vehicle Repair. We did exactly what ****************** requested by replacing the part she brought to us and returning the old part we removed. The work was completed exactly as the customer request ever after urging ****************** to make a different decision to let us scan and diagnosis her check engine light on issue.
  Autowise is disputing this complaint, we performed the labor as requested and returned the old part to her. We understand that ****************** may regret her decision, but at Autowise value customer satisfaction as our highest priority.***** felt bad for her on the decision she made, so he called her to try to offer some kind of assistance helping her solve her issue with her vehicle, but she never returned his call.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/05/2022

  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.
  
  [***** lied throughout his whole statement & if he dont  refund my money. Im taking him to court he was paid for a service he didnt render he seen my check engine light was still on & did absolutely nothing about, also he did a Diagnostic test & seen the same 2 sensors he claimed to fix was on his scanner. that was the reason I came there in the first place to get the check engine light off. I regret ever going there I should of just paid ********* the extra $400 at least I know my check engine light would of been off & they would of fixed my truck correctly. That is a 8 plus hour  job that was done in 4, there is no way you can drop a Gasoline tank in that little of time. This was verified by ********* among a few other auto body shops. I do not agree with his response, because its a lie.
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************