I took my car into a Sears Auto Center Tuesday to get a front end alignment done. Everything went great. The car was really out of alignment, but they took care of it with no problems. I also had them do an oil change on it.
But within less than a week i have had three unrelated problems pop up with my car - and i just find that odd. First my check engine light has been coming on and off over the past few days, yesterday my exhaust pipe broke in two and today my air conditioning quits working. It blows-but blows out hot air. Maybe im being silly, but i just find it quite odd that all of these things would go wrong at practically the same time. Is it possible they did something to my car in order to get me to bring it back and make more money off of me? Or am i just crazy and running through a spell of bad luck?
2007-07-15 05:07:21 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
The more i think of it, the more i feel its probably just a case of bad luck. - i probably shouldnt have even asked this question.
2007-07-15 05:20:14 · update #1
well let me say this.. iam an automotive service manager for sears and have been for years.. trust me we dont tamper with peoples cars to get them to come back we have enough work coming throw are doors . sears is a good honest repair center, i think you just had some bad luck .. take care
2007-07-15 10:56:16 · answer #1 · answered by Mike H 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My last half-dozen experiences with Sears Auto Centers have been very bad, but it really doesn't sound like sabotage. The saboteur would have had to break three distinct, separate, unrelated systems that aren't even located close to each other.
That's possible, but very highly unlikely- think about it, the mentality that would deliberately break your car just to bring you back for more repairs belongs to an essentially lazy person, right?
What concerns me more is the "check engine" light- you need to find the trouble code for that- really, it could be nothing more than a loose gas cap!! (That was a very expensive lesson...)
Parts stores like Auto Zone or Advance will check the trouble codes free of charge if it's a late model; if it's an older one with OBD1 (pre-1996 for most) you just short out the A and B ALDL contacts, turn on the ignition, and the instrument lights flash the code.
(Even easier on Chrysler OBD1 vehicles, turn ignition on-off-on-off-on-off-on, leave it on, the lights will flash the code.)
Get a Haynes or Chilton manual for you car, they cost around $20, even if you don't do your own repairs it will help you understand what the mechanic says (and hopefully avoid overpaying).
The exhaust pipe just broke (they all rust apart eventually), and the AC just went out.
It happens, and having a lot of problems happen at the same time is really quite common (unfortunately, true for most "American" cars, and yes, even some Japanese)- after all, the components were all made about the same time, right?
(They call it "Planned Obsolescence")
2007-07-15 05:51:04 · answer #2 · answered by Beaugrand 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sears Auto Repair Shop
2016-12-17 12:05:26 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
hmm i think the exhaust pipe doesnt have to do anything with that but what i can tell u is that my bro. went to a sears car center too and them like in the week the truck was turning off and off so he took it to another shop and they told him that the transmition had engine oil , so i think u need to go there and comlpain bout the service , because people that work there they dont care about you,..well some but not really , good luck with the manager hope this helps ...
2007-07-15 05:19:18 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I would think the exhaust pipe issue is unrelated, however the check engine light and the ac problem could be the result of them, however I agree with mister black and white striped jeep, you are just having a case of bad luck
2007-07-15 05:12:43 · answer #5 · answered by B 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i wouldn't put anything past sears auto centers. they have been in trouble before for similar things. i used to have a sears card and took my car to them for service. and there was not one time that they repaired my car properly. as to your vehicle theres not much you can prove just avoid sears auto in the future. find an independent mechanic or shop and talk with them. (not a chain store or establishment) thats how i found my mechanic. and he is not only honest he does good work. good luck
2007-07-15 05:23:28 · answer #6 · answered by doug h 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You didn`t tell us the car make or milage. Your exhaust probably broke because it was old and rusted. The a/c could have stopped working because it got low on freon, from a slow leak. as for the cel go to autozone and have them scan the system. It is possible that they may have messed with something but not likely. Have you dealt with them before?
2007-07-15 05:17:01 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I will say it just coincidence. Sears is usually a busy place and I not think they have to make business. I would hope Sears more reputable and it just bad luck, which we really not want the bad luck either.
2007-07-15 05:13:55 · answer #8 · answered by Snaglefritz 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A good question for you is: HOW? The oil pan is under the car the radiator is in front. Usually at places like this they put a car on a lift, remove the drain plug, let the oil flow out, replace the drain plug, change the filter (again typically under the car), lower the car and replace the oil. At what point did they come in contact with the radiator when you were watching them work on the car?
2016-04-01 05:21:17 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Every time I've brought my car to sears they fixed one problem and caused 2 more. My last visit I threatened to sue them they repared the problem they caused right in front of me. I suggest you dont go back to Sears. The use untrained help,
2007-07-15 05:41:11 · answer #10 · answered by glurie1313 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋