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Vehicle was running fine, but set a check engine light. Autozone indicated intermittent cylinder 6 misfire. Local mechanic indicated there could be an issue with a cylinder 6 spark plug, or some type of issue with a leak in the rear head. If so, that was a more advanced repair than they were capable of and they recommended A&D.
Dropped it off at A&D on a Wednesday. Mechanic called on Thursday and said he was going to install new plugs and wires and would monitor / diagnose accordingly. I didn’t hear anything Friday or Monday so I stopped by the shop on Tuesday at noon.
I spoke with a Service Writer named Jackson. He did not seem at all pleased that I had stopped in to visit in person. He looked at his screen for about five minutes. He then told me they replaced the plugs but I could spend thousands trying to diagnose this and not get to the bottom of the issue.
I maintain my vehicles very well and was perfectly willing to spend $2-$4,000 to make repairs. The car has been maintained very well and although a 2008 model, that would be less expensive than looking for another vehicle for my son.
Jackson just looked at me and said nothing else. I then asked “So my choice is to just run it until it stops running?” Jackson replied yes. I wasn’t pleased, but Jackson seemed to have his mind made up and indicated he would get the car ready for me to pick up. I left for the day expected a call that the vehicle was ready to pick up.
I still hadn’t heard anything at noon on Wednesday (the next day) so I called over and spoke with another service writer who told me he would have someone call me back. I received a call at 2:30 that the car was ready to pick up.
I Went in and spoke with Jackson. He again stared at his screen for about five minutes and told me he had a car like this once that had the same issue and he drove it until it died. Really? That sounded convenient. I was not at all pleased because I had been informed by anther mechanic and A&D they were capable of more detailed engine repairs. I paid my almost $600 bill for spark plugs and they drove the car to the front for me to pick up.
I started the car up and was immediately greeted with flashing warning codes reading “Service Stability – Service Traction control” and the car was shuddering as if it were running on half of the cylinders. Went back in to talk to Jackson.
Jackson came out with a device to reset the codes. I also asked him why the car was not running correctly as it had most certainly been running well when I dropped it off.
After resetting the codes, he said he noticed it had been running rough but there was nothing he could do. He went back and consulted his screen for another five minutes while silently wishing I would leave.
I asked Jackson how this was now my problem and he didn’t respond. I walked back to the car and had serious doubts it would leave the parking lot on its own power. I walked back in the shop and told Jackson that was unacceptable and after paying almost $600 I at least expected it to run as smoothly as it did when I brought it in. I told him I was very disappointed that neither the mechanic or he even looked at the vehicle to address the clearly flashing codes or the poor running condition before returning the vehicle to me. Does A&D have no quality control before returning a vehicle to a customer? He took my keys and said he would have someone look at it again.
I returned home and immediately called and left a message for Eric or Roy to call me back so I could express my concerns. About five minutes after leaving that message, I receive a call from Jackson that the problem had been resolved. He explained there was a sensor that had not been hooked up and the car was once again running as it should.
I made a return trip to pick the vehicle up. I explained to Jackson that I wasn’t trying to be difficult, but I would expect that someone on their end, either the mechanic or him as the service writer would give a vehicle a once over before returning it to a customer to make sure it is in an acceptable condition. He knew it was running horribly when he returned it to me but was unwilling to do anything until I put my foot down. Jackson apologized and agreed with me.
I got home and noticed the housing on my passenger side mirror had been dislodged, as if they hit the mirror on the side of the garage wall when the pulled it out. I was able to snap that back in place.
I never did receive a call from Eric or Roy. Thanks for charging me almost $600 dollars for changing sparkplugs and for the pleasure of watching Jackson consult his screen three times for 15 minutes. I do have video of the car running horribly before they reattached the sensor and my mirror before I snapped it back in to place. I would be glad to share those.