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AutoZone

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Tricia of Warrensburg, MO January 18, 2009

Tricia of Warrensburg MO (01/18/09)
I have visited multiple AutoZone locations over the years to have the free check engine light test that they advertise. I have had many problems with my EGR valve before, and over a month ago the check engine light came on with this problem. Because it is not a serious issue, and can be caused from an occassional hiccup, I waited it out and it went off shortly thereafter.

Yesterday my check engine light came on again, and I assumed it was the EGR valve but I wanted to make sure. I walked in the store and asked if they could check my check engine light. I then told them that yes, their tester will work with my car (despite the year issue that they bring up every time) and that I have had the check engine light tested here many times before. He asked if I thought I knew what was wrong with it, and I told him my EGR valve was the problem last time and I think it is the issue again.

He asked if I had done anything to fix it last time, and I told him no. Before I had any time to explain why I didn't do anything to fix it (disregarding how I should not have to explain myself to him anyway) he spouted off with We can't keep doing this you know! The level of rudeness was outrageous.

Danielle of Lapel, IN January 17, 2009

Danielle of Lapel IN (01/17/09)
This letter is to complain about service I recently received from Store #0624 and the staff on hand the evening of January 15, 2009. This series of missteps occurred between 6:10 and 7:10 pm. I purchased a Duralast Gold battery from Auto Zone on August 16, 2008. On the evening of January 15, 2009 my car would not start as I attempted to leave work for home. The temperature was 25 below zero. After jump starting the car, picked my daughter up from daycare and headed to Auto Zone knowing I had a four month old battery well within its warranty qualifying for a free replacement. Upon entering Store #0624 I presented the (possible) manager on duty with my original receipt and requested a replacement battery be installed. The gentleman said But this battery is only four months old. I said, Thats what Im saying. I replaced it then so as not to have a dead battery in January. The gentleman told me this was a quality battery; I said I know this is a good brand but nevertheless I had one that had died and needed replaced.

He said he cannot just replace the battery but would need to test it. He asked the other staff person to test the battery. There were no other customers being waited on. Eventually the battery was tested. The result: Charge & Retest. I was then put back with the original person and told the result again. I said, Well, lets get it charged. He told me it would take one hour. I said I need it either charged or replaced. He again said he cant just replace it. I said So, then it needs charged. The gentleman then walked away, I presumed to get the charger but instead he waited on another customer. The lady needed a fuse for her radio. He helped her locate a fuse from the racks, and sent the second staff member out to her car with her to replace it. The gentleman then helped a man who had a part internal to the engine that needed to go into a testing machine. The gentleman then went to the computer and was clicking away walking past me to do so and not acknowledging my presence,

At this juncture I said, Excuse me, but if the battery is going to take an hour cant it be put on the charger and then you wait on these other folks? I have a toddler in the car, its 25 below, and were looking at charging a battery for an hour, with then a possible replacement. Do you not want to give me the battery this receipt says I am due? The gentleman told me they would get to it. I then told him if they did not wish to provide the battery I would write this letter to you. He said charging the battery would be 60 minutes and replacing the battery another 45 minutes. I said I know what needs done which is why Im asking that this emergency situation, with possible multiple steps, take precedence.

They implied it was so cold out, that they did not want to go outside. I said the receipt entitled me to a battery and the fact that it is cold out is not my fault, so although it may take them some time and be an inconvenience, it is still my right under the warranty. If you think about it, a fuse for a car radio is not a crisis, nor an examination of a piece of the engine that was not from a running car. My car was running based on a jump and I was looking at 60 to 90 minutes of waiting. The gentleman did not appear in a hurry and continuously tried to wait on other customers, with what seemed an intent that I would just go away so they wouldve have to go out in the cold.

At this point I brought my child inside where a new customer said he would install my battery for 50. There was still no battery in sight! I again asked the gentleman for the battery so that someone can install it. The gentleman asked the stranger if he had tools, which he did. He then cashed out the stranger, who was purchasing a few retail items. The stranger let me go in his vehicle to run the heat (because remember I had a child and its 25 below zero) while he replaced the battery. Removing the old battery and replacing the new battery took him 20 minutes.

50 cash loss out of pocket Emotional harm

Adam of Cypress, TX January 13, 2009

Adam of Cypress TX (01/13/09)
The original alternator on my 1999 Nissan Maxima gave out on me after 170k miles. Having changed some alternators in my life I went to my local Autozone to purchase a new (rebuilt by Duralast) alternator. The first alternator I put in did not work. When I brought it back to Autozone they said that this happens Once in blue moon but they were happy to exchange it for me. Assuring me that alternators are typically tested prior to leaving with the consumer, and it would not happen again.(Even though they neglected to test the first alternator they sold me. )

They transferred another alternator in and called to let me know it was in and that it was tested and in working condition. Weary of another junky alternator I had them test it again when I got there. Diagnosis: FAILED! By this point I was furious due to the inconvenience and the lies. I was sent to another location to pick up a new alternator that I had them check 3 times before I would drive across town to get it.

I installed this alternator and all was fine for a month or so. Then my check engine light came on. I took the car over to my mechanic for an objective opinion. Diagnosis: BAD ALTERNATOR!! At this point I left a message for the manager who was on a conference call at Autozone, my call was never returned. While trying take this faulty alternator out I accidentally broke part of the A/C line.

At this point I have spent my time off under this car changing the alternator 3 times. Fed up with the bad alternators I am having my mechanic replace it, as well as the AC line I damaged, thanks to Autozone's faulty parts. I am about 850 into this issue because of Autozone.

Susan of Richmond, IN January 3, 2009

Susan of Richmond IN (01/03/09)
I work at autozone and I wanted to address some of your issues. First of all I apolgize that some of you dealt with rude employees. I am always very nice to my customers and give them the best service I can. Yet I do work with some managers that are very rude to customers which really annoys me. But I cannot do anything about it.

I also wanted to write something to the gentleman who was angry about the employees pushing the lube down his throat. The reason why he was doing that is upper mamgement gets reaports on all the different lube that was sold and if the stores numbers are low they can be wrote up. Which I think is crazy, I will ask customers(which i don't like doing) but that is all I will do and it really makes my boss mad.

And to the women who was mad about the employee answering the phone while he was waiting on her, the reason for that is we also get in trouble if the phone rings more than 3 times. I also think that rule is crazy, I believe if a customer is in the store they should be waited on first. But just to let everyone know it gets crazy in the store at times so please understand that most of us try everything we can to make sure everyone is waited on in a timely manner. thanks

Bob of Little Suamico, WI December 11, 2008

B of Little Suamico WI (12/11/08)
While working at AutoZone, I and others were expected to look the other direction while laws and unethical incidences occured. Such occurances as a customer being told that the company is no longer in business and they are no longer able to warranty his part. In reality, the part was ran through an unauthorized business account, that would make it difficult to cover the warrantied part. To me this sounds like insurance fraud. This is only some of the thing that I reported and AutoZone was uninterested in talking to me about.

It seems they have started to realize the seriousness of what they are trying to cover up. To this date this company still has not talked to me about these incidences and there are still people working for autozone that have broken laws. AutoZone would rather get rid of people who report wrong doing and keep the ones that break laws and worse. (Documented)

The circumstances that I had been forced to work under caused me great emotional stress. I was torn between doing what is right and wrong , knowing in my heart what was right. I feel tortured by the entire experience, and suffer financial devistation. I no longer feel confident in my beliefs and find it very difficult to find a job, trying to explain why I was fired makes me look like one who likes to cause trouble. I was only standing up for what I believe is moral and what I believe in.

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