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Midas - Service Complaints

Midas • Mufflers • Brakes • Other Service • "Lifetime" Warranty • Incidental Damage --- • Midas Responds

Marsha of Belleville ON, Canada (7/17/03):
Went to Midas because I had a rattle that seemed to be coming from the exhaust system. I wanted them to see if they could find it. After putting it up they said that it could be the exhaust pipe or something in the front end ... even mentioned the brackets on the license plate. I told them to go ahead and change what they thought was rattling.

When I was ready to leave I said it will be nice to drive a quiet car ... and the response was, "Oh no the car is still rattling!" Feeling rather discourged I paid a LARGE bill of $100.93 and left. The car was shaking terribly. My heart was in my throat as I tried to turn around to get back to Midas. I cannot describe the shaking of my car and how bad it was. I had brought in a driveable car and now I could not drive it at all!

I said "What did you do to my car?" To which he said, "Nothing." They put the car back in the parking lot, the doors closed behind me and there I was STUCK. I had to phone a tow truck to get me to the dealership.

The next day the dealership discovered that the vacuum line to the transmission had been disconnected. At another cost of $89.70 it was replaced. I brought in a car for a vibration which was running great and ended up with an undriveable car needing a tow and another repair due to poor workmanship and an uncaring staff that closed the doors and left me there with no way of transportation.

Florence of Sandwich MA (7/7/03):
I went in for an oil change in preparation for a road trip that same day. I travelled from Hyannis to Boston, and a warning light came on to indicate that there was no oil pressure. I pulled off the road and had the car towed the 65 miles back to Cape Cod. The tow truck driver told me that oil was all over the bottom of my car, that Midas either didn't replace the oil filter or didn't put the cap back on, but most likely "blew a line," as the car had gone more than 60 miles before losing enought oil to prompt the warning.

I went in to Midas Muffler first thing MOnday morning. I was told that my oil had been very dirty, and that what had come out the bottom of the car had been that residue. The manager told me that he almost didn't change my oil that day because the dip stick had been rusty and it had looked like the oil hadn't been changed for awhile. The dip stick looked fine - he said that the new oil and "additive" had cleaned it. I watched them drain the remaining oil out of the engine and it was dark brown and the service person said it felt sticky. The oil had just been changed, and I commented that the oil looked very dirty.

The manager absolutely refused my request to take the filter with me "just in case" there was a problem. I took the car immediately to Transatlantic Motors where it is being looked at today. I believe Midas did not put new oil in the car, and, if they did, they failed to tighten the oil filter properly.

Clarence of Lombard IL (6/24/03):
I took my 1997 Ford Expedition to Midas in March of 2003 to have my spark plugs changed and my spark plug wires changed. The orginal plugs and wires were Motorcraft. I informed them that I had my own spark plugs and wires which was Bosch. In June of 2003 my "check engine" light came on and my car was shaking. I took my car to another mechanic and he said that my #4 spark plug was misfiring. I had him pull the plug and it was a Motorcraft plug.

I had him change the spark plug, then had him check the others. I sat there with him and watched him one by one pull out all Motorcraft spark plugs, although they had changed the wires to Bosch.

I had to pay $80.00 to get the car put on a machine to find out what was wrong with it. I then had to buy eight more spark plugs and I had to pay for labor to get the new ones installed.

Jeff of Milwaukee (6/8/03):
Since I was in the area, I stopped in for an oil change and lube. They said that I had to make an appt and could get me in the next day. I asked specifically if the oil change special included a lube. They said yes. (They meaning the man at the counter and a mechanic). I went back in the next day for the service. After about 45 mins, they were done.

On my way to work, I stopped to get gas. I crawled underneath and saw that they did NOT touch ANY grease fittings! I called them back and asked why my truck wasn't greased. They were unapologetic like it happens all the time. Took it back in the next day, dealt with a different guy and got the same attitude. He said the oil change normally didn't include a lube. I showed him my reciept that says "lube, oil, filter". He acted like he was doing me a favor by greasing it. He offered nothing for my time or miles that I drove there. Not even an apology. I wonder how many times they get away with this? Never again, Midas!

Robert of Chicago (5/19/03):
My 1999 Chevy Cavalier had been requiring a jump in order to start up. I bought a battery on 05/08/03. And it did the same thing in three days again. So I took the car to Midas Muffler Shops. Before we even left the shop John agreed the alternator he had just installed was bad but he did not have time to replace it before closing and that I should bring it back in Saturday morning.

When I called Saturday morning he said he was backed up and that I should bring my car in about 1:00 and leave it! There was no way I gonna leave my car with the experience I have had thus far! So I called another car shop and they traded the alternator for a new one and installed it. In the meantime John calls and says, "Bring my alternator back in or pay me my money." This after I have called and complained to corporate office, who told me to wait two days and a corporate manager would call me back.

Alex of Wheat Ridge CO (7/2/01):
I took my car in for an oil change. The mechanic showed my that I needed to replace a CV joint. I could see that it was a necessary repair. Instead of going to my regular mechanic I opted to let Midas do the repair (about $240.) I was leaving for a long road trip and needed the car in good condition immediately.

Over the next 2 days I kept hearing a small sound in the left front (where the repair was done). Fortunately for me and for my life I decided to go back and let them look at it. I got about as far as Midas' fron door when I heard a huge grinding and tearing sound. I stopped in their parking lot and their mechanic looked at it. He said that the bolt that holds the transmission to the wheel was not there and that, quote, either their mechanic had failed to put it in or that it was put in so loose that it fell out or that it was put in so tight that it broke. They put a bolt in and the manager test drove it.

I thought I was just going to let this go, but the whole story has just haunted me. I went on my trip (in the Rocky Mountains) and I was terrified the whole time. I have never been fearful of driving but that trip gave me anxiety attacks. I have reconsidered contacting Midas because I may be doing in injustice to any other of their customers who may have either a fatal accident or very serious injuries stemming from (a similar occurrence).

Tracy of Bartlett IL (4/25/01):
This store told me I needed $1500.00 worth of repairs on my vehicle -- 4 new struts, rear wheel bearings and two new tires. In addition to this, they informed me that they could not do an alignment of my vehicle after putting the struts and bearings on, because their machine was broken. What kind of quality repair is this? I took my vehicle to a dealership, who just informed me that my struts were good for another 30-40 thousand miles. The wheel bearings do need to be replaced. I will buy tires at an NTB.

Robert of Corona, CA:
I brought my vehicle to Midas for new catalytic converters. Midas changed those out correctly. I asked if they did transmission service and they told me yes they could. They can flush out the old fluid and replace it with new and change the filter. I gave Greg permission to do the trans sinse the vehicle was already there.

When I returned to pick up my vehicle the manager, Greg, asked me how was the truck was shifting when I brought it in. I stated the vehicle was shifting excellent and the truck was brought there for exhaust work not transmission problems, the trans work was preventive mantanice.

Greg stated that after they did the transmission work the truck was not shifting right so I drove it and it was slipping very badly. When I returned to Midas Greg stated he would like to keep the vehicle another day, he wanted to make sure the service tech did not put the wrong filter in. Greg stated he would not want to put a new transmission in my truck.

I went ahead and left it overnight so they could correct the problem. I called Greg the next day and he told me the service tech placed the gasket on wrong and the vehicle was working fine. I returned to pick up my truck. I took it for a test drive and found the shifting problem was not corrected. When I spoke to John in Greg's absence he informed me the could not figure out what the problem was he also stated that nobody test-drove the vehicle before the transmission work was done.

He told me that they would need the vehicle one more day the problem needed to be resolved. So I left it for another day. I called Greg the next day he told me the problem was fixed and the truck was shifting good. I returned to pick up my vehicle. Greg told me it slipped a little but the last time they drove it, it was fine.

After three days of no answers I paid the bill and asked for a discount he gave me $45.00 off. The vehicle started slipping two days later. I have had two transmission houses look at my vehicle and have been quoted between $1800.00 to $2300.00 dollers to fix the problem. Both places stated the procedure that Midas uses is detrimental to transmissions.

Robert should sue Midas in Small Claims Court, assuming he can get a couple of mechanics from the other garages to testify as expert witnesses on his behalf.

Raj of North Andover MA:
Wrong-sized tires were installed on my Jeep Grand Cherokee. That destroyed my transmission. They paid for the damages and replaced the tires with "correct" size tires (this is what they told me). I had no way to tell otherwise. I just had a flat tire and when I went to put in my spare tire, it looked bigger than the rest of the tires. Also the flat tire happens to be a defective tire. Now the General Manager of Midas at Peabody MA refuses to look at my Jeep.

S.H. of Paramus, NJ:
I brought my car in to Midas for service and was told that I needed a major tune-up. I okayed Midas to work on the car. However weeks later the car broke down on me. I then had the car towed home and then to a mechanic who showed us the old parts that were listed as new on our invoice.

Fortunately the tech at Midas put the old part back on incorrectly which caused the car to break down and that led to the discovery of several old parts that were listed as new on the bill.

This is a matter that will require more than myself going to Midas and asking to be refunded for the total cost of the Major Tune-up, the total cost of all of my towing fees, as well as the total cost for the repair to the vehicle. There was also another mechanic who also determined the same problem.

The consequences were that one day of work was missed. I then used public transportation for a week until I could afford to have the car retowed to a mechanic. Then waited 3 days until I could actually pay the mechanic for the repair job. All along I thought it was the car only because I trusted Midas because they have worked on my first car and my present car for over 4 years. So, I never pointed the finger at them because I did not think a loyal customer would be treated (this) way.

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