Complain about a product or service

Sears Auto - Oil Change

Dee_brown of Richmond VA (07/01/08)
I visited Sears for an oil change. After the oil was allegedly changed, I picked up the car and drove home. Shortly, there after the engine light came on. I took the car to the dealer regarding the light. Upon taking the car to the dealer, I was informed that a.) There was not any oil on the dip stick, b.) the oil cap was loose, c.)The incorrect oil filter was on the vehicle. I contacted Sears and was treated in a very unprofessional and discourteous manner at all levels of management. In addition, the national customer service center was equally unhelpful with this matter.

The dealer informed me that I need a new engine for my vehicle. My vehicle is now worth $0. Sears has not taken responsibility for their actions at the local or national level. I grew up going to Sears as a child and had no idea that this entity has become so shabby in how they treat there customers. They have simply opted to do nothing. I have therefore been left to shop for a vehicle without the benefit of the investment I made in my current vehicle. I am now driving a rental car.

Jt of Dublin OH (06/14/08)
Took my car for an oil change and a brake inspection. Went to the mall to wait. They called me telling me my car was ready. I went back and they couldn't find my keys. After a few minutes I went outside and my car was not there. I told the guy my car was not outside, and he went back into the shop and it said it was still in the bay. He said I needed $940 in brakes including rear pads and rotors. I told him I'd need to wait on that. He gave me the old dangerous to drive story - I still decided to wait.

Twenty minutes later, he pulls my car around the building and informs me I'm ready to go. I drive the car no more than 5 feet in a straight line and my steering wheel is shaking like crazy. I stop the car, and check my tires. The lugs on my drivers front tire are loose enough to spin by hand. I tell the guy and he goes to get a torque wrench and proceeds to strip 2 of the 4 lugs. I had to wait 4 hours for them to be replaced. So, 4 hours later they tell me they have to order new lugs, and that it's safe to drive on only 2 lugs - come back tomorrow.

I went back the next day and left the car for 6 hours. They told me they had the lugs installed, but the lug nuts they ordered were the wrong size and that they would need to order ones from the manufacturer. So, my car is in my driveway with no hubcap because the lug nuts they had didn't work with my hubcaps.

So, the oil change and brake inspection cost me $54, at least 3 visits - and my car still isn't fixed.

Anne of Bolingbrook IN (05/29/08)
Performed an oil change on my car and did not secure the oil filter. It teh leaked out as I drove home. Possible damage to my car. It was making terrible noises. I had to have a friend rechange the oil again tha day. I am never able to reach a hman being to talk to and make complaint. The auto store as well as the main store have been giving me the run around and wont let me talk to the manager. I called their main customer service line who hasnt done anything about the situation. The worst customer service ever.They are responsible for the damage to my vehicle.

Double paid for oil change and I must pay to the engine problems diagnosed and any potiential work on the car. Still in progress.

Francisco of Fullerton CA (04/23/08)
The battery light on my 2001 ford truck on so I went tosears auto center to get it checked out. They said everything seemed ok but to keep an eye on the battery. So i went to firestone and they also reomended to change the battery. I went back to Sears and purchased a battery for $204.71 including taxes. I went home installed the new battery and the battery light still came on. I went back to Sears and asked them to check my old battery. the tech said it was good and offered to take the new battery out and install the old one so I can go get a refund. So I did and when I told the cashier (troung) another casshier stepped in and said he could not do the refund because the battery was used. He said it was a company policy. I asked him to show me in the receipt where it said that or to show me the policy. He looked at the battery terminals and said they were scratched and could no longer sell them.

I asked for the supervisor and he said it was him but that his manager was going to be in at 1. I came back at 1pm and spoke to Amed Aguilar. He didn't even look at the battery his mind was set when I came in. He said I could not get my $204.71 because the battery was used. I have purchased many things and returned them within the terms of the transaction.I asked him to show me the terms on my two page receipt and he asked me to read the warranty statement on batteries. i told him that this pertains to batteries and not refunds or exchanges. He was cromfromtational and even said I kept changing my story and therefore more reason to deny my refund. Bottomline I purchased their best most expensive battery I decided to refund the battery because I understood it was my right as a consumer. I have the original receipt it was within 24 hours and there is nothing wrong with the battery.

I am a manager at a retail store. I understand sometimes refunds are granted based on a case to case basis. Amed Aguilar made me fell so useless never tried to help me. Instead was very agressive and even sarcastic. I never ever felt so scammed because of one person's poor descision on a $204 item. This has taken all day to get to nothing I don't know to to call for help. or where to go to sell this battery or somehow get my money back.

Kasey of Austin TX (04/12/08)
On April 12, 2008 at 3:34 I brought my car into the Sears Automotive Center to have a simple oil change. I checked my car in and was promised that my oil change would be completed in 45 minutes. I waited for 45 minutes and was still waiting. I continued to wait in the waiting area for another 45 minutes with still no word on my vehicle. I finally went to the front desk at 5:04, at which point I inquired if my car was completed. I was told that it had been completed only 15 minutes earlier.

When i received my invoice I noticed that it said that my car had been completed at 3:57 as indicated by the odometer out reading on my receipt. I asked the associate 442525 about this and he said that it had been actually completed at 4:18. So, he blatantly lied to me in order pacify me. I again inquired if this was standard operating procedure to have customers wait an hour and half for a simple oil change, with no answer from the associate. I inquired to speak with a manager, Chuck, who was apparently gone. So, I paid and left. I will be filing this report with Sears Customer Service as well. Needless to say I will not be returning to Sears any car related issues.

Rose of Milton NY (11/16/07)
On June 27,2005 i took my truck in for a simple oil change. I had my son with me that day who is seventeen years old and was going to an auto tech. school at the time. I walked up to the counter put in my request and made the mistake of asking you will change the air filter when you do this? (I meant the oil filter.) I am a young woman so the guys had a great time indirectly making comments about what I said,

This was infuriating me but I did not say anything, I was told to sit in the customer waiting area and they would call me.

After sitting for almost two hours I looked under my truck with son to find out they never even changed the oil filter. They then experienced the not so stupid side of me. I walked right into the back garage found the tech. who admitted he never changed the filter.

Donn & Jeannine of Middletown NJ (11/12/07)
We have 2 cars: one needed tires rotated, one needed 4 new tires. At 10:30 we were told it would be about an hour, so we went home to get the second car. We returned at 11:20 and were told it would be an hour. At 12:30 we were told an hour, and we told them we needed one car because we had a doctors appointment. At 1:00 we were told that the car that just needed the tires rotated would be next. At 1:40 the car still wasn't taken. We were stranded without a car for almost 3 hours. We wasted our vacation day getting nothing done for those 3 hours. All the sales person could say was "I know. I know."

We honestly think the reason we were ignored for 3 hours is because we are two women. They lost our business, and we will find someone who doesn't lie to us. The tires we were purchasing were on sale; now we may have to pay full price for them.

Florence of Merced CA (10/23/07)
My husband and I only wanted an oil change at Sears on both cars. We were talked into buying a package, $250.00 total for both vehicles. After nearly five hours of their supposed deal, our fluid levels were never checked. Both vehicles were bone dry when it came to wiper fluid, car 1 was 2 quarts low on oil. Car 2's wiper blades were nearly rotting; Sears didn't bring it to our attention or offer to replace them. All but 1 tire was at the required tire pressure. To make matters worse, we roamed the mall for 3 hours with our three kids under age five. Went to pick up our vehicles and they were not ready. We didn't leave there until close to 6:00 pm, and we dropped our cars off at 1:00pm.

Now, car 1, has puffs of white smoke leaking from the tail pipe, just 1 1/2 weeks after having service done to vehicles. I hope it wasn't because of the Sears maintenance workers. I hear I may have to replace my engine.

Tiara Shahid of Baltimore MD (10/01/07)
I took my car to Sear's Auto center in Lutherville, Maryland. When I took it there I was originally supposed to get an oil change and brakes done.However when I went to pick my car up they didn't do the oil change. They forget, so I had to wait for that to be done. Now Come to find out they didn't check my fluid levels in my car. If I'm not mistaken that's what you're supposed to do when performing an oil change. They left a tool on the bottom of my car that they used to change the brake pads I believe.

My car ran hot and I had to purchase some coolant and put it in myself!

Dana of Cumming GA (8/2/04):
I brought my car to Sears for an oil change on my 2002 Ford Focus. When I came to pick it up they said it was not ready. Another guy then told me they were not able to change the oil because the last time Sears did the oil change they had misthreaded the screw that goes in the oil pan. They told me that I would have to bring the car back on Monday when they had the part to fix it.

On Monday the car was brought back to Sears. When we returned to get the car they told me that they had ordered the wrong part and they were going to put in a temporary part and to come back again the following day so they could fix it right. They then told me I would have to take the car to the Ford Dealership and they would pay for the part.

What started out a day of school shopping and an oil change has now turned into a nightmare for us. They also have the worst customer service i have ever experienced. I stood at the front counter with my daughter for 20 min. just checking the car in. The man helping me talked on the phone with several other customers while making me stand there and wait for him. I think they should have had the phone customer wait until he was finished with me.

Harold of Glen Burnie MD (11/30/03):
On November 24, 2003, I took my 1999 Villager Lincoln Mercury to Sears Automotive at Glen Burnie, Md. store located on Gov. Ritchie Hwy. for an oil change. I talked to a sales rep. named Richard. I stated I wanted an oil change. I was preparing for a trip to Indiana to visit relatives for the holidays. I picked my vehicle up on the prescribed time. (The exterior windows were not cleaned as advertised for a 24.99 oil change. Come think of it, neither were any of the additional fluids topped off either.)

The next morning on Nov. 25, 2003 I departed for Indiana using Interstate 70. Traveling at a speed of appx. 65 MPH I noticed my oil light started to flicker on (red light). Then within seconds it went to full on, constant red. (I am now 80 miles from Glen Burnie, Maryland.) I slowed down to appx. 50 MPH and made for the nearest exit (appx 4-5 miles). I pulled into Sheetz Gas Station in Boonsboro, Md. at this time I could hear the valves tapping hard and I shut the engine off.

I did not smell any oil nor see any oil leaks or anything buring/smoke from under the vehicle. The first thing I did was check the oil level. The level would not register on dipstick. I purchased 5 quarts of oil and added three. Restarted the engine and again the oil light stayed on and the valves tapped. It is now appx. 0735AM. I called Sears in Glen Burnie, Md. and spoke with a Phil at the service desk and explained problem. I told Phil he needs to call whomever and get a response back to me within one hour. In the mean time, a gas station customer asked me if he could help. I asked where the nearest Sears store was located. He told me just up the road in Hagerstown. So I called Information and got the number. I talked to a service desk person named Penny. I explained situation and Penny knew just what to do and where I was located. I requested a "roll on" tow truck to remove my vehicle from gas station to the Sears Store.

Phil called me back from Glen Burnie Store and said he had a tow truck on the way up. I told Phil I already made arrangements with local Sears store. I told Phil it would make more sence to have the local Sears check it out than tow the vehicle all the way back some 80 miles to Glen Burnie. "A+ Bargon Towing" of Boonsboro, Md. showed up and hauled me back to Hagerstown Sears Automotive. Penny arranged for tow driver to be paid. I appreciated that.

After waiting for several hours I was informed by Penny that a service mechanic was looking at my vehicle now. Penny mentioned that the oil plug was missing a seal/washer that all Sears Stores are supposed to install on oil pan sump plugs. Whatever. Then the service manager (Greig Montoya) called me into shop area to view and hear my vehicle run while in garage. It sounded okay to me, no more engine knocking or oil light on. Greig told me it might have been that the Sears in Glen Burnie failed to add oil to engine after oil change and that the hydraulic lifters in engine were out of oil and that might have been where the oil went and why I heard the valves tapping.

(Yea right! I failed to mention to Greig that I was a retired Navy man of 20 yrs. just happen to be a master marine diesel engineer with over 20yrs of experience in engines of all kinds big and small.) I kind of know what makes valves tap. Anyway, I signed the paper work again at Hagerstown Sears for the additional oil change and drove away.

I have only driven a few miles and the oil light came back on and the valves started tapping again. I made a "U" turn and returned to Hagerstown Sears. Greig was standing outside when I returned. I gave him the keys and said it is still not right. I demanded a rental car and that Sears make my car whole again. (FIXED). Greig said he would deliver it to next-door Lincoln Mercury dealership. I am now still waiting to hear back from Sears on December 1, 2003 some six days later. Oh, by the way, Greig did pull his own personal credit card out of his pocket and called the nearest Enterprise Rental to have a car come and pick me up. I am now driving a rental car, and have been since I dropped my car back off at Hagerstown Sears for the second time.

Mary of Bear DE (6/24/03):
On 6/10/03, I took my car to Sears Automotive for an oil change. The change was completed. On 6/11/03, I took the car back to Sears because the oil light was on. They told me that the problem was a sensor. On the evening of 6/14/03, the car stopped completely. I called Sears that Sunday morning and told them what had happened. Initially, they told me to tow it to the dealer because they did not have the ability to do any kind of engine work. He said that it couldn't be the engine/oil because they had put 5 quarts in. I told him that it was actually 3 1/2 quarts, and now that he mentioned it I had noticed oil spots in front of my house.

On 6/14/03, the car stopped running while my daughter was driving it. While waiting for my son to pick me up in my father's car so that we could pick up my daughter on the corner of 37th & Tatnall Streets in Wilmington DE I noticed oil spots in front of my house. I told this to Dave. He then told me to have it towed to Sears. I paid $55.00 to have it towed(which was not reimbursed) that Sunday morning. When I arrived a my mother's house that day (6/15/03), I noticed oil spots in front of her house as well (I frequent her home).

Later that afternoon, I received a telephone call that the car was repaired and that they had to do minor adjustments. The next day, I received a telephone call telling me that I needed a new engine because they had put the wrong oil filter on and it had leaked oil and that they would purchase and install another engine (used). They said it should be ready by Friday 6/20.

I called them periodically and they said things were going well. On Friday, I spoke with Randy (person in charge). He told me that the car was running well, but he couldn't get the engine light out. He said he would continue to try and would have the car to me on Saturday 6/21/03. I called on Saturday and he said that they were still trying to get the light out. Finally, on 6/22/03, I spoke to Randy and he said that he was going to return the car and that he would reimburse me to have someone else get the engine light out.

He wrote on the repair slip: take car to Shelway Auto (or wherever) on Old Cap trail. Have eng lite put out and bring Randy the bill to reimburse. I took my car to the Toyota Dealer on Tuesday 6/24/03 (first available date). My initial call back from the dealer was that the engine was installed wrong. He stated that the motor mounts are upside down and there were wiring problems. He said that he thought the best thing to do was to re-install the engine. He said that he didn't know if Price Toyota wanted to get involved in this because it could be a problem between me, Sears and them. He asked me if I had a lawyer. He said that he would call me back after he spoke with his manager.

I then called Sears and spoke with Randy and told him what Price Toyota said. Randy said that he would not pay for Toyota to re-install the engine. He said that the dealer normally does not want to deal with cars that have been repaired elsewhere. He said that they would look in a vehicle and see a Diehard battery and close it and say that you need a Toyota battery. I told him I would call him back after I spoke with Toyota. I also told him that my father had a mechanic who could possibly look at it.

During this conversation I also told him that I had been without a car for more than a week and that this was beginning to be more of a hardship. I told him that it was hard getting a ride to the train so that I could get to work. I am very frustrated at this point. I feel as though I am not getting the service I deserve. I took the car for an oil change and now I'm totally without a car. It's not right. Sears gives me that impression that they were doing me a favor and they are constantly trying to work around doing it right. If they did it right the first time I wouldn't have this problem.

Mary needs to get an evaluation by a competent, independent technician. She should then hire a lawyer or take the case to Small Claims Court.

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