What's Wrong At Jiffy Lube?

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This web site is about customer-oriented problems at Jiffy Lube. 
The purpose is to identify and expose these problems.  This may ultimately help form the right solution(s).

 

Customers Did you have a problem at a Jiffy Lube store?
Employees Are you familiar with problems at a Jiffy Lube store(s)?
Franchisees Are you concerned that actions like those described here could ultimately threaten your income?
Shell Oil Stockholders Are you concerned that your business may not be properly managed?
Corporate Brands Jiffy Lube, Shell Oil, Pennzoil, Quaker State, The Outlaw, Snap Products, Gumout, Slick 50, Blue Coral, Axius Products, Black Magic, Fix-A-Flat, Westley's, Rain-X , & Medo Products.  High Gas Prices

Possible Actions


  1. Add Your Experience.  We will likely add it to the following Personal Experiences of others. Show others that they are not alone.  This will also help us create a critical mass which can create appropriate changes.
     

  2. Determine whether remedies suggested by others are appropriate for your situation.  People like yourself have offered various remedies. 

    Check-out our newest addition -- Option 11. Go to Small Claims Court.  Jiffy Lube may not show up and you may get a default judgment...  Testimonial
     

  3. Tell others about this website.
     

  4. Send an email directly to Jiffy Lube. 
     

  5. Tell your legislators about Shell Oil.  If they neglect well documented problems here at Jiffy Lube, then how can they be trusted to do the right thing when they want to explore, transport and refine energy.  Shell may pay more attention if the stakes are higher...


Personal Experiences


The ten most recently submitted unedited and unverified experiences of others:
 


Investigations



Noteworthy Comments


CAUTION: Only 0W - 20 or 5W - 20 weight engine oil is specified for many newer cars.  The oil which is commonly used in many quick lube shops does not meet this spec.  Also, the automatic fill devices which pull oil from drums are frequently out of calibration.  This may mean too much or too little oil in your engine.  Either condition could have a detrimental effect on your engine.

[971] Jason 
          A Symphony of Problems

Abstract...  Complete Experience

  • Drain Plugs
    I have seen dozens of drain plugs left finger-tight, and at least two that were tightened to where the threads stripped and the drain plug was replaced with an expandable rubber stopper. 

  • Oil Filters
    I have seen many oil filters that were left loose, and even one that had two rubber gaskets on it (which causes a HUGE leak) that ran out of oil by the time they got to our shop. 

  • Sticker
    I have seen dozens of cars that have a Jiffy Lube sticker in the window, but still have the filter that we put on 6,000 miles ago. 

  • Tire Valve Stem
    The manager from Jiffy Lube brought us a newer GM truck with the tire pressure sensor in the rim.  Somehow, somebody there managed to break the stem on the valve and they wanted us to replace it before the customer found out.  It is common on a lot of newer cars for the serpentine belt to be routed around the front engine mount.  Apparently, employees at Jiffy Lube cut the old belt off (most tensioner manufacturers warn not to do this) to save time.  They brought us a car that they cut the belt off of, and couldn't figure out how to get the new one back on because the mount needed to be removed. 

  • Replacement of Good Parts
    We have had dozens of customers (that I know of, I don't spend much time in the office with customers) who were told at their Jiffy Lube oil change that "part X" is bad and needs to be replaced immediately because it is a safety hazard.  Often times the part is fine, and sometimes it is bad, but nowhere near what should be considered a safety hazard.  Brakes are very common.  They will tell the customer that the brakes are almost gone and they need to be replaced immediately.  Some of these cars had as much as 80% remaining on the pads/shoes.

[932] Vinesh 
          Question the Integrity of All Work

I have gotten so much work done at Jiffy Lube – and after watching the video now, I question the integrity of every work I ever paid for. What is Jiffy Lube going to do regarding this? This is unbelievable!

[919] Employee in Wichita, KS  
          Beware of Black T-Shirts

I worked for Jiffy Lube, as a manager, for a very short time in Wichita, KS. Not only are the people they hire young and inexperienced they are very active in hiring convicts on work release while they are in jail. I cannot tell you how many of the people I managed were work release people. More than off the street folks. They hire the young, who are gullible and well do anything they are told, and they ones who have no choice in the matter but to do what they are told, these would be the convicts. They have to work and they cannot complain. As others have said they are all about the sell, whether a customer needed the service or not. The management acted as if they were the only smart people on Earth and everyone under them were idiots. To become a Jiffy Lube manager was a big event in their life. I heard managers threaten to beat up employees, fire them if they did not do what they were told and the OSHA violations were incredible. The labor board should really look into Jiffy Lube and their practices, at least here in Kansas. I could go on and on but we all do not have the time. OH BY THE WAY, any employee in a black jiffy lube T-Shirt is a new-bee. Do not let them touch your car!!! What also is funny is how many people you see wearing these t-shirts, turn over is horrendous.

[908] Dave in Portsmouth, VA 
          Don't Take Chances

I am a 46 year old engineer who has always done his own oil / filter changes.  Because I have become more and more financially stable and my friends have been telling me to stop "dirtying" my hands, I thought I would finally breakdown and start going to a Jiffy Lube.  So I googled Jiffy Lube and this very complaint website came up.  Now, after reading all of these comments for the last half an hour, I have decided I should continue to do this work for myself.   Why take the risk of putting my vehicles into the hands of potentially inexperienced or poorly motivated individuals.  I have a decent personal garage with ramps, drain pan, and tools.  I know the older ladies across the street have taken their vehicles in to a Jiffy Lube in the past.  I think they are great neighbors and perhaps I should start doing this small service for them also. 

[758] Stephen in Falls Church, VA 
          A Valuable Resource

After reading so many embarrassing, humiliating and disgusting experiences that former Jiffy Lube customers have had, I can honestly say I will NEVER take my car there. What a pity that in the extremely competitive world of auto care, a company could be so anti-consumer.  Thank you to Jiffy Lube Problems for this very valuable resource. You saved me a lot of potential headaches and needless expenses.

 

[1044] Kirsten in Chicago, IL  Blew Out One Piston

I got a fuel injection cleaning on their insistence before leaving for an out of town trip.  My car was fine before I did that.  As I left the check engine light came on.  I brought it back and they turned it off.  I went back again then went to a mechanic to see what the problem was and they blew out one of my pistons and now my check engine light comes on all the time for no reason, I spent over $500 to get it remedied (and unless I got a whole new engine they can't do anything) and currently I'm dealing with the problem again because it failed the emission's test because of the misfiring.

[1043] Monique in Orange City, FL  Minor is Illegally Employed

I am trying to reach out to someone in the Human Resources department or any contact person that will be able to assist me with a Jiffy Lube employer problem for store #1818 located in Orange City, FL.

I have spoken to the store manager Sal on one occasion and also my husband Ricardo on 2 occasions regarding a recent 16 year old new hire Christian. We are the parents to this new hire and have discussed a concern with Sal advising him Christian was not attending his GED courses as required under the Florida State Law for a minor to be employed. Sal eased us as he expressed the same concern and advised both my husband and I that he would verify attendance with Daytona Beach Community College. Later in the week, my husband obtained a current attendance record from a facilitator in the above mentioned school and it reflected 34 missed classes; he is not considered a part time attending student as he has only attended 13 classes. Upon this another phone call was placed to Sal. He advised he did not “have time” to verify the school records and had not “received the application yet” as well. I advised upon that, he needed to let the minor go/terminate as this was not professional and the child needs an education first. How can someone be employed without receiving the application, drug test, and back ground check back??

Sal has since ignored this concern and has kept Christian working at Jiffy Lube since April 20, 2008; Christians first day. We are very infuriated as this now is being escalated to corporate.

[1042] Alvine in St. Pasco, WA  Tried to Threaten Me

It is my first time in jiffy lube on the 25Apr2008 at 1300. The technician asked me how can he help me and i said i need a oil change and a tire rotation. they did a check and everything is fine. The techinician asked me if i want my coolant flushed and i said yes and when they started doing the flush they told me there was a crack on my coolant reservoir and there a big leak on the car.  i was shock because there is no lead on my car and not its like a stream flowing on the ground.  the technician is trying to say that there is a big leak... but there is nothing nothing is wrong with my car because i just did  a service check in in san diego last month.  they dont admit that they did it...now it cause me more money to fix my car.  instead of helping me to do a simple oil change and a tire rotation it became a disaster because i am supposed to bring my car back in san diego before my deployment and now it is stocked because on the jiffy lube employees incompetence.  i hate those people. specially the jiffy lube fleet manager in Pasco Washington.  He tried to threatened me also that im not gonna be able to come back in san diego.  i explained him everything that i am gonna be in trouble if i am not gonna be come back on time.  I am hoping that someone would take some actions about these employess in jiffy lube in Tri- Cities in 1816 W. Court St. Pasco, Washington 99301.  They suck.....im gonna tell my experiece on my marines and sailors...that dont go in jiffy lube. 

[1041] Employee in Little Falls, MN

I was an employee at the Jiffy lube in Little Falls, Minnesota. This store goes through employees like diapers because of the low pay and the fat manager who does nothing except eat burger king all day and tell his employees what to do while he sat on his big butt watching a computer screen. He even made the employees clean his vehicle while he watched and told them they were not doing a good enough of a job vacumming, while I was there a few things caught my attention.

When we would service a vehicle all of the service that was paid for was done right becuase my manager Alvin was kind of a stickler about that. but The things that bother me about the company is the wage we were paid of $6.25, this made employees not really care about thier job, wel true to the bad reputation that jiffy lube has, on my very first day I was in the bay (shop) and had no idea what I was doing on customer vehicles I had guidence from a coworker who usually comes to work stoned out of his mind. The second day my manager had me go down stairs without any training and sent me to do oil changes grease fittings ect.. I was supervised by a 17 year old high school kid that had only worked there for a few months. after a few oil changes I didnt feel comfortable with the tasks that I was performing because I didnt feel like I was trained properly or qualified to work on anyones' vehicle except my own and didnt want to be the blame for a mistake. So asked to be stationed above the vehicle.

Here there was a list of procedures that had to be done and entered correctly in the computer. Alvin (the owner) acted like I should know the codes that needed to be entered when I had no privious training. As my "job" went on I found out that we dont use real wind shield washer fluid, it's only dawn dishwasher soap added to a large tank of water with some sort of Blue dye. (Mytheline blue I think) I do believe this will not harm the vehcle in any way but if you have ever worked with the dye you will know it stains everything! Finally after about a month I worked there I was informed about the online training that i was suppose to go through to get a measly 0.25 cent raise. the training went through different modules thst I was suppose to complete on my first day, second day week month ect. I was not happy with not knowing what the hell I was doing and not being trained properly. The store I worked at had few complaints and we were rated "excellent" in jiffy lube standards even though the whole crew was hired with in a 2 week peiod. Jiffy lube in my opinion has earned the title of a "shit show" in my book because of the services and goods we are supose to sell to customers who sometimes dont even need them. This was the worst job i have ever worked in my life and caused me to be depressed and generally have a bad out look on life. If Alvin my boss ever reads this before he has a heart attack, I hope he will educate him self in the proper traing procedures and methods that need to be accomplished before he sends employees in over their heads with customer property, AND GIVE YOUR EMPLOYEES A RAISE. 

[1040] Holly in San Marcos, TX  No Customer Service

I have not had the extreme experiences that others who have posted had, but I feel it is significant as it affects the integrity of customer service: as in customer. I went in to the Jiffy Lube in San Marcos, Texas. I needed an oil change and inspection. It did not seem to take long for them to complete all of those services and when I paid out, it cost $65.99. The oil change was $33.95, but because I wanted Castrol, I was charged a $4.00 "bottle up charge". I was fine with that. The inspection was $14.50, which was alright. I was then told that I needed a new wiper blade as the one I had (on the driver's side) was starting to "fray". There was a piece of the rubber that was about 1 inch long and miniscule in diameter, that was coming of the end of the blade. One blade cost $12.95. Bless his heart! He tried to sell me two!

I pay out and get in the car not really paying attention. I make a stop, and when I get back in my car, I look at the bill. It shows that the windshield was cleaned. I look up and the bird poop that had been on the windshield is still there with everything else that was there when I woke up. It says that they vacuumed. I look in the floorboard passenger side, and the pile that was there is still there. So I go back and the individual who serviced my car comes out. I questioned him about both items. He stated that when there was trash in the floor board, they decline to vacuum. And because it was supposed to rain, they didn't do the windshield because it would "just get dirty again". He reported that he "ran through the invoice and didn't change it".

I am aghast, as I thought I was the customer and they were servicing my car to make me happy. I called back two days later after thinking it over and talked with the Assistant manager. He listened and advised that he would pass my concerns on to the manager, and advised the manager would be in the following day, all day. I called back the next day and asked for the manager, and was placed on hold. The phone was picked up by the person who had answered it, and that individual was the one who had serviced it. He advised that he was in charge and when I questioned him about being told the manager would be there all day today, he stated the manager "had not been able to make it in yet".

The man said he talked to the General Manager and all they could or would do is have me come back and clean my windshield and if I would clean the "trash" out of the car, they would vacuum the front floor boards only. The man apologized for not informing me up front, AND THEY WERE GOING OUT OF THEIR WAY TO (FIX IT).  Ha. Ha.  The man asked me what I would like for him to do. I told him that their philosophy was not customer oriented and it compromised their integrity. I informed him that at this point, there was nothing that would make me a satisfied customer.

There were no signs posted regarding the lack of washing windshields when it looked like it was going to rain, or not vacuuming when there was "trash" in the floor.

[1039] Laura in Santa Cruz, CA  Refused to Acknowledge Problem

I HAVE WRITTEN TWO PREVIOUS EMAILS, I HAVE CALLED THE 800 NUMBER. AT THE 800 NUMBER, I WAS TREATED RUDELY. NO ONE WILL RETURN MY EMAILS OR CALLS. JIFFY LUBE HAS DAMAGED MY VEHICLE, I NEED ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.

ON APRIL 10TH, 2008 I TOOK MY 2004 KIA TO JIFFY LUBE IN SANTA CRUZ FOR A SIGNATURE OIL SERVICE. THE VEHICLE HAS HAD SEVERE OIL LEAKS EVERY DAY SINCE. I HAVE RETURNED THREE TIMES TO THE LOCATION. TWICE THEY REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ANY PROBLEM, TODAY THEY TOLD ME ON THE PHONE THEY WOULD DO ANOTHER OIL CHANGE, AND WHEN I ARRIVED, THE MANAGER ON DUTY REFUSED, AND WOULD ONLY CHANGE THE OIL FILTER. I RECEIVE RUDE TREATMENT AND INSULTS WHEN I GO TO THE LOCATION. MY VEHICLE IS UNDRIVABLE AS IT IS LEAKING OIL AT A FAST RATE FROM THEIR ERROR. I NEED THIS PAID ATTENTION TO ASAP AND SOMEONE NEEDS TO CALL ME BACK ASAP.

I HAVE CONTACTED THE LOCAL NEWS ORGANIZATION AND THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU FOR SANTA CRUZ COUNTY. AS WELL AS I AM NOW FORCED TO PAY TO HAVE THE PROBLEM EVALUATED AS JIFFY LUBE AS REFUSED TO CORRECT OR ACKNOWLEDGE ANY PROBLEMS. I WILL NEED REIMBURSEMENT ASAP FOR ALL MY COST AS WELL AS ANY REPAIRS . I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH THE DEGREE OF IMPORTANCE TO THIS ISSUE AS MY CAR MUST BE DRIVEABLE AS I HAVE A FAMILY AND ALSO MORE IMPORTANTLY, I TRUSTED JIFFY LUBE TO DO A GOOD JOB AND NOT CAUSE OIL LEAKS TO MY VEHICLE.

[1038] Sandy in Spokane, WA  Came to the Wrong Place

My Dad took his Dodge pickup in to the Jiffy Lube at 9412 N. Newport Hwy, Spokane and asked for a regular oil change.  He was given a bill for $83.  He asked them why so much and was told the PVC and air filter needed replacing, and a few other things.  He proceeded to tell them he ". . . came to the wrong place" to which the kid replied "How come?"  Dad told him he felt ripped off and he would never be back. 

I've hear so many rip-off stories about this company but my husband had taken his Lexus there for a transmission flush and he was happy with the work done.  So Dad decided to get the oil change done there.  Never again.  I'm glad I've held out and never taken my car there.  Never will either.

[1037]  Joe in Yuba City, CA  Damaged Transmission

 

On March 12, 2008 I took our Subaru into Jiffy lube for an oil change in Yuba City California.  Everything seemed to go fine, but once it was done they needed to back it into the garage again because they  needed to clean up some spilt oil.  I really did not think anything about it at the time.  The car smoked after driving it and I assumed it was the remaining oil burning off, but after two weeks of the same thing I knew something had to be wrong.  I brought it back in and said it was smoking and that maybe they overfilled it with oil.  The guy checked the oil and said it looked fine.  So I power washed the undercarriage but it still continued to smoke.  I then took it to a mechanic and had them check it out.  They found that Jiffy Lube had damaged the transmission filter and it was leaking transmission fluid from the filter.  This is not the first problem I have had with them but it is the last.

[1036] Martha in Atascadero, CA  Employee

My kid worked at Jiffy Lube for a while in Atascadero, CA. First of all, the manager that hired him was soon fired, and some jerk Izzy took his place, and from what I understand this guy is a real punk, and tries to keep the kids in line by threatening them by saying that "he can fire anyone he wants any time we wants, because it's his shop now". 

When my son had about a week on the job and was still in training, he wanted his oil changed, so one of the other kids stepped in and said that he would do it.  My son didn't give it another thought until the end of the day when he went to start the car, and ran back in the shop to take care of few things, came back out, and happened to notice an oil cap sitting on the ground.  He had a feeling it was his, so he opened his hood,and lo and behold, his oil cap was not put back on....luckily, nothing bad happened....this could have been a disaster had he driven away and the engine got any hotter.  The funny thing about this story is that I told him not too long before that, that Jiffy Lube was getting quite the reputation for doing just that - forgetting to put lug nuts back on,or stripping the lug nuts, or forgetting oil caps, etc.  And here, he was an employee,and it happened to him. 

[1035] Jeff in San Antonio, TX  Employees Taught Fraud

I managed a Jiffy Lube for fifteen years. I am ashamed to admit it. I took a lot of pride in my work, but things have changed. Employees are taught how to defraud the customers. They are doing it out of fear of losing their job.They are required to keep a ticket of $65.00. This means if an oil change is $32.99 the must up sell $32.00 on every car. If they fail to keep it, managers are punished by having to work overtime on salaried wages.Therefore they force you to buy so they don't have to work. If anyone denies it they are lying. You should get your local news to cover this interesting story.Jiffy Lube has been defrauded in the past. I do not blame Shell oil company for these tactics, since most all Jiffy Lubes are franchised. Jiffy Lube does not do any favors without a price. I don't blame the few honest emplyees either, since they are forced to use unfair business practices.

[1034] Daniel in MA  Service Advisor

I am a service advisor at a car dealership. I read this website frequently and have heard many experiences similar to this from my customers. In two and a half years of working at this dealership we have on at least six occasions either replaced an engine or repaired jumped timing chains due to loss of oil or lack of oil after a service at a Jiffy Lube or other quick lube shop. We've had cars towed to us from other shops with overfilled transaxles and no engine oil, or vice versa, cracked oil filter housings, leaking drain plugs, etc. Occasionally, customers with brand new cars come to us very concerned that their vehicles need services so early because these shops say so.

Some people are of the mentality that the dealer is only there to rip the consumer off with inflated prices and to arm-wrestle customers into doing repairs they may or may not need. I've seen invoices from customers who have been charged more for a simple oil and filter change at Jiffy Lube than we would charge at the dealership. On the other hand, dealerships are required to employ factory trained technicians, and many technicians opt for the voluntary Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certifications in addition. In summation, yes, dealerships tend to be more expensive... but you get what you pay for.

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