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I.
Personal Experiences
GENERAL PROBLEMS
Email us your experience.
victim@jiffylubeproblems.com
Include your city and
state so that others in your area are aware. 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.
The following
experiences are the most recently submitted unedited and
unverified General Problem experiences of others:
Indexed by State
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[1483] Christopher in Trevose, PA
Destroyed Transmission
I have been a regular customer at
the Jiffy Lube location at 2 West Street Road,
Feasterville Trevose, PA 19053 for several years. I have
four cars that are maintained on a regular basis at Jiffy
Lube, Glenn’s Auto, and Saturn of Trevose. I use your
company for oil changes because it is fast and the
location is convenient.
On January 23, 2010, I sent my son
to Jiffy Lube for an oil change. He drove the car, a
2001 Saturn L200 sedan with manual transmission, to the
location. He gave the keys to an attendant and went into
the reception room to wait. He noticed the car was not
being moved. He was then asked by an attendant to help
move the car because they could not get it into reverse.
This particular model car has a reverse gear lockout which
is located on the gearshift knob. If it is not pulled up,
the car will not go into reverse. This is not unlike many
other GM manual transmissions. My son then went to move
the car and found the shift lever broken. He was not able
to engage any gear. The service manager said it was the
throw out bearing. I had arrived by this time and did not
agree it was a throw out bearing because the shift lever
itself was no longer attached to anything, and the problem
was outside the transmission. The service manager
proceeded to remove the shift boot and we could clearly
see the gear selector had been broken. The mechanism was
forced by your employee until it broke. We were told that
this was a “pre-existing condition”. If it had been a
pre-existing condition the vehicle would not have been
drivable. The car was driven to Jiffy Lube, handed over
to an attendant, and was rendered inoperative while in
possession of Jiffy Lube. I had the vehicle towed to
Saturn of Trevose by Brian’s Tow Service. The service
manager at Saturn said the vehicle could not have
been driven to Jiffy Lube (or anywhere) in that condition.
It was not a pre-existing condition nor was it a
condition of normal wear. It was a matter of undue force
that broke the mechanism.
I have included images of the broken shift mechanism.
Images include those of the part both in and out of the
car. The reverse selector part of the mechanism still
works perfectly. I can engage and disengage that part of
the mechanism. If your employee knew how to work the
shifter he would not have had to force it causing the
break.
[1482] Margaret in Costa Mesa, CA Theft
This
morning [4 March 2010] I discovered more than $200 in
pharmacy gift cards had been stolen from my card by an
employee(s) at Jiffy Lube when my husband took it there
Saturday. I keep a box between the driver and front
passenger seat and when I got in the car this morning I
noticed something on the floor. It was a Lego Club card
that I hadn't seen in years, that had been in the bottom
of this box. I looked over and the box had clearly been
rearranged, as in rummaged through. That's when I noticed
the cards were gone. I will complain to the manager, but
expect nothing will come of it.
[1481] Yetta Stolen Keys Led to Stolen
Cars
My husband and I took our vehicles to
Jiffy Lube for service, the workers stoles my husbands key
from my ring and my car key from his ring (duplicates).
They came to our home (they had the information on our
receipt) and stole our cars.
Needless to say they didn’t want to
take responsibilities for hiring these thugs, so we are
now out of two cars. We had to purchase two vehicles,
because ours were totaled with high speed chases and
crashes.
I will never use them again.
[1480] Tristen in Bountiful, UT
Forgot to Secure Hood
Last winter I went and had my oil
changed at Jifyf Lube in Bountiful Ut. I drive a 2007
Toyota.The service people were very kind and got the work
done pretty quickly for me. I left the shop and hoped on
the freeway to meet y mother in a nearby city. As I was
getting on the freeway the hood of my car flew up. Think
Ace Ventura here. I could see nothing. Here I am on the
freeway going 70+ MPH with no view of what is in front of
me at all. I also had my 6 month old son in the backseat
with me.
There was a small section (about 2
inches wide) inbetween the dashboard and the hood that I
could see out of and was able to safely make it to the
side of the road. I immediatly called my husband to see
what I should do. He told me to pick him up from home and
he was going to Jiffy Lube to talk to the manager. I got
out of the car and with force was able to shut the hood, I
practically jumped on the hood to make sure that it stayed
down. In order to get off of the interstate I had to drive
about 3 miles North in order to turn around and go back to
the store. The whole time driving on the interstate I was
terrified that the hood would come up again, which it
didn't luckily.
My husband and I went back to Jiffy
Lube and my husband spoke to the manager who assured us
that they would take care of all the damages and
appologized repeatedly for the danger that my son and I
was placed in. He told us to get 3 different estimates for
repair places and they would pay to repair the car. I got
my 3 bids and gave them to the manger a few days later who
informed me that he would speak to his supervisor and they
would let us know which repair place they chose. A few
weeks went by and we didn't hear anything from the manager
so I decided to call him. When I called I was told that he
was no longer the manager at that location and that it was
still the Bountiful locations responsibily to take care of
the damages. Upon calling the new manager, he had no clue
what was going on and gave me the number for his
supervisor at the corporate office. When I called
corporate office the man informed me that they were not
responsible to pay for the damages and that his tech
closed the hood tightly and checked it like he was suposed
to.
In the end, we ended up paying over
$5000 in repairs for the damages on my car. We even tried
having our insurance company use their lawyers to try to
get the money back, but with no succes..
I will NEVER go to Jiffy Lube again!
They not only put my life, but my 6 month old son's life
in danger, and wasn't even willing to pay for the repairs
that they initially said they would. I just think it's
funny that I was able to shut my hood down securly while
standing on the side of the Interstate, with cars passing
me going 70+ MPH, and a tech at the local Jiffy Lube was
unable to secure the hood while standing in their bay.
[1478] Stacie Time to Get Greasy
I was feeling a little lazy this week
and WAS going to take my truck to JL to do a trans. fluid
replacement. Ha!!!!!! not now after reading the horror
stories. I am very thankful for this website and I am
sorry to all those who had misfortunes. I will never go to
JL for any work on my vehicles. Time for me to go get
greasy.
[1477] RJ High School Techs
1999 f-250 super duty 5.4 triton v8
engine jiffy lube did an oil change on this vehicle and
failed to put oil in the motor customer left the jiffy
lube drove home the engine locked up jiffy lube refused to
fix the vehicle or anything else they hire wanna be
mechanics and high school students to work on your cars
hmmmmmmmmmm not a good idea !!!! go to a reputable
mechanic or do it yourself 7 out of 10 times jiffy lube
will screw it up by leaving your drain plug loose or
leaving the old oil filter gasket and then putting a new
one on top of it or not putting oil in your vehicle they
are not mechanics ……
[1476] D in Deer Park, TX Stripped Oil
Pan Bolt
I cannot
believe Jiffy Lube is doing this to customers. As you
probably know, they do not RESOLVE ANYTHING. I was too
late and did not research this company until now. I am a
victim that has to pay another mechanic to fix their
mistake.
I have
filed a claim on BBB to inform them of your wrong doings.
I have attained an attorney to address these opportunities
by lawsuit. I have contacted Channel 11 and 13 to
let our community know your perception of Customer
Service. POSTED ON FEEBACK PAGE on
www.jiffylube.com
You
location #697 stripped the bolt on the oil pan back on
11/26/08. On Saturday 2/06/10 I go to location #697
to get an oil change and get confronted by a team member
that the bolt is stripped. They asked me who did the oil
change last. Guess what? IT WAS YOUR LOCATION #697. The
DUMMY STICKER was still in the window for "next service."
Anyway, I
did not get an oil change on 2/6/10 because they told me
to contact District Manager Pam Teirney. I went home and
emailed her. First thing Monday I get an email from Mrs.
Teirney stating she was not the DM and the "correct" DM
would contact me to discuss the issue at hand.
Later that
day, DM "DJ" calls me to explain how it is not under
"warranty." He also states Jiffy Lube is NOT responsible
for this. Can you please explain how this is possible?
My car was PERFECT until an oil change was done at
location #697. And now I have to hire a mechanic to fix
your mistake. Is this how you treat your customers?
Maybe you should look at BBB. I did, after it was too
late. Your Company is rated "F." Don't take my word for
it, go look yourself @ www.bbb.com and put "jiffy lube" in
the search window.
Anyway, I
don’t expect to hear from you as I have learned from BBB
that your company does not attempt resolution. I
hope and pray that you learn to fix the mistakes that were
caused by your negligence.
In a
message dated 2/9/2010 4:31:03 P.M. Central Standard Time,
jiffy-lube-customer-service@shell.com writes: Thank
you for taking the time and effort to e-mail Jiffy Lube
International. We will respond to you within two business
days. If you would like to speak with a representative,
please call 1-800-344-6933. Jiffy Lube - Customer Service
Team
[1475] Pat in Imperial Beach, CA No
Service
I have recently visited two times in
the last month for my trucks service as I have done for
years...I knew on the first truck I had a low tire. Had a
low tire when I left. Never was asked about my air filter
that hadn't been changed for a year. Didn't reset my
change oil indicator...Stupidly I brought my other truck
in for service. This time I observed them checking my
trans oil with the engine off. There were other things I
was unhappy about but forgetting. All I know I will not go
there again. This station is on Palm avenue in Imperial
beach.
[1474] Nicki in Indianapolis, IN Forgot
to Tighten Lug Nuts
A little
over a year ago, I went for an oil change and tire
rotation. After completing the transaction, I traveled
approximately 1.5 miles before I was forced to pull over
to the side of the interstate due to severe vibrations in
the tire suspension of my 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser. Once I
pulled over, it was obvious that the lugnuts on the right
front tire had not been properly tightened. Only one
lugnut was remaining and the tire was at a dangerous
angle.
I was able
to reach the manager on duty at the store and he picked me
up in his personal vehicle and had my car towed back to
the store. The lug nuts and lug bolts on that tire had to
be replaced and approximately a week later, I also had to
have the dust shield on that wheel replaced as well.
Unfortunately I have continued to have problems with my
car.
I also had
to have the wheel replaced on my vehicle on February 12,
2010 after my mechanic determined the holes for the lug
bolts had been stretched out due to the wheel/tire being
left loose. He stated the holes were no longer round, but
oblong-shaped and could not properly hold the tire in
place.
[1473] Marvin in Las Vegas, NV Forgot
to Replace Transmission Fluid
in 2oo9 I took a trip to Las Vegas in
my new car and decicded to flush the transmission fluid;
took it to jiffy lube to change it. as the were changing
it there were four young kids and they were finished
flushing my car in forty five minute. I left i went five
or six miles to my hotel room and the transmissiom
started slipping. A good friend of mine looked under the
hood to the transmission fluid and guess what?? there was
NONE. he went to the auto store and bought seven quarts of
transmission fluid and the car ran fine. by this time
jiffy lube had closed I was Pissed. What if I was on the
freeway back to San Diego? So, I called jiffy lube the
next day the had the nerve to say i was sure... to make a
long story short they gave me a free transmission and oil
change AND refunded my money but, after that I wouldn't
get anything done at jiffy lube free or not. How do you
forget to put transmission fluid after a transmission
flush!? What ever you do DONT ever go to jiffy lube. Just
go to the next auto shop.
[1471] Lucas in Salina, KS Leave or I
Will Call Police
On Feb
17th the day before my birthday, I took my car into jiffy
LUBE at 2365 s. 9th st Salina Kansas. I told the guy from
the start "I have not been to Jiffy lube in three years
because they charged fro $55 dollars for a 19.99 oil
change the last time I was in, but Walmart had a three
hour wait and you did not have anyone in your stall" That
how I started off. I told him i do not want my air filter
checked all i want is my Oil Changed. He said ok and
left.He Came back a few min later and asked if my suv
was 4wd I told him it was he informed me it would be a 3
dollar charge for a 4wd. I told him to give me my car
back I did not want to deal with them anymore, he said go
around to the front and he would give me my car back. I
walked to the front and the manager opened the door and
said he would waive the fee. They came back in and told me
my total i paid and left.
I drove my car 55 miles back home. Smelled Oil the whole
way home. The day after that I had to go pick up my
daughter, The car had been sounding different since the
oil change. I drove from Concordia Ks to Manhattan Ks.
About 3 miles outside of Manhattan I noticed my car was
sounding really different, The gauges were all good so i
just thought it must be the road. I Pulled into the
place I meet my X wife and noticed smoke coming from the
hood. My temp gauge was only at half. I Touched the
radiator cap it was not even hot, I looked at the overflow
bottle and it was fine. Shut the car off and waited till
the smoke stopped. I drove to wal mart and asked them to
look at the drain plug. They told me there was no oil in
the engine, but they put it on the lift and found out that
my oil filter was not tightened at all. The wal mart guy
reached up and spun the filter with one finger. Wal Mart
documented the condition the car was in. They said that
there was no oil in the car,the filter was loose, and
there was oil all over the bottom of the car and noted Oil
leaking from Filter. It was 255 miles from the time i left
Jiffy Lube to the time I got to wal mart. 255 miles with
oil leaking who knows how far with out oil.
I drove the car home that night with no problems. I called
Jiffy Lube the next morning the manager asked me to bring
the car in. I took the car back to them, after waiting 30
mins for the manager to return and listing to
the (Failed out of Tech School) Mechanics talk about how
they had to call the cops on the last guy. The manager
showed up walked in and said your car sounds fine, we
would be willing to refund your oil change but i am not
going to buy your a new engine. I told him I did not want
a new engine I wanted him to pay to check mine out. Once
again he told me that my car sounded fine, I asked him if
he was a ASE certified mechanic he said no, I then asked
how he knew my car was fine. He told me that was all he
could do for me. I said no you forgot to tighten my oil
filter you are going to pay to make sure driving 255 miles
without oil did not hurt my engine. He then said you can
do that if you would like but it would not be refunded by
jiffy lube. At that point i looked at the other customer
sitting in the lobby and asked if he was really going to
let them work on his car after listing to the my story. I
was then asked to leave the property, I took a step past
him to go out to the garage to get my car and leave and he
looks at another Worker and says call the police. I said
call the police make sure and tell them my car is in your
shop and you wont let me get it. I went out side and saw a
cop sitting across the street running radar. The cop got
out and told me i need to leave the property, I told him
they ruined my engine and I was trying to get a
managers phone number. The guy would not tell me his
managers name, The police man told me either i can get in
my car and leave or he will arrest me, I asked how this is
right they screwed up my car and I am being kicked out
with out any information.
I do not know what to do from this point i do not have the
money for an Attorney any help would be great. My car runs
now with the Diesel sound that it was making. But I know
that something had to be damaged.
[1470] Kenneth in Gig Harbor, WA Poor
Service
My
problem is just plain poor customer service along with
high prices.
My last, & I do mean last, visit was on 2010-02-08 at the
Gig Harbor, WA Jiffy Lube #2058.
$48 for a simple oil & filter change. When I can buy all
the materials at retail for less than $20 it makes me feel
gouged especially when I can change it myself in less than
half hour at home including finding all my tools &
everything. $48 is not worth the convenience either.
It then took them over an hour to do the work. I believe
the reason was because they moved other cars in front of
me in line. No it wasn't my imagination. I had dropped off
my truck to be serviced then walked next door to grab a
bite to eat at the Taco TIme. After I had my order I sat
down at a table to eat it & began watching the Jiffy Lube
for progress on my truck. While sitting there I watched
another vehicle with a young lady in it pull up to Jiffy
Lube for service. After dropping off her car she then came
over to Taco Time to eat also. By then I had been there
long enough to have finished eating my dinner. I returned
to Jiffy Lube to find them pulling my truck out of line
and pulling her car in to the lube bay instead.
[1468] Jason Our Techs aren't Mechanics
My fiance' went to a Jiffy lube
today for an oil change on a Nissan Xterra. She came back
after spending $317.98! They recommended she change the
differential fluid($69.99front, $99.99back) get "high
mileage" oil($38.99 + $25.00), and change oil in the
transfer case($69.99). They also found a burnt out bulb
and charged $9.99 to replace(it's anywhere from $0.38 -
$1.48 off the internet or in a store).
I called the manager asking WHY he
changed the differential fluid since it had been chanaged
just over 30 days ago... and he said that it was
recommended to her because the vehicle wasn't serviced at
a Jiffy Lube to have it done so they didn't know it had
been done. They just go by what the computer shows as
recommended. If anything is done anywhere besides Jiffy
Lube, they don't track it and don't check. They
recommended it be done, and she didn't know any better...
I explained that as a mechanic,
there are signs to tell if the service they recommended
had aready done recently... His reply; "Our techs aren't
mechanics."
Ironically, the vehicle needed a
new rear windshield wiper pretty bad. It was marked as
"OK" on the invoice.
In short, I paid $317.88 for an
oil change today. What a great service they provide!
[1467] Terry in Gig Harbor, WA Incomplete
Servicing
I purchased a used 1998 PontiacTrans
Sport mini van on Saturday (Feb 20) morning. Since we
never know how a used vehicle has been taken care of the
first thing I always do is take it to Jiffy Lube for a
complete service/inspection just to get everything up to
date.
I will say the guys at the Gig Harbor
store were extremely friendly and showed good customer
service skills. I ended up spending $401. I had the
following done: Oil service, transmission flush, radiator
flush, rear wiper blade replaced, glass treatment applied,
and a new serpentine belt installed.
I was quoted that it would be a
forty-five minute job. It was two hours before I got out
of there. I can live with that but it would sure be nice
if they could hit the mark a little closer.
After leaving Jiffy lube while
waiting in line to pay my toll to go across the bridge the
serpentine belt started squealing like a stuck pig. Once
I got on hwy 16 it quieted down. By the time I got to
Orting the temp gauge had gone up higher then the normal
range. When I got home I checked under the hood and there
was no anti freeze in the overflow tank. Having worked on
a lot of cars when I was younger I know that air trapped
in the system can make it seem like the system is full
until that air is moved along. This is apparently what
happened at Jiffy Lube. I would have thought the guys
would have been trained to recognize this. I ended up
having to go to Auto Zone, purchased a gallon of anti
freeze. The entire gallon went into the system. I also
had to purchase belt dressing because the serpentine belt
would not quit squealing.
First thing Sunday morning I decided
to check on the rest of the fluids. I was able to but an
entire one gallon bottle of 20/10 into the windshield
tank. The brake fluid was about a 1/2" below the fill
line. I did have some Dot 4 fluid in the garage so I
topped that off. I then pulled the air filter and it was
filthy, looked like it had about 30,000 miles on it. It
was apparently never checked by your techs.
So far I am out a little over twenty
bucks for things that were supposed to have been included
in the $401 that I paid. The serpentine belt still
squeals and I have to go buy an air filter. Plus having
wasted a lot of time taking care of things that should
have been taken care of. Overall a very poor experience.
[1466] Walter in Walnut Creek, CA
Missing Skid Plate Bolts
Since I purchased my 350Z it has been
serviced exclusively by Jiffy Lube as related to normal
servicing such as oil changes, air filter and windshield
blades. This totals 12 service stops for $871. During
this time I’ve had 3 servicing issues, the last of which
involved the back side of the skid plate where the bolts
dropped out while I was 50 miles from home forcing me to
drive at 45 mph on Interstate-80 to avoid damage.
Basically the servicing associate failed to properly
secure and tighten these bolds and they dropped out a
little over a week ago resulting in the cars skid plate
baffling against the bottom of the car and the road. It
cost me a little under $4 to have the bolts ordered from
Nissan since they didn’t carry them in stock in addition
to damage to the skid plate that’s not so extreme that I
can’t still use it but to such an extent that it’s likely
I will have to replace it at a later date if the bolt
holes tear much further. Although I was able to still use
the car on surface streets I was unable to drive over 45
mph until the bolds arrived last Friday. Being in
California unable to use the freeway is the same as being
homebound.
The 2 prior issues were as follows:
1)
This was at a location you closed a little over a
year ago near the Walnut Creek BART station. The
servicing associate failed to secure the oil dip stick
plunger so the following day oil surged up through the dip
stick pipe and drenched the side of the engine housing.
Aside from freaking me out and making my car look like a
wounded B52 made my garage and home (since they are
connected) smell for some time.
2)
This involved the same location with the bolt
problem I just had. I elected to have your servicing
associate replace the 2 front windshield blades. After
the servicing was complete I took a right turn onto
Concord Blvd only to have both blades shoot off the car
onto the Blvd. Basically the associate just laid the
blades on top of my windshield blades expecting someone
else to do the actual installation.
Needless to say I will not be going
to Jiffy Lube going forward since I’ve lost all confidence
in your teams attention to details and possible
retaliation based on the feedback I’m providing here but
since I’m in a management position I know that I would
welcome this information for training.
[1465] Frank in Lafayette, CA Forgot to
Replace Differential Plug
I am extremely upset with Jiffy Lube.
As a result of shoddy work I am out $2669 and I can not
get management to accept responsibility and
accountability. Let me explain.
On November 12, 2009, I had a routine
service done to my Suburban. On January 5th, after hearing
a strange noise coming from the drive train of our
Suburban, I took the truck to Concord Chevrolet for a
diagnosis. I was told that the rear differential fill plug
was missing, that all the lubrication fluid was gone, and
that all the gears and bearings were shot. The service
advisor asked me who had worked on the truck last. It was
Jiffy Lube. Not knowing the potential implications, I gave
my approval for a complete overhaul of the rear
differential. The cost was $2668.93.
As I said, Jiffy Lube was the last
outfit to work on my Suburban. From the time of the
repair, it had been 54 days and 2413 miles since I took my
suburban to Jiffy Lube. There is no good reason for the
differential fill plug to ever fall out if it put on
correctly no matter how many miles have elapsed after
removal to check the fluid level.
The next day (Jan. 8th)
after getting my repaired suburban back from Concord
Chevrolet, I went back to Jiffy Lube located at
3363 Mt Diablo Blvd
in
Lafayette
California with
my receipt and an expectation that I would be covered by
the Jiffy Lube Warranty. I spoke with Mr. Richard Hunte
who quickly got quite defensive saying that he had a
problem with my claim because I had not contacted him
earlier. After discussion, he offered to send a copy of
the Chevrolet receipt to his boss Mr. Ceasar Escobedo. I
was told I would be contacted in a few days.
I waited a week and called Ceasar on
Jan. 13th. He took the same position as Mr.
Hunte and told me to read the fine print of the warranty.
I said that I wasn’t trying to scam Jiffy Lube and if he
would talk to the service advisor at Concord Chevrolet he
could verify that my suburban repair resulted from a
missing fill plug. He said he would and get back to me.
At that point, I finally read the
“fine print” of the warranty (the section at the bottom
titled Exclusions) wherein it says that I should have put
the suburban repair work on hold, contacted Mr. Hunte at
Jiffy Lube, waited for Jiffy Lube to come to Concord
Chevrolet to inspect the problem, and give written
approval to do the repair. In my ignorance I didn’t do
that (who reads and remembers the “fine print” of a
warranty). But I would think in the spirit of customer
satisfaction, good public relations, and good business
practice, Jiffy Lube would try to determine the legitimacy
of a claim rather than hide behind a technically buried in
the “fine print”.
On Monday, January 18th,
after not hearing from Ceasar, I called the Jiffy Lube
Customer Service in
Houston for
help. After reporting all the particulars, I was given the
case # 577086 and was told someone would contact me within
24 to 48 hours.
Nobody called. I called
Houston again on
Jan. 28th and was told Ceasar was my contact
person. Now I realized that I was going to get the big run
around. I last spoke to Ceasar on Feb. 4th
after trying for a week. He told me that Mr. Hunte had
contacted Concord Chevrolet and that he was inclined to
consider the claim invalid because a Jiffy Lube
representative had not been able to determine if the plug
had been tampered with. The implication I guess was that I
or someone else had caused the plug to fall out. He did
however offer to “kick” my claim to “higher management”
and get back to me by Feb. 8th.
Ceasar has not called. Surprise! I
also called my Service Advisor at Concord Chevrolet and
was told that nobody from Jiffy Lube had called. OK so I
guess I’m screwed. Incompetence, irresponsibly, and
arrogance has won out again! However you should know that
I, as a consumer, plan to exercise my right to:
1. Lodge a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.
2. Seek help from “Seven-On-Your-Side” (Channel Seven
Consumer Affairs)
3. Cease any further service with Jiffy Lube
4. Offer ongoing advice to my family and friends to
avoid Jiffy Lube.
5. Do what I can to besmirch the Jiffy Lube name.
Jiffy Lube International can take the
position that they are not legally responsible for my loss
and can back away from applying corporate pressure. But
you should know that by selling your franchise to
irresponsible owners tarnishes your brand and in the long
term you loose. I can only hope that in my small way I can
inflict as much damage to the local Jiffy Lube franchise
as it has done to me.
Indexed by State
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II.
Personal Experiences
DESTROYED ENGINES
Email us your experience.
victim@jiffylubeproblems.com
Include your city and state so that
others in your area are aware. 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.
The following experiences are the
most recently submitted unedited and unverified Destroyed
Engines experiences of others:
Indexed by State
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[1479] Jimmy in Coventry, RI No Oil
Destroys Engine
On February 4th 2010 my car was
brought to Jiffy Lube in Coventry RI for an Oil Change.
Upon leaving Jiffy lube, I went to my house which was 2.33
miles away to pickup a friend. When got on the highway
going north on 95 and drove just over 5 miles and the
engine started to sound horrible. We took exit 8B off of
95 and the car totally lost power.. making it hard to
steer and the car basically came to a skidding stop on the
off Ramp. The car was then towed to a local Mechanic.
The mechanic called me up and told me there was no oil at
all in the car. I asked if there was a leak and he said
it was completely sealed an that JIffy Lube had forgotten
to put oil in. If I had been in the high speed lane when
the car had lost power, I would have most likely gotten
in an accident. It was sheer luck that we managed to lose
power on the off Ramp. Jiffy lube came to the garage and
took pictures. We thought the response from Jiffy Lube
would be quick. It was then like pulling teeth to get
help from Jiffy Lube though they recognized that there had
been a problem. NO OIL
WAS PUT IN... I thought this is what I had gone
to Jiffy Lube for. My Engine was messed up in a Jiffy
that was for sure.
The Manager at the Coventry Jiffy Lube (Jeff) didn't seem
to have all that much sympathy and was supposed to call
back.. That took a couple of days actually. a few days
after that, Corporate was supposed to call.. After not
hearing anything we called and complained.. Not having a
working car or having anyone call back was REALLY Annoying
and not Professional. Finally Jiffy Lube called back ..
They agreed to take the car and break down the engine to
see if something could be fixed "If it was their fault"..
At this point Jiffy Lube didn't admit responsiblity. They
agreed to pay for a rental car if it indeed was their
problem and wouldn't front any reimbursement to Enterprise
Rental to pay for the car. Finally on Friday the 19th,
the Car could be picked up at Jiffy Lube after being
"Fixed". After waiting awhile.. Jeff (the manager)
returned. There was no apology whatsoever for what
happened. Upon asking what had been done to the car, he
couldn't answer that. He suggested calling corporate. A
call was put in immediately on friday after picking up the
car. Its monday afternoon.. Still no response on the
repairs and no word about whether Jiffy Lube will
reimburse us for the rental, the tow, the mechanic etc.
This has been such a dissatisfying experience. I'm
surprised Jiffy Lube isn't willing to turn this experience
into a good one. Be assured that if this type of customer
service, or lack there of, continues, many people will
hear this story. Channel 10 seems very interested in
hearing the details.. So we'll see what happens with that.
Also I'll be making a video for Youtube. This will be
one of the many videos about Jiffy Lube on there. You
need to check them out.
[1472] Mario of Fayetteville, NC Wrong Oil
Destroys Engine
17 FEB 2010: 10:03 - took my vehichle
to Jiffy lube for a full synthetic oil change, add
coolant, change front and rear differntal oil, gear oil
for $ 194.92
10:25 - I was driving towards my
mothers house and the car died on me on the highway.
I was able to make it to the side of
the road. I hoped the hood and noticed coolant liquid all
over the bottom of the skid pad inside the engine bay and
also pouring out the bottom.
10:35 - I called Jiffy Lube and told them of the problem.
They sent the supervisor Chris to check out my vehicle.
11:05 - Chris arrives and looks at my vehicle and suggests
that I call the dealership to have them tow it there. I
called the Cross creek Subaru dealership and they gave me
a number for a wrecker. I called them and they said
they will pick it up in 30-45 minutes.
12:15 - The tow truck arrives and loads my vehicle to take
it to the dealership.
13:25 - I arrive at the dealership to find that the
radiator was busted all across from the left to the right
bottom. The dealership determined that the wrong coolant
was put in. The dealership drained some of the oil and
found that it was the wrong oil put into the engine. The
oil contained metal from the interior of the engine. They
also determined that the wrong differential oil was put in
as well. They also told me that Jiffy Lube charged me for
a service which isn't available for my vehicle, the front
differential oil change. The dealership determined that
my entire engine needs to be replaced and at that point,
once the car is running again, they can determine the
remaining problems caused my Jiffy Lube.
15:00 -1800 - Chris, supervisor of
Jiffy Lube, shows up to take a sample of the oil. The
dealership gave it to him. Chris asked me to fill out an
incident report stating what happened after I left the
dealership, so I did. I stated what had happened. He gave
me a copy and told me to have the dealership write an
estimate and fax it to the Jiffy Lube corporate office.
The dealership did so and determined that to rebuild the
engine and put in a radiator it will cost $ 11,051.00
including parts and labor. They faxed it to the Jiffy
Lube corporate office. I called to follow up and the guy
told me that the estimate does not show that Jiffy Lube is
at fault. He said he needs a diagnostics from the
dealership.
[1469] Jenny in Sacramento, CA Blown
Engine from No Oil
I drive a 2003 VW Beetle Convertible. My baby. I took
it in for an oil change. They drained the oil out of the
car and "forgot" to replace it with new oil. I drove two
blocks when my engine seized. I had the car towed to a
local VW dealer that did a quick visual insepection for
$100 and said it was fine. Jiffy Lube reimbursed me the
$100. One week later my oil light is going nuts. I take it
back to the VW dealer where they spend four hours
dismantling the engine to get a look inside. The rod
bearing is scorched from being driven without oil, it blew
and sent metal shcrapnel throughout my engine. The VW
dealer says the whole engine needs to be replaced and
attributes all the damage to Jiffy Lube's oil change.
I've left some messages for Jiffy Lube, without a call
back. My baby is sitting in the dealer's service
department with the engine torn out of it. I'm reading all
these stores about Jiffy Lube being responsible for
damaging vehicles and never paying out. It's making me
nauseated!
I intend to not only have Jiffy Lube pay for the new
engine, but also for a rental car for the week that I
don't have my car. Looking at all these stories, it'll be
rough...
[1463] Noemi in Coachella, CA Flush
Destroys Engine
On November
14, 2009, I took my 1994 Honda Civic to Jiffy Lube located
on 84765 Ave. 50 in the city of
Coachella, for a
simple oil change. I was advised by the shop manager; Rudy
that the radiator in my vehicle was extremely dirty and
that it needed to be flushed. Being that he was the expert
in this field I allowed Jiffy Lube to perform the work
that Rudy recommended. I paid Jiffy Lube in full ($115.83)
and continued with my day. As I was driving, I noticed
that my vehicle was over heating (I saw the gage) and
suddenly white smoke started appearing from the back of
the vehicle. As soon as it was safe I merged my vehicle to
a safe area and immediately turned the vehicle off. I
called Jiffy Lube to inform Rudy, but I was informed that
he was out to lunch......
As of today
February 03, 2010 I have spent
$115.00-oil
change and radiator fluid exchange (Jiffy Lube)
$85.00-diagnostic (that Jiffy Lube requested)
$170.00-inspect head gasket (which Jiffy Lube demanded)
$45.00-to have my vehicle towed to my residence (the shop
where I had my vehicle from November 09 to January 2010
was nice enough to not charge me a storage fee.
FOR A GRAND
TOTAL OF $415.00 AND MY VEHICLE STILL NEEDS A NEW ENGINE
DUE TO JIFFY LUBES NEGLIGENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[1457] Micah in Seattle, WA
No Oil Destroys Engine
on jan 18
2010 lake city seattle jiffy lube changed my oil i drove
home open the hood oil everywhere i call Dave yawn comes
over and finds out he put the wrong gasket on my oil
canister their was no oil in my car he fills it back up
and we try starting it over and over so he calls a tow
truck over and takes it to jeffs on sandpoint way i get a
ride there from dave and they start the car its sounds as
if it is running on half the cylinders smoking and back
firing bad they through me the keys and say by i dont
leave and they threaten to call the cops while me and my
two year old is standing there no running car dave will
not drive me back home i get the gm on the phone and he
agrees to do a compresion test and tells dave to give me a
ride back i have paper work saying that my cars is running
on all cylinders but they havent done the compresion test
i pay to have my oil changed and now i have a broken car
please help
[1455] Tanya in Seattle, WA
Destroyed Engine
I have been trying to reach Rich Estes- (District
Manager) 425.398.0107 ext 201, for about 2 months now.
On 11.28.2009 I brought my 2000 VW Turbo Beetle into
the Mill Creek Shop. My invoice number is 25 8 8977586
Bay 3 charges were 67.92.
My car was knocking extremely loud, I new something was
terribly wrong- I explained to the gentleman working that
I wasn’t sure oil- would help-
(At the point of them starting my car they should have
told me to have it towed to a mechanic) Oil would not help
at that point, I was told by a certified mechanic~
I explained I only had 70.00 in my bank, and I was a
single mom-
The salesman conned me into an oil change told me, the
noise it was making was caused by my broken dipstick, once
that’s replaced and I have the most expensive oil in my
car, it will be better.
I believed him.
I was charged for the signature service, and the store did
not even vacuum my car very well., they said to bring it
back at another time.
I tried to drive it home and the engine blew about 5
miles down the road-
It will cost me now over 4k for a used engine for my car.
If the sales man would have been honest, (Mechanic said
anyone changing oil- would know your engine could not have
been saved by oil when I brought it in) and told me to
have it towed to a mechanic, my expenses would have been
75% less- because it wouldn’t have thrown the rod and
bearings.
I don’t want this to happen to anyone else, especially
in my case, where finances are so tight.
I requested to the Shop as well as the District Manager I
would like a refund, this will not even come close to the
damages caused, however it will make up for the fact that
there was no conscious taking my last 70.00, until my next
payday- leaving me flat broke.
I truly hope that Jiffy Lube will stand by there
customer service and refund my money.
[1451] Paul in Florence, SC
Overfill Destroys Engine
I am from Florence South Carolina. I
recently had my oil changed at the Jiffy Lube on Irby St.
in Florence, S.C., in my 2004 Ford Ranger 4x4 Edge. I
change it or have it changed every 2500 miles, I take
really good care of it because its the newest automobile I
have ever owned and I like to keep it mint and really
maintained. Anyways, like I said, I had Jiffy Lube change
it and was charged $32.00 for them to overfill it and mess
my engine up. An engine that only has 85000 miles on it,
and has never leaked a drop of any fluid, now leaks oil
from both sides of the motor, because it was overfilled.
It really pisses me off, that you pay good money to have
something simple done and it isn't done right and ends up
costing you more freaking money. My engine has never had
a problem, has never had a leak, until now. I started
noticing the burning oil smell, the day after I had the
oil changed at Jiffy Lube. It's not Jiffy Lube that Im
pissed off at, but the employees that can't freaking read,
or know how to read an oil stick!!!! The overfilling of
my engine oil has caused damage to my seals and now leaks
oil, and it drips onto my exhaust manifolds causing a
burnt oil smell. I try and take care of something, and I
paid someone else to screw it up!!! Anyways, I won't be
going back!!!
[1447] Tom in Algonquin, IL
Destroyed Engine
I took my wife’s car into Jiffy Lube
in Algonquin Illinois for an oil change. They failed to
put the oil filter on correctly. My god isn’t that what
they do? The oil leaked out.
We had the car checked by an
independent third party, who verified the filter was
improperly installed. We called Jiffy Lube and told
them the problem and they offered to wash the car.
We have $2000.00 worth of engine damage.
[1446] Gail
in Raleigh, NC Destroyed Engine
My
daughter had oil changed at Store 2719 (Raleigh, NC) on
11/12/09. The very next day and 50 miles later, her
engine locked/froze and left her stranded on the highway.
We had the car towed to the nearest mechanic. The
top half of the engine had to be rebuilt/replaced.
This took about 10 days (due to waiting for additional
parts, etc). So, when all was said and done, the
mechanic stated that there was less than a quart of oil in
the engine which caused the engine to lock up. My
daughter then says “well, I had the oil changed the day
before at Jiffy Lube.” So, off we went to Jiffy Lube
and the manager filed a complaint. Two days later,
someone from corporate called and stated they would pay ½
of the bill ($2200) and there was no way they could
determine the cause of the engine lock, etc. I told
them I would get advice from my attorney and let them
know. Four days later, another corporate person
called and stated they were doing an investigation and
would let me know something soon. I informed the
gentleman that I felt the entire $2200 should be
reimbursed as there was little oil in the car, there was
no oil leak and the oil was supposed to have been changed
the day before by Jiffy Lube. Therefore, I felt they
were more than 50% responsible. This was over a
month ago! I called and left a voice mail yesterday
and am now awaiting a call back. Next, I will go to
small claims court as I don’t have the time or effort to
keep debating and waiting. If anyone has any advice,
I welcome it.
[1440] Dimitre in San Jose, CA
Destroyed Engine
San Jose, California. Jiffy Lube
Service Center #2344.
Our 1999 VW Passat was serviced on November 16th
at the local Camden (San Jose) Jiffy Lube for a scheduled
oil change. The vehicle was driven for approximately 15
miles, at which point all of the oil had leaked out from
the vehicle, and the car wouldn’t start. The next morning
the car was towed to the JL branch which previously
serviced the vehicle.
Without our knowledge or consent, the
District Manager personally replaced (which was believed
to be the problem) the broken oil filter housing gasket.
In the state of California, it is illegal to perform any
service repair without the prior approval of the owner and
his or her’s verbal or written consent. After the fact… we
were informed of the repair on our vehicle and were told
that the vehicle was ready for pick-up.
In order to make up for this
inconvenience, they offered up the next oil change at no
cost and replaced the gasket free of charge. We later have
found through other JL branches that it is not common
policy to repair vehicle parts, unless they feel directly
responsible for the break in the vehicle. Other fellow
employee’s confirmed that it is not in their nature to
perform repairs, as they can be held liable for improper
repairs (also warranty is not issued on any repairs).
Exactly after vehicle pick-up, the
oil light had come on indicating that the problem was much
deeper than what was originally repaired. The car was
brought into a VW dealership later that week to diagnose
the extent to which the engine was damaged. According to
the engine tear down preformed by the VW dealership, the
low oil pressure in the engine resulted in permanent
damages to the engine and turbo. There was low oil
pressure in the engine caused from the car being driven
low on oil. After physically examining the gasket, a VW
certified technician, went on record, saying that the
damages on the gasket can only be explained by over
tightening the oil filter so that
the cooler housing begins to spin on the filter stand
union causing the housing gasket to break. This is further
explained by the inner tabs on the gasket, which were
broken (this is only apparent when the oil filter is over-torqued
causing the gasket to spin off and the inner tabs to
break).
At first the District Manager took a stance, saying that due to the
mileage and old age of the car, a rip in the gasket would
not be covered by JL, as they didn’t feel responsible for
it breaking. They have later tried offering $1000 and
$1600 to cover expenses. It has been an ongoing battle
with Jiffy Lube’s District Manager and Anthony Fanticola &
Joann Fanticola Family LP (Owner) to try and negotiate a
reasonable price for the damages caused by the gross
negligence in servicing our 1999 VW Passat. We are seeking
compensation equal to a comparable engine and turbo, along
with any incidentals such as the diagnostics.
[1433] Victoria in Greenwood, MS
JL Stole Evidence
I am an
attorney bringing a lawsuit against Shell Rapid Lube SRL
in Greenwood, MS. My client, a widow, was regular
customer, but engine noise started clanking after last oil
change. She went home and checked oil. Saw none, brought
car back.
Shell checked oil, said it was so clean she couldn't see
it on the dipstick. Her car started burning smell and blew
up the engine, the same day. SH525 filter. Wondering if
anyone knows about it.
SRL got her a rental car, paid for it, and towed her car
to a mechanic and, get this, Shell District Manager stole
her oil filter!
He went to client's place of business to state that
sometimes an oil filter was defective, and if she liked,
he could send it in to be checked. She said no thanks, and
called the shop to tell the mechanic to not let anyone get
the oil filter, and the mechanic told her that SRL manager
had already taken it.
The federal lawsuit has to do with obstruction of justice,
removing, concealing, destroying evidence to impair its
use in an official proceeding.
Has this
happened to anyone else?
[1428] Mike in Largo, FL
No Oil Destroyed Engine
In
February, 2009, I took my 2002 F150 to a Largo, Florida
Jiffy Lube for oil change and filter. One week
later, as I was returning from a 250 mile round trip, the
engine started making very loud noises and could barely be
kept running. After stopping, the engine died.
I check the dipstick and found no oil. There were no
leaks visual. It was towed to a garage, who said the
engine had been destroyed and it would be cheaper to swap
for a rebuilt. It had about 70,000 miles on it.
This was done at a cost of $3800.00. I learned that
Jiffy Lube had been saying my 5.4 liter engine required 5
quarts of oil with filter change. My manual says 7
quarts. I'm absolutely certain Jiffy Lube cost
me an engine, but I've no idea how I can prove it.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
[1414] Youssef Transmission Flush
Gone Wrong
I went to jiffy lube to change my oil while i was there they talked me
into doing a transmission flush which damaged my transmission.The
transmission was all good before i took it there.I asked the
dealership and they said your car dont need any transmission flush at
all.
Jiffy lube are unexperienced and they dont know what they are
doing,the "mechanics" were all teenagers.I wouldnt even trust them to
clean my windows.A simple oil change costed me thousands of dollars!
DONT EVER GO TO JIFFY LUBE!!!
[1374] Richard in Woburn,MA
Engine Flush Destroys Engine
Took our
2003 Toyota RAV4 into the Beverly MA Jiffy Lube on July
20, 2009 for scheduled oil change. After the usual
pre-lube once-over, the mechanic (and I use the term
loosely) strongly recommended an engine flush. A
service he assured me was also "recommended by the
manufacture for high mileage vehicles." I agreed, service
was performed and off I drove $189.79 lighter.
Less than a month later, and without warning, the oil
light goes on and the engine began rattling like a
jackhammer. The dipstick was dry so I added 3 quarts of
oil. The oil light remained on as did the rattle.
Brought the car to a local garage that promptly diagnosed
the problem as now having too much oil at the bottom of
the engine that either had a "clogged oil pump or worse."
In researching my suspicion of the Jiffy Lube flush and
the timing of the problem, I found this web site and the
related horror stories. With that information I called a
reliable mechanic who was no stranger to this issue. He
dropped the pan on the engine and found quarts of settled
carbon the flush had stripped off the engine, filling the
oil pump screen and not allowing the oil to lubricate. He
cleaned out the carbon and replaced the oil.
Luckily the problem was repaired under $300. However, the
flush did cause some engine damage which has reduced the
vehicle's life expectancy.
I fully intend to pursue any and all legal recourse to
recoup my immediate and potential future monetary loss.
Judging by the amount of similar complaints, I have no
doubt a class-action suit against Jiffy Lube is in the
works.
[1364] Jill in Middletown, RI
No Oil Destroys Engine
No oil in my engine after a Jiffy
Lube oil change resulted in a seized motor. I went to get
a routine oil change on July 19, 2009. and on Aug 17 my
car seized on the road while I was driving and I can't get
any help from the store manager and regional manager and
there are no leaks from anywhere...NOW my motor will need
to be replace for $2500....HELP CAN ANYONE TELL Where TO
GO FOR help AS WELL AS A LAWYER TO GET THEM TO FIX THE
PROBLEM...
[1361] Darren in Baltimore, MD
Wrong Oil Filter Destroys Engine
I am
writing to request that Jiffy Lube pay for all expenses
required to repair my 2007 Mitsubishi Galant including
rental expenses. According to Jiffy Lube policy
before performing an oil change mechanics are suppose to
conduct a 14 point inspection that includes checking for
any oil leaks and/or engine problems. According to
the receipt that was given to me when I left the Jiffy
Lube on
Hartford Rd
the only recommendation on it was for tire rotation. This
proves that there was no oil leakage or engine problems
what so ever before I brought the car in for an oil
change. According to the Mitsubishi owner’s manual
when changing the 2007 Mitsubishi Galant oil filter it
should be replaced with a size 7317 oil filter the receipt
from the date of service indicates that a size 6607 filter
was used to replace the filter which is a smaller and less
efficient oil filter. According to the engine tear down
preformed by Jerry’s Mitsubishi of Joppa Rd the engine
failure was caused by the engine not having any oil in it.
The oil level was little to nothing because a defective
aftermarket oil filter was used in my last oil change.
The tear down also revealed small metal particles in oil
beneath the oil filter. (Performed by Jiffy Lube) If what
the receipt reads is true and the mechanic did use Penzoil
5W30 synthetic oil for the oil change there is no way that
the car should have had absolutely no oil in it. According
to numerous sources and previous lawsuits, some Jiffy Lube
branches have been sued for not putting any oil and all in
cars that were serviced. According to the Jiffy Lube
representative the oil she put in the car should have been
usable for at least 6000 miles. The report revealed that
there was little to no oil in the car after diving the car
for roughly 3000 miles. Rather than contacting the Better
Business Bureau of Maryland and engaging Maryland State
Delegate Darryl A. Kelly of the 26th district
for Prince Georges County as my legal counsel, I’d like to
settle out of court for all expenses required to
repair my 2007 Mitsubishi Galant including rental
expenses.
[1358] Chris in Moorpark, CA
Pliers Destroys Engine
Our daughter brought her 2003
Mazda 6 with 78,000 miles on it to Jiffy Lube for an oil
change three weeks ago. They quickly completed the
job and she drove on. Five days later her check
engine light came on and her motor stopped abruptly.
We had the car towed back to our house and found that the
engine was completely seized and wouldn't rotate.
The dipstick showed that there was no oil in the engine.
We contacted Jiffy Lube in
Moorpark, who denied responsibility, claiming that our
daughter probably ran over something which struck the oil
filter housing. We towed the car to a local
independent mechanic who thoroughly inspected the vehicle
and found plier marks on the plastic oil filter housing
and fresh oil covering the bottom of the car. Our
mechanic gave us a written estimate for $3200 to replace
the engine. We took pictures and told Jiffy Lube
that we intended to pursue this in court if necessary.
The manager at Jiffy Lube
contacted his corporate office and they sent out their
Master Mechanic and insurance adjuster to inspect the car.
The mechanic pulled the oil filter housing off and found
it empty and cracked, apparently from using pliers to
remove it instead of the approved Mazda tool.
Surprisingly, he admitted responsibility and the insurance
company agreed to pay for a new engine.
A week later a new engine was
installed in our daughter's car and she was back on the
road. After reading the numerous horror stories, I
think we were one of the lucky ones...
Indexed by State
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