Sears AutoCenter Of Landmark Incomplete brakes system repair. Alexandria Virginia

01/26/08

I took 1997 Crown Victoria V8-281 4.6 L SOHC to Alexandrias Landmark Mall Sears Autocenter (1.5 miles from my home) for:

Breaks evaluation and service
Alignment
New tires

The car was returned to me and no comments, warnings or advice on any anomaly or situation about the jobs done to it.

I took the car to do the state inspection (03/14/08) and the person in charge showed me that the emergency brakes did not work, but the emissions test was passed. I indicated and showed that the Sears invoice, and told him that the brakes were inspected and the required repairs were done. He then told me to go back to Sear to check this back.

03/15/08

I took the car back to Sears Landmark AutoCenter and the mechanic took me to my car and showed me that the break shoes did not have pads; the metal part was completely exposed. The mechanic proceeded with the explanation and tells me that the parking brakes shoes were worn out and that they need to be replaced. He asked me if I wanted it to be replaced. I responded to the mechanic that I expected this to be done when I came the fist time and I was not going to pay for any parts or labor. The mechanic response was that I had to speak with the manager about this situation. I went to talk with David McCombs, Assistant Manager.

As soon as I mention that I would not pay for the checkup and that the revision was not complete, he told me that it was checked but it was nothing bad when the other employee check it. I replied with the visual information gathered when the mechanic took me to see my parking brakes status. I expressed that one month of use wont make a parking brake, which is used only to hold the car, go bad.

During my claim I requested the check list used to verify every part of the breaking system. When the Assistant manager went to find the documentation in the archives, the mechanic told me that no mater what I do he would not do the job. The manager came back with the paperwork and there were no notes warnings or checkmarks that indicated that the mechanic completed his job properly.

The Assistant manager tells me that it may be damaged over time. The shoes pads were worn down and the underlying metal was exposed. How can a part that was in good condition a month ago be in such a dilapidated state now?

Another excuse he tried to use for the pads being in such a worn out state was that the car was driven with the emergency parking brake applied, but that cannot happen because the car has a system that releases the parking brake every time, if I forget it.

Then I requested the Assistant manager to see if the part can be repaired and his response was let me see if the mechanic feels good to do it. I reply to him asking him if he feels?. Well the Assistant manager came back with the obvious answer No, he cannot do it.

I went back home and proceeded to call other Autocenters in Virginia and gave this information:

1. Ford, Crown Victoria, 97.
2. Parking brakes shoes need to be replaced.

I talk with:

1. Eric in Winchester Virginia (540-545-7195) The response was The job can be done and he mentioned that Landmark and Manassas as other stores that can do the job.
2. Kerry in Manassas (703-367-7000) The response was The job can be done and mentioned Landmark as an option for this to be done.


The funny thing is that all the stores including the one in Fairfax told me that they can do the job. I was specific about the job to be done asking for the replacement of the parking brake shoes for a Crown Victoria 1997. All the stores told me that this can be done and recommended me to go to the Autocenter located in Landmark Alexandria VA, because this was near to my house.

3/17/08

I called Sears headquarters (847-286-2500), after gathering information, and ask for Kevin Holt Vice president and my call was transferred to Judy at the national customer relations center. She told me that she will contact Landmark Manager (Robby Abrahamsen). She tried to contact him while I was on the phone but could not get thorough. Judy then indicated that she would send an email to the manager about this situation.

3/xx/08

Robby Albrahouser then calls me and claims that they cannot do the job and that I have three options:

Take the car to another Sears AutoCenter.
Pay for the labor.
Or
Pay for the parts.

I selected to pay for the parts and Sears pay for the labor. He recommended to take the car to Fairfax Sears Autocenter (4.7 miles from my home), and that there they would finish the brakes job in accordance or in agreement to our conversation.


03/29/08

I went to Sears Autocenter Saturday early in the morning. I was greeted by a very nice person that showed respect and disposition to help; something that I did not find at Landmark store. I explained my situation and he told me that I had to wait for one of the managers to arrive because he did not know anything about my brakes situation so I agreed.

As soon as Charlie Gonzalez arrived he started things to get things rolling. He first called Landmark management and then proceeded to contact Dan Gooding, Falls Church manager. He explained to me that the mechanic that can do the job arrives at 11:00 AM. I left the store and I went home and came back at more or less 11:10 AM. The job was started and stopped for the same reason. This job can not be done.

By the way at Falls Church they had the audacity, to try to charge me with 15 dollars for the brakes inspection.

So I am very disappointed, angry and without a reason to take my car back again. I have now many reasons not to take it back.:

1. I was not warned of a situation that my car had.
2. Mechanics feel that they have the power to reject a job because they dont feel to do it. Adding stress to the client.
3. Mechanics can feel and tell the client who is the boss (them). Adding a negative feeling and preventing the client of bringing again their cars to harassing environment.
4. Managers tried to mislead me with lame explanations. Insulting the intelligence of the client. Not every one ignores how things work in a car. The internet brings a lot of information and helps to detect lies.
5. Managers knowingly bounce a client from one store to another to do nothing. So he/she will go tired of the situation and to some one else. Sears lose clients with this attitude.
6. Managers tried to cover mechanics errors or bad jobs. Transforming a problem that can be solved easily to a liable situation.
7. Managers word, worth nothing. In business the manager honors his word or he or she damages the company image.
8. I lost valuable time and got tickets for not having my car inspected on time and additionally because I had an expired tag that can not be replaced without having my car inspected. Adding more load this situation to the client that believed that the job was well done and completed.
9. The company National Customer Relations, dont care about the client risk by not acting promptly and follow up with the completion of a bad job that can become a liability.
10. No follow ups with the satisfaction of the client.

To publish this situation in as many websites, blogs government agencies (BBB) that I can find in the internet. Consequently contacting as many people I can, so they dont even think on bringing their cars to any Sears AutoCenter.

Edgar carmenatty
Alexandria, Virginia
U.S.A.

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