ComplaintsforBrown Daub, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  06/01/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I traded a 2016 **** ***** ******** in for a 2021 **** ***** ******** march 2023. When buying my new vehicle i realized it had only 1 key fob. This vehicle was over 40k so i said if i cant get another key fob then i will not be purchasing it. I was told by the salesman (****) that he would get me a 2nd key fob. Its now been over 2 months and I have been reaching out several different times to the salesman about my key and he will not respond at all. I only want this dealership to program me a 2nd key fob like I was told by the salesman.

  Business response

  06/21/2023

  In regards to complaint ********; *************************:

  I attempted to contact ************** by telephone today, but left a voicemail to advise her that the key fob that was ordered for her is in, and that she should contact me directly to set up an appointment to bring her vehicle in so that we can program to her Jeep at no charge to her.

  Customer response

  07/06/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  04/21/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  WE PURCHASED A 2023 ******* *******. THE CAR IS LESS THAN 6 MONTHS OLD. OUR PROBLEM IS THAT MOISTURE IS COLLECTING ON THE INSIDE OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT ONLY. WE VISITED THE DEALERSHIP TWICE AND SHOWED THE MANAGER THE MOISTURE STAINED LENS. HE SAID IT WAS NORMAL AND WOULD "DRY-UP" AND BECOME CLEAR AGAIN. THEY WOULD NOT CORRECT IT UNDER THE WARRANTY. THIS LENS FOGS UP ON THE INSIDE OF THE LIGHT COMPARTMENT AND INHIBITS THE LIGHT FROM SHINING OUT PROPERLY WHICH CREATES UNSAFE DRIVING ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. I BELIEVE THAT THIS DEFECT SHOULD BE COVER UNDER MY WARRANTY. CAN YOU HELP ME ?

  Business response

  05/15/2023

  5/9/2023 
  

  Dear *** *****, 
  

  We have received your letter about the above referenced complaint. Please be advised that Brown Daub has built its reputation over the past 87 years by conducting business with high integrity, so we take all customer concerns very seriously. 

  We have researched the situation about *** *******'s service visit to our Dealership. We believe we have acted and advised in accordance with *******'s warranty policies and procedures guidelines, which we must adhere to, and advise our customers accordingly. 

  That being said, we would like to invite *** ******* back to the Dealership to meet with **** *****, Our Service Manager, to evaluate this condition again, and if it is determined to be a defect in material or workmanship as per HMA guidelines for replacement, it should be rectified under the manufacturer 
  warranty. 
  

  Thank You, 

  Customer response

  05/20/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and at this time the invite to meet with ******************* to determine that this is a part breakdown (defect) is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  03/11/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  On 11/29/21, I took my ***** ******** to Brown Daub. To replace a battery, have a key made, an oil change, and tire rotation. The key fob never worked and the wrong oil filter was installed. On 12/29/22 the 13 month old battery died. The battery installed was underpowered. On 12/31/22, I spoke with ***. He told me that the battery would be under warranty. On 1/2/23, I had the **** towed to Brown Daub to satisfy the warranty. I received a call from ******. He told me the battery failed and it would be replaced under warranty. 45 minutes later ****** called me and told me that my **** would still not start. 1/3/23 I was informed the starter was now burnt out. On 1/4/23 upon picking up my **** my power locks would not lock. 1/5/23 I called service manager, ***************************. ********* called me back telling me the **** was bad. I told her not to touch my Jeep, I want to speak to ****. **** admitted that his technicians had jumped the ****, shorting the ****. He negotiated to fix my **** me paying $250. The reason I paid $250 is my time not perusing this was worth more. 1/10/23, I picked my **** up. On 1/11/23 my front flashers did not work. When you turned on the left blinker the right fog lamp would flash and vice versa. **** gave me a song and dance about an update but not having updated instructions. His, "A" Technician, had seen it before and knew what to do by moving 4 wires around. Taking responsibility, **** offered to cut me a check for $250. I told him I want a warranty. He did not have the power to do that. I asked **** to, "Get someone who does". He declined. Since, 1 by 1 multible electronic components failed. The entire electrical system has now collapsed. At 50-55 MPH the engine shut off. It turned over and started once and shut off again. My **** no longer will turn over or run. Less than 1,400 miles since Brown-Daub touched my **** and it is now a usless car payment. I took Brown-Daub a dead battery. They gave me an undrivable SUV with electrical issues.

  Business response

  04/12/2023

  April 7, 2023 
  Dear *** *****: 
  We have received your letter dated Thursday, March 28th, enclosing the concerns of *** *****. 
  Accordingly, we can offer the following explanation for *** *****'s claims: 
  The vehicle was not purchased from us. 
  We first saw the vehicle on 11/29/21 for a dead battery. At that time we charged the customer $539.57 for a battery, a bulb, wiper blade, and a key with programming. At that time the mileage on the car was 84,274. 
  On 1/2/23 the car was towed in for a dead battery. The mileage on the car was 97,217. We did try to jump the battery. **** ********* did not tell him that jumping the battery could cause the TIPM to short because there are safety features that are in place to prevent this from happening. 

  We had the vehicle from 1/2/23 - 1/10/23. First the battery was replaced under warranty and the starter was replaced for a total of $229.76. It was then determined that the TIPM needed to be replaced. The total of that bill was $929.38, which Phil brought down to $250.00 for the customer. After the replacement of the TIPM, locks were working. 
  
  **** ********* did offer *** ***** a 60 90 day warranty on the electrical system, which he refused because he wanted a 100K mile warranty, which is not possible for a 10 year old vehicle with almost 100,000 miles on it. 
  We have not seen the vehicle since 1/10/23 so we cannot attest to the current condition of the vehicle. 
  Thank you for your attention to this matter. Please feel free to contact me at ###-###-#### if you need any further information. 
  

  Sincerely, 
  Service Manager 
  

  Customer response

  04/16/2023

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  It gives no explanation of the Dealerships misdeeds. It is also full of lies and mulipulated truths. I will address each bullet point.

  1. Purchasing the **** from somewhere else does not give them permission to not do and charge for quality work. Ineptly destroying my electrical system

  2. I agree the first time they saw the car was on 11/29/21. However the fact that the wrong oil filter was installed, the key fob was not programmed correctly and the battery installed was underpowered was not addressed. Why?

  3. I agree I had to have the car towed to them on 1/2/23 at my expense. This was because they would not honor the waranty of the 13 month old battery they installed unless the battery was tested there with the car. I agree at this time *************************** did not mention jumping the battery could cause the TIPM to short. He did howerver say this after the starter they fried had to be replaced. I will address this in the 5th statement.

  4. I agree they had the car from 1/2/23 until 1/10/23 except for a breif moment in time. The starter their mechanics fried was not replaced for $229.76 as they stated it was replaced for $533.71. See the attached starter invoice. I picked the car up after paying that amount. Noticed the locks didn't work called and immediately took the car back. Notice the comments on starter invoice and **** invoice the miles out are identical. This was when *************************** had our first conversation. The statment that *************************** never said that jumping the car could short the **** is a lie. During our conversation he tried to say that I had jumped the car and that is why the **** shorted. I disagreed. He reread the notes and saw it was his staff that jumped the car. This is when he asked me to please pay $250 of the replacement bill and he would cover the rest. I agree the locks did work after the **** was replaced, however the flashers, heated seats, and radio did not function correctly. 

  5. A 3 month warranty was mentioned, however it was never offered. Sititng in *************************** office. **** said "I can cut you a check for your $250 right now". I said "$250 is not good enough, the $250 is gone". **** said "What do you want" I said "I want a warranty" **** said "What like a 3 month **** mile". I said "How about *******". **** said "I don't have the power to do that". I said "Somebody in this place does, go get them" **** said "I can't do that" I said "then we have nothing else to talk about. I do not want to waste anymore of your time or mine." This is when I exited ****'s office.

  6. I agree they have not see the car since 1/10/23. They are more than welcome to come see it anytime. It is currently sitting in front of my house. The electrical system Brown Daub destroted will not allow the car to run or drive.
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************************

• Initial Complaint

  05/27/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Bought a 2022 keep ***** ******** from brown daub in bath, PA in 5/02/22. The car stopped working a week later. Power steering not working, blind spot sensor not working, and check engine sign on. I wanted my full refund and they can keep car. They took two weeks to fix car and told them did not want it. Do not feel comfortable driving car with kids. They did not understand and will not allow me to return. Have heard from others they have bought cars from same dealership that broke down quickly .

  Business response

  06/21/2022

  June 13, 2022 
  Dear *** *****: 
  We received your letter dated June 6, 2022, enclosing the above-mentioned matter. 
  Please be advised that Brown-Daub has built its reputation over the past 86 years by conducting business with high integrity. Accordingly, we have researched *** *****'s situation, 
  *** ***** spoke with Steve S********, Brown-Daub's Service Manager, and brought the vehicle back to fix the issues in her complaint. We provided a rental car at no charge while her vehicle was being repaired. All items were fixed to the exceptional standards that Brown-Daub Dodge prides itself on providing its customers. 
  Upon receiving the vehicle back, *** ***** stated that she no longer feels safe driving the vehicle. Mr. S******** told her to come in and meet with the sales staff, who offered her a fair price to repurchase the vehicle, which she declined. We also offered to order her a new vehicle, but she also declined this avenue because of the lead time to get the vehicle. 
  In conclusion, Brown-Daub believes we have acted in good faith in trying to find a resolution to *** *****'s concerns and consider the matter closed. 
  Thank you for your attention to this matter. Please feel free to contact me at ************ if you need anything further. 
  

  Sincerely, 
  Laura L.

  Corporate Secretary & Compliance Officer Brown-Daub Dodge Chrysler Jeep 

• Initial Complaint

  05/14/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Had my jeep towed into service on 5/8/2022. My vehicle had no brakes and could not be driven. It also had a recall for a fuel pump that could cause no start issues. In order for the jeep to be put into Neutral to be able to be towed from my garage the jeep had to be turned on which it was by the tow drivers and it had remained turned on until it was out of my garage and on bed of truck approximately 3-5 minutes with no issue. 5/9/22 I received call from Jessie B******* from service stating that I was in need of 2 rear rotors 1 caliper and a brake hose and that they had already completed the recall, he stated i also needed new wiper nozzles which could have broken from my jeep sitting in garage for long time , I have never had an issue with dispensing cleaner to ky windshield ever. And he stated I needed new battery because the jeep would not stay running the estimate at for all this is 1700. When asked why so high and I asked for battery price he stated 465 and additional for installation. At this time the brakes and rotors and hose had been completed and recall he stated and I paid 652.50 for just the rotors hose and caliper and labor. I then contacted 2 of the same dealerships in other locations in area and both informed me the battery for my jeep was 250 I contacted ***** jeep and ***** jeep and they both priced it at 250 as well I then checked my recall online and it showed it had not been completed like I was told it was at this time I went to ****** website and looked up the cost of parts that were put into my jeep and seen how overcharged I was and contacted Jessie with this information. I also had to request receipt for the 652.50 I had already paid at which point I received a receipt with only a sale price on it and no information on what the receipt was for

  Business response

  06/07/2022

  June 2, 2022 
  Dear *** *****: 
  We received your letter dated May 25, 2022, enclosing the above-mentioned matter. 
  Please be advised that Brown-Daub has built its reputation over the past 86 years by conducting business with high integrity. Accordingly, we have researched *** ******'s situation. During our investigation, Brown-Daub's Service Manager, Steve S********, reached out to *** ****** to clarify the information contained in her complaint. During their discussion, Mr. S******** and *** ****** became aware that there was some miscommunication and they were able to come to a mutually amicable agreement to resolve the situation. 
  We apologize for any inconvenience *** ****** experienced during her visit to Brown Daub and we believe her concerns have been satisfied. 
  Thank you for your attention to this matter. Please feel free to contact me at ************ if you need anything further. 
  

  Sincerely, 
  Laura ** L******

  Corporate Secretary & Compliance Officer Brown-Daub Dodge Chrysler Jeep 

• Initial Complaint

  01/08/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Brown-Daub sold us a 2014 *** ******* that I suspect had a bad head gasket, as it failed within 2 months of purchase. After notifying them of the issue, they took the car into the garage, and have since held it for a full 4 weeks without completing repairs. They also tried scamming us out of the 3-month/3,000-mile warranty by telling us we had gone over the milage limit, which was patently false. The milage we put on the car was less than the 3,000 on the window sticker from purchase, let alone what was actually on the car at the time of signing. I don't actually trust them to do a satisfactory job on the repairs, and I actually expect them to break something else in the car on purpose. Maybe if we had been offered a loaner car I wouldn't be as upset, but it's been terribly difficult to manage with one car considering my wife and I work in different directions from home, and we have a 4-year old that has to go to daycare.

  Business response

  01/26/2022

  Dear *** ***** :
  
  We have received your notification regarding the above mentioned complaint.  Please be advised that Brown-Daub has built its reputation over the past 85 years by conducting business with high integrity, so we take customer concerns very seriously.  Accordingly, we have researched the allegations of *** *******, and can offer the following information:
  
  *** ******* was the co-purchaser of a 2014 *** ********, VIN# *****************, purchased from Brown-Daub ******* on 9/28/2021.    
  
  On 12/14/21, he brought the vehicle to our service department complaining about the heat not working.  On the night drop off envelope that was completed by *** ******* when the vehicle was brought to our service department, he wrote “ suspected bad thermostat”.  Our Service Manager called him on 12 /14 /21  and left a message we needed vehicle overnight for further diagnostics.  While we had vehicle in our possession, the technician diagnosed coolant loss from the cylinder head gasket.  We notified customer and ordered parts to repair. 
  
  After reviewing the situation, it was determined that the 3 month/3,000 mile warranty was active, and the repair would be covered under this limited powertrain warranty.
  *** ******* was advised accordingly that Brown Daub was covering the repair. 
  
  Once parts were received on 1/5/2022, we commenced with repairs of the vehicle.  Once the head bolts were removed during course of repair, it was noted that the engine block was compromised, which required a short block to be ordered from Kia.  The part is currently on backorder, with no ETA given.  At this point, we provided courtesy transportation so the customer would not be without transportation during this time period.  We have been in constant contact with our *** store's Parts Department, and will complete the repair of the vehicle upon receipt of back ordered part.  We have also been in contact with the purchaser, keeping them informed of the situation.

  At this point Brown-Daub believes that we have operated in good-faith to safely repair *** *******'s vehicle. We cannot control the timing of receiving the back ordered part, but have provided a loaner vehicle for his use while his vehicle awaits repair. We will continue to update *** ******* on his vehicle and hope that the repair can be completed soon.

  Please contact me at 610-253-3521 if you need further information.

  Respectfully,

  Laura * L******
  

  Corporate Compliance Officer

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩