ComplaintsforAuto Correct LLC

• Initial Complaint

  08/30/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 8/28/24, I dropped off my vehicle at Auto Correct LLC. Back in March, they had worked on the car and installed a new ABS module. The work took over two weeks, and I believe they overcharged my grandfather, who paid. On 8/24/24, my brakes started behaving differently. They still worked, but they were spongy, and I had to find the right pressure to ensure a calm stop. I also sometimes needed to press the brake again to get it to disengage. I described this exact problem to ******* and **** at Auto Correct, and they said theyd take a look at it. ******* called me on 8/29/24, and while he wouldnt describe the problem to me, he told me the problem was different. I said yes, and told him I brought it back to see if this new problem arose because of installation. He laughed at me, said Im not playing that game, yelled at me There was blotching wrong with my installation! Have your dad call me or come get this car. He hung up on me. When I went to pick up the car, the brakes were no longer functional at all. I had new warnings on my dashboard, and the car was unable to be driven. This was not how I left it. When I asked them why my car was now nonfunctional, and the brakes didnt work, they tried to gaslight me into believing thats how the car was when I brought it in. The car is unable to be driven now, and I drove it there. I know this to be false. They became verbally abusive when I insisted that the cars brakes were functional when I brought it in, and accused me of lying. They changed their story, saying the car was fine when they drove it back to look at it, then a mechanic said that the brakes were out from when I dropped it off. Then they tried to say my brakes were declining, and it probably just got to that point already. That is not true although my brakes were functioning differently, their quality had not declined. It had stayed consistent since 8/24/24. They shut the door on me and refused to acknowledge the worse condition theyd left my car in.

  

  Business response

  09/13/2024

  In regards to complaint ID ********:
  
  
  This was a difficult day for all involved. We originally saw this customer on March *********. We had difficulties communicating with the customer and inevitably dealt with her Grandfather. We installed a customer supplied used ABS control module as they requested, and a brake system flush. This also required dealership programming when done. We recommended front and rear brake pads and rotors as they were extremely low but customer did not do them at that time. When customer came back at the end of August, the rear brakes have still not been replaced and are very dangerous / metal to metal.
  
  
  On the phone,customer implied improper installation of their supplied used part to which the owner let her know if installation was a problem there would have been issues immediately, not 5 months later. Trying to get this information across to the customer was very hard as there seemed to be points she stuck to that owner could not get past. When the customer brought the car to the shop, both owners were present when she explained her vehicle was not braking properly and there were lights on the dash. She stated that sometimes the brakes would not work at all and they were spongy. Her explanation was written down verbatim on her paperwork. Later when she returned she denied ever saying any of that even though both of us were present at the time and it was written down. All lights on the dash and the codes involved were written down on her paperwork which we supplied to her at the end of the day. All the lights/codes were the same on intake as when the vehicle was given back. There is no way to convince the customer of the fact the lights and condition we received the car are the same as when we handed it back.
  
  
  After beginning inspection which involved plugging in to her system to read what codes were present, writing them down with explanation of codes and only a visual inspection of the brakes themselves without pulling any wheels, the owner attempted to call the customer with initial findings. This conversation, again, proved extremely difficult with numerous interruptions every time owner tried to explain what was going on with her vehicle or answers like I dont understand any of that. Owner tried various times to ask her to have her grandfather contact us because he could not get in more than a few words and could not get technical information through to her. It became heated and frustrating as customer would state something,owner would respond, then customer would say I never said that.Due to the lack of understanding, ability to get through a conversation with customer, and extremely high frustration level of all involved, owner finally told customer to either have her grandfather (at the time owner said father but we were later informed grandfather) contact us to go over information or she would need to come get her car and take it elsewhere as owner could not communicate with customer on any level.
  
  
  Our technician pulled the vehicle from the shop garage door to a parking spot and was able to stop the car and park it. When customer arrived to take her vehicle, she came back to us and stated her brakes were inoperable and more lights were on and asked what we did to her car. We explained that we had done nothing but plug in and drive it to and from its parking ******* matter what both owners or another technician said to her, we could not get her to understand what we were saying. She denied saying her brakes only worked sometimes when we even provided the original paperwork to her with her original statements. Anything she had previously said, were now things she denied saying. Due to the extremely stressful interaction and the inability to bring an end to a conversation happening after our shop had already closed for the day, the decision was made to tell her to have her vehicle towed away and refuse any further service.
  
  
  Once we closed the doors, and while customer was still there, we received a call from customers Grandmother, who was customers ride. The Grandmother was very apologetic to us and even said please dont lose sleep over this, she explained to us that the customer has mental health difficulties / autism and her and the Grandfather have been trying to help her learn to be more independent. I explained to the Grandmother that perhaps a very technical issue with her vehicle was not the best test of her abilities and that if we had been made aware of the difficulties we might have been able to figure out a workaround. I believe this was handled badly on all parties involved but we were trying to work with someone without being given proper information in regards to ability to intake what we needed to get across to her.This caused stress to the customer but also to three out of the four people who work at our establishment as all of us tried to talk to her, explain things to her, and were met with an inability to comprehend. This was a highly frustrating situation and as we had not charged anything to customer, we had to make a company decision to refuse service.
  
  
  After customer left,our technician was able to easily drive the vehicle back to a more secure parking spot to wait for the next day tow. The tow truck driver as well did not have issues getting the car to stop when he needed it to with proper finesse, being informed of the very bad state of the brakes (metal to metal in back). So, as the customer originally stated, sometimes the brakes worked and other times not so much. Throughout the entire days interaction, it felt like customer was looking more for a free service to fix a vehicle that is very improperly maintained.Unfortunately those types of interactions are not new to the auto industry and perhaps the mental health issues we were dealing with came across more as that type of typical interaction we see than what was truly going on. Hind sight is always 20/20.
  
  
  I do not believe we owe the customer money as we did not charge her for any services. We have already responded to two separate bad reviews, one on ****** and one on Yelp where we acknowledged the stressful day, our communication break down, and that as a company we have talked about how we can better recognize those who may be of a different spectrum,how to better interact with them and how to bring an end to such interactions if need be, before things get too frustrating for either party.
  
  
  At the end, although we were told by the Grandmother not to lose sleep over this and her granddaughter is extremely difficult to handle, here we are again responding to her for a third time. I hope at this point, customer can move on, find a shop that can help her and hopefully she can be upfront about her challenges so those interacting with her are better informed. I would suggest keeping her Grandparents more on hand to help people who may not have had experiences with autism in a business setting such as ours in order to smooth the way to proper interaction. Perhaps we can hope all of us came away with more understanding than before.
  
  
  
  

  Customer response

  09/20/2024

   
  Complaint: 22221091
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Not only is most of Auto Corrects statement about our interactions incorrect, their account is incredibly insulting, ableist, and masks their aggressive behavior. Unfortunately, the file of the recording is too large for me to attach, but if I can email it or share it some other way, Id be happy to do that.
  
  Thankfully I was able to get the problem resolved at another shop. Initially, I filed for a refund for the installation of the *** module Auto Correct did in March because it seemed the problem that arose recently couldve been due to a problem with the installation.
  Since the beginning, *******, one of the owners, has been misogynistic in his attitude and conversations with me. This is not uncommon in dealing with mechanics and auto-based services, so I asked my grandfather to mainly interact with him, since whenever I would ask for clarification or questions or request an update on the repair in March, ******* would be hesitant to relay any information to me, and was only transparent with my grandfather.
  
  This recent interaction in August was an amplification of previous discrimination by ******* specifically, as well as similar behavior from the other owner and a mechanic. I brought my car back to their shop when a problem arose with my brakes. I specifically described that my brakes worked 100% of the time in stopping the vehicle, but the smoothness and pressure application required varied. My brakes occasionally required more pressure to fully stop the car. The brakes were spongey, sometimes they would be smooth, or sometimes they would engage quicker than expected. They also occasionally stuck, and I had to depress the brake pedal all the way down in order to get them to disengage enough to drive properly (this was a nuisance, but it did not prevent me from driving the car safely). But I made it VERY clear that the brakes were functional, just that the ease and smoothness had deteriorated. While I was describing this to the owners, I conveyed that I brought my car in specifically to see if there was a problem with the installation, because the problem was with the computer and the *** module exclusively, which I was told when I first brought it in to ******************* to look at my brakes. When I mentioned this to the owners, ******* appeared defensive, saying Well, it doesnt sound like anything we did, but well take a look. This was before they had even looked at the car. I even told my grandmother when she picked me up that I felt like they werent going to actually fix the car if they found a problem with the installation, because this defensiveness seemed to indicate that even if they found a mistake with the work they did, they wouldnt admit it, let alone fix it.
  
  I did not come to Auto Correct to get free service I came to see if the problem was caused during their installation, and have the mistake fixed. That was my intention, not to get any of their labor on problems they didnt cause. I truly would not have come back unless there was potentially a mistake they could have resolved, which is extremely common. If the business makes an error, fixing it is something most businesses would do. However, that does not seem the case with Auto Correct.
  
  When ******* called me about my car the day after I dropped it off, he told me the codes that came up, then said to me, means its not a problem with the module. This was confusing, because I thought he would relay what those codes actually indicated instead of stating his opinion, so I asked him if he could specifically tell me what those codes mean. He just said this means youre having a different problem from last time. Last time, I had no brakes whatsoever, and the problem they diagnosed was that I needed a new *** module. I said yes, because the problem is different from last time. This problem has arisen since installation, so I wanted to see if it was a problem with the installation. He then laughed, said Im not playing that game, you can have your dad (meaning my grandfather) call me or come get this car. I was confused, and asked him Im sorry **** I dont understand, what game? And he said Dont sir me, you just said there was a problem with the installation, Im not dealing with this. And I clarified, no, **** I said I brought it in to see IF there was a problem with the installation, I dont know, thats why I brought it in. He then cut me off and yelled at me yes you did!! And when I tried to again clarify that I didnt accuse him of anything, he said Im not doing this, have your dad (grandfather) call me or come get this car, and hung up on me. 
  
  To be clear, I have no clue when my instrument cluster started giving the warning Check *** Module like it had when I initially brought the car in earlier this year. But it did not have that warning when I brought the car in most recently, and I wouldnt have been able to drive it in if it did, because that is an emergency warning for when my brakes no longer function. The owners, whether intentionally or unintentionally, misunderstood me when I described my current problem to them, where my brakes were still functioning. They said that I told them it had no brakes (I did not), which again, would not be possible since I drove it in. When that warning light comes on, the only way to stop the car is to put it in park, so I would not have been able to drive it to the shop if, like they claimed, the car had no brakes when I brought it in.
  
  When I came to pick up the car, **** (****? The other owner, I dont know how her name is spelled) came out to meet me, gave me the keys, and gave me a rundown of the codes they found. She also told me my back brakes were metal-to-metal, which I have confirmed at two different brakes shops to be untrue. This is also strange because the problems I have specifically asked them to address were with the internal braking system, unrelated to the brake pads and disks. I have already had someone else look at those.
  
  When I entered my car and turned it on, immediately my dashboard lit up with the Check *** Module warning light. This meant that my car had no brakes now, when it had functioning brakes when I brought it in. Now I couldnt drive my car home. I went back to speak to whomever was there, and took a recording of that interaction. 
  
  
  Throughout the interaction, they made various claims that were inconsistent, so I do not know what actually happened to cause that warning light to come on and my functional brakes to now be nonfunctional. I was told that all they did was take it back there and look at the codes, then bring it back upfront. I asked **** if the brakes were still working when they did that, and she said yes, which is different from their claim that I told them my car never had brakes, which I did not. ******* came up to me and immediately started reacting aggressively, raising his voice when I told him I never said my car didnt have brakes. While I was trying to figure out what happened that caused my car to lose brakes, they yelled at me profusely, said I implied they sabotaged my car, which I didnt and was never trying to I just wanted to know what happened and why I suddenly had no brakes. While I tried to have a calm and reasonable conversation, they continued to interrupt me, accuse me of lying, and make insults about me. ******* even yelled that I was raising his blood pressure, which is not possible. They kept telling me different accounts of what happened. A mechanic that works there started saying that my car had no brakes when I dropped it off, which, like I said, is untrue and would not be possible since I drove it in. After clarifying that my car still had functioning brakes and I brought it in because of braking quality, they repeatedly yelled at me and said I was lying. Eventually, the closed the door on me, and I was left to find a way to get my car off the lot. The interaction wasnt anywhere near professional, they were yelling and shouting profanity, and got very close in my face at one point, which was very daunting as I am shorter than them. ******* also kept saying have your dad (grandfather) call me.
  
  As for my grandmother, I truly have no words for her actions or the companys. Auto Correct was working on MY car, and had the responsibility of interacting with ME, the owner of the car, with respect and integrity. I am an adult, and while it should not have to be said, I am responsible for my actions and interacting on behalf of my car. My grandmother was never involved, until she inserted herself on my behalf against my will or knowledge, which was abhorrent behavior. She understands that now, and regrets her actions. Unfortunately, the damage is done, and this establishments blatant ableism and discrimination is now public.
  
  I have no clue why Auto Correct would listen to a stranger (to them)s claims about the mental functions of a customer, but they have chosen to take that information and bypass my autonomy as an adult to an infantilizing degree. My grandmother told me she never said to them that her and my grandfather are trying to help me navigate life as an independent adult or something along those lines, but my grandmother is dishonest, so I do not know what is true. What I can convey, but shouldnt have to, is that 1) I am an adult who is not under anyones care, and 2) My grandparents have not been active in my life for over a year in any regard, and any guidance into adulthood they may have provided ceased when I turned 18, which they themselves have told me multiple times. This is personal information that no business should EVER bring into a professional interaction, no matter what. They let another speak on my behalf, and took that as the primary authority in this interaction, which is insulting and highly unprofessional, especially when you have no knowledge about the customer whatsoever. I interpret their actions in regards to openly discussing my disability as weaponizing it to discredit my account of the interactions weve had to make themselves blameless for their behavior.
  
  My interactions with Auto Correct owners and employees were incredibly mentally exhausting from not being listened to, being accused of lying when there was a misunderstanding, trying to process multiple different contrasting claims when requesting an explanation, and having to manage relative strangers verbally harassing and abusing me, as well as insulting and confusing. I am concerned that a company that treats their customers this way is still operating. Ive also seen a few reviews from femme-presenting people claiming they faced similar disrespect and misogynistic behavior from ******* specifically, as well as other reviews that portray Auto Corrects service and employees as incompetent and disrespectful. I have attached two reviews (the first from an account called Ruby **** describing the abusive behavior they also received. I have also attached Brandons condescending response to my Yelp review (of just the phone interaction), where it seems he claims the volatility of the interaction was in response to what he believes is my lack of comprehension, which he attributes to me being autistic. He insulted my intelligence and the intelligence of autistic people by insinuating that being autistic means you cant understand information and proceed accordingly. 
  
  ******* has publicly made false claims about my comprehension abilities, intelligence, and attitude in every interaction due to his ignorance about autism, information he should never have received and never have weaponized to dismiss his abusive and unprofessional actions. He used my disability to try and make it seem like I was irrational and unreasonable, rather than addressing his own aggression and lack of respect and integrity, let alone professionalism.
  
  Thankfully, I have learned that the module and computer system on my car needed to be reset, and I am no longer dealing with the issue that unfortunately brought me back to this business. As I said, I initially requested a refund because I believed the installation Auto Correct did back in March was done poorly or incorrectly, and since I left the shop with the same problem I brought it in with earlier this year, I presumed I may as well get the money back if Im back to square one. As I said, I was thankfully wrong. I would like to clarify that I never made this assumption while trying to work with Auto Correct, but after the same problem arose that I had dealt with earlier this year, and they responded with such defense and aggression, I wanted to request for a refund as soon as possible so I could get the repair done properly at another shop. There have been no further problems with the module, so hopefully this installation was worth it.
  In summary, I came back to the shop in August to inquire about a potential error and get it resolved, and was given more problems then I came in with, which cost almost $500 to repair. I have no clue what happened that caused my brakes to go out, whether it was intentional by the shop or not. Either way, I truly hope no one encounters the frustration I did with this business. No professionals should behave this way. 
  
  Their response took no accountability for their behavior, and was filled with incorrect statements, so I reject it. 
  

  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ******

• Initial Complaint

  11/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  breach of contract work was not completed and not completed work was not done when promised on multiple Times and dates I had to pay for fix auto corrects miss diagnosis and repairs that werent done and done properly At a reputable shop

  

  Business response

  12/06/2022

  We are sorry we missed the emails in regard to this complaint.
  
  In regards to complaint As per our invoice, we notated the incomplete work due to customer not liking the time it was taking to complete repairs. This is an old vehicle and some parts took time to receive. This was explained to customer on multiple occasions during phone calls some of those phone calls came while customer seemed intoxicated.
  
  Customer received a trespass from city police after coming to our business and harassing staff as well as laying hands on owner, who chose not to press charges. At that time he chose to receive his vehicle before all repairs had been done/tested.
  
  ******** paid his bill at the designated time he informed the police he would.
  
  If customer had been patient and allowed us to complete all work originally approved as well as additions he requested through the process,the vehicle would have been tested/test driven and all repairs verified in full before release to customer.
  
  It is unfortunate, but the customers lack of patience is the cause of this complaint.

  Customer response

  12/06/2022

   
  Complaint: 18363762
  
  I am rejecting this response because: The statements that have been made from auto correct or fraudulent and blatant lies they had plenty of time to complete the work and failed to do as promised the work was not done properly not completed and lacked any integrity and workmanship all of the work needs to be redone reputable mechanic 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  Customer response

  12/07/2022

  Auto correct  had my vehicle since early June  of 2022  and never completed and work charged for work that was never completed  on 10 /01/22 I requested the return of my car   auto correct made many barriers for me to receive my car sush as making a false police report and not accepting my payment  on 10/04/22 I received custody of my vehicle and had the vehicle checked out by a reputable mechanic finding out that auto correct did do as promised The vehicle was not drivable due to the Poor quality of mechanic work The vehicle needed to be towed to a reputable mechanic to find out that extremely poor work that was done and not completed As of now $4100 has been spent to repair auto correct damage Additionally repairs are being done to correct some of other work that was done improperly from auto correct such as window work not being repaired in a professional manner , windows are unable to roll up and down after spending hundreds of dollars for repairs 

  

  Business response

  12/12/2022

  Our original response stands. Customer is not due a refund as we only charged for parts and labor that were installed in vehicle. Customer chose to take vehicle before the vehicle was completed/tested. This is documented on his invoice. We hope customer will desist any further harassment.

   

  Thank you.

  Customer response

  12/13/2022

   
  Complaint: 18363762
  
  I am rejecting this response because: the work that was done at auto correct was not done as agreed Poor workmanship incomplete  sloppy and incorrect not completed as promised I did not receive any value and had to have a professional mechanic redo all of the work that was done at additional costs 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

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