Canadian Tire
Escalating costs due to improper diagnosis
- 09-16-2007
- 184
My wife began having problems with her 1999 Ford Taurus sometme in June/July of this year. The car was stalling due to no power in her electrical system.
She was advised that her battery needed replacement by someone who had assisted her at a time when the car just stopped running.
Not being a mechanic she followed the advice after having the vehicle towed to a Canadian Tire store in Sarnia Ont.
There the service dept. must have concurred because they replaced the battery at a cost of some $140.00. It would seem logical that they would have confirmed that the battery was indeed damaged.
A few days later, lo and behold the same problem reoccurred.
This time the service dept. did a computer diagnosis of the problem (another $60.00) and determined that the problem was in the alternator (another $420.00). At this time the store determinrd that the alternator had also damaged the battery which they replaced (at no cost).
It is now about 6 weeks later and the same problem has once again reoccurred.
I became irate that after spending over $600.00 we were still having the same problem. We had the car towed to Canadian Tire to analayze whether the replacement part was defective only to be told that now it is the starting motor which I find to be a coincidence which stretches credibility.
We believe we are being scammed. Why wouldn't the computer analysis have determined that the source of the original problem was the starting motor to begin with.
I personally would never take my vehicle to Canadian Tire for a similar problem because I have had bad experiences with Canadian Tire in the past.
My brother-in-law had a negative experience with the same type of vehicle which cost in the end over $1200.00 for an alternator which kept self destructing because Canadian Tire was installing the incorrect alternator.
Balljoynt
Sarnia, Ontario
Canada
Company: Canadian Tire
Country: Canada
Province: Ontario
City: Sarnia
Address: Lambton Mall Road
Phone: 5195423403