I will try to make a long story short. I took my '99 Olds Van with 44,000 miles on it into the shop in late January to have them check it out because I had found a small amount of red fluid on my garage floor.
After checking it out I was informed that the DEXCOOL that Olds used for the cooling system had corroded the entire system and it would need to be replaced. Supposedly they had seen this happen many a time and no one should have ever put DEXCOOL into any automobile.
Okay, I didn't know any better. The cost on that was $1200 and big surprise when my husband asked to see a corroded part they couldn't produce one - that right there should have been a red flag. Two days after I got it back I was getting a low coolant light - no problem they said, the fluid just settled and it needs more.
The next week I took it in to be flushed as recommended. No more problems I thought until this past Sunday. I was 40 miles away from home when it overheated and shut down and I had to be towed.
We towed it to the dealership where it was purchased and they said that what they did (replacing the entire system) did not need to be done and the reason it was overheating was it wasn't hooked back up correctly. Of course they insisted on fixing it so they had it towed back to them. They said all it needed was a bolt tightened - the dealer wanted $600 to correct the problem??!! Who do you believe.
Anyway, I picked it up last night and started it this morning and got a check engine light. On the way to the shop (less than 2 miles from my home) it overheated again! They just delivered it back to me at home and informed they couldn't find anything wrong. Call us if you have any more problems! I am scared to even drive the thing anymore. I was stranded 2 days ago waiting on a tow truck with a 2 year old. Not a fun thing.
Before this last round of problems we had vowed not to return to the America's Service Station because they tried to charged $350 for a front brake job. I had it done elsewhere for $120. They are also real good at recommending "other" work that supposedly needs to be done. It sounds like it is not an isolated incident at one franchise location. I had given them a letter requesting that I be reimbursed for 2 days of rental car and the tow that was required.
I am sure I will never see the money unless I take them to court which is a possibility. To anyone who reads this please get a second opinion before you have any large work done by these people. Hindsight is 20/20. We thought we would save by using them instead of the dealership, but their rates are actually compatible and the dealership knows what they are doing. I appreciate the opportunity to voice my problem. Now others will know as well.
Marcy
Flower Mound, Texas
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