Dear Sir or Madam:
I would like to take this opportunity to address an issue with you regarding the continuous problems I have faced with my 2002 Pontiac Firebird and the horrendous customer service I have experienced with Oakley Pontiac-Buick, Inc. (Oakley Pontiac) of Bartlesville, OK.
Since purchasing this vehicle new on August 15, from Ernie Miller Pontiac GMC, Inc. (Ernie Miller) in Tulsa, OK, it as has been in the shop on 27 occasions to fix various issues of which not all have been resolved (please see pages 2 through 6 for the details). To make matters worse, 23 of these trips have occurred since January 2.
Like all automobile manufacturers, General Motors Corporation (GM) sells its products through independent dealerships. Though the dealerships sell the product, GM, as well as the other manufacturers, markets the products in such a way that the consumer must take the vehicle to any authorized dealer for warranty repairs. (An authorized dealership is normally one that bears the name of the make of vehicle that it sells.) The auto industry claims this is for the customer's convenience and peace of mind in knowing that he or she may take their vehicle to any authorized dealership for service and/or repair. GM and it dealerships are no different in promoting this concept.
Since December 13, I have been taking my vehicle to Oakley Pontiac for service and repair since it is an authorized dealership and it is located in the city in which I reside. This is the same dealership that I took my 1999 Firebird to as well for its service had always been excellent.
Though it claims to be an authorized dealership, Oakley Pontiac's owner, David Oakley, Jr., is refusing to allow the dealership to service or repair my vehicle. I have been instructed to take my vehicle elsewhere for David wants to cut his losses with me and this vehicle. This was retaliation for I complained about the run around I was getting from GM and Travis, as well as questioning Travis regarding work he claims he did or did not do. Not only is this vehicle is a lemon, neither GM nor Oakley Pontiac seems to want to do anything about it.
Since receiving this directive from David, a new issue has arisen with this vehicle for the Check Engine Soon light has now come on. I have contacted GM and per Wade Kirkland in Executive Office Escalations, I am to take my vehicle to SouthPointe for future service and repairs. This is not only unacceptable, but it is absurd in forcing a customer into a 100 mile round-trip commute when Oakley Pontiac, an authorized dealership, is only two miles away, especially with the amount and frequency of issues pertaining to this vehicle.
In closing, I would like to state that GM and Oakley Pontiac should be held accountable in resolving the issues with this vehicle. I spent over $24,000 for this vehicle and a GMPP extended warranty and this is the type of customer service I have received. A dealership should not be allowed to retaliate against a customer because it wants to cut its losses or because a customer voices a complaint regarding its service. If anyone should be able to cut his losses, it should be me. Not only has this vehicle been unreliable, it has consumed an enormous amount of time and energy in trying to get the endless amount of issues resolved, not to mention all of the miles and expense to do so as well.
Thank you for your prompt attention in this matter.
Sincerely,
Rick L. Dinkel
Details of Resolved and Unresolved Issues
August 8 (Mileage 1,130) Ernie Miller Pontiac (Tulsa, OK)
Misaligned left front door glass causing water leak Aligned left front door glass
Misaligned right front door glass causing water leak Aligned right front door glass
Driver seat loose and rocking back and forth Determined that rocking motion was normal slack.
August 14 (Mileage 1,399) Ernie Miller Pontiac (Tulsa, OK)
Wind noise and water leak at left front door glass, loose and misaligned left front door opening with weather strip
Wind noise and water leak at right front door glass (hatch raises up approximately 1/4 inch when door shut, loose and misaligned right front door opening weather strip
Aligned and secured window seal on left and right front doors
September 5 (Mileage 2,440) Ernie Miller Pontiac (Tulsa, OK)
Wind noise at left front door glass Replaced left front window seal
Wind noise at right front door glass Replaced right front window seal
Aligned and secured window seal on left and right front doors
December 13 (Mileage 7,257) Oakley Pontiac-Buick (Bartlesville, OK)
Driver seat loose and rocking back and forth Replaced track assembly
January 2 (Mileage 24,728) Wal-Mart (Bartlesville, OK)
Started having problems with car vibrating and shifting from side to side while driving down the road. Vibration and shifting is worse at highway speeds.
Balance tires
February 12 (Mileage 27,979 noted on ticket, but this is incorrect) Oakley Pontiac-Buick (Bartlesville, OK)
Left front door panel splitting at top and back side Ordered part (back ordered)
Right front door panel splitting at top and back side Ordered part (back ordered)
Gear-shift bezel rattles when driving Ordered part (back ordered)
Clicking noise from right side of dash are when heater on high speeds and air will not blow from vents when noise occurs Ordered part
March 9 (Mileage 27,821) Wal-Mart (Bartlesville, OK)
Still having problems with car vibrating and shifting from side to side while driving. Vibration and shifting is worse at highway speeds.
Re-balance tires
May 3 (Mileage 30,433) Oakley Pontiac-Buick (Bartlesville, OK)
Reordered left front door panel
Replaced right front door panel
Replaced blower motor resistor
Left back up light is retaining moisture inside lens Cleaned out vent
Though the parts were ordered in February, the gearshift bezel and the fan issue were not resolved until May 3. The gearshift bezel was on back order for most of this time. The door panels could not be replaced for one of the door panels was received damaged and had to be re-ordered.
Low beams on left and front headlight would not work It was determined the left and right low beam had burned out. This was discerning for I had already replaced the left low beam headlight back on October 31 at 21,646 miles. How can a vehicle go through three headlights in 30,000 miles when very little of my driving requires the use of headlights?
May 7 (Mileage 30662) Wal-Mart (Bartlesville, OK)
Still having problems with car vibrating and shifting from side to side while driving. Vibration and shifting is worse at highway speeds.
Re-balance tires
May 10 (Mileage not noted on ticket) Wal-Mart (Bartlesville, OK)
Still having problems with car vibrating and shifting from side to side while driving. Vibration and shifting is worse at highway speeds.
Re-balance tires
Told tires are starting to separate.
May 18 (Mileage 31,275) Oakley Pontiac-Buick (Bartlesville, OK)
Low speeds on fan control switch is higher than speeds 2 Repaired low speeds wiring
Left front window will not go up or down Ordered window regulator
Left front door panel Order not found
June 1 (Mileage 31,772) Oakley Pontiac-Buick (Bartlesville, OK)
Replaced left front door panel
Replaced left front window motor and regulator
June 4 (Mileage) Wal-Mart (Bartlesville, OK)
Ordered four Goodyear Eagle GT 235/55-HR16 tires
June 11 (Mileage 32,315) Wal-Mart (Bartlesville, OK)
Installed four Goodyear Eagle GT 235/55-HR16 tires
June 16 (Mileage not noted on ticket) Wal-Mart (Bartlesville, OK)
Still having problems with car vibrating and shifting from side to side while driving. Vibration and shifting is worse at highway speeds.
Re-balance tires
Rear passenger tire out-of-round replaced tire
June 29 (Mileage 32,840) Wal-Mart (Bartlesville, OK)
Still having problems with car vibrating and shifting from side to side while driving. Vibration and shifting is worse at highway speeds.
Re-balance tires
July 15 (Mileage 33,456) Oakley Pontiac-Buick (Bartlesville, OK)
Still having problems with car vibrating and shifting from side to side while driving. Vibration and shifting is worse at highway speeds.
Told Cody that the original tires had been replaced and that the tires had been rebalanced several times, but the vibration and shifting persisted.
Told pinion seal was leaking and the yoke was bad at the rear end
Ordered pinion seal, crush sleeve, and yoke
July 22 (Mileage 33,861) Oakley Pontiac-Buick (Bartlesville, OK)
Replaced pinion seal, crush sleeve, and yoke
July 30 (Mileage 34,312) Oakley Pontiac-Buick (Bartlesville, OK)
Still having problems with car vibrating and shifting from side to side while driving. Vibration and shifting is worse at highway speeds.
Drive shaft needs to be replaced (excessive run out). Parts ordered.
Vehicle dropped off on July 30 and picked up on August 4.
August 6 (Mileage 34,404) Oakley Pontiac-Buick (Bartlesville, OK)
Still having problems with car vibrating and shifting from side to side while driving. Vibration and shifting is worse at highway speeds.
After replacing the passenger-side door panel on May 3, the lock knob began to stick.
Vehicle dropped off on August 6 and picked up on August 13.
August 13 (Mileage 34,293 noted on ticket, but this is incorrect) Oakley Pontiac-Buick (Bartlesville, OK)
Replaced drive shaft
Lock rod know secured on right front door panel
Excessive run out on front and rear rotors Machined front and rear rotors
Cody said that GM is demanding that the tires be road force balanced and refuses to replace any additional parts until this has been accomplished. He said no one in Bartlesville has the equipment to do this and I will need to go to one of the dealerships in Tulsa to have this done.
August 21 (Mileage not noted) SouthPointe Chevrolet HUMMER (Tulsa, OK)
Chad Viets road forced balanced all four tires. Per the machine, three of the tires were bad and need to be replaced.
August 23 (Mileage not noted) - Oakley Pontiac-Buick (Bartlesville, OK)
Called Cody and told him that Chad completed the road force balancing and that three of the tires tested bad and needed to be replaced.
Told Cody that the door on the center console has begun to catch and that the driver-side windshield washer sprayer has begun to spray over the car.
Cody said he would order the parts and call me when they come in.
August 24 (Mileage not noted) Wal-Mart (Bartlesville, OK)
Matt Dillon ordered four BF Goodrich Traction T/A V 245/50VR16 tires to replace the Goodyear Eagle GT 235/55-HR16 tires.
August 30 (Mileage not noted) - Oakley Pontiac-Buick (Bartlesville, OK)
Called Cody to see if the parts were in yet. No parts. Cody said he the parts should be in this week.
September 8 (Mileage not noted) - Oakley Pontiac-Buick (Bartlesville, OK)
Called Cody to see if the parts were in yet. No parts.
Told Cody about the squeak coming from the dash when the vinyl is cold (early morning). Something must have occurred when back on May 3rd or May 18th when the technician was working on the blower motor or the fan switch wiring.
Cody said to bring vehicle in Monday night (9/11) after work.
September 11 (Mileage 35,932) Wal-Mart (Bartlesville, OK)
Installed four BF Goodrich Traction T/A V 245/50VR16 tires
Tires had been on back order
September 14 (Mileage 35,947) Oakley Pontiac-Buick (Bartlesville, OK)
Replaced center console
Replaced left washer nozzle
Cody said that he could not duplicate the squeak, but he did not keep the car cool. He said that he had noted the issue and that it would still be covered under the Original 36,000 mile Warranty.
Told Cody I was still having problems with the vehicle vibrating and shifting from side-to-side and I was taking it back to have the tires rebalanced.
September 15 (Mileage 35,959) Wal-Mart (Bartlesville, OK)
Still having problems with car vibrating and shifting from side to side while driving. Vibration and shifting is worse at highway speeds.
Re-balance tires
September 18 (Mileage 36,166) SouthPointe Chevrolet HUMMER (Tulsa, OK)
Still having problems with car vibrating and shifting from side to side while driving. Vibration and shifting is worse at highway speeds.
Chad Viets road forced balanced all four tires.
September 20 (Mileage not noted) - Oakley Pontiac-Buick (Bartlesville, OK)
Called Cody to let him know that some of the rubber bumpers were missing from the new center console that the lid rests upon.
September 24 (Mileage not noted) Oakley Pontiac-Buick (Bartlesville, OK)
Called Cody to let him know that the vehicle continues to vibrate and that I already had the new tires road force balanced.
Brandon said that Cody was no longer with the dealership and to bring it into Travis Monday night (9/27) after work.
September 27 (Mileage not noted) Oakley Pontiac-Buick (Bartlesville, OK)
Dropped vehicle off and spoke with Travis
Filled Travis in regarding the problems with the vibration and that I had already had the tires road forced balanced per GM's earlier demand.
Need rubber bumpers on console installed
September 29 (Mileage 36,733 Odometer reading when I picked up the vehicle) Oakley Pontiac-Buick (Bartlesville, OK)
Travis called me at work and said that the rubber bumper had been installed, but that he could not feel the vibration or hear the squeak. He said that the rubber bumper had been installed.
He said he would like to go for a ride with me so I could point out the vibration and the squeak to him. I asked him if he had kept the car cool. He said no. He said he would place the car back in the shop to cool the interior down.
When Travis and I went for a drive, I pointed out the vibration and the squeak. He said he heard the squeak, but did not feel the vibration. I told him that when I bought the car, there was no vibration and that it had started around 10,000 miles ago. I told him that Chad Viets at SouthPointe Chevrolet HUMMER had a similar problem with his Ram Air Trans Am.
When we returned to the shop, Travis said he wanted to call the GM Area Service Rep (Angela Austin) and have her look at the vehicle. He said that he would call me on Thursday (9/30) and let me know when she would be in town to take a look at it.
I restated all of the problems that I have had with this vehicle and that I had even paid to have the new tires road force balanced. Travis stated that he had spun the tires to see if anything was out of balance, but he did not find anything wrong.
I asked Travis again to call Chad Viets at SouthPointe Chevrolet HUMMER to find out the exact problem that he had with his Ram Air Trans Am and what he did to fix it. Travis said that he would.
Travis said that he would keep the ticket open on the squeak and the vibration. He said he would fix the squeak when I brought the car back in. Travis did not give me a copy of the ticket.
Rubber bumper on the console installed.
October 2 (Mileage 37,018) SouthPointe Chevrolet HUMMER (Tulsa, OK)
The vibration had gotten worse so I took the car back to Chad Viets.
Chad road force balanced the tires. He said the tires had been rebalanced and were not the same from when he had balanced them on September 18th. He said different wheel weights had been placed on the tires.
Chad rechecked the drive line and everything checked ok.
Chad and I took the vehicle for a drive. He said that the vibration I was feeling was actually some play in the rear end. When we arrived back at shop, Chad drove the vehicle onto drive-on lift and checked the rear control arm bushings. He said there was some play in the bushings and that this is what was causing the vehicle to bounce or vibrate as I was calling it.
October 4 (Mileage not noted) Oakley Pontiac-Buick (Bartlesville, OK)
Since I had not heard from Travis, I called him.
When I asked him why he had not called me on Thursday (9/30) like he promised, he snidely replied that he forgot. He went onto say that he had left a voice mail for Angela Austin, but she had not returned his call.
I asked him why he had rebalanced my tires after I had told him that I had paid for them to be road force balanced per GM previous request. He claimed this time that he not touched the tires. I knew Travis was being dishonest with me based on the information I received from Chad Viets.
I asked him why he had not called Chad Viets at SouthPointe Chevrolet HUMMER as he said he would. Travis did not reply. I then told him of Chad's findings as listed above and that I wanted to get my car fixed. I did not see why I had to wait to for the GM Area Service Rep to respond when this issue was covered and documented under the Original 36,000 mile Warranty. Travis proceeded to tell me to take my car else where. I told Travis that this was a Pontiac dealership and he needed to take care of the problem. Travis persisted that I take my care else where. I asked to speak to his supervisor. Travis transferred me to Mark.
When I explained the situation to Mark, he said that Oakley was an independent dealership and was not required to work on my car nor honor GM's warranty. When I told him that Oakley was a Pontiac dealership and should honor GM's warranty, he said that he would check into the situation, but he would need to contact the GM Area Service Representative. He said he would get back to me today.
Since I had not heard back from Mark, I called him. He stated that Angela Austin was in training, but he had left a voice mail for her. He said that he expected to hear back from her first thing in the morning and would call me around 9:00 am tomorrow.
October 5 (Mileage not noted) Oakley Pontiac-Buick (Bartlesville, OK)
Mark called as said that Angela wants the car taken to another dealership. He said to take it to Chad Viets to get it fixed. I told him that Chad could not work on the current problems for the issues fell under the Original Factory Warranty and that Chad worked at a Chevrolet dealership, not a Pontiac dealership. Mark proceeded to cite some GM policy saying that he could. I told him that if he could get it approved so that Chad could work on the vibration issue under the Original Factory Warranty, I would be more than happy to take it to him. I also told him about the squeak in the dash issue and felt Oakley needed to take care of this since it was their technicians that created it. Mark said that the Oakley wanted to cut its losses with me and this car. He said Oakley will not work on it and that I needed to take it somewhere else. I told Mark that if Oakley was not going to work through this that I would have no choice but to start filing complaints in order to get it resolved. He said that he would speak to the owners and get back with me.
Since I had not heard back from Mark, I tried to call him this evening but was told that he was out of the shop. I left a message asking him to give me a call at home. No return call.
October 6 (Mileage not noted) Oakley Pontiac-Buick (Bartlesville, OK)
I called to speak with David Oakley, Jr. Who is one of the owners of Oakley. David stated that the dealership would no longer work on my car. He said that he had left Angela Austin a voice mail to see if she could get Chad Viets approved to do the warranty work on my car. I told that was fine regarding the vibration issue, but that his technicians created the dash squeak and I felt Oakley should take care of it. He stated that he would have a technician squirt some silicone in the dash, but he would not allow anyone to work on my vehicle since I blew up at Travis. When I explained that Travis had been dishonest with me and did not follow through with anything, he just said that they were cutting their losses and would no longer work on the car. He said he would call me when Angela returned his call.
Since this conversation, I have not heard anything from Oakley, David, or Angela.
October 15 (37,705)
Check Engine Soon light came on.
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