Sears will not honour warranty to replace tires on vehicle. They have told many different stories to avoid honouring the warranty.
We purchased the tires in November with the Road Hazard Agreement. The front passenger tire is now bald and the left passenger is almost there. These tires have only been driven on for 20,000 miles and the warranty is for 60,000. Two alignments have been performed, and the tires have been rotated. When we went on Sunday, May 17, the manager was not there and instead a sales associate told us that this is uneven tread wear and the manager will have to look at it. I came back a two days later and talked to the manager.
She took a look at my tires then told me that they were worn from under-inflation and there is nothing she could do for me. I am a college student and look young so I sent my step-dad up on Saturday, May 23 and the manager told him that all she needed was the documentation from Firestone that the tires had been rotated. I called the customer support line to complain and the complaint was SENT DIRECTLY TO THE SEARS AUTO MANAGER. These tires are still covered by warranty and will most likely not be replaced by Sears.
The Sears Auto Manager contacted me by phone a few days later to inform me that Sears would replace the tires for about $275 dollars. I told her this would not do and who would pay the medical bills if I slid through an intersection. She then told me that, in a very snappy tone, if I had a complaint with her I could talk to her manager, bye. Then she hung up the phone. I had to call the store back and wait about 10 minutes to speak to an assistant manager to find a number to call and to find out who her manager was.
I then talked to the Sears Auto Manager on May 28 and this is a partial transcript of what I recorded on my phone. John Capes is the store manager.
Me - "What happens if I buy new tires and they wear out as fast as the old ones did?"
Capes - "If you bought the same exact model, I think it (the tread wear) would manifest itself not in a year but in three to four months."
Me - "When I've brought them into balance and rotate why didn't they tell me, "Hey, wait a second your tires are wearing out too fast, there's something going on here."
Capes - "Yeah I mean, there's no way to say properly what other than what they did the general checkup that what they've got is a general issue involving tread wear, how the brakes are holding up, how the fluids... They'll check the entire car out. But in terms of the wear, it depends, if it is the same on all fours, then the tires can be rotated... But if it's not, then maybe your tires should be replaced at some point. But they're not going to know that by just looking at and saying.
Me - "Over the course of two years, I've had my tires rotated and balanced here and they never told me, "Wait a second buddy, your tires are wearing way too fast. Whats going on?" This is over the course of two years.
Capes - "Theres no reason or why they would necessarily say that."
Me - "Why? Because they want to make money."
Capes - "No, When they pull up the record what they look at is and make sure that is the service is to be done that is whats going to be done. (Inaudible) They're not going to look at the tire and say My Gosh! That tire is two years old there must be something wrong with it (?) They're not going to come out and tell you. They look at consistency and wear on the tire.
Me - "Okay. If they look for consistency and I have uneven tread wear. I've had them rotated. I've had two alignments here and have had all that work done here. Why wouldn't they tell me that I have uneven tread wear.
Capes - "I can't speak to that."
Me - "See, somethings going on."
Capes - "Not necessarily."
Later on...
Capes - "Now you're here telling me you need tires. You're trying to say somehow its (the tread wear) is our fault. You've said yourself you've been to the Firestone to have it serviced."
Me - "Who's your district manager, I want his number."
Capes - "His name is Don (inaudible)."
Me - "Whats his number?"
Capes - "You've got the national customer service line."
Me - "No, I've talked to them yesterday and they said If I'm not satisfied with that you say I can contact the district manager. So I would like that number.
Capes - "Okay. Thats fine, not a problem. Anything else? (At this point Capes was giving me a scowling look with his hands in his pocket towering over me. He was standing there not going to his office to get the number.)
Me - "Can I have the number?"
Capes - "I said I'd give it to you, is there anything else?"
Me - "I don't want to talk to you anymore."
I then called the customer service line to complain about the managers behaviour and while I was giving the representative my complaint the manager came back into the hall way and stood in front of me listening to what I had to complain about. He also accused me of being abusive to the Sears Auto Manager. The store manager also told me in a very sarcastic tone that I could call anybody I wanted. He said it as if nothing would happen no matter who I called.
This is ridiculous. Sears values profit over customer safety.
John
High Point, North Carolina
U.S.A.
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