Complaint Review: AAA Roadside Assistance

On February 2, 2017 I had my BMW towed to my repair shop to replace my Sertine Belt. I am a AAA plus member and of course used AAA to tow my vehicle. I was unaware of different towing procedures for BMW's. The repair shop called me immediately to inform me that AAA had just towed my car in with the front wheels dragging on the ground and the vehicle still in park.

I called AAA the moment I got off the phone with the repair shop to make a complaint. I was directed to AAA Fleet club im Gold River, CA. I spoke with Greg Sills whom said he would call me back. A week goes by and I still hear nothing.

During the course of that week my car starting showing signs of transmission damage, surging when I come to a stop. I also had problems with the Serpentine Belt housing (The issue with the Serpentine Belt housing is unrelated to my issue with AAA).

On February 8, 2017, I had called AAA for another tow to the repair shop to have the housing replaced. I received a call from the shop and was told that they towed my car to the shop incorrectly again, and left the car in Park again. I called Greg Sills at AAA fleet.

Mr. Sills assured me that he would contact the shop and that he would turn the complaint over to claims. I go to pick up my car the same day. Both of my front Rims were damaged as a result of being towed with the front wheels dragging on the ground. ( There are several potholes on Watt Ave and my car was driven 4.5 miles down Watt Ave)

The damage from the tow was more than evident, The surging was more intense and at high speeds my car would shake violently upon deceleration. I immediately took my car back to the shop and reported these issues. My car ran beautifully before AAA towed my car. I waited to receive a call from claims about my car, my car sat in the shop for almost 2 months.

I was lucky enough to have a vehicle loaned to me for a month and a half, so I could still work. That vehicle ended up breaking down and thats when my life started to feel the domino effect of AAA's bad tow. I am self employed, and a lot of my work entailed trips to the Bay Area from Sacramento, CA.

Since my car was unsafe to drive I could not go to work. In June I was beyong frustrated, I went to AAA to bring in my estimate for my car and a car rental receipt for the first week that my car was in the shop. I handed these over to Greg Sills who once again promised to get this issue turned over to claims. I still heard nothing.

By this time I am in debt on everything, and my electricity got shut off. I am the primary bread winner in my household and my husbands income doesnt cover a 1/4 of our monthly bills. On July 7, 2017 I wrote the CEO of AAA and informed him of the bad tows and how I was beginning to lose eveything because of my inability to work without my car.

I received a call from Peter Pierce Fleet Club General Manger of Gold River, CA. I went to AAA again and had him drive my car. He admitted that there was substantial damage to my vehicle. Later he also admitted to getting a statement from the driver that he had in fact towed my car incorrectly.

Mr. Pierce had promised to get my car repaired and put me into a rental and cover a portion of my lost wages. Peter Pierce met me at the repair shop a week after meeting with me and spoke to the shop. He then drove me to Hertz to obtain a rental. He had said that he wanted to take care of this issue in house.

I told Mr. Pierce that I was agreeable to those terms as long as he took care of the issue. The only reason I was agreeable to these terms is because my husband works for him. ( Did I mention that my husband works for AAA fleet club and is a tow truck driver himself ).

A week passed by and then I get a call from the shop that Mr. Pierce will not call them back. I contact Peter Pierce and now he is trying to blame the damage on after market wheels, and because my car showed no fault codes. I demanded that he turn this over to claims.

He did not turn it over to claims until I wrote the CEO of AAA again. Finanly I receive a claim number and the claims adjustor does not even look at my file for a week. So I got upset and sent her an email that probably wasnt very nice, but by this time I am losing everything.

Also during the course of all this I go to the tire shop and have them put on stock wheels to prove the incorrect assumption by Mr. Pierce. The car still had the same problems as I explained before. The claim adjustor finally contacts me on August 7, 2017 and gets a statement from me.

Two hours later I get a letter via email stating that after a careful and thourough investigation that my claim is denied. She never sent anyone out to inspect my car. That has Bad Faith Insurance Practices written all over it.

On August 11, 2017 my car gets repossessed because I have become so far behind on my bills. I literally am losing everything. I am contacted by Bruce Lytle, Director of Fleet Operations who said it was my fault for not telling the driver proper tow procedure. Excuse me, AAA is the one who has it in their training manual on how to tow an AWD BMW.

Then next excuse I was given is that I waited too long report the incident. I supplied my call logs proving the day I reported it. The next call I receive from Lytle is they want it inspected by their shop. My reply was my car has been taken, how am I supposed to do that. Lytle's reply is well I guess you have no evidence. 

I borrowed the money to get my car back, and I have taken my car to one other shop whom is consistent on the damages done by the tow. I started working with BMW and they are currently at thius moment proving AAA liabilty without relying on fault codes because obviously the damage is there and eveident evn without fault codes.

The bad tow ruined my life and honestly it has ruined my marriage.  I feel that my husband is a traitor for going to work for these snakes after what they did to us. Even though he knows they are wrong he said we need the income, which unfortunately he is right in that aspect.

I want to know if anyone else has had a bad experience  with AAA that has caused grief, or loss or more. I am going to expose the club that America sees as Knights in shining armour rescuing them when their car fails them.

They are wolves in sheeps clothing. They do not care about their members, nor do they care about their staff members families.  Thank You for reading my life event that has ruined my finances, business and marriage.