Christian Brothers Automotive Replacing battery terminals/ Diagnose Grand Prairie, Texas
This is the emailed i wrote to Christian Brothers Automotive on 10/24/12
Today is October 24, 2012, I had my 94 honda accord lx serviced at your location 2804 NE Green Oaks Blvd Grand Prairie, TX
75050 (Repair order# 3019894). I got more than what I bargained for, I paid the front desk receptionist (DJ) a total invoice of: $478.43 with no problem, exactly at 17:31:59. To double check the work performed, I popped my hood, looked at how the battery terminals were installed and could not believe my eyes, they were not crimp probably. I wiggled on the wires and it started to get loose, I pulled it, it came right out. While I was walking back to the office, your service technician "IVA" , told me he was looking out the window and saw me yanking on my wires with my body and all my strength. He told me I should not have done that! Yes, I yanked it but I did not need to use any strength. I took him back to my car and showed it to
him. I even mention to IVA I will yank on my new car's terminal and guarantee they will not come off. He even got the guts to say "I do not want to fix another car if you yank it out". But, If you can wiggle out the wires and pull them out then you did not do the job of crimping properly.
We both raised our voice on each other for a good 5 minutes. My kids & wife nor any other customer should not have to
hear me 2 parking spaces down. After arguing, I walked back to the office and spoke with DJ about the problem and IVA and I started to bump head for the second time, inside the office while another customer was present! Eventually, IVA had to crimp the wires to the terminals again, and I yanked on it again and this time it was securely tie.
CRIMPING IS SUPPOSE TO BE A ONE TIME DEAL TOO MAKE WIRE LOCKED TIE, AND IF YOUR TECHNICIAN DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW TO CRIMP BATTERY TERMINALS THEN HE SHOULD NOT BE CRIMPING. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO RAISE MY VOICE AND BUMP HEADS WITH A COMPANY EMPLOYEE TO HAVE THE PROBLEM RESOLVED. I DID NOT HEAR AN APOLOGY AND IF THIS IS HOW CHRISTIAN BROTHERS AUTOMOTIVE EMPLOYEES HANDLE SITUATION WITH THEIR CUSTOMERS THEN ALL THOSE GOOD REVIEWS ARE NOTHING BUT FAKES.
10/29/12
My car died again same problem like I mention to christian brothers automotive. I checked my negative wire on my starter and found a loose connection. Upon starting it was making spark but not making contact. I cut off the old connection and crimped a new one and it fired right up. I paid $89.95 for diagnose. 2ea battery terminals for $58.72+ 99.83 labor= 158.55 (Terrible job), 2ea. clutch safety switch stopper $18.64 + $79.86 labor = 98.50. Towing 95.00 (understandable).
What is the definition of crimping battery terminals?
Technicians "Iva" - I pulled the wire with all my force. That is why the cables came loose.
Customer "Charlie" - You should not be able to pull any crimp wire off of the neg/post terminals period. Do you not understand that if these where to come loose from the vibration of the road, This can cause a accident.
Technicians "Iva" - You should not even be pulling on these wires.
Customer "Charlie" - You see how the factory have their terminals crimped, Now that is what i call crimping. I couldn't even pull that will all my might.
6 Updates & Rebuttals
Kwtrucks
joliet,Illinois,
USA
not mickey
#7Consumer Comment
Mon, November 05, 2012
no, they used a good wire end and not a mickey mouse, 2 bolt cable end.
Since a picture was taken of the cable , I still curious as to when thw pic was taken...before customer pulled the wires out or after..just a little confusing..
Also...once again... the was no danger..whether you n Texas or the salt flats of the car just suddenly dying if the cable wires completely pulled out and off the battery...that's not how a car works !
GirtBeefprobe
SAINT PAUL,Minnesota,
United States of America
Mickey Mouse Ends
#7Consumer Comment
Mon, November 05, 2012
As a Master Mechanic from Saint Paul, Mn. I can see here exactly what the problem is.
Both parties should shoulder some of the blame here.
#1 Because it sounds to me like the Mechanic repaired the Neg. Cable end? With a replacement Hold-down end? AkA. "Mickey Mouse end"? Those type ends are never a very solid and secure connection. They pull-out rather easily.
Should always replace entire cable when possible.
#2 Owner? You got a replacement end. Don't mess with it once installed. If it doesn't seem secure enough. Ask for a better solution. Rather then belittle your mechanic. Hes only as good as the product installed and the tools and equipment he is furnished. Relax mechanics are underpaid, overworked and abused by so many people. It's a wonder they're as honest as they are.
Kwtrucks
joliet,Illinois,
USA
not arguing
#7Consumer Comment
Sun, November 04, 2012
your arguement is completly invalid.
you say you do not need a mechanical leesong, but obviously you do
.
You car WOULD NOT just suddenly die out if the negative wires were to come completely off. you would not be in any danger of it just stopping on railroad tracks...
go start your car and take off the neg. cable and you will see the car doesnt just die out. After you turn car off it will not restart because the cable came off.
charlie
arlington,Texas,
United States of America
tech as 1986.
#7Author of original report
Fri, November 02, 2012
Mechanics know we are not perfect and chanics I know are willing to help
out and fix their mistakes...I can sympathise with a mechanic who
watches you yank on a wire and then have them come in and say it was
done wrong the mechanic getting upset
First of all: I wiggled the wire and it became loose and I pulled it out not even using any strength. On the other hand the technician say he saw me shaking the whole car. My wife is two parking space down and she says there was no shaking of the car. I know factory crimps are done using machine (NOT MANUAL), I do not need your mechanic lessons. Manual crimp is call using your natural human strength and if you are a weak link then please don't put people life at risk.
If you were going to yank on it you should have done it away from the shop and say it was coming loose from driving!
Example: If the wire came loose while I was driving on the freeway at 65 mph, what will happen? If the wire came loose while I was driving over a train track, what will happen? If you are from Texas mister then you pretty dam sure know the roads are not smooth. And that sir is why my life is worth more than the $478.43. And for a technician to not admit to his mistake is what we call a Weasel!
Kwtrucks
joliet,Illinois,
USA
cant pull a crimped wire ?
#7Consumer Comment
Thu, November 01, 2012
I am a mechanic since 1986 and currently manage maintenance of a fleet of trucks for one of the largest companies in the world... I can tell you I can pull out almost any crimp on a car with my hand.
The tightness of a crimp should only need to pass a 10 lb. pull test... no vibration should even come close to be able to work a crimp wire loose at that pull.
I can tell you that many. many times that I have crimped a wire and thought it was completely solid only to give it a slight pull and watch it come right out. It can be very difficult to get a proper 100 crimp due to the position of the wire.
Car makers do not give 1 inch of wire play...saving 1 inch of wire per wire/per car can be millions of dollars of savings to them...but it makes a mechanics job harder.
Remember..the original crimps were not crimped with the wires in the car..the are done when the wire is out nd accessible and mostly done by machine...
I think instead of pulling out the wire that was loose out of the crimp completely , you should have asked the mechanic to check the wire and pull test itnd Im sure the outcome would have been a great deal of better experience....
Mechanics know we are not perfect and chanics I know are willing to help out and fix their mistakes...I can sympathise with a mechanic who watches you yank on a wire and then have them come in and say it was done wrong the mechanic getting upset
If you were going to yank on it you should have done it away from the shop and say it was coming loose from driving!
Graydon Wall
Grand Prairie,Texas,
United States of America
Concerned
#7REBUTTAL Owner of company
Thu, November 01, 2012
Mr. Yang,
First, I'm sorry that you have had less than an
excellent experience with us at Christian Brothers. We strive to provide
ethical and excellent automotive repair for you and all of our customers.
Second, I welcome the opportunity to visit with you about the diagnosis and
repair that we performed on your vehicle. Our team member that performed the work on your vehicle is a well experienced, ASE certified technican. This does not mean that we are perfect, but instead means we use that experience to be as absolutely thorough in our diagnostics
and repairs for our customers as we can. I would very much like to visit
with you about this and walk through the issue and hopefully resolve this in a
way that you would feel comfortable in bringing your vehicle back to Christian
Brothers if needed in the future.
Again, we are certainly not perfect in our
approach, but want to ensure that we can do everything in our ability to serve
you well. I welcome your call at your convenience.
Sincerely,
Graydon Wall
Owner