Complaint Review: Pep Boys

Took my 1998 Ford F-150 into Pep Boys for a standard oil change. Head mechanic Sean went out to move my truck in to the bay to change the oil. He came back and said that I need new tires. I went out to see what he was talking about. The tires have had a slow leak and I had had another mechanic that I trust inspect them about a month ago.

I agreed that I needed new tires so I signed off that they could make the switch to new Future tires. I was quoted a repair time of about 2 hours. I left and returned about an hour later.

When I returned to the shop, Sean came up to me again and said "Hey, you also need a new air filter" I said, "What else do I need?!" He showed me the dirty air filter and I begrudgingly agreed to have the new filter installed.

The new filter was only $12.99 and no labor cost. Total cost of oil change went from 24.99 to $555.84 for new tires, oil change, and new air filter. So I'm a little pissed but not really because I needed the tires.

Everything seems fine. I pick up the car, drive it home, park it for about 3 hours. I then start up the car for a day-trip to Laughlin, NV for the night and all day the next day. The drive all the way to Laughlin, NV goes off without a hitch. Truck is running like a charm. We get to the hotel, park in the garage and check in.

The following morning I start the truck and the transmission is acting funny. I have had the truck 6 years, been through 15+ oil changes, etc. and it has never felt this funny when I start it up. The RPM's fly up to 5,500 and it wont kick into gear. I ease off the gas thinking the cold weather is making the engine act funny and sure enough it goes into reverse with no problem. I back out of the garage and begin the drive home.

30 minutes after leaving the garage I am traveling Westbound on the 40 Freeway. The transmission begins to act funny again. RPM's are jumping all over the place, Redlining then down to 2,000, then up to 5,000, etc. I pull over. I turn off the car thinking resting the engine will fix the problem. Turn the engine back on same problem except now I can't get the vehicle to go faster than 20 MPH and the RPM is in the red. I pull over again. Now the car wont move. It revs up but will not get into gear.

I spent the next 4.5 hours waiting for a tow truck and getting towed all the way to the Ontario Pep Boys. I left it there over night and now it is getting "inspected" by the incompetent mechanics that screwed it up in the first place. I have no way to prove that it was their incompetence that ruined my transmission, but it is way too coincidental that it broke down the day after their mechanics touched my truck.

Their mechanics put my truck on the lift and showed my where the transmission malfunctioned, "the seal blew" is the explanation that they gave me. I asked if there was any way to tamper with the seal and they said "no and besides we dont do that type of stuff here..." I am in the process of filing a complaint against Pep Boys for negligence and incompetence.

I dont know what else to do. I am so pissed and frustrated. Now I have to buy a new transmission because I don't have concrete proof that Pep Boys caused the damage.

Pete
Ontario, California
U.S.A.