My daughter took her 2007 Suzuki Reno to the SpeeDee Oil Change store located at 321 E. FM 1382 in Cedar Hill on Monday, August 1, for a 17pt check oil change.
We drove this vehicle to Houston on yesterday and the gauge was fluctuating between cool and warm but we weren't sure what the issue was until our trip back.
While driving back it went completely hot so I pulled off at the first exit after it occurred. Once I pulled over the car cut off on the ramp at HWY 79 in Buffalo, TX and the oil light came on. A kind passerby stopped and offered assistance. A few moments later an officer also pulled over. When they popped the hood they saw that there were no fluids in the reservoir where the coolent should have been and barely any oil in the engine. Remember a 17pt check was conducted on Monday the 1st and it includes a topping off of all fluids. There were no leaks anywhere on the car and the only explanation was that the fluids had not actually been replaced.
I had the car towed back to the shop and had a friend to pick myself and girls up for the 125 mile drive back to Cedar Hill.
I went to SpeeDee Oil first thing this morning and met with the manager, Kevin Wolfe, showing him the photos of the dip stick and coolent reservoir (see attached) along with my tow bill and the receipt for the coolent and oil that I purchased. He immediately said that he accepted full responsibility for the issue because he could see that they had not replaced the fluids and then went on to say that the individual who had performed the work under the hood would no longer be employed with them as of today. I thanked him and asked if he would replace the windshield wipers as an act of good faith. He not only replaced them but did so at his own cost. He checked and said he saw a slight drip from one hose but then said it was just loose and that it wouldn't have contributed to the loss of all the fluid. He checked the car with his electronic sensor and saw that no codes were reporting initially so he told me that the engine hadn't been damaged. When he tried to start it the car made a strange sound. He again attached his sensor and it was now registering a misfire and the check engine light was now on. He said this could be a bad spark plug so he pulled the car around back. I asked if they repaired this type of issue and he confirmed that they did and when I asked how much it would cost since he had to order the plugs and replace them he said we would work it out and probably deduct from the tow cost reimbursement.
He was kind and apologetic until the owner, Matthew Kirby, who I'd left a message for at Kevin's suggestion, called him. Minutes after he was going to replace the spark plug, which he admitted wouldn't cause the problems that we'd had, he pulled back around front stating that he couldn't touch the car and that the owner suggested that we not drive it because it had more issues.
I explained that we'd just purchased the car two weeks prior and had it fully inspected by my personal certified mechanic who found no leaks or codes at that time and that we hadn't had any issues until after the oil change. He then said that the fluids had leaked into the combustion chamber and that I wouldn't see any leaks from this. He said he could no longer help me and that I needed to contact the owner.
I left the shop and called Matthew back once arriving home in an attempt to appeal to his since of fairness and explained that the manager, Kevin, had accepted full culpability. He said that Kevin told him I had a ruptured hose under the car that contributed to the loss of fluids. I told him that Kevin had mentioned no such thing. He then said it was impossible for the car to drive without fluids because the car engine would have locked up immediately. He went on to say that there were several things noted by Kevin that were wrong with the car. I told him that wasn't possible because my mechanic had fully checked the car out and found nothing wrong with it just two weeks before. I pleaded with him to do what was right rather than have to deal with a legal issue and he said I couldn't threaten him because he knew his rights. I told him I wasn't trying to threaten him but rather appeal to his sense of humanity. He said that though my mechanic was certified so were his and that he wasn't responsible for anything and that he would have Kevin to call me back before hanging up in my face.
I called Kevin who now sounded completely distraught and said he couldn't do anything. I asked if he would appeal to his boss on my behalf for the sake of doing what was right and that he too could have a sister, wife, mother or daughter and would he want them to be going through this. He was silent and could only say that he hadn't actually accepted culpability but rather said if nothing else was wrong then it was their responsibility. At no point had he ever said that. He then said the hose was ruptured beneath but I reminded that as I stood and watched he found no leaks other than a slow drip on top. He then said, "yes that hose." I asked if he honestly believed that small drip would make the reservoir bone dry and he admitted it wouldn't. He then went into the combustion chamber explanation. I asked if this leak would make the engine bone dry, and the reservoir the same and his response was no that it would leave a little under a quart of oil in the engine. I told him then it could in fact have been driven without them properly replacing the fluids and he was silent.
I told him I knew he was a good person and that I as a Christian believed that if I do good to others the same comes back to me. I told him that in his heart he knew what was being done to my daughter and I was wrong and asked that he try to reach the heart of his owner. He was again silent and then finally said there was nothing he could do.
After asking my mechanic if the combustion chamber explanation was plausible and he said absolutely not because if that had happened a white steam would be released through my tailpipe and under the hood. No such smoke ever came from any area of the car and it ran perfectly until Monday, August 1st when my daughter visited SpeeDee Oil Change.