Complaint Review: Speedy Lube

On Monday, August 13, 2007, I took my car to Speedy Lube for a routine oil change. I had never taken my car there before. While there the technician said I needed an engine flush because he saw sludge and that it would make the car run better.

The technician under the shop owner/manager supervision performed an engine flush on my 2000 Audi. As soon as I got the car back it sounded bad. The car had never made any noise up to that point.

It started to make a loud banging noise, the engine oil light was flashing and it began to sputter when I excellerated. I took it back they checked it and added a lucas treatment. I left again and it was the same loud noise.

I went back again, this time the shop owner/manager said to bring it back in the morning because they were closing. I took it to Audi instead. I left the car at Audi without an appointment to find out what happened to my car.

I was told by the service dispatcher that that Audi engine had a problem with sludge but that there were specific steps to be followed if a flush was indicated. I was also told that if the car had sludge it would have cut off and been unable to drive.

The dispatcher told me Audi never toughed the car while in the shop and that they couldn't cover any damage to the car because the speedy lube performed the engine flush and since I bought the car used and didn't have all the service records on the car.

Audi's corporate office was contacted and their customer care confirmed that they were unable to assist me with my car damage. I contacted my insurance company and they told me that there was no coverage for engine malfunction on my policy as a result of faulty repair.

My insurance adjuster did call the Speedy Lube for me but the owner hung up on him. I returned to the shop with my car on Friday. I had to have it towed there. The manager added another lucas treatment to the car and ran a diagnostic on it because the engine light was on now.

He gave me a list of things wrong with the engine at this point and even tried to blame Audi for draining the oil out. The oil wasn't drained, the oil at this point was simply running through the car and out the exhaust pipe because the pistons and rings are now shot on the engine.

The owner never once admitted to ruining my car engine and had the nerve to offer to fix it at his other shop if I paid. I am now without a car. I called an injury lawyer that I had in my phone from a friend of mine and they told me that they wouldn't pursue the case because the car was a 2000 and they only went back as far as 2003.

I am now without a car, and one of my jobs is too far away to catch the bus to. I have been trying to find information on a corporate office of Speedy Lube but have been unsuccessful. I also believe that Audi should be held responsible as well as Speedy Lube.

Katrina dennison
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
U.S.A.