Complaint Review: Sterling Automotive - Robert Youngblood II

On Feb. 18, 2005 I took our Jeep Grand Cherokee into Sterling Automotive. My request of them was to fix the problem with the cooling system as the 'Low coolant' light had come on. I also requested that they check the car over i.e. hoses, wipers, sticking door locks etc., as we were selling it to our daughter and we wanted it to be in good condition.

Several hours later, Robert Youngblood called to say the problem was in the timing system and that the part was relatively inexpensive, but that the labor was very expensive. ($560.00) He was instructed to fix the car. The total bill came to $771.38, which we paid. The work was guaranteed for 90 days as per the back of the contract.

One week later, the 'low coolant' light was back on. We took the car back in and picked it up that afternoon with the story that now it was an 'O' ring that had been replaced, at no charge. Robert was not there at this time.

Less than two weeks later the light was back on. Again we took the car in, only to be greeted by a very defensive and rude Mr. Youngblood who preceeded to liken the car to a child with the mumps, telling me that he was a two year medical student whose father was a plastic surgeon. (Like I care or that this is pertinent to fixing a car)

An hour later he called my husband to say there was now a leak in the lower radiator hose and that he would have to charge us to repair this. He was reminded that he had already checked the hoses, and that they were OK. (This is documented on the first repair list) Mr. Youngblood became very arrogant and vulgar and said that he would no longer repair the car at all and that we would have to pay just to get it back. Then he hung up.

At this point, I called, only to be insulted and told that they did not like working with thieves!

I told him we had already paid $770.38 and the car still had the original problem. He said this was an unrelated problem and I obviously knew nothing about cars. I'm not sure how a coolant leak is unrelated to a coolant leak?? I then asked to speak to someone else, as we were not getting anywhere and he said I was forbidden to speak with any of his employees. I hung up and called the Sandy police. They met me at Sterling Automotive, to "Keep the Peace".

I walked in with the officer and told Robert I just wanted to pick up the car as is not fixed at all. He said I would have to pay $75.00. I said he hadn't done anything and his reply was that it was a diagnostic fee. I reminded him that the car had already been diagnosed by him twice and that we had paid a lot of money for a problem that had never been corrected. He just sat there, and said if I wanted my car, I would have to pay. So I pulled out my credit card and he said he would only take cash. In short, he held my car for ransom, has not fixed the problem in three visits to his shop, was very rude, condescending and untruthful. I call that FRAUD. I have now paid a total of $846.00 for a car that still leaks coolant.

I then took the car directly to another auto shop, where for $21.32 they replaced the radiator cap and put a clamp on the upper, not lower radiator hose. Surprise, the coolant level is still full.

It repulses me to think that a man of this sort can remain in business. He is a threat to the public and obviously not competent. When the consumer has to be escorted by the police to pick up their personl property, then be forced to pay cash for work not done, something is very very, wrong.

Susan and Dave
SLC, Utah
U.S.A.