Complaint Review: Lifesafer - VIRGINIA - Midlothian Virginia

At this point, I am LIVID with this company. I am spending over $200 on regular monthly service and resets etc. and still can’t get anyone to call me back re: this situation.

In March of 2016, I had one of thier FC100 units without the camera installed on my 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix and once I got used to humming while blowing into the unit, I had no problems with it.

On August 10th of 2016, I had a new digital unit with the camera installed in my car and have had serious issues with the unit since that time. When I left the Oak Lake Blvd, Midlothian VA location after installation, the unit was testing me every 3 minutes. On August 11th, I got a message that the unit was in early recall due to a system failure. I called your 800 number and spoke to a CSR there who stated she could see nothing wrong with my account and not to worry. On August 18th at 3:23 p.m. the unit gave me the message “HIGH” and the lights and horn started blasting on the rolling retest but the test following that came back normal. On August 19th in the morning, I went to Datapool and had a 72 hour EtG test done which came back negative and I had those results sent directly to my case manager at VASAP. The cost of that test was $85. Upon leaving Datapool, the unit gave me another false positive again with the message “HIGH” and again the following retest came back normal. On August 23rd at 4:30 p.m. I brought the car in to be reset and was told that I needed to view the video again on the Lifesafer website i.e. I must be doing something wrong.

On August 30th I brought the car in for the monthly download and did not drive the car at all until September 6th because I was out of town. On September 6th at 12:22 p.m. the unit gave me two consecutive false positives followed by a retest with normal results. The unit then started testing me every 3 minutes again. On September 7th at 2:30 p.m., I brought the vehicle in for a reset and was made to pay $52.65 for a reset. At that time I was told the handset was to be replaced. It was not replaced as the handset had a mark on it in a specific place and it was still on there when I got back into the vehicle.

When I left the Oak Lake Blvd, Midlothian location I called and spoke to CSR Kyla to let Lifesafer know that the unit was again testing me every 3 minutes. While on the phone with her I had to retest 5 times during a fifteen minute phone call.

On September 8th at 9:17 a.m. I called and spoke to CSR Trenair and asked that someone from the Virginia Office call me as the handset was never replaced and the unit was asking me to test every 3 minutes. At 3:50 p.m. I called Lifesafer back and spoke to CSR Cassandra who had a rude attitude. I told her I was waiting on someone from the Virginia office to call back and that I wanted another unit installed in the vehicle. She said no one would call me back from the Virginia office because they would not even consider installing a non-digital unit in a vehicle but she did make an appointment for me at the E Parham Road location in Richmond for 3:30 p.m. the next day.

On September 9th I went to my appointment at the E Parham Road, Richmond VA location and the technician swapped out the digital unit for the FC100 unit with the camera and stated that there were issues with the digital unit and the wiring in Pontiac models made from 1998 to 2005. My vehicle is a 2005 Grand Prix. This statement was a contradiction to the information I was given on August 23rd by the same technician. I didn’t drive the weekend following the installation of the FC100 so I had no issues until Tuesday, September 13th when at or around 3:30 p.m. the unit started testing me every 3 minutes again and I then had two consecutive failed retests followed by two normal test readings.

I called Lifesafer and scheduled a reset appointment for Friday the 16th at 3:30 at the Oak Lake Blvd location. I arrived at 3:15 p.m. - the normal tech was out and the technician from the E. Parham Road location was there trying to work on two cars at the same time. He was able to get my vehicle in around 4 p.m. He reset the unit and I was charged another $52.65. I did not even make it a mile, to the light at Oak Lake Blvd and Genito Road before the unit failed me. I drove back to the shop in failed state - lights flashing and horn blowing. I explained what happened to the technician and had to wait until 6:32 p.m. when all the other cars had been serviced before they could get to my vehicle and reset it once again. I left the Lifesafer location to go home and again failed in the same place during the rolling retest. I returned to Lifesafer and they swapped out the handset in the “hopes” that would alleviate the problem. They instructed me that should the unit fail again just continue home and make another appointment to have it reset as they were closing for the day. For the 3rd time the unit failed me as I was turning onto Genito Road. I called and spoke with Lifesafer CSR Linda and requested a reset appointment by Wednesday. I explained the situation and have requested that someone at Lifesafer contact me as she stated I would have to pay another reset fee of $52.65.

On Monday, September 19th at 10:20 a.m. called the 800 number back and spoke with Lifesafer CSR Sandra re: getting the car reset since they were unable to do so on Friday night. I asked again that someone from the Virginia office call me.

At 1:15 p.m. Mr. Scott Mason the director of the VA office called me and stated that he would meet me at the Chesterfield Lifesafer location for the reset @ 3 p.m. on 9/21/2016. We met and he stated that they would install a completely new unit in the hopes that it would solve the problem and he stated that if that did not solve the problem that he suggested the Lifesafer unit be replaced with one from another provider. I did not have to pay a reset fee at this appointment.

On 9/29/2016 I went in for my scheduled reset and download and was given a credit of $52.65 forwards my fees.

On 10/10/2016 My friend and I were on our way to an AA meeting when the unit failed be on the rolling retest and twice thereafter and then on the fourth try the unit passed me.

On 10/14/2016 I went to the N. Parham location at 3 p.m. and paid another $52.65 to have the unit reset.

This morning as I was leaving the VASAP parking lot after meeting with Diane Murphy, the unit failed me on the rolling retest. I turned back into the lot and called the 800 number requesting once again that someone from Virginia call me. I have a reset for Monday – 10/24/2016 at 1:30 p.m. I do NOT have another $52.65 to pay for yet ANOTHER false reading. While I was with case manager, I had to submit a urine screen and I’m sure that since my offense is alcohol related that they are testing for EtG. Further while speaking with my case manager I was told that to date, I have NO violations i.e. alcohol was NEVER detected on any of my tests.

Today, 10/24/2016 I had to drive from my office on the near west end to Midlothian to get my car reset a 25 minute drive one way. When I got there I was told I had to pay another $52.65 for this reset. I paid via credit card as there is not enough funds in my checking to cover it. I had asked that someone call me on Friday, is that too much to ask? At this point I have paid $157.95 in reset fees due to faulty equipment.

Client #11456000301