Complaint Review: Wal-Mart Tire And Lube Center - Livingston Texas

To All Interested Parties: After seven months and many unreturned phone calls and e-mails from Wal-Mart and CMI (their claims adjustment company),today I leaned from the local Ford dealership that the problem with my motor is a blown head gasket and melted #1 piston.I am told that this could not,in good faith, be attributed to an improper oil change performed at the Tire and Lube Express store #0275 1620 West Church 936 327-6370 Livingston,Texas 77351.CMI did pick up the tab (up to $400) to have the motor inspected by an ASC certified mechanic to ascertain if Wal-Mart should be held liable. That being said,the fact remains that my truck did not have a noisy motor, consume any oil, or have any mechanical defects of any kind when it rolled onto Wal-Mart's lift.And it ran... Two things: (1) Be very careful where you get your oil changed and (2) anybody want to buy a 3,000# (+/-) boat anchor?

The following is the text of an e-mail I sent to Marvin Zindler,a local consumer advocate for ABC Channel 13 in Houston, Texas: I have a problem I hope you can help me with. In October of 2003 I had the oil changed in my 1987 Ford Ranger pick-up truck at the Wal-Mart Tire and Lube Express here in Livingston ( Store #0275,1620 West Church Street, Livingston, Texas, 77351 936 327-6370 ServiceOrder 485700 07402).When I got in my truck to leave I heard a slight ticking coming from the engine but gave it no thought as the motor was cold and I was surrounded by three wall and thought perhaps it was an echo. A week later I read on a local message board (livingstonitown) about people having problems with this store and decided to go check my oil.I found it to be two quarts low after driving it only 50 miles;this on a truck that did not use oil between changes and only had 48,000 miles on a re-built motor.I borrowed a car and got two quarts of oil,put them in and called the store.The TLE manager,J.J.Jackson,told me to write a letter and have my mechanic write a letter explaining the problem and give them to him to pass up the chain of command.I did so and was informed that I would be hearing from their insurance adjuster in short order.When he (Travis,1- 800- 527-0566 ext. 20594 of Claims Management Inc.)contacted me he basically told me that it was my word against theirs that they had started my motor with no oil in it,resulting in engine damage,claim denied.He tells me that I should have driven my truck(two quarts low of oil and ticking)back to Wal-Mart and let them look at it;failing that I should have called the store and they would send someone out to look at it.I informed him that I did not know that Wal-Mart made service calls,they should make the public aware of that. Two hundred miles after the oil change my truck started knocking and smoking and quit running,oil and water all over my engine bay. I e-mailed Wal-Mart corporate and voiced my displeasure with their "Customer Satisfaction" policy as I believe they managed to put three quarts of oil in it before I rounded the corner to pick it up,but my mechanic that sold me the truck (David Bowen dba D & M Automotive,600 Pan American Dr.,Livingston,Texas,77351,936 327-2836)in 1996 told me that 15 seconds of being ran without oil could result in catastrophic engine damage.If my truck was making that ticking noise when I brought it in for the oil change they would have made me sign a waiver stating so before they would have put the first wrench on it. This was not done. A few days later I was called by District Manager James Bond (832 276-2291) and upon hearing that the damages to my motor could be anywhere from $700 for a partial re-build to $3,000 for a re-built motor he said that he was authorized right then and there to write me a check for $700.I told him that was fine,but what if that did not cover the damages to my engine. He told me that he would have to get back to me on that.In a few days I was contacted by Frank (of CMI,1-800 527-0566 ext. 20592)and told that I should have my truck towed from D & M,a shop that has been in the same location for 13 years,to an ASC certified mechanic and have them look at it. Wal-Mart would pick up to $400 of the tear-down bill and if the mechanic could prove to them it was their fault they would pay for getting it repaired completely. I have tried calling Travis and Frank on numerous occasions and upon getting voice mail left a message only to get no reply.I spoke with James a few weeks ago and explained that I had heard nothing from them and he said that one of them would call me that day. Still nothing. I e-mailed corporate last week and told them of my situation and that I would appreciate a reply to my e-mail to let me know that they had received it.Nothing. In talking with people in the business I have been informed that even though it may be obvious to the mechanic that my blown motor is the result of oil starvation it may be difficult to prove that it is Wal-Mart's fault for starting my motor with no oil in it.I asked James if perhaps the store might have video cameras set up to record an instance like this and was informed that the tapes are recorded over so they would no longer have a record.Well,of course,do you think they would leave a tape lying about that would incriminate them? I have explained to all parties involved that I have been doing business with this store ever since it opened,I consider myself a loyal customer and that I have better things to do than sabotage my own truck. I am at wit's end.I know you have helped many of the poor folks over the years ("It's Hell to be poor!") and wanted to make you aware of my situation.I am in a catch-22 situation,in that I cannot get a job if I do not have transportation and I cannot buy another vehicle if I do not have a job. Thank you for any help you can give me in this matter. Yours,

Well, since someone else is complaing about the SHODDY job Walmart did on their oil change, here's what happened to me. I routinely take my car (which is under warranty) to Walmart for my oil changes. Now, the first couple of times everything was alright. Then, I started noticing my oil was leaking. I had to take my car in fro some warranty work and the mechanic informed me that my drain plug was leaking, SEVERLY. When he just touched it, it almost fell out! I have a 2000 Dodge Neon and I love my car. Walmart has apparently stripped out my drain plug by over torquing it when they put it back on. I explained to the manager of the store what had happened and he said to bring my car in. My mechainc said I had two choices. I could put in an oversized drain plug and risk cracking the drain pan, or I cuold have the drain pan replaced altogether. He explained that the oversized drain plug may work, but only as a temporary fix. I explained all of this to the people in the Lube department and they said they would take a look at it. They ended up putting an oversized rubber plug to get me by. Now....What the hell am I supposed to do when it's time to trade in or sell my car?? I still have an oil leak, and I am mighty ticked about the entire situation. I am stuck footing the bill for a new drain pan in the future (which may not be far off) and Walmart leaves me stuck footing it all! One more note here about Walmart. I went in to have a tire changed and the "expert mechanics" they have there told me they had to break off a stud because they had cross threaded the lug nut! What the hell? The mechanic that did this, offered to replace the stud himself. I have to go purchase it from the Dodge dealership first of all. Second, if I allow him to do this, I will void my fully warrantied brakes! He said he would have to pull the entire brake assembly off. I don't feel comfortable with this and I don't feel like having my brake warranty through Brake Masters VOIDED!!!!!!