Complaint Review: Wal Mart - Erie Pennsylvania

I have taken my car with low mileage - to Wal Mart's Tire & Lube Express regularly for oil changes every 3000 miles, as recommended, and never had a problem.

In January 2005, I had my oil changed before a big trip I took. I figured everything was fine; I drove less than 500 miles before the Check Engine light came on and I herd an odd grinding from the engine. I took it to a mechanic, who informed me that the O-ring and filter had not been installed properly during the oil change, and all the oil had leaked out - "blown O-ring" he said. He replaced it and re-filled with oil in the hopes of just getting me to my destination, so I ouldn't be stranded in the middle of nowhere with my 18-month-old daughter whom I was traveling with. But the mechanic said because of the botched oil change, my engine was probably shot, and the bearings were spun.

I drove carefully, but the bearings were indeed spun. I made it to within 15 miles of my destination before the car stalled, the engine ceased, and smoke poured from under the hood. It had snowed, the side of the road was piled high with 6+ inches of snow, there was nowhere to pull over, and my van had stopped in the middle of a main road. I called Wal-Mart's 800 number, and was told to call the nearest store. They gave me the number, I called it, and they couldn't give me an answer on when they could have someone tow it or take a look at it.

Meanwhile, I'm stuck in the freezing cold with my toddler! So I called for a tow truck and had them take it to the nearest garage. Another call to Wal-Mart, still they were wishy-washy about when they could do something about it. I asked if they'd pay for my hotel while I stayed extra days waiting for them to do something about it, and if they'd pay for a rental for me in the meantime, and they refused. I had to have the whole engine replaced - almost $5000!

That's more than the car is worth, so upon returning home, I called Wal-Mart to see if they'd at least make good on the book value of the vehicle. My call was returned by someone named Jeff, who said "You took all the right steps to get this taken care of" and promised "We'll take care of this for you ." A week later, someone else called, an insurance handler named Troy. First, he denied my claim, saying another mechanic's evaluation of the problem was invalid, and that Wal-Mart mechanics had to see it first, or I couldn't get any money for my claim.

Secondly, he said there was no Wal-Mart employee named Jeff who had called! A call to the local store confirmed that there was indeed a "Jeff" working there. I called back to speak to Troy's supervisor Jeremy and was treated with nastiness and hostility again. My mother called them; she was told that Jeff never said those things to us, and that if we wanted to make a claim like that, we should have gotten proof. So the next time we called for Troy, my mother asked if she could record the phone call - the "proof" in case he tried to wriggle out of something again. He refused to give permission to tape, and ended the call.

Now I'm stuck in a big run-around trying to receive compensation. Wal-Mart has tried every excuse to deny responsibility - first they said I had low oil when it came in, when the service report clearly states that the van was only 1/2 quart low when it came in. I'd also NOT signed the line waiving the right to seek damages against Wal-Mart if damage was done to the vehicle during the vehicle's servicing. Funny how a big name company like Wal-Mart can offer shoddy work and yet refuse to make good on their employees' incompetence!

Jill

Erie, Pennsylvania
U.S.A.