What's Wrong At Jiffy Lube?

[250] Linda in Raleigh, NC  Illegal Inspections

I HAVE SEEN ILLEGAL VEHICLE INSPECTIONS OCCUR AT JIFFY LUBE  LOCATION @ 220 NEWTON RD. RALEIGH, NC.  I HAVE SEEN WHAT WAS PROPORTED TO ME TO BE THE GENERAL MGR., RECEIVE MONIES OUTSIDE OF THE STORE AND DRIVERS JUST DRIVE OFF.  THE N.C. CLEAN AIR ACT OFFICIALS SHOULD BE NOTIFIED OF THESE OCCURRENCES

[249] Steven  No Oil Bad Tires

Well these are not mine. I have always abhorred JL and will be an adamant protestor to NEVER use them.

1. Back in 2004, this lady I know took her van (99 Ford Windstar) by there on a Saturday for an oil change and inspection (which it passed), and afterwards drove home (approximately 7 miles). Sunday before service, she calls and tells us that she is having problems starting the van. She eventually gets it cranked and makes it to church (10 miles). After church, I ask her what some questions about the van. She told me about taking it to JL and showed me the receipt. I gasped. I immediately said “They didn’t change the oil and I bet they caused some additional problems.” I didn’t look at it, but insisted on getting a more experienced mechanic to take a look. When he came out, we just informed him of the problems, without mentioning JL. I asked him to check the oil. It was 1.5 quarts low and black as tar! She also had some weird intake problems to ‘instantly arise’. I never found out from her what she did to rectify it.

2. My mother-in-law went to a JL to get her car inspected March last year on a rainy day. She was told that she needed to get a new headlight bulb, which she did. This was strange because she had just left a store with a glass front, in which she had turned her headlights on and flicked them to see if she needed to get a bulb before taking it to get it inspected. The kicker is that her tires are actually the most questionable part on the car. They are rather old (I bought them for her in 2003) and they passed!!! Apparently a lot of people had similar experiences with that particular JL, because they all said that they ‘needed headlights’ to pass inspection. I guess since JL didn’t sell tires, they didn’t suggest getting any. She also started having problems with intake air flow after taking it there.

[248] Dorothy In Colorado Springs, CO   Transmission

[247] David  Tight Air Filter

I’ve had the oil in my 2 cars changed (at least I thought it was changed) regularly. Of course every time I go there they give a lecture on what else my car needs. Once they showed me my air filter and said it needed to be changed. I told them no thanks because I could do it myself. They put the air filter back on and tightened the screws so tight that I couldn’t get the filter off.

[246] David  Oil Light

I used to go to Jiffy Lube each oil change, but I've noticed recently with my Company truck the oil light comes on if I Accelerate for any length of time as going up a large hill or a mountain. I can't accelerate too long with out the oil light coming on. This happened two oil changes ago, so I went to Greece Monkey the next time no problem for 6500 miles. The last time i stopped at a Jiffy Lube as usual and the same thing engine light again, whats up with the oil are we thinning it or what. I'm sure Greece Monkey doesn't use better oil at least i hope not.

[245] Linda in Mission, KS  Overheating

My daughter took her car to Jiffy Lube, 57580 Broadmoor, Mission, KS on 5/24/06 to have her oil changed.  When she drove up the employees were messing around with each other.  One was even in a customer’s car honking the horn repeatedly at the other employees for about five minutes.  She finally got tired of waiting for someone to assist her and went inside the lobby to call me to check if she needed to do something other than drive up to be serviced.  When I told her they should come to her in the car, she went back out and finally the manager, Shannon Shelton, came out and asked her what she wanted.  When informed that my daughter only wanted her oil changed, Shannon informed her she had to have the oil system cleaner service ($49.99 in addition to the $19.99 oil change) or they wouldn’t be able to change her oil.  Since she was going out of town for Memorial Day Weekend, my daughter agreed to the high pressure sale.  They then tried to pressure her into a radiator flush and change her transmission fluid to which she said no.  During the whole experience, the manager was rude to her.  Another girl approximately the same age as my daughter, early 20’s, came in to pick up her car and asked the young man at the cash register if Shannon was the manager.  When she was told that Shannon was the manager, she said Shannon had been rude to her and was acting like a real bi*@$.

For the next two days, my daughter did very little driving.  On Saturday, 5/27/06, she took off to Topeka to meet up with her boyfriend before they drove to Western Kansas for a friend’s wedding.  Barely out of town on I-70 and she noticed her temperature gauge was reading hot.  Since she had never encountered this before with her car and it was a warm day, high 80s, she just thought it was due to the outdoor temperature and drove on to Topeka.  Luckily her boyfriend knew they couldn’t drive her car with it being in that condition, so they took his car.  While they were gone his father looked over her car and discovered the radiator barely had any fluid in it.  The hoses, thermostat, radiator and water pump were just fine with no leaks.  All he did was fill up her radiator completely.  Now three days later, her car has not lost any coolant and is working just fine.  We hope there was no damage to her engine, but we will be taking it down to the local Honda dealership to have it checked over.

When finding out about her problem, I looked over her receipt where it states her radiator top off was ok and nothing was mentioned in the Conditions Prior to Service section.  Today I visited this Jiffy Lube and spoke with Mitch, the manager that was currently on duty.  I explained the situation to him.  He was very polite and courteous and looked over the invoice.  He said that this should not have happened if the invoice was correct and since Shannon had been the one to personally work on the vehicle, I should speak with her when she came in later that day.  I called her an hour later explaining what happened over the past weekend.  She asked me why I was contacting her when it wasn’t their fault.  “Cars overheat all the time for no reason at all” was her response when I told her there was nothing wrong with her radiator system except for no coolant.  I told her it was awfully suspicious that after we bring it to Jiffy lube we have problems, when we had had no problem with the system prior to bringing it to Jiffy Lube.  I even offered her a way out by saying that perhaps someone mistakenly had drained the coolant from the wrong car and I could understand about mistakes.  She about went ballistic on me when I said that.  Since she went off on me, I asked her why she had to be so rude to my daughter and had given my husband and myself attitude when we had the oil changed on our other two cars.  She replied that she is never rude to customers, to which I had a good laugh.  I also informed her that I would hold her personally responsible, as well as the franchise owner and Jiffy Lube for any problems as a result of their negligence.  I have emailed Jiffy Lube International with my complaints concerning Shannon Shelton and this store.  Prior to Shannon becoming manager of this location, I had been satisfied with their work other than the high pressure sales.

[244]  John   Accountability

The company preaches accountability & leading by example, neither of which the middle to upper management actually do.

I understand that Shell may be getting out of the quick lube business soon. They are trying to maximize profits right now to hook a buyer. You can't do that by paying for "technicians" or acknowledging damage claims. You can do that by misrepresenting unskilled laborers as technicians, and by not paying out for the uncountable amount of things that are knowingly done wrong every day.

It doesn't seem to matter who owns the company, the same things keep getting repeated over and over again.

[243] Craig in Washington  Employee

I just got a second job at my (new) local jiffy lube to make ends meet with skyrocketing gas prices and property taxes. I'm glad that I found this site, as it tells me just what to do to provide more excellent customer service.  We have fired a couple of screwballs that were not doing the job properly.

Unfortunately, it seems that jiffy lubes all over the country screw people over, which is unfortunate in that it penalizes our crew who bust our behinds to do vehicles properly.  Anyway, there are jiffy lube employees reading your comments to make sure that such idiotic problems don't occur in their stores!

[242] Active in Oregon  Picketing

I have just begun picketing the shop and carrying with me print outs from this web site and another one: www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/jiffy_lube.htm I am also carrying a sign with the web site addresses on it and on the back side it says: "Beware Jiffy Lube!!".

[241] Rob in Anchorage, AK  Heater Problem

My 1995 dodge caravan was serviced at an Anchorage, Alaska Jiffy Lube #2057. An oil change and radiator fluid change was performed. Once complete and paid for, I got in and pulled away from the store. Checked to see if the heater worked -- it did not. Went back to talk to the manager, he said it was my heater core. He said this happens with older vehicles that do not get their radiator fluids flushed at regular intervals. Recommended taking it to Midas to fix heater core, said it is only a $150.00 part. Problem is the heater worked before I got the flush and fill. Called Midas on what the cost is to replace heater core. The quote they gave me was $750.00. Called Jiffy Lube corporate they are not responsible.

[240] Rich in Saratoga, CA  No Oil Filters

Two out of the last three times I have gone to the Jiffy Lube on Saratoga Avenue, they have not had my oil filter.  I have a 2001 Ford PU truck (common)...I use JL for all four of our vehicles...this is getting old especially when I am paying someone to have this done and they must find another place.  Can't they stock more?

[239] Mike In Gilbert, AZ  Gay Offense

Hi, i have a serious complaint of when i went to a jiffy lube located in Gilbert AZ, Near valvista and southern in AZ. I pulled up to bays and was greeted by a service writer named Daniel Corncobb. When i left my vehicle i was sitting in the waiting room when i had seen Daniel shoving a whole corn cob in his mouth in a very sexual, offensive manner. I WAS COMPLETELY OFFENDED. I asked for a manager, and they sent out this hairy burly man named steve, and his breath smelled like alcohol. When we went into his office he proceeded to grope me and threatened that he would sexually assault me if i didnt keep my mouth shut. So i went back into the waiting room and i heard a loud  "Oh YEAH" over the PA system. When i went to grab a magazine from the rack, all i found were gay pornos.
 
i am completely offended.

[238] Jim in Palm Desert, CA   Broken Promise

On March 27, 2006, I took my car to the Jiffy Lube Store on Washington St. in Palm Desert California for an oil change. When I got the car home the following morning i notic3ed a small pool of oil on my driveway. I took the car back the manager asked me to wait in the waiting room, in about two or three minutes time he came and told me that they had checked the plug and is was merely an "overflow"? I brought the car home and it continued to leak with the smell of burning oil when I drove it. Because I did not belive they were being truthful, I than took the car to the Ford dealer. They advised me that the last time I had the oil changed, the filter was not put on tight and oil was leaking back to the muffler which caused the burning oil odor. The bill at the Ford Dealer was for $89.00 which included cleaning the burned oil off the muffler.

I made copies of all pertaining paperwork and send them in to the Jiffy Lube Store. Several days later the store manager advised me that the Company had agreed to reimburse me the $89.00. It  is now May 15th and I have not received the check. I have been told that the check was mailed and in fact the manager told me he was a photo copy of the check. Still no check and each time I call I am told that they dont understand the hold-up. Also I have given them verification of my address each time.

Is this typical of Jiffy Lubes operation and what recourse do I have?

[237] Linda in Barrington, IL   Bad Attitude

Just pulled out of my local Jiffy Lube in Barrington, Illinois.  I've been going there for years, and we have 3 cars that we get serviced there.  I was greated rudely from the minute I rolled my window down.  I asked about the $19.99 oil change, as I had just seen the guy holding the sign on the corner.  I was told that I was "too late".  I asked what that meant, and was told that I needed to pull my car in while the guy was still on the corner holding the sign.  Evidently, I was about 90 seconds too late, as the sign guy had disappeared.  Then, I said, "OK, well, I usually get a $7.00 frequent customer discount."  The rude attendant, Ashley, told me, well, without a coupon, I can only extend you a $5.00 discount.  Disgusted, I pulled my car into the bay, as I had a "Low Oil" warning light on my dash and couldn't afford to waste my time looking for a coupon.  Once in the "waiting room," another customer, who had arrived about 60 seconds before I did, was receiving his $19.99 oil change....mine of course was costing $29.99 (minus the generous $5.00 discount.)  As I fumed and waited for my car to be finished, the nice lady, "Ashley", returned with a barage of additional items I needed to have done.  Of course I declined.  When she reappeared to cash me out, she of course, had "forgotten" to add the $5.00 discount that she had promised me.  I then asked what the Manager's name was, and that was when the "real attitude" kicked in.  We proceeded to get into a shouting match, at which time, I informed her that I was done "talking" and to please process my transaction and I would be taking up the matter with Jiffy Lube Customer Service.  She proceeded to say basically, "Whatever" and "I don't care what you do."  At that point, I asked to speak to the store manager.  She said he was not there.  At that point, I exited the store to get into my vehicle.  On the way, I encountered another service technician, and asked if the Manager was there.  He said, "Yes, he's back in his office."  At that point, I said, "That's it, I am calling Corporate."  That's exactly what I intend to do.  Maybe they don't care either, but at least they will not have the priviledge of working on my three cars anymore.

Follow-Up:  As a followup to my experience, I received immediate emails and phone calls from the local and regional customer service managers.  The attendant responsible for my bad experience has since been fired, and I've been given one free oil change.  I know it doesn't sound like much, but I was impressed with the speedy followup.  

[236] Mark in Brandon, FL   Long Wait

We had recently been using you services in Virginia. I must say that those facilities were "Jiffy" and the staff very courteous. So when we needed service in Florida we went to your store :

Jiffy Lube Service Center #2887
602 E BRANDON BLVD
BRANDON, FL 33511-5421

I had arrived as another customer was walking out complaining that he had been standing there at the counter for 15 minutes and was not going to wait anymore. Patiently I waited 10 minutes watching 3 of your people stand around the front of a truck laughing and carrying on as not a care in the world (not working). 2 of them looked at me several times and did nothing. I went out to them and asked if anyone was working the counter and was rudely told that "Sir cant you see I am with another customer?", as the others laughed, that was strange since all of the 2 customers were waiting impatiently in the lounge and only the 3 employees were around the truck.

I asked if he knew how long he would be and he ignored me. I quietly went on my way knowing that if they worked on MY truck I would not feel secure that they did a proper job anyway.

You do have other stores down here and I will try one more I do hope that this kind of service is not a pandemic of all your locations in Florida

[235] Employee in Chicago, IL   Your $ At Work

[234] Glyn  No Service

The only service that was done was an oil change, vacuum floors, and wash exterior windows. I waited to pay and asked the employee if they checked my air filter which I knew was dirty. The employee yells out the door, was the air filter in the Black Tahoe checked and another employee yells back yes. Then I asked if my tire pressure was checked and the employee yells out the door, was the tire pressure on the Black Tahoe checked. The other employee yells back yes and they all were filled to 35psi. Then I asked, well how did you fill my tires when I have a key to the caps. My caps on the valves have an anti-theft lock and you can't take the caps off. I looked around in the store and all the other customer's were shaking there heads. The employee then said he was sorry and that he'll give me a discount.  A five dollar discount on a 48.98 sale, What a joke! The employee then said I'll have them look at your truck and I said no I don't want to get billed another 48.98 minus $5.oo. I went to Discount Auto and had to buy wipers, air filter, radiator fluid, brake fluid, and windshield washer fluid. I really wanted to back to Jiffy Lube and give them that bill. The sad thing is I've been going there with both my cars for a few years and this is what happens. I say well it's only one bad service but then you start to think was I treated right before. The times I went inside and sat down and either talked on the phone or just to tired to watch them work on my cars. Well one thing is sure I'll be watching all the time now! To think you could trust people today! 

[233] Carol in Kirkland, WA  Shop Charge

[4 May 2006] Just yesterday I got my car's oil changed at the Jiffy Lube on Rose Hill in Kirkland and was surprised to see a $1.99 charge on my bill labeled "shop charge".  I thought Jiffy Lube had stopped collecting these fees after all the negative publicity last year, but apparently they have not.  When I asked the manager what the fee was for, I was told it was what used to appear on the bill as "environmental charges", and he made it sound as if the fee was a requirement.    I'm another customer who would like to be refunded all the unwarranted amounts I've paid to Jiffy Lube over the years.

[232]  CR  NBC Exposure

3 May 2006.  I just watched NBC News do a clip on being ripped off at Jiffy Lube, It was outrageous....

Not only did they rip of NUMEROUS vehicle owners with not providing the services that they charged for, (there were hidden cameras in the engine compartment,)  but the person who did the offense called his district manager on the phone in front of the camera and informed the manager that the news was there and "caught him"!!! it appears that the District Manager was aware of what "getting caught" meant....

When the District Manager appeared, he was confronted by the camera crew and claimed to be a customer!!! and his name was Alex...When asked which car was his, he pointed out a red camero, and said that was his car.... when they approached the real owner who was sitting there waiting for the service to be completed on his car, he claimed that was his car, wanting to know what was wrong!!! UNBELIVEABLE!!!  When the District manager got caught LIEING...he ordered the cameras be turned off...

Channel 4 News went on the say that when advised of this story, The Corporate office chose not to make any comment as it would be of no value.....and the employees that dild the FRAUD are still on the job....

So With watching this story, the STEALING STARTS FROM THE TOP AND ROOLS ALL THE WAY TO  THE GREASEY LITTLE HANDS OF THE PERPETRATOR..

It appears they hold a class on RIP OFF THE CUSTOMER AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE 101..when hired....

My family is a 5 car family who have always used Jiffy Lube....NO MORE.....

Had the corporate SNOBS of owned up to what their employees did was wrong, I "might" still be a customer, but my family has agreed to take their $600.00 per year to Instant Lube from here on in....

Sign me, Discusted By Corporate America...

[231]  Tabby  NBC Exposure

I saw the NBC TV piece on Jiffy Lubes fraud...charging the consumer for work not done and trying to wiggle out of it when confronted. Problem is there are so many of you a few thousand people avoiding you won't do major harm corporately to the bottom line. I wanted to let you know I I won't be back.....I KNOW your interested.......when in fact you don't give a dam about the consumer. I will be quite surprised in fact if this e mail is read by anyone. Perhaps the site I'm sending this to is bogus.. Corporate greed strikes again....Oil people are not doing so well recently with the public

[230]  Tim in Round Lake, IL  Rip Off

I recently made a trip to my local Jiffy Lube in Round Lake Il. I was the first customer to arrive that day. I walked in the back door, past a sleeping employee in the back office. I waited at the front desk for a few before I kicked a chair to wake the assitant manager. Looking around the customer waiting area, it looked like it had not benn swept or mopped in a week or so. Very nasty. After pulling my vehicle in the bay, the guy came wandering in with oil dipstick in hand. He said I needed an oil system flush, noting the dirty oil on the dipstick. I gave the go-ahead knowing this was just a snake oil treatment. He came back in later with clean oil on the dipstick, noting how clean the oil was after said flush. After working for many years at a service station and doing countless oil changes, oil is dirty and black before the change and clean afterwards. I'm sure they put some sort of detergent in the system, but for a flush they would need to run it through the whole system, which means pressure and running the oil pump etc. Just one big rip- off

[229]  Richard in Richmond, VA  Fluid Mess

I just went into jiffy lube here in Richmond, VA on W. Broad St. for my regular oil change.  I brought my car a year ago and have taken it to jiffy lube since I bought it.  As I was sitting in the lobby watching them work on my new car, one of the employees put a hose back incorrectly and before anyone knew it, there was transmission fluid all over the shop, on and inside my car and upholstery.  They washed the outside and said they got all of the spots out of my interior.  When I went to inspect their clean up job I noticed wet spots all over my seats.  I was told that they were from this 'miracle' spray that is supposed to get everything out and that the spots would be gone when it all dried.  Nothing came out and all the red stains were still there. 

Their ignorance and carelessness cost me a lot of money in detail work before everything was said and done.  The moral of the story....don't take your vehicle to Jiffy Lube if you know what's good for you but if you ever do, at least make sure your windows are up.

[228]  Linda in Clifton, MD  No Radiator

On April 20, 2006, I went to the Jiffy Lube in Clinton, Maryland for an oil change.   I told them I wanted the expensive oil.  So I thought my bill would be $69.00 max.  Imagine my surprise when the bill was presented to me for over $200.00.  I said why is my bill so high?  They said they flushed the radiator.  I said all I asked for was oil change.  They lowered the bill to $188.00 but I was in such sticker shock I paid it.  I feel I was ripped off.  My car is only two years old and my uncle (a mechanic) said the radiator should never be flushed unless the car is very old and you have problems w/it.  Where do I go to get my money back?????

[227] Employee in Madison, WI  Confirmation

Am a ex-mgr in the madison wisconsin area and cant believe all that I have read in these pages and I believe most all of them as ive seen this first hand at the stores I worked at. Those of you who havent visited a Jiffy Screw location do your self a favor and dont. They sell you services that you dont need and perform type 2 services that is where they make it look like they are doing a service. All they want is your money and dont care how they get it

[226] Employee in New Orleans, LA  Pricing

Ex-jiffy Luber You can go to any Jiffy Lube and talk to someone and get a oil change for $20 cash. I worked at about 10 Jiffy Lube nation wide $20 I dont care if it is 29.99  $20 cash....