What's Wrong At Jiffy Lube?

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Personal Experiences:  Indexed by State
The higher the identification number, the more recent the unedited and unverified experience.

[700] Dennis in Stevenson Ranch, CA  Service Mistakes Policy

Please be alert to Jiffy Lube's corporate policy regarding service mistakes.  My name is Dennis and for about 10 years, I was a loyal Jiffy Lube customer with my three cars and was happy with the fast, reliable service.  Then I had my wife’s 2002 Subaru serviced on 7/5/2007 at the Jiffy lube in Stevenson Ranch, CA.  They drained the final drive transmission fluid instead of the motor oil.  120 miles later the car went from 35 mph to a dead stop when all four drive wheels locked.  Luckily, the card behind my wife stopped in time.  I needed a new final drive transmission and my wife was without transportation. 

I thought, no problem, Jiffy Lube is a big company and these things happen.  They will admit they made a service mistake, and correct the problem by paying for the repairs; I may even get a nice rental car to drive while my car is being repaired.  Boy was I wrong about Jiffy Lube.  I found out over the next month their policy regarding service mistakes is one of systematic denial and misdirection.  At this point, 26 days later, I don’t have a commitment from Jiffy Lube to pay for the repair, no check in my hand for the $7,500 repair bill, and no rental car.  The only thing I am impressed with is the bullet proof way Jiffy Lube is set up to deflect any liability for service mistakes.

First, I talked to the store manager, Lenin  Sanchez.  He said the following:  “It is not possible for us to make this kind of service mistake, the service steps are double-checked.  You will have to talk to the district manager, Juan Perez, only he can resolve your problem.  I can do nothing.” 

I did contact Juan Perez and he did go out and inspect the car and confirmed that the transmission was dry and the oil was several quarts overfull, yet he did not assume responsibility and agree to repair my car.  After finally reaching Juan several days later, he said to send him a repair bill.  I had the car towed 100 miles to the nearest dealership.  Normally, this would be a $700 charge, but the guy at the tow truck shop told me to upgrade to the AAA Premium where the first 200 miles is free.  After paying $77 to upgrade my AAA membership to premium and waiting the 7 days for the premium service to kick in, I had the car towed to the nearest Subaru dealership in Thousand Oaks.  Just a month earlier, the dealership repair a car just like mine where the exact same thing had happened, it was serviced at Jiffy Lube where they made a service mistake and drained the wrong fluid reservoir.   I faxed Juan the $7,500 estimate. 

Juan, the district manager returns my calls after several days and only after calling the corporate number.  The last time I talked to Juan, he said: These things take a lot of time.  I am sending the paper work to the insurance company.  They have to send out their own investigator.  I will give you a call. 

I cannot find out who owns the Jiffy Lube so I have an actual owner to sue.  The Jiffy Lube is owned by the Mizar Group according to corporate headquarters, but will not provide any contact information.  Mizar Group appears to be a fake name since I could not find anything on Google.  If I sue the Mizar Group and it doesn’t exist, who would pay even though I won in small claims court.  Also, the limit for small claims is $7,500.  My damages are more than that if you count not having a car at $40/day to get a rental.

Lenin, the store manager, says he can’t help, and is not his job.  Lenin says the problem can be resolved only by talking to Juan.

The Jiffy Lube® Customer Service at 1-800-344-6933 is not helpful.  They say this is a franchise store and Juan is the only one that can resolve the problem.   They refuse to give me any contact information on who owns this Jiffy Lube and who will pay for my repairs.

Jiffy Lube® Customer Service, P.O. Box 4458, Houston, TX 77210-4458  (800) 344-6933

Please be alert that it is Jiffy Lube’s policy to avoid paying for any service mistakes.  They have a clever and well-designed system to deny and misdirect until the customer is forced to take them to court.  But first you have to find out who to sue.

Lenin was the in charge on 7/5/2007.  Jose Martinez, another manager did several quality checks, according to the invoice.  I found it strange that Lenin would deny responsibility, even without look at the car to verify my story.  I called the Jiffy Lube corporate headquarters and they initially said it is their policy to resolve these kinds of problem with 48 to 72 hours.  Jiffy Lube does not deserve the business they get and everyone going there should double check that the service was done correctly.  I will never go to Jiffy Lube again.  They left me with a $7,500 repair bill and without a car for going on 30 days.

When I Goggle trying to find the Jiffy Lube owner, I find the following, which again, seems to be a shell or phantom company, specifically set up to avoid any responsibility or liability for service mistakes:

[699] Brian Did Not Qualify

I have been going to the same JiffyLube for years and thought I was being careful by ignoring their recommendations for additional service.  I always ONLY get the oil change.  Well this past time there was a Buy1/Get 1 free promotion with Pennzoil.  I agreed to pay an extra charge to use Pennzoil products for the oil change.  I then had to submit my receipt by mail and I would get a certificate for a free oil change the next time.  Conveniently the computer system was down so the mechanic (who had also recommended the offer) had to give me a handwritten receipt.  After waiting 6 weeks for the certificate, I received a letter explaining that my submission did not qualify because my receipt was handwritten.  What a coincidence.  So either the employee who recommended the offer was unfamiliar with this stipulation, or he was purposely trying to scam me into paying extra.  Fool me once - shame on you; fool me twice - shame on me.  There will not be another visit to a Jiffy Lube for me or anyone else in my family.

[698] Mike  No Coupon

[697] Maria in Miami, FL  Could Have Killed My Kid

[696] Jurgen  Did Not Qualify

I am writing you folks because in today's mail I \received yet another "sorry you don't really get a free oil change " letter from customer service in Houston Texas. It seems that again this time the EXCUSE is "rebate form incomplete or illegible. The from was mailed to you This is truly unfortunate as after the first such letter I made especially sure that all I's were dotted and all T's crossed. My handwriting resembles that of a typewriter so I know good and well that it was legible. I also know it was TOTALLY complete. I would ask why Jiffy Lube would have such a program and then back door their faithful customers ( yes I have been a jiffy lube customer for 20 years now) and cheat them out of what was promised. When I got the second form I shared the information with my fellow superintendents at the large general contracting firm I work for (the 5th largest in the USA). Some were leery right from the get go others gave Jiffy Lube the benefit of the doubt. The letter I received today and plan to share with them this week will only solidify what some of them  thought already. I don't need the "free" oil-change as my company pays for all vehicle maintenance. I just think your "form" letters denying the free service are a hoax as there is no way to determine the real problem now. I will in the future obtain my oil-change services thru another avenue.

[695] Rick  Did Not Qualify

Thanks you for letting me participate in the Jiffy Lube Signature Service Oil Change “Buy One Get One Free” offer.  You have reviewed my submission in accordance with your terms and conditions published for this promotion, and my submission did not qualify for the Buy One Get One Free offer based on the following:

Thanks for wasting my time.  It was your own invoice that could not be read.

If you really “appreciated my business and looked forward to serving me again soon”, you would have entered my name and zip code in your big computer and figured out which locations and how much business I do with you and got your own legible invoice and solved the problem. 

[694] Seana in Kingston, NY  Loose Oil Filter

[693] Julie in San Jose, CA  Evil Company

[692] Shirley in Ventura, CA  Bilking the Public

[691] Rene in Upland, LA  High Pressure Sales

I moved to LA area in 2001 and bought a used car. I took to Jeffy Lube for an oil change they recommended to also do a transmission flash (due be dirty fluid) and also a power sterling fluid change, I believed them and did all the work recommended.  Three months later I took the same car to do an oil change they gave me the same recommendation and showed me on the stick how dirty the transmission fluid was.  I told them it was changed three months ago (or 4000 miles ago) and they told me I must drive under very dusty condition, better change it than sorry later.  This was all done in a Jeffy Lube in Upland.  There are few other times I experienced the similar high pressure sales to change filters or fluid.  Finally I stop going to Jeffy Lube and start taking my car to Toyota dealer shop.

[690] Bob in Willow Street, PA  Wrong Oil

[689] John  Engine Damage

Saturday, June 16^th, 2007 I brought my car to Jiffy Lube for an oil change.  I asked for my usual synthetic blend oil, they replaced 2 air filters, and a brake light as well. There was no noise coming from my car, no mechanic had said anything about any engine problems, and I was given my car.  I was never shown the oil level of my car, as other companies such as Valvoline often do.  After my car was given to me I proceeded down Clybourne Ave for approx 1 block before a warning sign flashed on my dashboard panel. “STOP.  Turn engine off.  Oil Pressure” 

I turned off my car waited several seconds and lied down on the street underneath the car to see if I could see anything that looked different.  I could not tell from looking underneath what had happened, so I started my car and left it idle for about one minute.  I noticed a loud noise coming from the engine.  As soon as I put my foot on the gas, the same warning message came up again.  I turned the engine off and left it off for 1-2 minutes.  Since I was still close to the Jiffy Lube, I decided to start my car and coast in idle back to the shop.  My engine began shaking so hard my car was noticeably moving side to side, and the noise grew even louder. I pulled back into the Jiffy Lube and parked my car in back.

A mechanic came out to check on me, and I told him that less than a minute after I pulled out of the Jiffy Lube, my engine started making this noise and I informed him of the warning message.  He opened my hood, took off the engine cover, and looked around while the engine ran.  He did not show me the oil level of the car.  He could not figure out what was causing the noise, and another mechanic took my car into the garage again where they went through the process and changed the oil. The engine noise did not stop.  A mechanic named Jaoquin came out and informed me what they had done.

“We went thorough and changed the oil again, checking to make sure everything was ok.  We don’t know what happened, so we recommend towing your car to a mechanic”  Me: “You know that noise was not there when I came in an hour ago.” J: “Yes, something happened to your car that is causing that noise and we don’t know what it is.”  Me: “So you’re telling me that you did something to my car while it was in there and now the engine isn’t working properly and you cant fix it”  J: “Yes, something happened to your car and we cant fix it.  We have a list of mechanics in the area that we can tow your car to and our claims office handled everything else.”

They told me the name of the mechanic shop that had the fist opening and they would tow it there.  I never was offered a rental car after they caused this damage to my engine, they never gave me the number to the mechanic, they just told me they would hand over my contact info to the mechanic.  The only thing I got from the mechanics were blank stares and an admission that my car was working properly on its way in, and shut down on its way out for causes they could not figure out.  I was shown the claims number on my receipt and was told everything would be handled through them, not the Jiffy Lube I visited.

I spoke with the mechanic the following week and they informed me that they needed to do an engine tear down in order to show Jiffy Lube the engine and take pictures. He then informed me someone would come out to their shop and view it and speak to them about the engine.  They told me the name of the claims representative that he believed I would be dealing with and told me he would keep in touch regarding the process. 

Almost 2 weeks had passed and I had not heard from anyone at Jiffy Lube. I called the claims representative at 800-344-6933 and asked him what the status was on my claim.  He told me that they had just sent a letter out to me (after taking 2 weeks to look at my car) explaining that they are not going to pay for any of the damage to my engine because I had traces of sludge build up on the engine.  When I asked why he had not contacted me in two weeks he told me that he had tried calling my primary and cell numbers and could not reach me.  The primary number he ready to me on the phone was incorrect, but my cell number, which I specified to the Jiffy Lube manager on Clybourne to use, was correct.  I told him he never called me on that number because I would have answered his call and received no voicemails.  He informed me he called three times and that my phone “was probably disconnected” for those 2 weeks.  That most definitely was not the case.  He was of little help to me, rude on the phone, and told me to have my attorney contact him directly for the claim. 

The primary point is this:  My car was working perfectly well when I came in, and the engine was damaged on the way out. I received no help from the Jiffy Lube shop other than having them tow my car to a mechanic, and the claims representative did not contact me on my cell phone for 2 weeks regarding my claim.  The sludge did not cause the damage to my engine that was specifically pointed out by my mechanic.  There was no oil getting to the engine, which is exactly what Jiffy Lube was SUPPOSED to change.  They did not properly change my oil and as a direct result of their actions, my engine was damaged.

[688] Raj in Sayerville, NJ  Damaged Wiper Blades

I have been a Jiffy Lube customer for many years but my recent experience and all I have read about the problems faced by others has convinced me to NEVER again step into a Jiffy Lube service station.

My recent experience was at the Sayerville, New Jersey location where I have been taking my Ford Taurus SE for the last 3 oil changes every 3000 miles or 3 months whichever came sooner. They ran a huge campaign about ‘Buy one get the next one free” for the signature service. Well, I go there anyway so it was a bonus (or so I thought). When I took my car in, in early June, the assistant manager (or that’s what he told me he was) dealt with me. I just needed the oil change and nothing else but he insisted that I should change my fuel filter (about $55 or so) to which I reluctantly agreed. He then asked me how my wiper blades were and I said “just great”. He said I should change them because one of them didn’t look too good. I asked him to show me and right in front of me he lifted one of the blades and bent the rubber and pulled on it till it looked damaged. I asked him how much it would cost and he said $11 to which I said go ahead and change it. When I got the bill, I noticed that I was charged for two wiper blades $11 for one and $13 for another. I asked him why he had replaced both blades when only one was “bad” (he is the one who intentionally damaged it), he said that both looked bad so he just replaced both. I said I only wanted one and not the other and he said it was too late because both were already installed!

Anyway, I paid over $115 for my visit that day in early June.

The second problem was that they said they would mail me the coupon for the free service (next one) and I still hadn’t received it after almost 2 months. Since my car had already run 3000 miles since the last oil change, I decided to take it in on 7/21/07. When I showed the same “assistant manager” my previous bill and told him I still had not received the free coupon in the mail, he told me “you have to wait for it to arrive and then bring it for the free oil change”. I told him it had been almost two months and he said “no way! That offer has been advertised only for a month and a half”. I again showed him my previous invoice and the date on it but he insisted that I was wrong and that he could not give me the free oil change without the coupon. What is worse is that he kept walking away from me while I was trying to talk to him (as if he was in a hurry to go somewhere). So I finally told him that I would NEVER visit Jiffy Lube again and that I did not want the oil change that day. He just shrugged his shoulders murmered something to his other colleagues who all started laughing! I had to go partway into the bay to get my car out myself and leave. They all continued to laugh and mock me while I was leaving.

Wow! What an experience or rather NIGHTMARE! I am the General Manager of a Hilton and believe me if any of my managers or employees ever behaved like this “assistant manager” of Jiffy Lube I would hang them by their “you know what”! I will tell everyone I come across NEVER to visit Jiffy Lube anywhere in this country. This franchise obviously has some serious management and quality control issues and nothing could ever convince me to visit them again. I would rather take my car to the Mexican mechanics at my local gas station who are at least very polite and do a thorough job of an oil change at half the price!

JIFFY LUBE SUCKS!

[687] Tom in Bonney Lake, WA  No Oil Check

[686] Employee in South FL 

[685] Gerard in Richmond, VA  Fooled Daughter

[684] Mary in Albuquerque, NM  Credit Report

[683] Robinetta in Riverdale, GA  No Oil Cap

I have been tring to get in touch with some but they just keep blowing me off.  An employee at the 85 jiffylube in riverdale, ga left the oil cap off. Afterward my was smoking burning oil and here it is 2 weeks later my engine is knocking.  Im trying to find a solution

[682] Ben in La Quinta, CA  Forgot to Replace Oil

[681] Lori in Rancho Cordova, CA  Lying About Services
 
First let me say that the Jiffy Lube on Olson and Zinfandel in Rancho Cordova is terrific.  However, today they had a malfunction with their compressor and sent me over to JIFFY LUBE #2226 on Folsom Blvd and Mather Field Blvd.  They asked me if I'd like their signature service for 32.99.  I said that's fine but no need to clean the windows or vacuum the floors. When the guy came in to ask me what kind of oil I wanted in my 2005 4Runner, I didn't know.  I said let me call my friend who has the same car maybe she knows.  The guy was rude, impatient and was flipping things around his desk that were in his way.  Poor customer service.  Not getting the quick response from my friend, I told him just use the regular oil. He said if it was previously filled with synthetic oil it wouldn't matter because they drain all the old oil out anyway.  Fine.  Then he told me it would be 2.00 more since I had a 4x4. Whatever. After everything was done, he went over the list of services. I said YOU ARE LYING!  He had a strange look on his face like he was almost going to laugh.  I asked him if he did everything on the list and he said yes. I again said you are lying to me.  If you had checked my lights, you would have noticed I have a light out on the front right side of my car! I asked him if he really did the other things on the list.  I asked him if he checked my wipers and he said yes.  Then you would have noticed they are shot!  He said I told you your wipers were bad.  I told him I never heard him say that and he told me thats because you were on the phone!  I asked him how I'm supposed to believe they really did the work when he's already lied to me.  I went down the list and he advised me everything was done (except the vacuum and windows which I turned down).  So I get home, the maintenance light is still on in my car, the tire pressure indicator lights up, I check my visible fluids and the wiper fluid has not been filled.  Yes I bought a new air filter and that was installed.  I'm taking my car in to another mechanic to see if the services were really completed.

[680] Kathleen in Chico, CA  Air Filter Deception

[679] Ryan  Not Worth It

[678] Bryan in Wichita, KS  Alternator Problems

[677] Amy in Lynwood, WA  Costly Extras

I went into store #1097 in which I told them to just do a basic oil change when I pulled in.  I go to wait and a half hour later they come and get me and I find out they haven't even bothered to do the oil change, they had just been poking around my car for other things to fix and charge me for (such as air filters) the whole time.  This was my very first time taking my car in for an oil change and I had guessed it must have been routine, but I was still upset that I was waiting around while they did that.  Then they claimed that I had to have my air filters and a few other things replaced or my car wouldn't run properly.  I okayed it up to a certain amount because I didn't know any better.  Now I know they took advantage of me.  They ended up charging me $50 over the amount I okayed which I was not happy about.  And the air filters they put in my car rattled every time I drove.  Not only that, but the guy claimed that their level 3 oil, best synthetic oil, would last 5,000 miles.  I opted for that oil based on the sole reason that it would last me 5,000 miles.  Well, it turned out the guy lied.  It lasts 3,000 just like the rest and I paid an extra $19.99 for it.  I ended up putting a complaint into the BBB and the regional manager had terrible customer service skills - he basically insinuated that I was a liar.  The resolution from the BBB complaint (after much heated debate going back and forth) was that I was promised a refund for the $19.99 that I paid extra but nothing else.  That was October 2005, I have yet to receive that refund from them.

[676] Charissa in Sherman Oaks, CA  News Stories

I just saw the new broadcast by channel 4. I take my car to the Jiffy Lube in Sherman Oaks one of the ones channel 4 caught on tape not doing the work that was paid for.

I can grew up with a father who owned a mechanic shop and 3 part stores. I can tell you that if our family shop was ever caught not doing the work that was paid for we would have never said "we will not talk to the news because this does not benefit us".

Though I have never had a issue Jiffy Lupe based, on that comment alone I will never go back to a Jiffy Lube location to service an of our 4 cars.

I received the news story in an e-mail and we all know what word of mouth or internet can do to a company.

I think Jiffy Lube should of taking this a little more seriously. You have lost me, my husband, and several family members between California and Colorado as customs.