My wife and I have been customers for almost a decade with Auto Evaluators. We have trusted them with our Chevy Volt for the entire time we have owned the vehicle. They are a bit more expensive than your average shop but we happily paid it for trust and quality work. That all changed after our most recent visit and has made me question all the work they’ve done for us in the past.
I’ve tried reaching out to the business to speak with whoever the GM or owner is running the business, but they neglected my request and instead had the technician who worked on the the vehicle call me to try and resolve the problem. Why would I want to talk to the employee who already failed to properly diagnose the vehicle? So I am airing my complaint here and the better business bureau moving forward.
I brought my Chevy volt in because after finishing replacing both CV axles, the engine would no longer start. I was told I’d be charged for a “level 2 diagnostic” from the description of the situation for 500 dollars. I towed my vehicle there and it took them three days to get it up on a lift and do the level 2 diagnostics. Upon “completion” of the diagnostics, the technician stated that I didn’t not install OEM axles and that they need to be replaced with their parts (for 2200$) and they aren’t even sure if that will fix the problem but it’s a “start.” They also stated that my transmission had a big leak.
This seemed like a guess to me because the axles are fully mechanical and have nothing to do with any electrical components on the vehicle and last I checked there aren’t any OEM axle sensors to shut down an engine if nothing is recognized.
I asked the technician if the level 2 diagnostics were completed, he said yes. I asked if any electrical issues presented during the diagnostics or if they were able to clear any codes, he said no everything looked fine. I then asked if there is a list of everything that is included in a level 2 diagnostic and was told no. I asked when they trained new technicians on how to complete a level two diagnostic and if I could see that material, again hard no. I just had to trust them at their word and had no way of checking their work. RED FLAG! I still at this time have no idea what is included with a “level 2 diagnostic” and what separates it from a level 1 or level 3.
The technician identified a large amount of transmission fluid in the wheel well after we told him that we replaced the axles on both sides. (Fluid leaks from the transmission when pulling the axles out.) He could not be bothered with spraying something to clean the area and then actually identify where the leak was coming from if it was that large.
Not trusting their diagnosis I paid them for the “work” they’ve done and towed my vehicle to another shop. This business identified the true issue. In the drivers side wheel well, three electrical wires had been damaged during the removal process. These wires were repaired and the vehicle is now running smoothly. You’d think with the car on a lift, their head in the wheel well doing the level TWO diagnostics, what ever that means, they would be able to check the electrical components and wiring on an electric car when the electric engine doesn’t turn on.
This experience has made me question all of the business that my family has done with them in the past and I will no longer be recommending them as I have done for so many years. I don’t know if ownership has changed recently or what’s going on, but my family and I will no longer be back. I will also be attaching pictures of what actually caused the problem and not the 2200 dollar guess they were trying to make with my hard earned money.
PS: the transmission hasn’t dropped since being repaired.