Complaint Review: Firestone - Lakeland Florida

I brought my van into store number #025747 on 10.08.2017 @ 10:55 am, I told Elizabeth who is the Store Manager, that when I accelerate my vehicle from a light, it appears as though something is locked up in the rear, like it is dragging or caught on something (brakes locked up), it eventually flows into a normal operation a few seconds later, it is currently intermittent as well. She then says we do not work on vehicles of your age and mileage, I say a 95 voyager with 99k miles? It is then taken into a queue for service.

I had a technician whose name is Timmy, as I was watching him, he said that he took out 3 Quarts Of Transmission Fluid ( from his paperwork) , ( I had 3 new ATF + 4 quarts laying on my passenger side car ) I think that is where his number of three came from,  he had a cup / funnel that showed ~ 12 ounces of fluid taken out I knew he took out very little, I then asked Timmy if the fluid was the problem he promptly said  NO!. I talked to my dad and told him that the problem as Timmy said was a rear end issue, but yet they would not look into it further, due to age and mileage issues. He also said I have a spark plug with oil on it? I never saw it, he said that according to the paperwork, I am very rusty in the rear end, I have a trailer hitch, that is extremely rusty I will admit it, I have a few piece of rust on the springs, and the rear axle is probably the original one, but this vehicle is also an original Florida Vehicle. I am more concerned about this dragging more than anything else, and Timmy says to me, that the additive that was put in the transmission may have “ Wore out “ Take it to an engine / transmission shop  Elizabeth then sent me out the door at no charge.

I then drive my vehicle home and have no proble(m)s as it appeared. I then get about 5 miles from my house and my tramissions starts whining, at about 40 mph.  I then go home and call my dad, and tell him about it, he says to me, to raise the driver and passenger side in the rear on the axle’s and spin the tires, driver side spins about three or four full turns, the passenger side spins freely for about a good 30 to 45 seconds, and then stops.  I inspect the transmission fill container, and the under carriage of the transmission, it shows the starting of rust forming, but not to the extent that Timmy states, pictures avaliable upon request.

I am now in investigation mode, something did not seem right. I call this store here at talk to Adam, 5105 Florida Ave S, Lakeland, FL 33813. I explain to him what happened and what I saw, and he said, I am not sure why they did that, but it sounds like THEY blew the transmission seal. I then call this store here 2587 S Hwy 27, Clermont, FL 34711 and ask about due to what happened, what do I need to do? I am told take it to the same store, and tell them about it, or take to a transmission shop, get a quote of damage, and submit to claims at Firestone. I then call and talk to Elizabeth who is the shop manager, and I ask her, “When you check in a vehicle do you, check mileage, lic plate, VIN, and year of vehicle? She answers Yes, I than hang up on her. I then take a deeper look into my paperwork and realize that there is no record of my current vehicle being in the shop, but yet they would say by paperwork alone, they saw my car that I junked, which are the blue pictures below. What I am looking for is an answer, as to how a rear brake symptom problem turns into a transmission problem, and now needing a repair. The person who performed the repairs and checked in the car, are at least responsible of neglect, and carelessness. How will firestone, try and rectify this problem. I have spoken to Kevin Edmunds who is the District Manager of this location, I am not confident he is going to take this matter seriously, let alone have it investigated.

As of 11/06/2017 My vehicile has been seen by two people, one thought I needed a brake inspection, and the other person though I was needing an engine inspection. Both individuals were never told of the transmission issue, I drove with the second adjuster, and we all agreed, myself, my dad, the local repair facility that my vehicile needed to be taken to a transmission shop. 

Firesone towed my vehicile home on October 27th, with the promise it would be taken back to a transmission facility after having to speak with the claims deptartment manager, he guaranteed it would happen, and we are almost 10 days out, and I have heard anything from Firestone. 

Firesone refuses to take responsibility for a problem they caused, I have sent the letter to Gordon Knapp, and his second in command, and no one has reached out to me as to see how to rectify my problem. I keep getting blamed for things that are out of my control.