Complaint Review: Aamco - Pantego Texas

I took my 2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid into the Pantego, Tx transmission shop on 2/5/2021 and did NOT get my car back until 2/6/2022. No, that is not a typo, the dates are correct. The car went back and forth 4 times over a period 1 year, meanin that had the car for about 11 out of 12 months.

The car was not wanting to drive and doing hard start/stops, jerking and shaking.  We took the car there thinking it was a transmission issue. They diagnosed it as a transmission issue and they told me I need to get a new transmission, so that is what we did. We originally thought it was the hybrid battery but it was brand new and no issues.

They replaced the transmission with a rebuilt transmission and charged us just over $3800.  We got the car back, drove it home and within a couple of days the started doing the same thing. They said something came loose they fixed it and should be good.  Sure enough same thing, they towed it away and we never saw it again.

Finally after a few months, they said a part had gone bad, it was not apart of the transmission but they would get it fixed with no charge. No in all of my life has you ever heard of any place doing major repairs for free??? Free because they screwed something up and now were trying to cover their tracks and fix it. 

Now keep in mind the original mechanic that worked on my car has now been fired. He obviously messed something up and now the shop was having to fix the mess up.  The problem is now that they dont know what he did and they cant figure it out and now saying it wasnt the transmission and that it is a part that gives energy to the hybrid battery to the trasmission vice versa or some mumbo jumbo like that.

He now tells us that the car needs another part called a traction motor and he is frustruted with us so much that he refuses to order the part and tells us to do. He says he found the part but we will have to order it and pay for it and he didnt leave me any other choice.  So he gives me a part #...I called gave the part # and they delievered it. 

They put the part on and a 3 weeks later says that the part was damaged in transit and he has been going back and forth with the parts warranty department to get me reimbursed. The warranty department said that he waited so long to report any damage and now it is not going to be under warranty.

Now keep in never told me the part was damaged until almost 3 weeks later and I asked if it was damaged then why wasnt the part shop notified immediately and returned to get another one as a replacement.  He would never give me a direct answer.  I contacted the parts store and they said he never notified them or spoke with him and the transmission that i bought was in good condition. 

I told him the part # i gave was for a traction motor not a transmission.  The parts guy said...no he told you it was called a traction motor but he had you buy a used transmission.  Yeah so basically he lied about the part, conned me into buying a used transmission so he could get a part off of it to fix the car.  He got it put on and guess what ....drove it home and car broke down, again. 

They towed it back and now says that it is some kind of pump that has gone out and it was going to cost me over $700 and I would have to pay it all up front and he would reimburse me for half. Now again, if the transmission shop wasnt at fault at all then why would they offer to pay for half of the part? 

At this point I was able to reach Mr. Mike Pekula at Aamco Corporate office and told him the situation and he reached out to the Pantego shop and told them that Aamco was paying for the pump part and to get it put on to get our car back to us.  So we got the car back on 2/6/2002.  Please keep in mind that my husband used this car for work and has now lost almost 1 year of income/lost wages due to them keeping our car for so long. 

So we did not have the money right away to get it inspected and re-registered since it expired while in Aamco's possesion and insurance on it again.  They told us when we get it inspected and registered to drive it for 1-2 weeks to and bring in in.  We were driving it as he told us after getting it registered and it broke down on 6/5/2022.  They towed it to there shop on 6/6/2022. 

They are now saying it has something to do with the hybrid system and is not a transmission issue and it is not covered under the warranty for the repairs they did.  It is doing the exact same thing from the very start. So if it is not a transmission issue then why did I pay over $3800 for a rebuilt transmission and then get conned into buying a 2nd transmission for over $1700.

Oh and did I mention that the $3800 rebuilt transmission is not even on the car...they gave it to us. So basically we paid for that transmission for nothing and they put on the used $1700 transmission. DO NOT GO TO THIS SHOP! IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR CAR...GO ELSEWHERE! I called the Aamco Corporate office on and spoke to Mr. Pekula's replacement Mr. Quinn Callahan. 

He returned my call on 6/8/2022 and said he would reach out to the Pantego shop and would contact me back.  I have called every day since then and I have left voicemails and no one will call me back, not one person not even Mr. Callahan as he stated he would. 

Now they want to give the car back as is and refusing to fix what they broke. I have emails and receipts of everything that has been done to this car. Looking for a laywer or media to expose this shop as a RIP OFF!!!!!!