Complaint Review: Les Schwab Tire Center - Everett Washington

So, I did contact the manager of the establishment within 48 hrs. They realigned my tires and I had the same problem. Remember, all 4 tires on the Jag are brand-new from Les Schwab, less than 12 miles on them. The manager said that even after the alignment, they needed to replace at least 2 of the new tires, apparently a 'manufacturing defect' and he ordered them from another LS location. However, I still had the problem. The next day, I was notified that the tires were in. I went down there and all 4 new tires were then removed and replaced.

My Jag still pulls a little bit to the right but nowhere near as bad. I remain completely dissatisfied with their customer service and am waiting now for the weather to get better to have them fix the problem once and for all, since I still have a warrantee on them. 

As a mechanic and a former les schwab employee maybe i can shed some light on their side of the story. Unfortunately all-wheel-drive systems can be damaged by using different-size tires on different wheels. Even if the tires started out as exactly the same size, if one pair is worn down, that difference in circumference can cause problems. Jag requires replacement of all 4 tires simultaneously. I have personally seen many transmissions and limited slip differentials damaged by replacing only one or two tires at a time. This can cause huge liability issues for any company working on your car.

Also installing tires cannot change the alignment angles of your car, what happens is when tires are out of alignment for some time or aligned correctly and road crown, witch is excessive in Washington, are affecting the tires, the old tires basically wear into the patterns of the road and/or misalignment. You would have probably noticed the same problem when you had them rotated. I do agree with you in the fact that the employees should not have said you did something wrong, and should have explained what was going on more thoroughly. I am sorry that this experience happened to you.

  So what this boils down to is one screw in one tire ruined four tires. Integrity is dead.

On Weds morning 11/28, I woke up to a low passenger rear tire. I'd had  Les Schwab at the Evergreen location put air in it the afternoon before, where the rep (name unknown) told me I ought to be OK for a week (strike 1). I limped to a local gas station and reinflated the tire myself.

Took it back up to Les Schwab on Weds ~1000.  Waited over an hour (strike 2). They finally put my car on the rack, REMOVED the tire (strike 3) (why couldn't they have visually inspected the tire before removing the tire and wheel?), and showed me where a screw (probably picked up on the road somewhere) entered the sidewall of my 2004 Jaguar X-type. The tires on it were Les Schwab tires, but they didn't honor a transferred warrantee (strike 3+). They also told me they would not put only 2 tires on the rear of my AWD Jag, they would only put 4 tires on (strike 3++). I was in a bind, I needed my car to get back to work, and after what was already a lengthy ordeal, I agreed to have 4 tires put on AND have them siped. Way beyond what I figured should have been an easy fix, according to the Les Schwab guy who'd put air in the tire the day before. (strike 3+++)

As I drove out of their lot at about 1230 (over 2 hours later), and turned onto Evergreen, heading to the right turn to my work, I noticed that the steering was pulling to the right. I gave it till the next day when I went back to the same Les Schwab, and was told that they would balance it, and check the alignment. I was then told I would have to PAY for the alignment (strike 3++++). I was beyond angry. Here I'd just given them money for 4 brand new tires the day before, with no alignment issues the day before, and they want MORE money from me for an alignment that was obviously caused by however they applied the new tires? (strike 3+++++)

Then they tried to blame it (the bad alignment) on me hitting a pothole or a curb, I didn't hit either, I did parallel park later on Weds but then they showed me something on the tire that they said indicated I'd hit a curb or something. I distinctly did not since having the new tires put on, and I am the only person who drives my car (unless I am a passenger, which within the past 24 hours I was still the only person who drives my Jag). (strike 3++++++)

I left extremely angry, and have had another day to think about what to do next. If I don't get an alignment, my tires will be worn down irregularly, but I should not have to pay for what was made wrong by the new tires being installed incorrectly at Les Schwab. I will be calling the manager in the morning (they are closed right now) and explaining the situation to him/her tomorrow.

Let's see if they will honor their slogan "Doing the right thing since 1952". The right thing in this case is to perform a no-charge alignment.