Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  11/02/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I bought a hybrid vehicle 6 months ago with 70k miles, from Landers Mclarty Subaru in **********, **, a ****** I bought this for my graduating daughter, a congratulatory gift to get her through college safely. I am now at the ***** dealer and theyre telling me I need an engine! What kind of inspections are done here!? When I called the used car manager, he told me theres nothing he could do cause I didnt buy their extended warranty. Why would I buy an extended warranty at a place that cant work on them? That makes no sense. Did they even look at this one or just pencil whip the inspection? How do you miss something like that? Theyve sold a lemon!

  Business response

  12/07/2022

  We are currently working with the customer to find him an engine.  He has found a person to install. We have not worked out all the details yet, but this is the update as of Friday 12/2/22.

• Initial Complaint

  06/08/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  16 Apr 22 I drove to Huntsville to visit my brother. While up there my vehicle broke down. Since I had to return to work the following Tuesday I rode back home to New Orleans on Sunday and my brother Larry brought the car to Landers McLarty to be inspected. They informed Larry & I that my transmission Torque Converter & Valve Body needed to be replaced as well as a recall job on my Valve Springs. I agreed to have them do the work. In the beginning of May they informed my brother that the job was done & my vehicle was ready to be picked up. When Larry got the car to his house he noticed that the transmission and starter were not tightened and close to falling off the vehicle and coolant was leaking from some hoses. He promptly called Landers who sent a tow truck to pick up the vehicle. After that was allegedly fixed he picked up the vehicle and noticed that white smoke was coming from the exhaust and coolant was still leaking in the engine bay so he again brought it back to them. Landers claimed a clamp came loose. May 13 I drove up with my fiancé from New Orleans to pick up my car to leave on the 15th. 15 minutes into the drive home I my oil level low light came on and i noticed smoke coming from the engine bay. 16 May I brought the again back to Landers to get looked at who claimed that my oil pressure sensor was bad and they replaced it. Once I finally got the car home after driving the car less than 900 miles my oil level low light again illuminated & white smoke is still coming from the exhaust. 5 June I looked in my engine bay & saw coolant sprayed everywhere in my car. 6 June I brought my car to Bryan who informed me that my radiator was bad. My radiator was never an issue before I had maintenance done to the vehicle by Landers and I was not leaking coolant prior to bringing it to them. Records indicate that they had to remove my radiator and after Larry & I telling them multiple times it was leaking coolant I'm certain this issue was cause by them.

  Business response

  06/14/2022

  On April 18th 2022 ******** ****** brought in a 2013 lmpreza ***************** Repair
  Order 316676 with 143,279 miles stating the service engine and automatic transmission temperature lights were on. After an inspection we informed ******** that the vehicle needed the CVT valve body and toque converter replaced, we also advise we found several additional items that needed addressing, wheel bearing, control arms, axles. ******** stated this is his brother's vehicle and he would handle the basic repairs but did not feel comfortable with the transmission repair. We informed ******** there were 2 open recalls on the lmpreza 1 that required the engine being removed, this would give us access to the torque converter and save him a significant amount of labor. ******** approved and the CVT parts along with the valve springs and brake switch to complete the recalls were replaced. After picking up and driving the vehicle home ******** called back and stated he found dripping coolant and several loose bolts, we towed the vehicle back as a precaution opened Repair Order 317260 and addressed the issues. On May 5th ******** brought the lmpreza back stating there was a coolant leak on the passenger side of the engine leaking on the exhaust, we open RO ****** and found a failed pressure clamp it was replaced and the vehicle returned. On May 16th ******** brought the lmpreza in stating the oil light was coming on and he saw some smoke from the passenger side of the engine. We opened RO ****** and found the oil switch had failed unrelated to prior repairs; the switch was replaced which resolved the issues. We preformed the repairs at no charge due to ******** having to bring the vehicle back in several times.
  On June 7th ******* ****** called in stating the lmpreza started leaking coolant and overheating now that he is back in New Orleans. We called ***** Subaru and spoke to Jeff who stated the upper radiator tank which is plastic on this model is cracked and the radiator needs to be replaced. We informed ******* that this was outside the scope of repairs done at Landers Mclarty Subaru and that if the radiator were cracked prior, he would not have been able to drive to Louisiana without incident. Our technician, shop foreman, ******** and myself all looked the lmpreza over if there had been an issue with the radiator during any of the visits it would have been quoted. Unfortunately, there is no way to anticipate a failure on a 10-year-old vehicle with over 140,000 miles.
  Copies of the repair orders, estimate and declined items are being provided. If you have additional questions or need clarification an anything please reach out.

  Customer response

  06/17/2022

  I am rejecting this response because:

  The "loose bolts" were in fact transmission mounting bolts and starter bolts. If ******** didn't know what he was looking at and decided not to check Landers McLarty's maintenance work the transmission could've fallen out which is why the first time the vehicle had to be sent back via a tow truck. I can only imagine what could've happened if he didn't check the work at all and continued driving it. No paying customer should have to double check the work that was done on their vehicle by a Subaru Certified Service Center but Landers McLarty has proven otherwise. The fact that the car had to be returned 3-4 times because the job was not done correctly the first time around is indicative that Landers McLarty maintenance work cannot be trusted. Between the leaking coolant because hoses were not properly installed, bolts not being torqued down I have to wonder what other maintenance procedures were not done correctly that cannot be easily seen? How am I suppose to trust that the work I paid for Landers McLarty to do correctly was actually done right when they've proven time and time again that their work needs to be double checked? How can I trust that my radiator wasn't mishandled when they uninstalled it and reinstalled it into my vehicle when Landers McLarty has proven to me as a customer that they're not trustworthy? 

  My car is currently being looked at by an ASE certified mechanic independent of Subaru. I will upload any documentation they give me regarding the issues I'm having with my car.

  Business response

  06/27/2022

  The scope of repairs preformed by Landers McLarty Subaru did not require the removal of the radiator. We addressed all outstanding issues with the Crosstrek at the time of repair, there is no to predict future failures on high mileage vehicles.

  Customer response

  06/28/2022

  I am rejecting this response because: First off it’s an Impreza not a Crosstrek. Secondly; in order to replace Valve Springs the engine had to be removed. In order to remove engine from my vehicle the radiator must be removed. I now request that Landers McLarty provide the maintenance procedures for valve spring replacement and for engine removal since they are claiming that they did not remove the radiator from my Subaru Impreza. Every source I’ve referenced has stated that the radiator must be removed prior to removing the engine.
  

  Business response

  07/05/2022

  Landers McLarty Subaru is not responsible for the complainant's radiator failure.  

  Customer response

  07/06/2022

  I am rejecting this response because Landers Mclarty is claiming they are not responsible for damage to my radiator and per their previous response they claimed that they did not remove the radiator from my vehicle. Since they have failed to provide the maintenance procedures for replacement of the valve springs and removal of the engine as I specifically requested further indicates the dishonesty of Landers Mclarty. I know that the maintenance technicians at Landers Mclarty had to pull my engine in order to change out my valve springs and I know that one of the first major components to be removed prior to engine removal is the radiator. The fact that Landers Mclarty failed to provide the step by step maintenance procedures to show that they didn't remove my radiator further substantiates their lack of transparency and their lack of integrity towards their customers. 

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩