Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  09/11/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I took my Jeep Wrangler to High-End Automotive due to a claim filed with *********. My Jeep only had a water pump out and thermostat out. High end Automotive tore down my motor stating that I had 2 blown head gaskets. Which I DID NOT. They left my motor open with nothing covering it for 2 months and now I have a rust in all 6 cylinders, they also drained all the oil from the oil pan and disconnected the A/C compressor from the line they also took out the whole computer system as well. I now have to spend 13,000 to put in a new motor, replace and recharge the A/c, hook up the computer, and pay labor and other parts fees if they are needed. HighEnd Automotive Charged me 1,5057.00 to get my Jeep from them all taken a part. They also put the heads back on my Jeep and also offered us the specs that was needed to put my Jeep back together. Once we got my Jeep back home me and my husband took it to two dodge dealerships and both stated that my Head-gaskets were never blown. ********* has made it better on their part but I am wanting High end Automotive to also take on the responsibility for what they have done.

  

  Business response

  09/15/2023

  Customer brought vehicle in on a trailer on June 19th with a complaint the vehicle was running hot and stated they had ********* Warranty. Customer advised he had changed several parts in an attempt to fix the issue himself, to no avail. A pressure test was performed and system passed test. A block test was done on cooling system and failed test. Pictures were taken of the test results for customer and warranty group. Service manager(s) contacted warranty group and made claim. Warranty group then requested leak down test be performed. Customer was advised and also advised that any work done that was declined by warranty would be owed out of pocket. Customer understood and agreed to further testing.  Cylinders 1-6 passed leak down test and pictures were obtained for customer and warranty group. Found traces of fluid in cylinders 5-6 and a video was obtained for customer and warranty group. Contacted warranty group and advised of test results. Warranty group then required tear down to the point of failure, which involved cylinder head removal. Customer was again advised of next steps warranty company was requesting and he approved. Tear down included having to disconnect a/c system and several wiring harnesses/connectors in order to remove cylinder heads. Tear down also included draining oil as part of the procedure to remove timing chain to remove cylinder heads. After tear down on July 18th warranty group was advised and an in person inspection was scheduled. Warranty group advised inspector would be out within 24-48 hours. On same date, July 18th, customer was also provided a price to repair vehicle if he did not want to wait for warranty group. After inspection warranty group requested additional information from customer because the policy was recently purchased. Warranty group required customer to send service records and all receipts to them. Warranty group received the records customer provided and found the customer purchased BLUE DEVIL HEAD GASKET SEALER on a receipt that was turned in for the vehicle service records and at that point they deemed this as a pre-existing issue and denied claim. At that point customer was advised of the denial. Customer advised he would fight with the warranty group and let us know how to proceed. Customer was advised cylinder heads were off vehicle and we needed to know how to proceed as soon as possible due to engine exposure to the elements. He was also provided price for repairs again, which was 4955.86 for cylinder head gasket repairs, and that he either needed to approve the repairs or pick up his vehicle. At that time customer stated he could get an engine with a better warranty for the same price and could do the work himself. We did not hear back from customer and started trying to contact customer numerous times. On August 3rd we sent a message to the customer advising storage would start on August 7th if repairs were not approved or vehicle was not picked up. Finally on August 15th customer responded he would pick up the vehicle and do the repairs himself because he did not have the finances. Customer picked up the vehicle on August 17th. As a courtesy to the customer we set the cylinder heads back on the vehicle to help prevent as much moisture from accessing the engine. When customer picked up the vehicle he was very appreciative for all what we had done and all the time we put in with the warranty group to try and get the repairs covered.

  

  Business response

  09/15/2023

  Customer brought vehicle in on a trailer on June 19th with a complaint the vehicle was running hot and stated they had ********* Warranty. Customer advised he had changed several parts in an attempt to fix the issue himself, to no avail. A pressure test was performed and system passed test. A block test was done on cooling system and failed test. Pictures were taken of the test results for customer and warranty group. Service manager(s) contacted warranty group and made claim. Warranty group then requested leak down test be performed. Customer was advised and also advised that any work done that was declined by warranty would be owed out of pocket. Customer understood and agreed to further testing.  Cylinders 1-6 passed leak down test and pictures were obtained for customer and warranty group. Found traces of fluid in cylinders 5-6 and a video was obtained for customer and warranty group. Contacted warranty group and advised of test results. Warranty group then required tear down to the point of failure, which involved cylinder head removal. Customer was again advised of next steps warranty company was requesting and he approved. Tear down included having to disconnect a/c system and several wiring harnesses/connectors in order to remove cylinder heads. Tear down also included draining oil as part of the procedure to remove timing chain to remove cylinder heads. After tear down on July 18th warranty group was advised and an in person inspection was scheduled. Warranty group advised inspector would be out within 24-48 hours. On same date, July 18th, customer was also provided a price to repair vehicle if he did not want to wait for warranty group. After inspection warranty group requested additional information from customer because the policy was recently purchased. Warranty group required customer to send service records and all receipts to them. Warranty group received the records customer provided and found the customer purchased BLUE DEVIL HEAD GASKET SEALER on a receipt that was turned in for the vehicle service records and at that point they deemed this as a pre-existing issue and denied claim. At that point customer was advised of the denial. Customer advised he would fight with the warranty group and let us know how to proceed. Customer was advised cylinder heads were off vehicle and we needed to know how to proceed as soon as possible due to engine exposure to the elements. He was also provided price for repairs again, which was 4955.86 for cylinder head gasket repairs, and that he either needed to approve the repairs or pick up his vehicle. At that time customer stated he could get an engine with a better warranty for the same price and could do the work himself. We did not hear back from customer and started trying to contact customer numerous times. On August 3rd we sent a message to the customer advising storage would start on August 7th if repairs were not approved or vehicle was not picked up. Finally on August 15th customer responded he would pick up the vehicle and do the repairs himself because he did not have the finances. Customer picked up the vehicle on August 17th. As a courtesy to the customer we set the cylinder heads back on the vehicle to help prevent as much moisture from accessing the engine. When customer picked up the vehicle he was very appreciative for all what we had done and all the time we put in with the warranty group to try and get the repairs covered.

  Customer response

  09/18/2023

  
  Complaint: 20586658
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Warranty group DID NOT request a leak down test be performed. My husband requested it. Never stated that they found traces of fluid in cylinders 5-6. Was told there was a residue in the Coolant line. Never was informed of the Tear down that included having to disconnect a/c system and several wiring harnesses/connectors in order to remove cylinder heads in coolant line. The BLUE DEVIL HEAD GASKET REPAIR that was purchased for for my husbands MUD BOAT that was out in the marsh at the camp.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Elizabeth *****

  Customer response

  09/18/2023

  
  Complaint: 20586658
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Warranty group DID NOT request a leak down test be performed. My husband requested it. Never stated that they found traces of fluid in cylinders 5-6. Was told there was a residue in the Coolant line. Never was informed of the Tear down that included having to disconnect a/c system and several wiring harnesses/connectors in order to remove cylinder heads in coolant line. The BLUE DEVIL HEAD GASKET REPAIR that was purchased for for my husbands MUD BOAT that was out in the marsh at the camp.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Elizabeth *****

  

  Business response

  09/22/2023

  Leak down test was requested, approved and done. Videos were taken of the findings and provided to the warranty group to try and obtain approval for the necessary repairs. Tear down to point of failure was approved by the customer, which included removing cylinder heads. We do not walk step thru step of each and every component that gets removed in a tear down process. We only obtain authorization for the tear down with the total labor hours needed and then we follow proper repair procedures to perform the tear down. We do not know what the blue devil head gasket was for and only going off what we were told by the warranty group as to the reason for their denial of the repairs.

  

  Business response

  09/22/2023

  Leak down test was requested, approved and done. Videos were taken of the findings and provided to the warranty group to try and obtain approval for the necessary repairs. Tear down to point of failure was approved by the customer, which included removing cylinder heads. We do not walk step thru step of each and every component that gets removed in a tear down process. We only obtain authorization for the tear down with the total labor hours needed and then we follow proper repair procedures to perform the tear down. We do not know what the blue devil head gasket was for and only going off what we were told by the warranty group as to the reason for their denial of the repairs.

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