Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  10/31/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In mid-November 2023 I paid DARCARS Baltimore to replace all four brakes and rotors on my car. The service cost approximately $1000. After the brakes were replaced in November 2023, I immediately noticed that the brakes were squeaking/squealing. I took the car back in for inspection and explained that the brakes were squealing excessively. I was told that everything looked fine. Several more months passed - the squealing issue was still occurring. I took the car back in for service and was once again told that everything looked fine. The issue at hand is that all four brake shims are missing. This was discovered when I took the car in for the state-required inspection. The mechanic explained that normally this should result in a failed inspection. However, I explained that I had recently took the car into the local dealership, so they gave me a pass. I called the dealership back and explained the situation. They agreed to take the car in and look at it, for a third time. Afterwards, the employee informed me that it would cost extra for the shims to be installed. When I explained to the employee that the squealing issue was not present prior to the brake service, they did not care. When I asked the employee how it was possible that all four of the shims could have worn out when the car only had ~51k miles on it, they did not have an answer. The issue was escalated to the manager, but this person also did not care about any of the points I was making. What doesn’t make sense at all is how all four of the shims could have fallen off or degraded to a point where it was impossible to replace them. As I mentioned, the car only had ~51k miles at time of service. Even if all of the shims were bad, why was I not told that they needed to be replaced at the time of the original service? Why was I not told that the shims were missing after I brought the car in twice? I believe that the dealership forgot to re-install the original shims when my brakes were replaced.

  Business response

  11/05/2024

  Our GM will be reaching out to Mr. ******* today to discuss bringing in the vehicle in to assess his claims. Thank you.

  Customer response

  11/11/2024

  They never contacted me.

  Business response

  11/18/2024

  Our General Manager called on 11/5 and 11/14 and left a voicemail for him on 11/14 at ************. Thank you!

  Customer response

  11/24/2024

  The dispute has not been resolved. A company representative sent a message that they would call me. I gave them a lot of time to do this, but the call never happened.
  
  In this case, I think the complaint needs to be reopened. They can reach me via email or cell.

• Initial Complaint

  11/10/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My car was dropped off in the afternoon on 11/2 to the establishment. They didn't look at it until the next day. Jessica called me on Friday morning for approval to do a diagnostic at which time I informed her my car was under warranty and she said she would look into it. Later that day, she called back to say that I needed a new key and "reseeding" and it would cost $1059 which wouldn't be covered by warranty. I told her to proceed, thinking I had no other choice. I called back 4 minutes later to ask her to hold off on the new key until I could contact my warranty provider. She informed me they already ordered the part (did not offer to cancel that order) and said she actually didn't find any warranty for my car (so previously telling me it wasn't covered was a lie). I gave her the contact information for my warranty provider and did not hear anything until Monday morning at 10:30am. At that time she informed me that they had already reseeded the key ($1059 worth of work) and now I also needed a new battery. She also mentioned that she was unable to reach my warranty provider and it turns out she took down the wrong number and didn't reach out to me to confirm at any time. I asked her to hold off on the battery replacement until we could reach Fidelity for warranty info. It turns out the warranty wouldn't cover any of this so I called back at 4:30pm on Monday to request to proceed with replacing the battery so I can pick up my car. She didn't answer so I left a voicemail and continued to call and leave 5 more voicemails for her and her director but still did not receive any response for the last 2 days. I was told by two different front desk assistants that the car was done (without the battery) but nobody even reached out to me to say it was ready for pickup. They then reached out to the director and also indicated he would call me back. I left multiple messages, but still have no contact from the Director Gary, nor anyone from Darcars.

  Bureau response

  11/10/2023

  Megan *****
  *** * ****** ** ********** *** *****
  
  
  Dear Megan *****:
  
  Thank you for contacting the Better Business Bureau. This message is in regard to your complaint submitted on 11/8/2023 against DARCARS Toyota of Baltimore.  Your complaint was assigned ID 20845503. 
  
  Now that I have filed, what is the next step?
  We have forwarded your complaint to the business for their response. We have asked the business to reply promptly, but some disputes may take longer than others to conclude.  Please be patient as we work to ensure that your concerns are addressed. 
  
  What if I do not agree with the response from the business?
  It is important for both parties to maintain realistic expectations and respond in a professional, fair and courteous manner.  Our goal is for you and the business to be able to work towards an amicable solution. Should this prove difficult, we may offer you and the business the opportunity to participate in binding arbitration.  More information about these options can be found at www.bbb.org
  
  What happens if a business does not respond?
  BBB will make every effort to obtain a response from the business, but some businesses simply do not ever contact us.  BBB is not an enforcement agency. We cannot force a business to respond. However, failure to do so may result in a negative impact on their BBB rating, which may drive away future customers. BBB can also refer you to other agencies that may be able to assist you, depending on the specific nature of your complaint. 
  
  Feedback from consumers is vital to BBB. We appreciate your willingness to report this information to us. We look forward to helping you and the business work toward a resolution. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any additional questions or concerns.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  

  Linda *****
  l*****@greatermd.bbb.org
  

  Business response

  11/13/2023

  This customer's partner informed us via phone that they did not intend to pay their bill, and multiple team members witnessed this customer's partner verbally abusing a member of our team when they came to pick up the vehicle. On these grounds, we respectfully decline conducting any further work on this vehicle and wish them safe travels.

  Bureau response

  11/15/2023

  Megan *****
  *** * ****** ** ************ *****  
  
  Dear Megan *****:
  
  This message is in regard to your complaint submitted on 11/8/2023 against DARCARS Toyota of Baltimore.  Your complaint was assigned ID ********* 

   

  BBB has received a formal response from DARCARS Toyota of Baltimore. We ask that you review the response and understand that BBB is here to assist both parties in reaching a fair and reasonable resolution.

  Please review their response to your complaint and advise us of your position in the matter within 5 calendar days. If we do not hear back from you, BBB will assume you are satisfied and will close your complaint as answered.

  Please be sure to indicate whether the business' response is satisfactory or not and how you would like to proceed in this matter.

  If you received this complaint via Postal Mail, you may respond online using the link below or respond by mail using the address above.
  To access/respond to this complaint online:
  Go to: ****************
  Enter the following code: **************

  Sincerely,

  Linda *****
  ************************
  

  
  MESSAGE FROM BUSINESS:
  
  This customer's partner informed us via phone that they did not intend to pay their bill, and multiple team members witnessed this customer's partner verbally abusing a member of our team when they came to pick up the vehicle. On these grounds, we respectfully decline conducting any further work on this vehicle and wish them safe travels.

  Bureau response

  11/20/2023

  Sherlene *****
  DARCARS Toyota of Baltimore **** ******* *** ********* ** *****
  
  
  Re: ID * ******** - Megan *****
  
  Dear Sherlene *****:
  
  Thank you for your recent response to Megan *****. We have not yet heard from the consumer and are closing this case as answered.
  
  Following our usual procedure, BBB notified the consumer of your response and requested notification of whether or not a satisfactory resolution had been reached.  Unfortunately, the consumer has not notified our office if they are satisfied. BBB has determined that your company has addressed the issues within the complaint; therefore we have closed this case in our files. This matter will appear in your BBB Business Profile as: "Answered - The Business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer did not accept the response, OR BBB has not heard back from the consumer as to their satisfaction."
  
  The text of your response may be publicly posted on BBB's website. BBB reserves the right to not post in accordance with BBB policy, and we may edit your response to protect privacy rights and to remove inappropriate language. 

   

  In the event the consumer contacts BBB again regarding this issue, we may reach out to you to review any new or additional information we've received from the consumer. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Linda *****
  ************************
  

  Bureau response

  11/20/2023

  Megan *****
  *** * ****** ** ********* ** *****  
  
  
  Re: ID * ********- DARCARS Toyota of Baltimore
  
  Dear Megan *****,
  
  We have not received your response to confirm this complaint has been resolved. Therefore, this complaint has been closed and will appear in the company's BBB Business Profile as: “Answered- BBB has not heard back from the consumer as to their satisfaction with the business's response.” 
  
  Please know that BBB is always available to discuss your case and review additional information. Thank you for using BBB's Marketplace Services.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Linda *****
  ************************
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  11/01/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  To Whom This May Concern:
  
  I am launching a formal complaint against Darcars Toyota of Baltimore, MD located at 6997 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD. I purchased a used 2022 Toyota 4Runner from this dealership on August 8th, 2023, and I have had nothing but issues since initializing the transaction; please see below for a list of grievances I have regarding my experience with this car dealership:
  
  When I initially bought the vehicle, I paid for a few warranties outright – this included a tire/key warranty, maintenance and service warranties. I did not receive a second key fob for my vehicle, and they said that the tire/key warranty would provide a second key fob. I went to my local Toyota dealership near me, and they said they could not replace my second key fob with the warranty because my original key needed to be lost. I was misled by the finance manager when he advised this could be rectified.
  
  
  While I was in my local dealership about a week later, I wanted to verify that my warranties were activate so that I could begin looking into a maintenance schedule. They could not find my warranty information, and advised that I give it one more week to see if my warranties will be activated then. Two weeks later, my warranties were still not activated. I called Darcars to find out what is going on, and the finance manager stated that “Accounting forgot to apply your payment to the warranties, so they weren’t activated.” So I had been driving around for two weeks without any coverage that I had purchased.
  
  
  The Title/Tag process has been nothing short of a nightmare. Delaware is currently about 60-90 days behind on issuing license plates, and I am approaching the need for a third temp tag. The dealership told me 3 days before my first temp tag expired on 10/6/2023 that I needed to go get the vehicle inspected through DE. I had to take time off work, rush over to the DMV to put my car through inspection just to get them the information they needed. I have been attempting to follow up with them regarding the status of my tags, but every time I call, there is another excuse. They also stated that they will not be issuing me another temp tag, which I feel is wrong considering I paid them the service to get my vehicle tagged, and they keep falling short of deadlines. I understand DE is a deciding factor, but they need to be more diligent in following up with these state agencies if I paid them the service to do so.
  
  
  The sales associate failed to be up front regarding the damage to my vehicle when I purchased it. I noticed that there is a scratch going down my passenger front door, approximately 18 inches long, scratches on the rearview mirror on the passenger side, as well as three dings in the bumper. I went to a body shop to get an estimate on how much these items would cost to fix, and it was approximately $3,000 – this would include fixing the door, mirror and bumper, as well as re-painting. While I was given some money off on the runner when I bought it, I feel I should’ve received more off due to having to fix these issues on the vehicle they did not want to disclose.
  
  There should be some compensation involved with this complaint, as this has not only affected my relationship with the dealership, but also my lien holder. Due to the negligence of this dealership, I am having to take action on items that should have been rectified by now since I paid the dealership these services. I am extremely unhappy with the incompetence I’ve been shown by these employees, and seek for them to issue temporary tags until they send me my license plates. The warranties issue has been rectified, but between the non-disclosure for the damages and having to go to the DMV to perform services they should be executing, this has been a terrible experience.
  
  If there’s any additional information that is needed, please reach me via email at lindsey-ward@live.com for the fastest response. I can also be reached by phone at ###-###-#### as well, with a voicemail left.
  
  Thank you,
  
  ******* ****

  Business response

  11/27/2023

  Ms. **** came into the dealership on 11/25 and signed the corrected POA, which was immediately sent to our accounting department. We are doing as much as we can on our end to expedite this for for Ms. ****, but once it is in the hands of the Delaware DMV, it is out of our control. We hope for a speedy resolution.

• Initial Complaint

  08/23/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Bought a brand new vehicle from them, they gave me temporary tags until the regular tags come in, now the temp tags are expired they won’t give me an extension and won’t provide me with an explanation with what’s going on with my regular tags

  Business response

  09/26/2023

  Hello! This customer came in, signed for, and picked up his plates at the end of August. The tag was completed before the 60-day temp tag expired. 

• Initial Complaint

  08/11/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My car battery failed under warranty. I was told by ******* ****** to tow my car in and the battery would be replaced and tow reimbursed. While on the phone, she checked and confirmed that any tow company could be used. I paid for a tow upfront for $230 on July 31, 2023. She told me that day, the date the battery was replaced, to email her my tow receipt and she would reply with next steps by the next day. It has been 11 days of emailing and calling Toyota DARCARS every single day and neither *******, nor the director of service, **** *****, will respond to my emails, calls, or messages even though multiple employees have personally left them messages and even confirmed that one or the other would be calling me that day.

  Business response

  09/26/2023

  Our service director spoke with the manufacturer and they declined to reimburse the tow bill as the customer opted out of having the vehicle jump-started and chose an emergency tow. She called us prior to the tow and informed us that roadside assistance said they weren't going to cover it. We requested a copy of the tow bill to see if there was any way we could assist. Typically, the manufacturer usually does not reimburse more than $75 unless the tow occurs outside of business hours or if the closest dealership is quite far away. Unfortunately, neither were the case here. We did offer to cover the $75 as a gesture of goodwill, but this was declined by the customer. 

  Customer response

  09/28/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  This is a false statement from the company. They advised me to get a tow company, and told me not to use Toyota roadside as they usually are so busy. I asked about limitations on the tow company or amount and they said “let me check” then came back and said there were none. They said they would cover any tow in full. 
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ******

  Business response

  10/02/2023

  Currently our response will remain as stated previously. Our service director spoke with the manufacturer and they declined to reimburse the tow bill as the customer opted out of having the vehicle jump-started and chose an emergency tow. She called us prior to the tow and informed us that roadside assistance said they weren't going to cover it. We requested a copy of the tow bill to see if there was any way we could assist. Typically, the manufacturer usually does not reimburse more than $75 unless the tow occurs outside of business hours or if the closest dealership is quite far away. Unfortunately, neither were the case here. We did offer to cover the $75 as a gesture of goodwill, but this was declined by the customer.  Thank you, 

• Initial Complaint

  01/24/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  ***BBB note: A complaint was submitted by the consumer as a separate document that is accessible online. If you received this notice via email, please click on the "Write a Response" button to visit the unique online caselink, then, open the appropriate attachment. If you received this notice via postal mail, please type in the caselink into your web browser and open the appropriate attachment. If you have any questions, please contact your caseworker.

  Business response

  01/25/2023

  Contact Name and Title: Customer Relations Mgr
  Contact Phone: **************
  Contact Email: ********************************************
  CRM *************************** spoke with the customer and dealer team 1/25/23. Please note the following response. Customer did not have a receipt for the cash he paid.CRM, Stated to the customer it is company policy that a receipt must be presented to obtain a refund. Customer understood and that dealer will be closing the BBB. Customer responded ok. Please close. Thanks ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  11/03/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Date of transaction: June 21, 2022 Purchased a 2015 Jeep Wrangler unlimited from this dealership for $31250 after taxes financed for 5 -7 years. Since I have had this Jeep, I have had issues. The first was a bad O2 sensor within the first 2 weeks of having the vehicle. I was without my vehicle for 2 weeks while they were "repairing" it. Took it back 2x afterwards for them to find out it was the cam sensor because the check engine lift kept coming on. They fixed it after the 3rd time when they kept for 2 weeks looking for a fault then an additional 3 days to correct the fault. I moved to Florida in late August, since I have been here checked engine lift came on, and all dashboard lights came on with steam billowing from under the hood. I was informed by the mechanic that it would need an oil cooler but upon further checks found it would need a whole new motor. I have been trying to contact the dealership, but they have been turning a deaf ear to my plight. They are not connecting me with the general manager always saying that he is busy and I'm not getting callbacks. I cannot get any help. I have had this car less than six months and now I need a motor. This is not what I expected from this company, and now I'm about to be out of money because unless I get another car now, I would not be able to get back-and-forth to my job, so I need some help to resolve this issue.

  Business response

  12/01/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/11/04) */ CRM Sherlene ***** followed up with the Dealer Team Please note, this customer is now living in Florida. He does not have an extended warranty on his Jeep. The O2 sensor he is speaking of; we did not charge him for the work or the part. He says it was 3 times, however the 1st 2 times he took it to Jeep, not here. We were able to diagnose the problem, ordered the part and fixed it at no cost to him. There is nothing we can do to help him at this point. He bought a used Jeep on 06-21-2022 with 83770 miles then. We took good care of him when the issues came up after he bought from us. We simply can't just fix used car 5 months after purchase. Please close. Thanks Sherlene *****

*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. ↩