American Automobile Association [AAA]
Reviews and Complaints

August 21-22

Worst costumer service experience .

Was told a lock smith was come since 3:30pm the previous day, through many phone calls.

Then was told 8am a apt would be made for next day, when no one came was told they would find someone else, then was told just before I needed to go to work that they could tow it to dealer…..

When I asked for a manager because the girl I was talking to was being short with me she transferred me to a college who was short with me and hung up on me! B

Thanks aaa guess that’s how you treat your customers.

My brother took his car to this shop with a blown tire and a broken tire rod. They handed him an estimate for $2400 that included not only the tires and a tire rod but for several other items including struts and a knuckle. It did not feel right to me because he had just spent over $1,000 on the car two weeks before with the same shop. I had him tow the car to my mechanic and found out that he only needed two tires and a tire rod. The struts were new and there was no need for a knuckle. The total to fix his car at this shop was $500. This mechanic at the AAA shop was going apparently pretend to put struts on and whatever else he could scam from my brother who does not have a lot of money and is a veteran. This shop should be ashamed and AAA should take their name off of it.

On 8/15/22 I returned to my vehicle at a hotel parking lot and found it to be dead. My jumper cables were stuck in the trunk I could not get to them because the release inside the car would not work with a dead battery. I called for assistance. Put in my claim. They said 2:38 a 2 hour wait. At this time it was extended to 3:08 then 3:49 then 4:05 then 4:45 then 5:15 then 6:18. The trunk never came. I called the off to check and they said they did not know what was happening. Finally I found someone with jumper cables in their car who was able to give me a jump. I have been a member for over 20 years. The lack of service is horrific. I never receive messages or calls when the time was extended just had to keep check website with my claim number. Very disappointed and will not likely renew my policy because of the lack of service in Denver Colorado.

I was a member of AAA because of their excellent roadside assistance plan. I paid for my plan for a total of 5 years. During that time, I was entitled to use the plan 10 times. I used it only a total of 3 times. Despite the reasonable use, I was informed by them that my plan will not be renewed after the expiration period. I requested a review of their decision and was informed that there is no review process. Nevertheless, I sent letters to the two highest officials for whom I could find email address, and they responded by indicating that appeals are not permitted. Beyond this, they make it clear that membership in the future is prohibited for life.

This incident occurred on August 8, 2022 at the tire doctor and repair shop auto mechanics in Truckee California we called and explained the nature of what we believed was happening to the car. They told us that they would get a complete diagnostics of the vehicle and let us know we expressly told him that we were concerned that we may have transmission issues. They provided us with an estimate after it had been diagnosed saying that there was no transmission issues and that it needed extensive tire and brake repairs. After they stated that we then agreed to have them repair what they told us they found was wrong with the vehicle. Upon picking up the vehicle we noticed that the check engine light was still on and at that point they told us that there was issues with the transmission. We asked them why they told us there was no transmission issues and they stated that they were wrong and told us that they would take care of it. They then called us several hours later telling us that they could not make repairs to the transmission as they do not do transmission repairs. This was very interesting since we originally brought it in stating that there was issues with the transmission. After munch squabling back-and-forth they said that there was nothing they could do for the transmission and we were left to pay a $2300 bill for repairs that were done they were unassociated with our first complaint of the vehicle.. We left two more phone messages and an email message which were never returned so at the end of the story they basically took our money and ignored us and failed to provide us any further information on the original issues we brought the vehicle in for. This was extremely deceptive in my opinion as once they got our money we were completely ignored no phone calls were returned and they were unwilling to help us whatsoever to resolve the issue any further. The vehicle had to be brought to a Nissan dealership 50 miles away and is currently waiting to have them now diagnose it for the transmission issues.

Patricia M. Randall

1102 Winding Brook Court

Mitchellville, MD [protected]

[protected]@verizon.net

[protected]

To: AAA Roadside Assistance Complaint Dept.

Re: Patricia M. Randall

Membership No. 438 212 [protected] 2

Dear AAA Customer Care Representative,

I am writing to request a refund of $450 for a totally unsatisfactory experience I had with a representative on your 1-800-AAA-Help telephone line.

After learning where my car was stored, I called AAA early on Monday morning (July 25, 2022) to have the automobile towed to a salvage yard. AAA said they don’t tow to salvage yards so I asked that the car be brought to my home. The AAA tow truck was already at the storage yard when I arrived to pay the towing and storage fee. After having to pay the police-contracted service provider $315, the owner of the yard had his man check the AAA truck to verify that the truck had a seal certifying that they could do business in Prince George’s County. The Duley’s owner told me that all tow trucks had to have the seal to do business in the county – he said if he had to have the seal, so did everyone else with whom he does business. The AAA driver and Duley’s representative went to check the truck. The AAA driver told me that he was driving an “extra” truck and the truck had no seal. Duley’s owner would not release my car to AAA because the AAA truck did NOT have the required Prince George’s County, Maryland certification.

A AAA representative called me on my cell phone as my husband and I were driving home in another car to figure out our next steps. The representative did not know that we were on site and privy to the entire exchange . . . he proceeded to tell me that my car was in such a bad state that the AAA tow truck was not able to tow it without special tools. What a ludicrous statement since the storage company had towed it just fine. What kind of statement is that to make to a customer when I am, in fact, paying for that exact type of service. The conversation was so ridiculous that I ended the call.

I then had to call the storage company, Duley’s Service, in Bowie, MD, and have them tow my car from their yard to my driveway for an additional $135.00. Now I have expended $450 for something that should have cost me nothing having been a AAA customer for over 28 years and a AAA-Plus customer for a number of years.

I cannot believe AAA left me stranded in a parking lot when all I needed was a charge to my battery. They stated I used my allotted four services a year. However, when I checked I remember that the last call the AAA technician sent out said he could not provide me with the service I needed. I could not understand why since it was a tire change but the spare was located on top of the vehicle, so it would take time to remove and technician stated he was unprepared to do that. He wanted to simply tow the car somewhere when I was already in a gas station, he did not want to wait for the time it would take to remove the tire. As far as I was concerned that AAA call should not have counted against me. When for years I have never used 4 services but never received rollovers for unused service. I will definitely let family and friends whom I recommended use AAA that they discontinue with their service immediately. Also, customer representative who attended my call on 08/04/22. @5-6pm left me on the phone for almost one hour until he hung up on me. I was supposed to get connected to pay an extra $99 for them to come out again. I was going to pay the cost and then deal with the discrepancy the following day. If this is how they treat a customer that has been a AAA customer since 2008, I can only imagine. I was stranded in parking lot in Wheeling and made several attempts to speak to someone at AAA with NO sucess at all. Admittedly, I was extremely frustrated for dealing with these issues yet, again.

On August 1,2022 I called Triple AAA to tow my BMW to a repair shop as it was not operable. It was sitting front first on a small slope. The tow truck driver drove up and just sat in his truck and looked at my car. I asked him what was wrong and he told me he could not tow my car because there was not way he could get it out. He did not even get out and look for a way to attach a hook or rope to get it out. The distance to remove was less than 10 feet but the lazy guy just looked at it and drove off. He told me to get 4 strong guys to push it to the street and then call back. Well, my car is still sitting there. My daughter and I tried to push it

out but we were not able to do it.I have been a member of Triple AAA since 1982

and this is the first time I had any complaints about a driver. The incident occurred on August 1,2022 at 1:00 pm at 50 Moneta Way SF.CA. 94112 I hope I don't run into this driver ever again as I won't forget what he looked like.

Danielle [protected]@aol.com

Danielle Bradley

50 Moneta Way

SF.CA. 94112

tel-[protected]

membership number-[protected]

On July 20th, 2022, I called AAA for a tow truck to pick up my vehicle at 1822 Barker Cypress Rd, apt 102 Houston Texas 77084 which is my residence. The driver towed it to Mazda at 16711 Katy Freeway per my instructions. The Techs discovered that there was tire rod damage to my vehicle. He found that there were scrapping marks under the vehicle, the rod was bent from what looked like something was hooked onto the outer tire rod end and pulled on. Most likely the tow trucks hook to pull the vehicle on the back of the tow truck. Tow truck service phone number [protected]

Club Code 620 065 [protected]

After many attempts at contacting AAA, three email,(all unanswered) three phone calls. One call not returned. I am still trying to resolve my issue.

AAA recently took $85 from my checking account to renew my membership, a membership I did not want to renew because of poor roadside service. After many tries AAA agreed to refund my $85 then after nine more days without being refunded, I called once again. The person I spoke with said a refund was issued on July 18 but it is apparently not being given back to me.

I was a customer that had membership for two people, I insured two cars and my house with AAA and in return, AAA treated me like [censored].

Please see that my refund is correctly processed,

U Crammond

In December 2021 I had two auto polices written with AAA, one for myself, the other for my daughter at a separate residence. Among the paperwork filled out, emailed, and filed was the authorization for Auto Electric Funds Transfer for automatic renewal, for both policies and were all part of one emailed package. So, in July of 2022 I am notified by the State that i have no insurance coverage for one of my policies. Bottom line, after 2 days and 10 separate AAA people, I am told that i didn't send in the required EFT authorization form. When I informed the AAA reps that they were all in the same package and that somehow one policy renewed via EFT, and the other didn't, i inquired as to how they say that I didn't send the required information when it was all in the same package? Their answer, "well, we see that we did receive the information but someone didn't enter it". So now, they offer to "write a new policy at $400 more per year". In essence, I am being penalized for AAA's mistake and all they can say is, "so sorry", and really wouldn't admit to their error. After over 34 years with AAA, I certainly deserve better service and certainly did not receive it. shame on them, costing me money.

7/13/22 Our truck wouln't start, called AAA and a technician came within 30 min. The tech checked battery and detrmined there wasn't a problem with the battry so we had no choice but to call for a tow. From 4PM to 6:00PM we waited for a tow truck only then to be told it would be 7:30PM another hour to wait! We were always told by the dispatcher that it would only take 30 min. We finally had to call a neighbor to get us home and then called AAA in the a.m. which we did. I cannot believe the extreme incompetence of the technician as well as the exxtreme delay in getting a tow.. Our mechanic determiined it was only the battery needing charged and no major repairs! How do you train your technicians? And how is it that it took several hours to get a tow truck to us?! We are very disappointed in your roadside assistance and are looking into options other than AAA.

Mr.& Mrs. Gerrit Vandenbrink

[protected]

Broke down, called AAA, they told me tow truck would be there in 2 hours, and would cost $55. I paid the $55 on my card. 3 hours later no tow truck, Called the towing company they said would be coming, and the tow company told me that they do not service the area I was in. Call AAA again, they found another tow company 47 miles away. When the tow company called at 10:00pm they told me AAA would only pay for 5 miles, and the rest would be out of pocket . I told them not to come because I had already made other arrangement.The police came by and told me AAA was a horrible company, they are well known for leaving people stranded for 8 hours or more. After dark they don't even try to service people till the next morning. AAA went ahead and charged my card the $55, and they didn't provide anything! now the fight with them begin. This company sux, $60.00 a year and no service what so ever. Do not join AAA you will be sorry, sooner or later you will get ripped off to.

This incident occurred 07/17/22. I requested roadside assistance for a dead battery. Holy City Towing was dispatched out to me. Not only did I wait several hours, but the young gentleman that showed up to help me was so tired he almost couldnt function. I ask him if he was ok, and he advised that he has been working for 3 straight days from 8 am until after midnight and his company required him to be back on the road by 8 am the next morning.

This young man was so tired. You could see it in his body language and in his eyes. He got me back on the road, but I felt so bad for him. His boss even called him while he was working on my car and I could hear them cussing and carrying on with this man.

I do not appreciate this type of behavior from a company and I wouldnt want my family or friends working for them, if this is the way they treat their employees. It was terrible. While I appreciate this mans help, I was scared for him to get back in his truck to drive away. I do not recommend anyone to use this company as they are unappreciative of their employees.

Tire went flat around 2pm here it is 4:45pm was told by the tow driver who came to replace my flat that he was to busy to load my vehicle and take me to my destination which is 17 miles away now I've got to wait for another driver to come an give me a lift which will take til roughly 6:30pm as the driver said for $115 per year I find this completely unacceptable!

7/15/22

My wife and I are broke down at carrabbas resturaunt parking lot with a dead battery after our dinner and called AAA looking for a jump for my dead battery. I call my AAA phone number on the back of my membership card at 8:30pm and AAA texts me to confirm my AAA help- is on the way.

At 10:30 pm I walk home , since we are not it a good part of town and things are closing up while my pregnant wife stays with the car.

I make it home after a 20 mile walk to get my truck and return to the parking lot and pick up my wife. She tells me AAA never came and never called. I take my wife home and we go to bed with the car still broke down in the Carrabbas parking lot.

I also contact AAA to cancel my tow truck help, I tell them I will get ahold of a real tow company in the morning and pay for a tow.

When I called in to let the AAA supervisor know our stellar help from AAA that never showed up, a 1 hour wait is needed in order to talk to the supervisor.

I have been a AAA member since 2010 . This situation makes me wonder why I pay for a service that doesnt show and why did I pay for my senior citizen mom AAA memebership for a full year up front , when the same thing could happen to her or worse.

Why do I pay for my daughters AAA membership, when AAA wouldnt pick her up, as she is in college in Conneticut with no family or friends incase of breaking down, probable get kidnapped because AAA doesnt render help when you call them.

Once this year expires, I will not be renewing with a failed company that has no service.

On 7/11, my daughter was in a collision in Santa Ana Ca. She called AAA (as we have always done) and AAA sent a tow company (Henry's Towing). The tow company took 2-hours to get there which is completely unacceptable. When the tow arrived, the driver told my daughter he could not tow her car to the repair venue (which was only a few minutes away). Instead, he told her that they must always tow it to their lot, and then someone from the insurance company works it out from there (of course for additional storage fee's etc.). This has never happened before. I have been a customer for decades and the reason we pay for AAA is to have the car towed to where we want. The driver then told her for $300 he would tow it to the repair location (going against what he first said). Why do I pay for AAA service only to have these rip-off tow companies take advantage of my kids? How is she going to get the $300 dollars back? This company has the worst YELP reviews ever and should not be allowed to show your sticker.

On July 10, 2022 at 4 pm I made an initial service request through the website for a battery jump. A battery replacement was not an option to request on the website. I received back a notice that my request was submitted and someone would see me soon.

At 6 PM I had not heard from anyone and I called AAA 800 # for a status. I could not pull up a status on the website. The AAA customer service person told me the service order was in and he would call the preferred vendor and get an estimate on the time. AAA came back on the line with me and told me that 5 people were in front of me to their service requests. I asked AAA if he could send my order to another vendor. He stated he could but I would probably be in the same situation with them. I told him OK, leave my request as is but add to it that I need a battery replacement since that option was not available on the website. AAA updated my request.

9:30 PM I have not heard from anyone and I called AAA 800 # for status. I was told by AAA that all service requests for batteries have ended for the night and I would need to call back in the morning. I was appalled. Why was I never contacted? I had to contact AAA every time for an update.

I asked to speak to a supervisor and explained this entire situation. I explained I have been a member for over 20 years and find this unacceptable from AAA. The supervisor gave me the same answer and told me I would have to call back in the morning and input a new service request. Wow!

I have used AAA a handful of times in over 20 years and this is a first for me to not only not receive the service that I paid for, not receive a phone call that I would not be receiving the service that I had waited over 5 hours for. I have had a false sense of security by having AAA for all these years.

The next morning my 80 year old husband jumped my car off and took it for battery replacement at Walmart. Good thing I wasn't in a dangerous place for the night. If I had been sitting in my car waiting for over 5 hours would AAA have told me to sleep in my car?

Our local travel agent (Eau Claire,Wi) moved on to Norwegian and we were w/ one. As a result my booking with Carnival was initiated by a temp from Lavrosse. He subsequently moved on to greener pastures and was replaced by another te.o working both offices. This guy took a permanent position in Lacrosse. The new one (Jasmine) took over and because she is not my agent of record, cannot make an addition to the cruise or an update to same. She will not answer my calls or emails for assistance.

I found $500 worth of AAA Traveler's checks in a briefcase. When I was in the Magazine business, and travelled a lot, I left unused ones in my briefcase for the next trip.

I am now retired, and took them to the Mechanicsburg, PA AAA office to cash. The employees there...probably too young or too dumb...had no idea what to do with them. They told me the are "Expired!"

The government website is specific: "Traveler's Checks do not expire. They are one of the most secure ways to...etc."

I have been a AAA member for 25 years, and expect better. Please get in touch with me and the Mechanicsburg office, and put me in touch with an adult.

Sincerely,

James D. Canfield

AAA # 438 195 [protected] 2