Canadian Tire

There is terrible customer service and a lack of communication with customers in the Auto Service Department at the south Whitby Canadian Tire on Consumers Drive. There is a big lack of honesty and there are various attempts to charge you for services that are supposed to be free or charging you for repairs that are not necessary. They also will cause damage to your car that they will then charge you to fix just to generate more revenue for the department. Faulty parts are put in and then need to replaced weeks and months later causing more labor charges even if the part is under warranty. If you are looking for honesty, this is the not the place to take your car even for an oil change.

Terrible - Every single time there is a problem or a hassle. Unwilling to correct their mistakes - they want you to pay for their mistakes. Totally unacceptable. Never go there. They've lost me as a customer FOR LIFE! Over stupid, petty things. Sad.
As per my telephone conversation with Larry Johnston, here are the details of my experience with Canadian Tire Automotive Service at 155 Consumers Drive, Whitby, ON L1N 1C4:

Mon, 04 Nov, 2019
• Found I had a flat tire - driver's side, front tire.
• When I got to work, I checked several tire stores and decided on Canadian Tire because it is open until 8pm.
• Called the store, spoke to Jason. Was just going replace my all-season radials - Jason asked me if I had though about winter tires - I said I had and asked how much it would cost - we ran through the numbers together and I decided on the winter tires, on rims.
• Dropped the vehicle off at about 6pm. Asked if there was a shuttle service and was told there was, but only in the morning.
• Took bus home.

Tue, 05 Nov, 2019
• Did NOT receive a telephone call to advise that the vehicle was ready.
• After work, attended the store to pick-up the vehicle.
• Three customers were in line (I was at the end / third). A women came in and went straight to the desk - and the staff served her! All of us in line looked at each other and shrugged our shoulders.
• When I was served, I dealt with a with an older gentlemen, don't know his name. Got my key, paid by VISA, got my paperwork and went out to the car.
• At this point, I was thinking, "Great, no hassle, no upsell - this might be the best experience I've had with CTC Auto Service."

• Got in my vehicle, started it up…and the "Low Tire Pressure" light was "ON." Additionally, the passenger air bag warning light was on showing "OFF."
• Waited a few minutes to see if it would clear - it did NOT - shut the vehicle off and went back into the store.
• Told the older man that I guess the tire pressure sensor did not get reset. He said that I needed to take it out for 10-20 minute drive to get it reset.
• I looked at him skeptically and said that I've NEVER had an issue with the sensor resetting - topping up tires on my own & having the tires replaced.
• He said something like "No, trust me, that's how they work. But if you do still have a problem, bring it back and we'll certainly have a look at it for you."
• I said I'd try and departed. Drove to Courtice Road, and then picked-up my wife from baby-sitting our grandchildren (near Townline & Taunton). Dropped her off at home (near Dundas & Thickson).
• Shut the car off for about 10 minutes to see if it would reset. It did NOT.

• Drove back down to CTC at 155 Consumers Drive.
• Went in and found the older man again, he asked me if I was picking-up. I said "No, I'm returning with a problem. Your trick about driving around to reset my tire pressure sensor didn't work." He said something to the effect of, "I don't know what to tell you, Sir…that's usually how it works. Pull the car up to the garage doors and I'll get a mechanic to see what's going on."
• Went back out to the vehicle pulled-up to the doors, the mechanic opened the roll-up door and motioned me in.
• I got out of the vehicle and the mechanic said to me, "Your tires don't have sensors."
• I said "What? What do you mean - I have sensors?"
• The mechanic said, "But, you got new tires and rims…"
• I said "Yeah, so?"
• The mechanic said, "Well the tires you bought don't have sensors in them."
• I said "What? Nobody EVER mentioned anything to me about sensors. Why would you sell those to me?"
• The mechanic said, "I don't know, Sir - I just turn the wrench."
• I said, "So what, now I have to drive around for 5 months with a warning light on?"
• The mechanic said something to the effect of, "Yeah, unless you buy sensors and have them put in."
• I asked him if there was a way to disconnect or shut the system off to clear the warning light. He said no, since it was part of the car's computer system.

• I went back into the desk and the older man said, "So, you bought tires that don't have sensors."
• I said, "I bought the tires YOU GUYS recommended. Nobody even mentioned sensors."
• The older man asked who I had dealt with. I told him it was the other man that was here with you earlier tonight, younger, beard…He said, "That's Jason."
• Again I said, "So what, now I have to drive around for 5 months with a warning light on?" this time to the older man.
• He said something like "Yeah, lots of people choose to do that."
• I said, "Really, I don't know anybody that does that. When people come to get something fixed, they expect it to be fixed and the warning lights OFF." "Who's your manager?"
• He said, "That would be Larry Johnston."
• I asked, "Where is he?"
• He said, "He'll be in tomorrow at 8am."
• I said, "Give me his card."
• He did and I turned to walk away. The older man said something else but I was done and said, "You're useless to me, stop talking, I'll speak to Larry."

Look, the car works, the tires are fine. However, no one ever informed me whether the tires had sensors or not - at the time of request nor during the day when they found this to be an issue (because clearly, the warning light was ON after they changed the tires). Furthermore, the older man had me drive around for something that was never going to work. The older gentlemen could have asked the mechanic when I first came back in about the warning light. I've wasted time figuring out the issue that I should not have had to do and could have been prevented; burned gasoline that I should not have had to burn; now I'm wasting time writing this complaint and calling you.

Wed, 06 Nov, 2019
• Organized my thoughts and wrote down the details of my experience.
• Called Larry Johnston, Automotive Service Manager - went to voice-mail -requested a call back at my work cell number.
• Larry called me back and listened to my story, sympathized and summarized it back to me.
• Offered to cover the labour to have the sensors put in if I purchased them.
• I asked if that was the best he could do and he explained why that was the best he could do.
• I asked what he could do if I chose not to get the sensors. He said he would give me a free oil change.
• I told him I would think about it and get back to him.
• Called him back and asked for a gift card or in-store credit for the store… He said that they are not affiliated with the store and he could NOT do anything

Honestly, I don't want to reward bad behavior and give CTC Automotive Services more money - nor your dealer. Likewise, I do not want to bring my vehicle back that for something else (like an oil change) to be messed-up or have a huge hassle about. I don't have the time or energy to deal with them over-and-over again.

You've lost a customer for life - not just you - but ALL Canadian Tires both stores and automotive - over something minor. Well done.