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CB Transportation and Vehicles Review of Wal - Mart Tire / Lube Express
Wal - Mart Tire / Lube Express

Wal - Mart Tire / Lube Express review: They broke my car! 69

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Author of the review
12:00 am EST
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This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback.

I brought my 1988 Honda Accord into the Seaford, DE Wal-Mart for an oil change. At the time my car was presented to them, it had no oil leaks. I didn’t notice anything when I got back in the car after it was serviced, but I really wasn’t looking either. I got home, parked my car and came out an hour or two later to run some errands and there was a huge pool of oil underneath the car. The oil was so low at this point, it didn’t register on the dipstick.

I called Wal-Mart to complain and was put on hold until the money I put into the payphone ran out. I couldn’t go to Wal-Mart to complain because I couldn’t drive the car in this condition, for fear I would damage the engine.

I had the car taken to a local shop where they told me that the threads on the drain plug for the oil were so badly stripped, that it appeared the Tire and Lube Tech at Wal-Mart had used an IMPACT WRENCH to tighten it! It cosed me $500, three trips to the garage to have this repaired correctly.

When I finally got a hold of Wal-Mart, they passed me on to their insurance company, whom I gave 2 statements to and all relevant paperwork, names and phone numbers of mechanics who repaired Wal-Mart’s negligence.

Afterwards, Wal-Mart’s insurance called me while I was at work, despite the fact that I gave them ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEEDED. I was working 12 hour shifts, six days a week, at the time. When I did have the opportunity to call them back, no one was ever at their desk. I sent them snail mail letters letting them know my availability and asking them what additional information that they need, yet they never replied. The worst part is that they only contacted me 2 or 3 times by phone and they would not leave me detailed voice mail messages to let me know what they wanted – only a name and a phone number.

Finally, I contacted the Delaware Attorney General regarding the matter. The Attorney General completely blew me off, saying basically I got what was coming to me because I didn’t call Wal-Mart’s insurance company back IMMEDIATELY the couple of times they called me at work. Well, I’m sorry, but I work in a factory that employs 700 people. I cannot leave the floor to make phone calls to Wal-Mart’s insurance company.

This situation has infuriated me and I can’t get any justice. I never even got the cost of the oil change back!

69 comments
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monkey79
Fayetteville, US
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Dec 07, 2009 1:07 am EST

I happen to work at a Walmart tire and lube express and have for 5 years. i have YET to screw up a car. If u do not think we are qualified to work on your car, DONT BRING IT TO US, IDIOTS! go somewhere else and let another shop deal with your ### and whining. The only reason you people keep coming back is because you know if you whine like a little infant enough walmart will do what you want...and its only to shut you up and avoid a migraine. Its not like we are admitting any real fault. Stop bring us your POS cars then try and blame ###ed stuff on us. If you dont take careof your car, its your problem NOT ours. And, by the way, coming out in the shop and yelling at the techs and trying to hurry them up, is only gonna cause us to get pissed off. Your not getting anywhere by acting like a 3 year old. Put your big boy pants on when u come into our shop, please. if you dont have time to wait, take your business elsewhere. And, if it happens to be a 2 or 3 hour wait when u come to see us, heres why: #1: we are overworked and underpaid. We wont move any faster than we have to. #2 Walmart cannot seem to keep their shops staffed...why u ask? Because management dosent give a dang about TLE. Its just a headache for them. They want 3 people trying to get 30 customers taken care of. and thats gonna take time, like it or not. So dont ### and complain to the techs, ### to the the store manager for under staffing. ### to the customers who got there before you did causing a long wait. Sure as hell isn't our problem. If you come in and act decent to us, we will go above and beyond. Act like an ###, expect the same back. We break our backs for mininum wage...what do u honestly expect from us?

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Tech123
Algonquin, US
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Jan 25, 2010 2:01 am EST

I agree with you 110% brother!

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Fireman9
US
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Apr 02, 2010 2:15 pm EDT

Im experiencing now the over tightened oil plug problem from Walmart's Tire and Lube Services. I typically change my own oil however the last time I decided to let Walmart do it. BIG mistake! Now I cannot remove the oil plug and I was told by the service man over the phone that I needed a special tool for torque. I asked if he meant an impact wrench and he just kept saying "special tool." Never use Walmarts Tire and Lube Services, and by the looks of this thread all they do is ruin cars.

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Littlemomma4
Canandaigua, US
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May 11, 2010 12:17 pm EDT

As a loyal Walmart shopper for years. Our family typically enjoys our experiences there. There have been a few times when staff was less than helpful in general, but our biggest problem has been with the TLE. We bought 4 tires with an 80, 000k warranty as well as the lifetime rotate and balance. We noticed a bit of noise initially from the new tires but chalked that up to the fact that they were touring tires. We took it back to rotate and balance them and were told they were too busy. So we decided we'd try again the next time we shopped (we typically visit walmart on a weekly basis). Much to our disappointment after many failed attempts to get our tires rotated we were finally successful. But on that day, the technician who did the work lifted our car up improperly and damaged the rocker panels underneath. Walmart did take responsability for the damage and fired many of the individuals who worked on it after reviewing thier video. We also noticed that they pounded an excessive amount of wheel weights onto the tires. More specifically one tire that they claimed had a bad rim. Ironically, having a well trained ASE certified technician with 15 years of experience as a spouse they weren't prepared to hear someone tell them what they'd done wrong that very same day. When confronted with the "bad rim" theory, they immediately took the defensive and had no real answers as to how they came to believe that the tire required such an ungodly amount of weight.
Over the course of the next 12 months we routinely attempted to get a rotate and balance (that we'd already paid for) on those same tires.Every time it was another variation of the same excuses. Last week we were told they were understaffed. Then on Sunday they said the wait would be 4 hours with just 1 car in the bay ahead of us. Seriously? Finally an asst. manager for the store asked us if we'd like to set up an appt. for the work? WAIT, WHAT? No one EVER told us that was an option in the entire time we've had the tires on the car and that has been 2 years people. NEVER. What in the world? So now we went back for our appt. and they rotated and balanced the tires. Again, we requested the techs NOT to pound tons of weight onto the tires...and yet again...they did it anyways! What's worse is the weight they did put on, is directly across from each other on the tires. It's counteracting...doesn't serve it's inteded purpose. After speaking to the new store manager, whom seemed to care less, it was apparent that this store has no plans of changing the issues it has anytime soon. Sadly, we are the recipient of bad service and BAD tires. They've worn horribly and are down to a level that puts them below specs with only 25, 000 miles on them. So we are forced to replace them. The one manager offered my husband a job because he has so much more knowledge than most of their current employees. It's sad to say that the techs are given a set of directives to follow per Walmart...unfortunately, those directives are NOT customer focused. They are NOT about getting the job done correctly in a timely manner. If you want GOOD service, GOOD products for your vehicle...go to SEARS. Tested and true...they get it done right and are WELL trained.

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joebl88
lakecity, US
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Jun 02, 2010 3:57 pm EDT

Hey, people,
I have opened my new tire/lube shop were I "GUARANTEE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION" that's what will get you into my store! Then you leave my store to find out that well your not satisfied at all, frankly your pissed off, because your car lost value while in my shop rather it was not enough oil causing engine damage, a scratch, bent tire rod, bent c.v-joint, etc. You decide to take it up with me, and I simply tell you hey "IT AN"T MY FAULT"

HOW IS THIS EVEN CONSIDERED LEGIT?

The [censor] runs downhill...

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likagc19
Kansas City, US
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Jun 16, 2010 8:07 pm EDT

I work at Walmart and I took my car in for them to change the tires & oil while I was working. To begin with the guy told me that my tires would be $55 a piece. he told me the lifetime rotating charge was $2.50 per tire, so I said I wanted that... About 2 hours later he came and found me working and told me that those tires weren't in stock and the next cheapest ones would be $5 more per tire. So I said that was fine. My boyfriend came & picked me up for lunch and when I got back I went over to tle to pay for everything. They told me they couldn't change the oil because they didn't have the right filter, they charged $65 per tire instead of the $60 that I agreed to, and the rotating fees were $7.50 per tire. I told the guy there that that was more than the original guy told me and he said there was nothing he could do about it because that guy had left. I went ahead and paid for it because I had to clock back in, I shouldn't have. So anyways when I got off of work I was looking at the receipt and they'd charged me for the oil change that they'd said they didn't do. So I went back about that and they called a customer service manager to refund the $30 and I was telling her everything that had happened and she was upset about it, she said she wouldn't have paid them anything. So she called another manager and he told me that they would refund my money and put my old tires back on my car (I'd kept them, they were inside of my car). Well then I was thinking maybe they were better tires than what I was going to get and I did need new ones so I decided to keep them. I got home and my boyfriend was looking at them and told me they were the wrong size. So I went and talked to a tle manager the next day and he checks them and says that's a safety hazard to have tires on that are too small... so he says he'll order the right size and replace them for no extra charge. Today they came in, I heard them call him back to gm receiving & I was thinking maybe that's my tires... then he comes and tells me he thinks the ones they originally put on my car that he had said was a safety hazard may be okay and that he wants to check some rating on them, like he didn't want to put the right size on after he told me he would. Sooo then I just really got mad about the whole thing, I'd originally gotten them last week and I was tired of dealing with it. So I went over to tle and told them I wanted a refund and for them to put my old tires on like one of the managers had told me they would do. If I'm paying for tires I don't want the wrong size on my car. So they start saying they can't refund them after they put them on my car which is just ridiculous considering they put the wrong size on when that's not what I ordered. I was also saying I wanted the lifetime balancing charge refunded because I didn't want to bring my car back to Walmart after this and the guy said, "We can't do that, we can't unbalance your tires" and laughing like an idiot. One of the tle managers was being an [censor]... finally the one that said he was ordering the right size to begin with talked to one of the bigger guys... I told him I wanted my money back and my old tires put back on because I wanted to go somewhere else. He said that they wanted to help me and keep me coming back there or to any Walmart... so they refunded all of my money for the tires that were the wrong size and they put the right ones on and charged me $45 per tire and gave me the lifetime balancing and road hazard for free. So it is nice that they gave me that for free, but I know if I ever do have a problem with my tires and have to go back to Walmart I'm not going to the same one... I've already heard of a few things they've messed up on people's cars from actual tle techs. And I know some of the people that work there are licensed technicians but they do hire people that aren't. People that have no experience with cars whatsoever, because I know of a couple. If they have no requirements for hiring techs at the store I'm at I'm sure it's the same at every other Walmart...

Recently some woman came in for an oil change and they put the wrong filter back on. She called later that day from the side of the road because her engine blew. They may not think changing oil or replacing tires is a hard thing to do so they don't really expect you to have any experience but those people are seriously messing up people's cars. I'm lucky something like that didn't happen to me. I would never recommend anyone to take their vehicle to Walmart

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JoshfromTexas
Nacogdoches, US
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Jul 13, 2010 7:35 pm EDT

I work at Walmart TLE in Texas. The main problem is customers, but another is Walmart. The techs start out at only about $1 over minimum wage. What do you expect? its hot outside and we dont make Bull. If walmart took care of their employees like they gave stuff to anyone who complains, it would be the most badass place to have an oil change. But thats not gonna happen. People say its because sam died and whatever, but even before mr. walton God bless his soul passed and his kids screwed everything up, they probly didnt pay any better. Same thing I have friends that work at many different lube shops. Dont make squat, so they dont care.

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EZMONEY
Houston, US
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Oct 23, 2010 3:33 pm EDT

Walmart 3302 in Houston, Tx is the worst TLE in the world. The techs are the best looking group of [censor]s that you will ever find. The Support manager Shelitha "Coco" Mitchell is a freaking animal with terrible communication skills. The 3 cashiers are very rude and lazy. STAY AWAY FROM THIS TLE OR YOU WILL BE SORRY!

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b00tles
Camden, US
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Oct 31, 2010 4:47 am EDT

I work at a TLE in New Jersey and I have to agree with almost everyone in this article, whether they are complaining about Wal-Mart, or trying to defend them for whatever reason. The biggest issue with damages/claims on customer vehicles is existing conditions. Some of them are caused by the techs who serviced the vehicle before, but most are caused by neglect. I've serviced cars where a quart or less drained from the crankcase. Ive also noted this in my comments which are on the service invoice, and the customer had to sign a waiver. If you run your car without oil, expect it to die when it ACTUALLY has oil in it. Any machine will wear in to its running conditions, and drastically changing them can cause failures. My most recent experience with this was a minivan that had not had the oil or filter changed since it was new. It had almost 38, 000 miles on it at the time I serviced it.

While most of the people who apply for jobs at Wal-Mart TLE are already well acquainted with cars, a few do get hired who have no experience whatsoever. I'm not a mechanic by trade, but I've also never had one my my vehicles to see one. Ive always changed my own oil, and made my own repairs. I knew how to change oil before I started at Wal-Mart, and the training they gave only ingrained what I already knew and added checks and safeties to what I posessed. As with anything else, you should be an educated consumer. You reserve the right to request a specific technician. If you come into your local Wal-Mart TLE and see 6 techs standing around talking, and 2 of them bustling around a car, checking everything... By all means, request those two. They are the ones who are going to do the job right. They take pride in their work, and work for their customers, not their paycheck. I take people's safety and investments into my hands when I service their vehicles. Their oil is enough to wear on my hands. I do not want their "blood".

Know that each vehicle is subject to lube audit at random. The techs have no idea when the system will require that an assistant manager (Not a department manager) will be required to release it from the service bay. The assistant manager will repeat all of the checks of the service staff. If any one step does not match up to what has been put on the invoice or to manufacturer specs, the entire vehicle will be declined, and the service be reperformed... Right on down to completely draining the oil that was added and refilled. This is at no cost to the customer, other than a little extra time. Please dont complain. If an extra 10 minutes is not worth putting into your $25, 000 investment, please take the bus.

Since I have not been servicing cars my entire life, I was a customer once. Once again, I recommend you be a wise consumer. Request the techs who seem to be staying busy, and paying attention. Request the guys who you see working and doing things right. Not the ones you see "spilling and filling" oil, or just standing around doing nothing. If nobody is ahead of you... Request the tech you see wiping down tools, or even sweeping the floor instead of standing around. They obviously take pride in their work, their shop, and their company. They are almost guaranteed to do the job right. The ones who come to only make their paycheck are the ones who will overlook things, or bend things to make it easier on them. Drain plug torque settings, and oil capacity standards exist for a reason. Just as engine engineering standards do. If Ford spent MILLIONS of dollars engineering your engine to run on 5W-20 oil, and you insist on putting in 10W-30... Dont get angry when the service writer insists you use the correct oil. We will put in what you want... But you are wasting money in fuel and longevity. A good service writer will explain that to you. Look for that.

In essence, be an educated consumer. Expect the best service, not the fastest. Wal-Mart tire and lube is fully capable of offering it. Be active in your vehicles maintenance. Don't just hand over the keys and tell them to change the oil. Ask questions if you have ANY. We are all trained and possess the knowledge to address just about any question or concern you may have.

Also... we dont work for commission. If I tell you your Air filter is dirty... Just have us replace it. It wont cost you a dime more than if you did it yourself. Seriously. If I tell you your battery that is under warranty is OK. I didnt quick charge it. Id rather have the work of replacing it for no reason than angering you. No joke.

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HatersGonnaHate
Calgary, CA
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Feb 23, 2011 5:03 pm EST

I agree that they shouldn't hire non- experienced people. I service write/work as a TLE tech and I find that a lot of customers want everything free or some random [censor]. I'll give people reasonable wait times and would prob leave at a 1.5h wait time with4 cars ahead of em.. meh no biggie not like we get paid by the job. At the Wally World I work at everyone there works their hardest and watches each others quality of work. Making sure they used right filter/keep [censor] clean and right down every Pre-existing problem. Mistakes are Frowned Upon very much at our shop. Walmart will pay for any damages that does incur if it was Walmart's fault.

If there were any problems with your car at a Walmart TLE it was because of one or more of the following.

1. Pre- Existing condition.
Cause- Low/no oil/Over Filled on the dipstick which can all lead to severe or reduced life of the vehicle. An Oil Change once a year, Oil leaks from drain plug are at times blamed on the TLE Tech.
Solution- Service Writer doesn't risk a claim by not taking in the vehicle with said problems until they are either fixed or he assumes all responsibility after leaving the shop and its all written down on the work order.
When ever I see problems like Stripped Drain Plugs//Over torqued Studs found(stretched) when removing a tire/ Lug nuts rounded/ rims cracked, deformed, or bent/ Problems Getting car into shop due to not starting, feels awful

2. Lack of experienced TLE techs.
Cause- Mainly due to a Very Low wage, Experienced people would rather work elsewhere and get paid more, and the Automotive Managers fault for hiring him in the first place.
Solution- Offer a decent pay for experienced Techs, Avoid Hiring Inexperienced People in the Shop or Any shop for that matter Unless they been to school/taken an automotive course Or are Mechanically inclined/knows basic Tools and basic car knowledge.

Our shop Hasn't Had a serious claim(over $1000) for the time i have been there(1year 2 months). But then again I cant say great things about other Walmart TLE shops or Quick Lube shops either because i have dealt with cars they have [censor]ed up before and sent away or have neglected to check for Obvious Problems or tell the customer about them.

Walmart TLE does Generally have a ton of claims on them but In the end, It is the customers duty to not get their car serviced at a shop that they feel is sketchy/out of place/unsafe/guys running around don't look the part/professional.

Then it is on the Manager/service writer to handle your car the best he can. Avoiding any problems down the road of completing your vehicle(Making sure we have oil filter/right tools for the job like TPMS tool/Tire Machine that will do a safe and quality job that wont damage rim or tire). Making sure we can contact you if any problems arise so you wont be wasting your time.

Then it is the Techs job to Make sure he does Quality work and does his job right. STOPPING all further work done on vehicle if something is found unsafe or too difficult for a job to accomplish(due to experience or lack of proper tools). Making Note of any problems Before sending any vehicle on the road again. Requesting Problems on vehicle to be fix at a licensed mechanical shop is key.

It is also the other Techs in the Shop to Make sure that the car leaving the shop is completed correctly cause if any problems arise for any vehicle that leaves the shop, it makes everyone in the shop look bad and should be seen as a mistake for everyone working in the shop at the time.

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Michael 2011
Fredericksburg, US
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May 11, 2011 3:25 am EDT

I'M a retired TLE Wal Mart MGR. I was a WM mgr for many many years.
I'M calling Bull __t on this guy that "says" he never got action on his complaint of a stripped oil pan from WM.
He simply could have gone back to Wal Mart to file a half page claim form, the asst. mgr could havel filled it out for this guy if he couldn't read nor write. I fixed EVER car my guys made mistakes on, plus some that they didn't.
Wal Marts claims department has to contact you within 24/48 hrs from contacting your stores Wal Mart managment team, period!
Over my years I've run into so many people that try to shoplift/FRAUD WM and WM TLE (tire lube express) Thats what their doing when they know their car is old and broken and they bring it in for the cheapest oil change then scream WE messed up the engine. Your NO BETTER than a common thief. IT ALWAYS AMAZED ME HOW MANY POOR PEOPLE HAVE ATTORNEYS! "I'M gonna call my lawyers" and their gonna call this place ANDY Mart or Kim Mart WHATEVER Mart when their done with me. Thank You. It ALWAYS made us laugh out loud at you idiots. You never hear back from the screamers. Their just trying to make a scene and steal from all of you that shop there to get free stuff. LOSERS! LONG LINES MEAN LOW PRICES AND GOOD SERVICE.
If you don't like them don't go. This is still America. If you can afford super fast exspensive service go to the porch dealership service center if not go to Wal Mart save more than HALF the money and shop while you wait.

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John_WM
US
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May 28, 2011 3:38 am EDT

I work at a Wal-mart Tle and am proud of it! For all you people being judgmental and saying people that work at wal-mart are incompetent, sorry not every one can be as perfect as you are. Maybe if your so perfect you should do your own work. Every mechanic shop out there makes mistakes no matter how hard you try not to it just happens. Now most of the time when another shop makes a mistake they either cover it up (like by putting a oversize drain plug in when they strip a drain pan) or they fix it and charge you for it. People need to get a life. I mean really you have nothing better to do than complain about Wal-mart WOW your cool! I think it's comical how people blame Wal-mart for everything and for stuff being made in china, Wal-mart isn't the only company buying stuff from china, sorry to burst your bubble. Wal-mart is a great company that helps out a lot of communities by donating money and volunteering.

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ktateg
Mesa, US
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Jun 22, 2011 4:58 am EDT

first of all we have people that come into TLE with ### on their mind. they need something fixed on their car and blame us for it. thats why we note everytheng down. if we tell you and you dont want us to help fix the problem we make you sign a paper. you wont get us anymore. if i brake it i will fix it. but, if i dont then it on you to fix yor problem.. not walmart. these dumb ### customers come in dont know what car they drive, dont know what oil go's in it, dont know the last oil change was done, dont know size of tire you have on them. but, want us to know everything. damn do we need to f#@kn wipe your ### too. then then ### go's wrong then its us wh0 take the hit. we need to change the rules.. if you have a issue with TLE then look in the mirror!

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autotech73
4183 Elmwood Ct., US
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Jul 03, 2011 11:16 pm EDT

To the person with the 1988 Honda. I'm a mechanic and I can tell you that the threads on an oil pan drain plug just become worn out over time. The technician draining the oil SHOULD have caught this and replaced the plug at the time of service. However, The technician that charged you 500.00 to repair the issue did screw you. He most likely just replaced the drain plug and refilled your oil. If the pan threads were strippped replacement usually isn't necessary at all. you simply retap it. a 5 minute job.

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tlemgr
US
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Jul 04, 2011 6:00 am EDT

Autotech73 is exactly right about the plug issue. Everything he said is correct. I've been managing walmart tles for many years. The technician should have replaced that plug once is started coming out rough. Wal-mart replaces plugs free of charge for their customers. Plugs get worn over time and must be replaced or problems like this occur. Many shops and people don't use torque specs on the plugs either, and this results in stripping and ruining threads in the pan. Wal-mart has torque specs and a torque stick to curb this problem of over-tightening and streching threads. I agree there are some really bad Walmart Tles, but there are also some very good ones. The deciding factor on wether a tle is good or not is usually the management in place. Many of the complaints on here may be valid, but I also see some misunderstanding by some vehicle owners on here due to lack of knowledge.
If a stud breaks when someone is taking it off, that means the person who put them on previously either cross-threaded the lug nut or should have replaced those lug nuts, but the person that tried to take them off and broke the studs did not cause the initial damage. There's also a reason that car manufacturers don't put 10w30 in hardly any vehicles anymore. Also, if you're one of those people putting 15w40 in your new car, you are damaging the engine with every start, especially in cold weather, and likley voiding your engine warranty if the dealership finds out. I could go on and on with things and answer many questions, as I have been in this business for a long time, but i'd better rest my fingers here.

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At Taylor
US
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Oct 08, 2011 9:54 am EDT

let me tell you something...you ###s at TLE don't know the flywheel from the fan. I once brought in a classic Checker marathon to be greased and serviced because it was due, and I was on a long trip...now before you guys make out like I did not know what I was doing, I rebuilt this car from the frame up. If you have to ask what a Checker marathon is, you're proving my point.
here is what you clowns did/did not do to my car.
Lower and upper ball joints not greased.
marked wiper fluid checked and filled... Thats funny the car dont have one.
rear end oil not checked.
The engine, (a small block Chevrolet 350) started loosing oil after leaving TLE...I crawled under the car to find the oil filter loose.
good thing I caught it.

YOU Bozos will never see another dime from me...and why should you care? you get paid anyway...

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dbk32
60441, US
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Oct 09, 2011 3:15 pm EDT

I work at a TLE in Illinois near the Chicago-land area. Wal-Mart does need to rethink how they hire people in the automotive department, especially the technicians and supervisors. We have had over 10 CMI claims at our store alone, this year due to improper training/staffing and management giving anything away for free to a customer whom slightly complains. I'm just happy that they stopped adding TLE's to new Wal-Marts. I can't blame any customer who doesn't return to a Wal-Mart again due to poorly trained associates working on their car.

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NoMoreWallyWrld
US
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Oct 18, 2011 4:19 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

If you go here for service be prepared to purchase another car. I took my car for an oil change. After it started making noise I took it to a mechanic. They said I had less than 2 qts of oil and no leak. I spoke to my atty. He says these guys are big enough to not have to settle. They know it and they don't. I would be looking at a 3 year battle in court to get paid for a $4300 repair. I decided to buy a car and never buy anything (not even gum) from this place. I recommend you take your car and business somewhere else too.

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tlemgr
US
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Oct 18, 2011 4:41 am EDT

All you had to do is complain and tell them you want to file a claim. They can't get out of filing a claim. Walmart's insurance company decides wether to pay for that claim or not. Walmart doesn't pay for it. If they thought there might be a chance that you would have a case against them, then they would buy you another engine. You're wasting your money going to a lawyer about it.

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Honest_Tech
Bethel, US
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Nov 01, 2011 6:27 am EDT

I have been a technician for two and a half years while obtaining my Associates Degree in Network Systems Administration and pursuing my Bachelors Degree in Network Systems Management, and started with little to no experience in the automotive industry, short of changing my own oil. Should I have been hired to perform maintenance on a person's livelihood? Probably not. But I proved to be more than sufficient at such a simplistic job. Personally I have damaged two vehicles. One incident was a 95 Cavalier, the individual requested I put a new tire on his vehicle, after examining his other wheels and realizing that "at least" one stud on each of the other wheels was broken, I informed the customer that I shouldn't perform the task because there seemed to be a trend. The customer insisted claiming it was an emergency. I regretfully obliged. Needless to say as soon as I put the impact wrench (mind you, at the lowest setting) on the first lug nut and pulled the trigger, the stud broke. The second incident occurred when removing a TPMS sensor (tire pressure monitoring system) from a rim. I used an 11mm socket wrench to remove the nut that holds the sensor firmly in place and as soon as I did, the metal valve stem broke off due to corrosion between it and the metal nut.

I'm not saying that we as technicians are perfect, but there are a few of us that do care about our customers and there are some that just care about that "pay-check" every two weeks. From my experience at Wal-Mart, we are understaffed and under-equipped, but 90% of the time, the job goes smoothly. I am very meticulous and precise when it comes to my job because as I said, I'm working on someone's livelihood. I treat every vehicle as if it were my own.

I must agree with a previous poster that there are several problems in this system and no one wants to take the blame. A lot of customers ignore their vehicles and expect everything to be okay between oil changes and right after them, like a vehicle will always perform perfectly for the entirety of your life. But that isn't the case, parts wear out, seals go bad, and oil should be changed every 3, 000 miles. Recently I had an '09 Jetta come into the shop that hadn't had the oil changed since it rolled off of the lot, that was 39, 000 miles ago. Negligence is the biggest contributing factor to the problems experienced. Now don't get me wrong, I am in no way saying that negligence doesn't go both ways. I've witnessed several technicians treat vehicles with disrespect and frankly, disregard. Every vehicle is different and we must treat it so. I could do thirty oil changes on the same model vehicle in one day and I would treat it as if were new to me, I examine everything I can while I'm down there. A lot of technicians simply due their job and "change the oil and filter." They don't take time to try to notice potential problems that the customer may be unaware of.

The best advise I can give to any customer that goes to any shop for any service is that you go over their work. After your service is complete and before you pay, have a technician examine your vehicle with you so you can understand the job and the services requested. If you had an oil change, take a technician out with you and have them point out your oil filter and drain plug and examine them yourselves before you pay and leave with unanswered questions.

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mrg88
altus, US
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Aug 21, 2012 1:01 pm EDT

I recently bought tires from my local Walmart & went to TLE to have them put on. Well in the process of removing one of my old tires from my rim they broke my center cap in the process. They said they'd order me a new one from the dealership & that they'd call me when the order was placed...few days later still no call, by this time I've already been looking for the part I need so I called Ford dealership & come to find out the part is discontinued! I was furious. I called Walmart & explained to them & they acted like they didn't know what I was talking about, I said they don't make the part anymore so they said to look around online for one & they'd order it for me. Well I found one finally, informed Walmart & now they tell me they can't buy from a regular website & that it has to be from a dealership, well, you idiots could of told me that beforehand couldn't you?! ugh, I hate getting the run around & It's pissing me off. I'm not gonna blow it off & act like nothing happened, you broke my [censored] and your gonna replace it one way or the other. I talked to a couple of managers today & now they talking about possibly having to buy me all new rims! lord have mercy, yes new rims would be awesome, I just can't believe a simple tire mount/balance turned into all this drama. They better keep their word or things are gonna get ugly. As of right now I don't trust bringing my car back there, I just rather bring it to a real garage & pay a lil bit more knowing that whatever it is done is done right.

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thesarge
smalltown, US
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Aug 29, 2012 9:53 pm EDT

Im a walmart tle manager as well as an ase and a&p certified mechanic (cars and aircraft to the lame) i work at walmart due to disability restrictions in case yall are wondering and i cannot tell you how many times people come up to me with these same stories do yall think to let us know before you pay to get it fixed... No do you ask me if i will meet you at ur mechanics shop... No then what do you expect me to do just take the word of people i dont know ha never gonna happen im not that dumb but by far the worstare those who raise hell about there car being declined. Heres the deal on that if you come to my tle and your car is already messed up i.e. Engine tick, any problems with the shifter you dont need the oil changed you need to have your mechanic fix the issues then change the oil vehicle maintenance is uour responcibility not mine if you drive a p.o.s. And to cheap to maintain it then heres a hint autozone alwas has an oil change special for 12.99 5 qts and a filter. Even walmart has some stsndards well at least mine does all my techs are prior military mechanics as am i we know what we are doing. No oil pans are anywhere near impacts and most studs break from metal fatique due to overtorquing caused my those nifty four ways if my guys mess up i call a mechanic right in front of you its towed within an hour and the bill comes directly to me. If you actually have a problem the worst thing you can do is get angry and yell at me and my guys cause itll only get you asked to leave keep that in mind

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thesarge
smalltown, US
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Aug 29, 2012 9:58 pm EDT

Oh and one other thing the last time i saw an 88 honda with "no leaks" was well in 88

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Defendingtheair
Rockwood, US
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Oct 10, 2012 11:51 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

CMI should be investigated by the FBI! they are crooks!

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Defendingtheair
Rockwood, US
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Oct 10, 2012 11:55 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Been there with CMI self serving garbage...!

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angry customer 22
US
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Oct 27, 2012 10:46 pm EDT

i had a new tire put on my car at wall mart 2 weeks later it fell off my trailblazer while driving the aaa guy told me my lug nuts were not properly tightened . it was towed to my mechanic and he informed me that wall mart was at fault i filed a form with there insurance after a 2 day investigation wall mart paid for the damage and gave me 40 $ a day for a rental. most people would be happy but i am still pretty mad because i could have been hurt. they clearly made a mistake he told me he had video of the tech not following procedure. i wnt to sue them but am against it because i am a cop and see this all the time but the should be punished

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axman121375
Queen City, US
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Apr 09, 2013 11:24 am EDT

learn to do your own owl changes and tires you bunch of [censored]s. Why pay for any of it, its all so easy you bunch of panzy ### whiny ###, especially the dudes. If a guy cant change his own oil and plug your own tires you must be a ###

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wyograd
Springdale, US
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May 06, 2014 9:29 am EDT

i was just trying to replace my rotors and pads and noticed that walmart had stripped 1 stud no big deal I'm going there and just asking them to check it to confirm it and for them to pay for a new one. i am also a tech just not for walmart and stuff happens we just try to do our best so it does not happen and if it does fessing up about it is what make a good tech. we all make mistakes and hopefully learn from them i not perfect nor r you or anybody else.

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kathenzie
rockwood, US
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Feb 23, 2015 11:34 pm EST

I went to Walmart on Feb. 15 to get 4 new tires. I purchased 4 viva 2 goodyear tires and had them installed. I told them I was going out of town for the day and they did not have to rush. I cam back about 3:00pm to pick the car up. The car was completed and sitting outside. When I dropped the car off I said all I wanted was tires, mount, balance and new valve stems. When I tried to pay for the service I discovered that they put an additional 10.00 per tire on the bill for road hazard. I would like to believe that this was a mistake. I was upset by this and ask them to take the bogus charge off of the bill. With attitude, the lady did remove it acting like I should have known better than to ask. Now the reason I am writing this complaint letter is because ever since I picked the car up (300 miles ago) It has had a little looseness in the steering. I thought maybe it had low air pressure. I pulled in my garage to check the air pressure and remove the wheel covers to paint them. When I removed the wheel covers I discovered that the driver front wheel had tow lug nuts that were cross-threaded an inch away from making contact with the wheel. There are only 4 lugs per wheel on this car. After checking my service ticket it says that all lugs were torqued to 80 lbft. This is obviously a lie. I took my torque wrench and went around the car and found that the lugs were tightened anywhere from 60-120 lb all the way around the car. and the air pressure is between 22-28 psi. The two lugs that were crossthreaded were obviously started with an impact gun and not started by hand as they should have been. When the tech (###) saw he messed up one he did not stop there he actually did it again on the same wheel. He then covered it up by putting the wheel cover over them and then printing that all lugs were torqued at 80 lbs. This is an obvious lie. I am an ASE Master Tech. I have made mistakes on vehicles as well. I did not however multiply the same mistake on the same car, cover it up, and the lie about it. I am very upset by this. Lots of people complain with no idea what they want in retribution. I know exactly what I want! The store needs to pay me to fix the broken parts at a fair wage. 2 hours labor at my shop rate plus the parts cost. I also require that the ### that screwed up and then lied about it and then covered it up should be fired. This is to ensure at least he wont be able to mess up Walmart customers any longer.