Posted on 08/15/2022 10:54:24 AM PDT by lowbridge
On August 10, Pennsylvania state police held a press conference to announce that two mechanics from the #1 Cochran Hyundai dealership, in Monroeville, Pennsylvania were charged with two separate crimes for tampering with a customers brake pads. WTAE-TV Pittsburgh reported that two mechanics, Aaron Eager and Jacob Ciarkowski, allegedly damaged the customer's brake pads intentionally with a screwdriver, after the customer brought their car in for inspection.
"At the time of the inspection, the mechanic of the garage relayed that the car didn't pass inspection due to a brake pad separation." said Pennsylvania state trooper Rocco Gagliardi during the press conference.
When the customer first brought their car in for the initial inspection, back in June, the mechanic said that the driver's side rear brake pad was separated and needed to be replaced. The customer felt that something was a bit off with the mechanic's diagnosis, feeling that they knew their car pretty well, so they took it for a second opinion. The second mechanic told the customer that the car was fine and should pass inspection without a problem. After that, the customer went back to #1 Cochran for another inspection and the mechanic told them that the passenger side rear brake pad was separated.
The customer then called the state police, whose vehicle fraud investigation unit went to the dealership and started poking around. Interestingly, according to Gagliardi's statement, the two mechanics involved both confessed to intentionally tampering with the brake pads by jamming a flathead screwdriver into them to cause the separation.
"Both mechanics did relay that they did put the screwdriver in there and one even actually used a hammer to cause even further separation," Gagliardi said.
(Excerpt) Read more at thedrive.com ...
Did these two mechanics just decide to do this all on their own? If so, why?
Seems odd to me, unless mechanics make commissions. I would be asking them if anyone in management or corporate was incentivizing this behavior.
This is a bit disconcerting. Not only because of the tampering, but that the second mechanic they took it to said it was fine supposedly after the tampering.
I seriously doubt this is the 1st time those two pulled this scam.
Don’t trust any mechanic or a dealer service center. They are trying to screw you. My Toyota dealer is now calling me telling me I need to bring my vehicle in so that they can screw me.
If the Mech’s made an immediate confession, I say it’s a crooked dealer drumming up business and they weren’t going to take the fall.
First “said” it was separated. Second said it was not. First then took a screwdriver and separated it to show the customer.
A mechanic told me that some garages pay their mechanics hourly, even if no work comes in.
But, other garages pay their mechanics only if something needs to be fixed.
You can find numerous videos on youtube of dishonest dealerships and mechanics. These oil change places can be the worst. Sometimes they only top up the oil and leave the old filter on. Often the oil drain plugs aren’t tightened properly. Etc.
Stopped buying new cars for this very reason...every time I took it in they had to do something that was not covered buy the warranty!!!
My SIL had the Subaru dealership in Clermont FL try to steal his car AND sell him another car. 2014 Impreza. They said fixing the linkage and and wheel hub issues would cost more than the car was worth... but they could trade it in for a newer model! Yay! I got them to take it to my mechanic and he fixed it for a $1000.
Scary.
Every time I took my car to a dealer for repairs, whether it needed it or not I came away with another problem. So I have not taken any car back to a dealer in over 40 years. Nothing new here. It has been going on for generations.
Shazayum!
Welcome to Pennsylvania: Mandatory annual inspections of cars are performed by the garages that do repairs.
Last month I took my car in for inspection in Pennsylvania; two days later the “check engine” light came on. Coincidence? I think not.
What was the fault?
This is pretty bad behavior for a new car dealer.
Hyundai America should be dropping the hammer on them too.
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