HOUSTON – Have you ever had your car in the repair shop, and it just seems like it’s taking forever?
For one Houston woman, it actually has taken forever.
Helen Schilling has been without her wheels for nearly nine weeks.
“It’s been almost a nine-week saga,” she said.
Back in February, her Genesis sedan was giving her trouble. It turned out the battery, which she says was just replaced in November, had died.
She had the car towed to Steele South Loop Hyundai, where she also needed some other recall work done.
“I have two recall issues and there’s something wrong. The battery’s dead, and there’s something wrong with the electrical system,” Schilling said. “And they said, no problem.”
Weeks went by with zero communication from the dealership. That’s when she started picking up the phone and calling the dealership.
“It’s a virtual fortress, and you cannot speak to anyone. It’s only voicemail and texting,” Schilling said.
Helen had enough. She called the Genesis corporate office, which is owned by Hyundai. There a claims representative told her they would gladly tow her car to the Genesis dealer in town.
All they had to do was call and arrange it.
“The case manager assigned to me said the problem was communication, and they were very difficult to communicate with. And I told her I certainly understood that,” Schilling said.
STATEMENT FROM GENESIS:
“At Genesis, the customer is at the center of every decision we make, and we aim to deliver a seamless and elevated experience at every touchpoint. In this case, Ms. Schilling’s experience fell short of our high standards for customer care, and we are working with our retail partners to continually improve and exceed customer expectations. While this matter is still ongoing, it has now been escalated to our national consumer affairs team and we aim to deliver a satisfactory resolution as swiftly as possible.”
That’s when she asked KPRC 2 for help. We picked her up to take her down to the dealership for answers.
There we met General Manager Bert Brocker.
“I completely understand the frustration of you trying to call in,” he said. “You can’t get a hold of somebody that’s no good for nobody. So I do sincerely apologize for that.”
Brocker agreed to an interview after his service team agreed to foot the bill for the tow truck which was on its way.
It’s then we learned why Helen was having such a tough time getting answers.
“I think the big thing is we took over, first of March,” Brocker said. “We have been having phone issues. I don’t deny that we’re working on it. This is not how we do business. This is not how I want to continue. We absolutely have blame. I’m not running from it. I accept full responsibility and will work on the parts I can correct.”
He admits there are other cars, like Helen’s, that have been sitting on the lot for a while.
But at least now, there’s one less car here and one more going to get fixed.
To Helen, that’s a win worth smiling about.
If you find yourself stuck between a rock and a hard place with your vehicle and a repair shop, there are some things you can do.
The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles says you should always:
- Check your warranty
- Do your homework before you choose a mechanic or repair facility
- Get everything in writing, and always keep a copy
- Watch for scams
- Know your rights
It’s important to note: There is no license or test required for a mechanic to open up a shop or work on cars. That’s why you should ask if your mechanic is ASE certified. The National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence helps weed out good mechanics from bad ones.
“Accordingly, it’s most important that the consumer chooses the right repair shop, understands the process, and recognizes when things are not going right,” TX DMV warns drivers.
When it comes to picking the right repair shop, the Motorist Assurance Program has a list of verified, tried and tested shops that you can rely on.
If you do feel like you’re being scammed or being taken advantage of, get in touch with the Texas Attorney General’s Office to File a Consumer Complaint.