I took my truck to Grease Monkey after hearing a whining/hovering noise coming from the driver-side wheel well. The noise changed with RPM, and there were no check engine lights or stored codes. Since I didn't have time to diagnose it myself, I decided to try this shop based on their good Yelp reviews. I went in on Saturday, April 4th.
The staff was friendly and greeted me right away. I explained the issue clearly and also mentioned that I had just done an oil change and brought the oil filter with me so they could inspect it for any signs of internal engine damage.
Later that day, I received a call saying the noise was coming from the valve train. They asked for approval to remove the driver-side valve cover on Monday for further inspection, and I agreed. On Tuesday, I was told they heard a small noise from cylinder 2 and diagnosed it as a rod bearing issue. I specifically asked about the condition of the oil, and they said it looked fine and that I could continue driving it.
When I picked up my truck, I was charged $240 total ($120 for a diagnostic scan and $120 to remove the valve cover). What concerned me was that my oil filter was still untouched in the bag. I went back inside to ask how they checked for metal in the oil without inspecting the filter. They then offered to check it after I brought it up.
Once I got home, I decided to do a quick basic check myself. I removed the belts and ran the engine, the noise completely disappeared. That led me to the actual issue: a bad vacuum pump. I replaced it myself, and the noise is now completely gone.
Overall, the staff was polite, but the diagnosis I received was incorrect and led me to believe I had a serious internal engine issue when it turned out to be something much simpler. It's frustrating to pay a diagnostic fee that cost more than the actual repair, especially when a basic check could have identified the problem much quicker read more