I went in for an oil change a few days ago. Since then, I haven't pumped gas or driven the vehicle much beyond the basics. While receiving my oil change, I was offered additional services and agreed to have fuel system treatment added.
During the process, the technician had difficulty adding the fluid and even expressed that this type of vehicle (2015 Acura TLX) can be tricky because of its capless fuel system.
To better explain the issue, my vehicle has a capless fuel system with an internal mechanism designed to work with a standard gas pump nozzle or the appropriately sized emergency funnel. My concern is that the technician may have damaged this mechanism while attempting to add the fuel additive using a funnel that was not appropriate for the system.
Fast-forward to my next attempt to get gas: I ended up stranded at a gas station for approximately 40 minutes. Thankfully, a couple of strangers offered to help me get gas into my vehicle. They had to carefully use a very slim, flathead screwdriver to hold the internal flap open while another person inserted the gas nozzle. This should never have been necessary just to pump gas into my car.
While I was stranded, I contacted Take 5, and they advised me to return so they could take a look. I then drove more than 35 minutes back to the location, only to be told that they couldn't determine whether they had caused the damage or whether it was pre-existing wear and tear that had finally worsened.
Although the staff acknowledged that there had been difficulty during the process, the manager was not helpful, and I left feeling that no one was willing to take accountability. Their recommendation was for me to take my vehicle to a mechanic or dealership for a diagnostic inspection to determine the cause of the damage before I could pursue the issue further with them.
I followed their recommendation and took my vehicle to a mechanic, who confirmed that there was an issue with the fuel filler mechanism.
Now, after following Take 5's instructions, I'm still left dealing with the time, inconvenience, and potential repair costs associated with this situation. I'm being expected to spend money I simply do not have on inspections and diagnostics just to establish what happened, despite the fact that the technician was visibly struggling with the funnel and my vehicle's fuel system during the service.
I would hope that the camera footage they supposedly reviewed would help clarify what happened, particularly if it captures the technician struggling with the process. The technician himself even mentioned the difficulty.
I was also advised that this could involve a lot of back-and-forth with management and higher-ups, especially if Take 5 ultimately had to accept responsibility for the repair costs. That is extremely concerning because I shouldn't have to fight this hard just to have a legitimate concern investigated and addressed.
What frustrates me most is the lack of accountability and the burden being placed on me as the customer. I shouldn't have to jump through hoops, spend money out of pocket, and repeatedly chase management just to get a problem addressed after bringing my vehicle in for a routine oil change and agreeing to an additional service their technician struggled to perform.
I also have no straightforward way to speak with the manager other than calling or showing up and hoping they happen to be there. The entire process has been unnecessarily stressful, time-consuming, and disappointing.
I trusted Take 5 with my vehicle, and now I'm left trying to resolve a problem that may have occurred during a service I paid them to perform. Instead of feeling that my concerns were taken seriously, I feel like I'm being left to do all the legwork while the company avoids taking responsibility.
I lost a little more faith in people today. It's incredibly disappointing to feel that customer service and accountability have fallen this far. Mistakes can happen, but how a company handles those mistakes says a lot about its integrity.
One star only because the system would not allow me to submit zero stars. read more
