ComplaintsforShealy Truck Center

• Initial Complaint

  04/05/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  We took one of our dump trucks to them to repair a few problems we were experiencing with it in January 2022. The 3 problems we explained to them was 1.) There was an oil leak and the engine was leaking 3 to 4 quarts of oil every week 2.) There was a short somewhere in the electric harness causing the headlights, taillights and trailer lights to blow fuses and 3.) There was an air leak in the air brake system. We do daily inspections on all our equipment and those are forwarded to our operations manager in our corporate office weekly. No other problems were reported. Our dump trucks travel extensively over seven states, so we are also inspected by DOT as well. That particular dump truck was assigned to a job we were working on in Duncan. Shealy’s has an extensive interactional reporting system that allows their technicians and supervisors to make detailed notes and list all parts they used on each unit they work on. What it doesn’t do is require a date that it was done. I guess that is because, in our case, it took over 10 months to make the repair. The system also allows the customer for log into that system and make notes as well. The first Tech (ID# M676889) did a 22 point inspection “per attached sheet,” which isn’t attached. The second task he did (it was dated 1/5/22) was a thorough inspection of the electrical system, concentrating on the electrical problems detailed above. He found and made repairs to several wiring issues. But he noted that it would require additional labor to determine the root cause, whatever that means. And he suggested his supervisor to inform us of this, which I assume he did. Our operations manager handled all the equipment repairs and throughout this 10 month period, he received several requests, and we gave approval for additional money each time. The next task was to address the air leak (no date). He found the problem and made the repair. After that, the same tech (dated 1/5/22) addressed the oil leak issue. In making his inspection, he found the engine manifold studs and turbo drain line gasket was leaking oil. In order to investigate further, he had to remove several components of the engine. While removing the manifold, he broke off the #6 stud, which left part of the stud in the head. The normal procedure for removing that broken stud would be to hand drill it out. However, this tech reported that there wasn’t enough access space to do that and determined that the head would need to be removed and taken to a machine shop for removal. He advised that we be called and the estimate to be increased. Which they did and we approved. Apparently, he left all the parts he had removed off and had the truck towed out of the shop and parked in the lot. After our approval, (don’t know how long the truck was in the lot) another tech (ID# XN09336) took control of the repair (no date). He had the truck towed into the shop and then the first thing this tech did was to drill out the broken stud. It doesn’t say if the head had been removed or if it was still on the engine. This was the stud that couldn’t be drilled out before and we approved additional money for. The next thing he did was to put back all the parts (using many new parts) the other tech had removed. After completing assembly, the truck wouldn’t start. It doesn’t say if the truck was towed out of the shop and left parked in the lot, but due to the time it took to make these repairs, we assume there were weeks or even months between these tech assignments. The next time this truck was worked on, a new tech (ID# XX15356) was assigned. I don’t know if he removed all the components the other 2 techs did or whether the last tech removed them again after the truck wouldn’t start because neither of the notes make mention of that. This techs notes begin with installing new parts concentrating on the fuel system and electronic injectors. He replaced all 6 fuel lines that had already been replaced by tech M676889. After putting it back together, he cranked the truck and reported that the truck was excessively smoking and had a small skip in it. This was not reported by anyone prior to that. The truck was running fine when we brought it in with daily inspections done prior to leaving it; the first tech who cranked the truck and moved it into the shop didn’t make any comment about that. None of our daily inspection reports mention that. This tech then took the truck on a test drive (which should have been done by the first tech) and came back noting there was also a problem with the transmission. The skip he thinks is coming from the #6 EUP, the same one that had the stud drilled out. He noted that the truck needed to go back to be diagnosed for transmission issues, skipping and a lightning bolt. At this time, I became involved. We had just been told about this new list of problems and were informed that there would be a new higher estimate. After reviewing our inspection records and speaking with the driver, I had our operations manager schedule a conference call with Shealy’s operations manager (Bob Kelley) their shop manager, my operations manager and me. Until that time, we had seen the estimate to repair the truck go from a few thousand dollars to $9,261.58 (which is the last one we approved before this). Bob Kelley explained he was new and not familiar with our truck but assured us that they would give us a fair price to get the truck running the way it did when it was delivered to them. Several weeks later I had my operations manager follow up with the shop manager for progress. The shop manager instructed him that he was still looking for some parts but would have an estimate soon. There were a few conversations between them after that and eventually, they sent us an estimate of $13,160.57, which I approved. A few weeks after the estimate was provided, I went online in their system and asked that I be the contact person going forward, leaving all my contact information. That is the last contact I had from them. A few months later, I received a call from my son saying they had contacted him to let him know the truck was ready. A week or two later he received an invoice for $16,816.25. I got very upset and so I called Bob Kelley. I told him I had not approved this massive increase and that no one had contacted me to approve it. He was very short and said “we are not going to do this, the price is $16,816.25.” “They asked us to do some extra work.” I asked the operations manager and my son if either had asked for additional work and they hadn’t. Since we travel in 7 states and I have a lot of equipment on the road, I deal with a lot of repair shops. I’ve never dealt with one that is this incompetent. In reading this, you can see they caused most of the issues we had with this truck. I’m not even sure that after I pick it up, I won’t have to take it to another shop to fix something else on it. I’ll pay what I approved

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