Dealer Name: Castle Acura
Name: James Franklin |
Dealership: CASTLE ACURA - RT 13, New Castle, DE
I started having intermittent check engine lights at about 52000 miles. I have an OBD 2 computer analyzer, so I used it to check the problem, and it was an idle control malfunction. I called Castle Acura and talked with Helen in the service department. I explained that the car was just out of warranty, and had the check engine light and asked how much it would cost to have it checked out. She told me that she would waive the diagnostic fee, not to worry about it. I then told her that I had checked it with my own computer and it said it was an idle control malfunction, and she told me it was probably an Idle Air Control valve (IAC valve) and that if it was, it would be covered for free because it was an emission item. Very happy with those comments from her, I scheduled to have the car repaired, feeling confident that I would incur no costs.
The day of the service my wife took the vehicle in, and they told her it would be approx. $300 to fix, and she called me. I talked to the service man and asked him why it was going to cost so much. He said the diagnostic charge was $88 and the rest was for labor and parts, plus an oil change that my wife had requested. I told him that Helen had told me she would waive the diagnostic fee, and that she had also mentioned specifically that if it was the IAC valve it would be no charge. He said that was not the policy of the dealership, and he talked to Helen and she denied having the whole conversation with me. I hung up, then called back and talked with Helen myself, and she denied having said those things to me. I told her that I would never recommend an Acura product or her dealership to anyone, nor would I ever buy another Acura product. I then contacted Acura using the number on their website (which would be corporate I assume), and filed a formal complaint. During!
that process, they never took my address, phone number or any other personal info, so I believe that even the corporate offices do not take complaints seriously. I owned a Honda Accord before this Acura MDX, and was very loyal to the company because I thought they made an excellent product. I will, however, NEVER buy another Honda or Acura product again based on being lied to and not taken seriously.
James Franklin