University Drive

Great work fast service

I came in for a routine oil change, air conditioning service, and vehicle inspection. During my visit, I was advised that my vehicle also needed a radiator fluid replacement, which I agreed to. What I witnessed while my vehicle was being serviced was alarming. The technician working on my car couldn't get the radiator cap off. I heard him complain that it was his fifth radiator cap that day that had been difficult to remove, and I watched him strike it with a wrench to get it loose. At the same time, another employee was walking him through the air conditioning service from across the shop because it was his first time performing one. During the service, the technician cut his finger, and moments later liquid sprayed all over my windshield from the engine compartment. He simply said, "My bad, I'll clean that up," but never explained what had happened. To make matters worse, the inspection I originally came in for couldn't even be completed because no one was available to perform it. Two days later, my check engine light came on. I returned to the store, where an employee scanned my vehicle and found a P0128 code. Before anyone inspected my car, the store manager came over and immediately told me it was an internal thermostat issue and "couldn't be anything we did." Here's what didn't happen: The store manager never asked me what I observed during the service. The store manager never looked at my vehicle. The store manager never inspected the work that had been performed. The store manager never reviewed any security footage. The store manager never attempted to investigate before deciding Valvoline wasn't responsible. I filed a claim because I wanted an independent review. Instead, the store manager called me after I filed the claim, raised his voice, and repeatedly told me he had already said it wasn't anything Valvoline did. The claim was then denied based solely on the store manager's opinion. I took my vehicle to Honda for an independent diagnosis. Honda's repair order states: "Possible thermostat failure could be due to recent coolant flush performed by other shop." The service advisor also explained that the recent coolant service may not have been properly completed, allowing air to remain in the cooling system. After I shared this information with Valvoline, I was told my claim had already been closed and denied because the store manager believed the thermostat was an internal component that could not have been affected by their work. I explained that the store manager had never inspected my vehicle and requested that the claim be escalated. Customer Care told me the claim would be sent to the area manager for review. After waiting the timeframe I was given, I still received no response. When I followed up, I was told they could email the area manager but could not guarantee I would ever receive a callback because it was entirely up to the area manager's discretion whether to respond. What disappoints me most is not just the mechanical issueit's how I was treated. I wasn't asking anyone to admit fault without evidence. I simply expected my concerns to be taken seriously and investigated. Instead, my claim was denied before an independent diagnosis was obtained, and the promised escalation resulted in no communication. Good customer service means listening to customers, conducting a fair investigation, standing behind your work, and communicating throughout the claims process. Unfortunately, that was not my experience. I cannot recommend this location. Based on my experience, I would strongly encourage anyone considering this Valvoline to take their vehicle somewhere that values quality workmanship, proper training, accountability, and customer service.

Fast!