Sears Auto Center

I took my car to the Reno Sears Auto Center to have the tires rotated and balanced because the car had a high speed shimmy. The balancing wasn’t done and the car still had a high speed shimmy on the way home. I brought my car back two days later to have them do the balancing work that wasn’t done the first time. When I picked up the car the second time, there was a large crack in the front windshield. This was not there when I dropped the car off. I showed the manger the cracked window. I also noticed that the car had 29 more miles on the odometer than when I dropped it off – so they had taken it for a long “test” drive.

The manager asked me to call Sears Customer Relations - which is actually a third party claims administrator that is outsourced to Sedgwick Corporation. I called Sears Customer Relations (Sedgwick Corporation) and opened a claim. A few days later the claims associate called and told me I could go prove my case in court because the Reno Sears Auto Center was disputing the damage.
Wow!
I’ve been a loyal Sears customer since 1969 and I’ve never been treated like that by Sears or by any business. I’ve also never filed a claim against any business. I sent a detailed email to their third party claims associate indicating that I would be more than happy to take them to court. They paid for the repair in full - but not without a fight. They also left 2 lug nut covers off which they replaced but I had to make a separate trip to pick them up. In all, I had to make 3 trips and the car still has a high speed shimmy. I’m not going back.

I recommend that you do not take your car to Sears Auto Center in Reno for any automotive work. If you do, make sure you take pictures of the entire car before you drop it off. You’ll need them. See the pictures of my cracked windshield in the “Gallery” section for the Reno Sears Auto Center.

End of April 2014 I was told I needed a new radiator to the tune of $752. I kept an eye on the fluids and after having to add 2 gallons of antifreeze to the radiator over 4 months I took it back for them to look for a leak (9/16/14).

Had the unpleasant luck of having Don (#647479) degrade me while being there. After ignoring what I was saying and me finally YELLING at him to listen to what I had to say (5 minutes of me telling him I put in a total of 2 gallons on coolant)...they took it back for a pressure check. After a few hours Don dragged me back there and told me to LOOK where it's leaking. I'm 5'4" my truck is a Chevy k1500 Silverado. Told him I can't see where he's pointing. He said the radiator is fine but it's the intake manifold valve gasket that needs replacing for $354. Told him can't afford that and to give me my truck back. Since I know all about the gasket (had a problem with our car) I knew to look for any signs of coolant mixing in with the oil, there never was any.

Put in another 2 gallons of antifreeze until I saved the money up to take it to a real garage. Then yesterday (12/01/14) steam is coming out the front. The whole right side of engine had coolant spewed all over it.

Was near Tires Plus on Pullman/Prater and they popped the hood and saw immediately what the problem was. THE TOP RADIATOR HOSE WASN'T TIED BACK and the alternator chewed a hole into the hose! SEARS DID NOT TIE BACK THE RADIATOR HOSE. It wasn't the intake manifold it was their incompetence by not securing the hose. Tires Plus tied down the new hose, flushed the radiator, checked the oil for coolant, and did another pressure check. The intake manifold gasket was not leaking, nor coolant in the oil.

Not only did I have to pay Sears $752 for a new radiator (hoses too) but I had to shell out $264 for a new hose and radiator flush.

Stay away from Reno's Sears Auto Center.