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Jiffy Lube Complaint - Failure to Inform Me of My Dangerous Tires
Complaint
On April 2, 2011 I took my car in for a check-up and oil change. A few days later, I had a flat tire. When my boyfriend examined the tire, he discovered that my two front tires were bald. As he rubbed his hand around the tire, he cut his finger on the wire because the seams of the tires were poking through the rubber. Jiffy Lube should know for the most part, tires should be replaced when the tread is worn down to 1/16 of an inch. Tires have tread wear indicators that show when the tires should be replaced. These indicators are the raised sections in the bottom of the tread grooves. When these indicators are even with the outside tread, the tires should be replaced. I took my car to a tire dealership and they couldn’t believe that Jiffy Lube let me drive off the parking lot with the unsafe tires.
From my understanding, Jiffy Lube is dedicated to “quality”. “Jiffy Lube will inform you of services that may be necessary during your visit. Jiffy Lube will recommend services based on manufacturer's time and mileage intervals for "severe" driving conditions.” However, my tires were not even brought to my attention. What if I drove on the highway and the tires gave out? Tire blowouts can cause you to lose control of your vehicle. When the tread comes off of a vehicle at high speed, the loss of control can be due to friction or braking action as the loose tread piece strikes against or catches on the undercarriage of the vehicle. This sequence of events occurs so rapidly that it is virtually impossible to handle most high speed tread separation failures without losing control.
I do not trust Jiffy Lube to keep me safe on the road.
From my understanding, Jiffy Lube is dedicated to “quality”. “Jiffy Lube will inform you of services that may be necessary during your visit. Jiffy Lube will recommend services based on manufacturer's time and mileage intervals for "severe" driving conditions.” However, my tires were not even brought to my attention. What if I drove on the highway and the tires gave out? Tire blowouts can cause you to lose control of your vehicle. When the tread comes off of a vehicle at high speed, the loss of control can be due to friction or braking action as the loose tread piece strikes against or catches on the undercarriage of the vehicle. This sequence of events occurs so rapidly that it is virtually impossible to handle most high speed tread separation failures without losing control.
I do not trust Jiffy Lube to keep me safe on the road.
Comments:
Posted by raven2010 on 2011-04-24:
Their website indicates they check tire pressure as part of an oil change. I would think they would notice the bald tires and say so----but maybe they are not permitted to diagnose/point out anything NOT on their checklist?
http://www.jiffylube.com/autoservices/signatureservice.aspx
http://www.jiffylube.com/autoservices/signatureservice.aspx
Posted by Ytropious on 2011-04-24:
Do they even do tire changes? I don't think so. If they don't replace tires I can see why they wouldn't even bother to tell you. You didn't notice them being bald either.
Posted by trmn8r on 2011-04-24:
raven2010 -> good point. If this is the service program the OP was under, checking the condition of tires themselves isn't on the list. Since it isn't, it may only be the very astute employee who might look at the tire tread in passing.
Granted, something like this should be very easy to spot - but this is Jiffy Lube, not Memorial Hospital. Brain surgeons are found at one, but not the other.
Granted, something like this should be very easy to spot - but this is Jiffy Lube, not Memorial Hospital. Brain surgeons are found at one, but not the other.
Posted by Anonymous on 2011-04-24:
Good review. Very informative. They should have been more thorough examining the tires.
Posted by trmn8r on 2011-04-24:
Yes, it was very informative of raven to point out that checking tire tread isn't on the list of items covered by the Gypy Lube signature inspection. Here is what they do check:
Brake fluid level (in transparent reservoirs) Serpentine belts Wiper blades Antifreeze/coolant reservoir levels Engine air filtration system Exterior lights Chassis (lubricate when applicable) Tire pressure and multiple vital fluids: Transmission/transaxle fluid Differential fluid Transfer case fluid Power steering fluid Windshield washer fluid Battery water (excluding sealed batteries)
Brake fluid level (in transparent reservoirs) Serpentine belts Wiper blades Antifreeze/coolant reservoir levels Engine air filtration system Exterior lights Chassis (lubricate when applicable) Tire pressure and multiple vital fluids: Transmission/transaxle fluid Differential fluid Transfer case fluid Power steering fluid Windshield washer fluid Battery water (excluding sealed batteries)
Posted by Anonymous on 2011-04-24:
Just to reiterate, I was referring to the OP's review as being informative. But I do agree that ravens comment/link is very helpful as well.
Posted by Starlord on 2011-04-24:
I was always taught that checking the condition of my equiopment was totally my responsibility. If you take a penny and insert it in the tread, and the surface of the raised portion of the tread touches Lincoln's head, it is time to re-tire. I worked in a tire shop and we did a complete safety inspection on every vehicle we worked on, regardless of the work being done. Numerous times, we ahd customers throw a hissy fit, yelling that we were just trying to rob them. So, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. You just can't make anyone happy.
Posted by Nohandle on 2011-04-24:
This was informative to me in one respect. Some people expect things that are not offered so think twice before you assume anything. Once, years ago, I pulled into my full service gas station and while the owner was gassing up my car, cleaning the windshield and checking under the hood, noticed a deep gash in a front tire caused by a bent bumper that was cutting into the tire. Had I not stopped my car in the exact spot I did he wouldn't have it noticed it. I had loaned my car to someone and obviously he didn't mention he had had a slight mishap.
Longer story shorter, the station owner told me to replace the tire immediately. It was not his job to tell me but he did and he didn’t sell tires, although at my request he found one locally and replaced it for me. I always thought a Jiffy Lube was to change the oil and a few other things under the hood. I've never been to one so I don't have a clue. I do think if your tires were bald you night have noticed that.
Longer story shorter, the station owner told me to replace the tire immediately. It was not his job to tell me but he did and he didn’t sell tires, although at my request he found one locally and replaced it for me. I always thought a Jiffy Lube was to change the oil and a few other things under the hood. I've never been to one so I don't have a clue. I do think if your tires were bald you night have noticed that.
Posted by madconsumer on 2011-04-24:
great review.
very helpful.
i agree with AFR that jiffy lube should have checked the tires and reported them.
very helpful.
i agree with AFR that jiffy lube should have checked the tires and reported them.
Posted by Anonymous on 2011-04-24:
Jiffy Lube is not a tire change shop. If the bald tires were THAT obvious, why didn't the OP or boyfriend notice it prior. They didn't just get bald on the way to Jiffy Lube.
Posted by olie on 2011-04-24:
DIRM, that was my first thought. If the tires were so bad, OP or boyfriend should have noticed.
In my experience, shops check for things they can change/fix. Jiffy Lube will change the oil, add fluids, and check tire pressure--because they can fix those.
Our local car wash can check for 26 or 28 things, if we get an oil change there. They *will* suggest new tires, even though they don't do tires. But they'll suggest air filters, wipers, light bulbs, and probably a bunch of other things we haven't needed.
(Regarding that air filter: Even I said, "Pshaw. *I* can change an air filter!" and drove to an auto supply store. I bought the proper filter and opened the hood. It wasn't the same as the '82 or earlier Buick I'd learned on--I didn't have to merely remove two wingnuts. So Mr.olie looked at it and decided that he couldn't do it either. I went back to the car wash and asked if I could watch while they did it. After they removed the SEVENTH screw/wingnut/whatever, I realized that this was no longer a job for the layman.)
In my experience, shops check for things they can change/fix. Jiffy Lube will change the oil, add fluids, and check tire pressure--because they can fix those.
Our local car wash can check for 26 or 28 things, if we get an oil change there. They *will* suggest new tires, even though they don't do tires. But they'll suggest air filters, wipers, light bulbs, and probably a bunch of other things we haven't needed.
(Regarding that air filter: Even I said, "Pshaw. *I* can change an air filter!" and drove to an auto supply store. I bought the proper filter and opened the hood. It wasn't the same as the '82 or earlier Buick I'd learned on--I didn't have to merely remove two wingnuts. So Mr.olie looked at it and decided that he couldn't do it either. I went back to the car wash and asked if I could watch while they did it. After they removed the SEVENTH screw/wingnut/whatever, I realized that this was no longer a job for the layman.)
Posted by Venice09 on 2011-04-24:
At the risk of being sent to the cornfields, I just don't understand how anyone could not know their tires were that bald. It's interesting that you know so much about tire safety and yet were driving under such unsafe conditions.
How many miles were on these tires?
Generally speaking, people really need to start taking responsibility for themselves and their own lives.
How many miles were on these tires?
Generally speaking, people really need to start taking responsibility for themselves and their own lives.
Posted by jktshff1 on 2011-04-25:
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Posted by Anonymous on 2011-04-25:
Venice, I had to chuckle at your comment. I had a similar experience a few months ago when I took my Jetta in for an oil change and VW notified me that my tires were 'barely' street legal. The funniest part about that was I had checked them...I looked at them and they appeared to be fine to me...I also learned a valuable lesson that day, I need to start learning the basics of car maintenance b/c I am obviously oblivious LOL!
I also agree with AFR...this is a great review and very informative, take your vehicles to a reputable mechanic or dealership for all general maintenance and don't trust the 'dime a dozen' joints like Jiffy Lube.
I also agree with AFR...this is a great review and very informative, take your vehicles to a reputable mechanic or dealership for all general maintenance and don't trust the 'dime a dozen' joints like Jiffy Lube.
Posted by Starlord on 2011-04-25:
One customer, a winter visitor, brought her RV in for a tire repair. I did the safety inspection and pointed out on the work order several things I found that she should be aware of. She went off like a Roman candle saying that because she was a visitor for the winter, we were trying to gouge her. I told her it was my job to do the inspection, FREE OF CHARGE, and make her aware of the possible problems. I said I don't care if she has the work done here, someplace else or never has it done. I had done my job, so if she was rolling down the road and the front end fell apart, she could not say she had not been informed. I guess she thought about it, because she came in the next week and had the brake job she needed done.
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