Complaint Rating:

Company information:
National Tire and Battery
United States
ntb.com

In May of 2008 I brought my 1999 Mazda 626 to National Tire and Battery (who is affiliated with TBC Corporation) to have front left and right axles replaced as well as the front right wheel bearing replaced. In June of 2008 I noticed a humming noise coming from somewhere in the front end of my car. After taking the vehicle to be looked at, the mechanic told me that my wheel bearing needed replaced. Since I just had it replaced a month prior at National Tire and Battery I took it back to them to have it looked at. They agreed that the bearing had already become faulty and they replaced it for free. The following day when I picked the vehicle up I drove out of the parking lot and still heard the same noise so I took it back to the shop to inform them of the issue. This time they told me that they had to replace the bearing again, as well as order a “hop” (which I now believe to be a “hub”) assembly. They told me to bring my vehicle back on the following Monday to have this work done.

On the way home my car entered a skid on the interstate and caused me to crash into the median dividers. After speaking with a mechanic I was informed that it was very possible that they wheel bearing was not packed correctly and it had locked up my front right wheel, causing the accident. I informed National Tire and Battery’s Corporate office of this via email. I was called the following day by Dave Zolnowski and told that they had turned over the issue to their insurance company Gallagher Bassett. Gallagher Bassett eventually sent out an appraiser to look at my vehicle. After waiting for a week, I was finally able to get in touch with Anita (an insurance adjuster for Gallagher Bassett). She informed me that the appraiser’s opinion is that the work done on my car by National Tire and Battery had nothing to do with my accident. I was not surprised because insurance companies are infamous for wrongly denying claims.

I contacted National Tire and Battery Headquarters again to inform them of the decision made by their insurance company and express my displeasure with the decision. I was then contacted within an hour of sending the email by the District Manager of National Tire and Battery who only referred to himself as Tim. He told me to an auto body shop come to do an estimate on my vehicle. So I thought great, they obviously know that they’re employees were negligent in sending me home with a car that they knew was not safe to drive. After getting the estimate and having it faxed over to Tim I was contacted by him the following Monday and told that they were standing behind their insurance company and not admitting any responsibility in the accident. Therefore, National Tire and Battery and Gallagher Bassett had wasted 3 weeks of my time, caused me to miss work to meet with their insurance appraiser and the local auto body shop to get estimates done, and I am still left without a vehicle. I hope that you consider this story before deciding to do business with National Tire and Battery. They obviously are not willing to admit fault when they are wrong, and fix their mistakes. I would suspect that I am not the only consumer who has fallen prey to this company either.