Boston mom says auto shop returned car with faulty transmission, damage, and hundreds of miles driven
A young Roxbury mom says her car was supposed to be in an auto repair shop; instead, it was out on the road. Her dashcam captured it driving around Boston and into Weymouth.
Shayna Morales says the recording shows her Hyundai Tucson even racked up tolls going through the Ted Williams Tunnel. In the end the car's odometer showed it logged hundreds of miles.
Car spotted at red light
Morales dropped her car off at River Street Auto Center in Hyde Park. She says the shop was recommended to her by her extended warranty company ProGuard. Days later she spotted her car at a red light with a woman she didn't know behind the wheel.
"I was flabbergasted," Morales said. "I go up to her and I'm like, 'Why are you driving my vehicle?' and she's like 'I'm driving your vehicle from Weymouth.' And I asked, 'Why is my vehicle in Weymouth when I dropped it at the shop in Hyde Park?' She didn't answer. The light turned green and she drove off with my car while I'm walking to the train."
Morales says a mechanic at the shop told her the woman driver was his stepdaughter. The I-Team went to River Street Auto Center to ask them about it. A man named Jesse said he was the manager. He didn't know Shayna Morales and said he would look into it and get back to us.
"They didn't fix the car"
Using the car wasn't the worst of it. Morales says the shop replaced the transmission with a faulty one and took photos that she says show damage to her car when she got it back. "They didn't fix the car; it actually came back with more issues," Morales said.
Concerned about safety, Morales, who has a 1-year-old, took her car to the Hyundai dealership in Braintree to be evaluated. Documents show mechanics found the transmission could give out at any time.
Morales tried reaching out to the shop and the warranty company for help. "When I called ProGuard, they said well we're not going to fix it, we're sorry we sent you there but we're not going to fix it, you have to speak to River Street Auto Center. When I texted River Street Auto Center, which I have proof, he's like unfortunately you're going to have to get in contact with ProGuard," Morales said. "Nobody ever seems to help me."
I-Team's Call for Action
Frustrated, Morales contacted the I-Team's Call for Action. After reaching out to ProGuard, she got a text approving her repairs at the Hyundai dealership.
"We approved the claim at Hyundai," Morales said. "And I was like well that was definitely Cheryl. So yeah, if it wasn't for you, I probably would have been without a car. It would have been sitting in the garage, and I would have been taking the train still and the bus."
ProGuard did not provide a statement, but in a series of emails to the I-Team denied recommending the shop or requiring Morales to take it there for the warranty repair. The company told the I-Team it provided Morales with a list of shops to choose from. It also said it was in the process of repairing her car when the I-Team reached out.
"It was a long journey, yeah longer than it had to be, but because of you it finally got resolved so yeah thank you," Morales said.
The I-Team reached back out to the manager of River Street Auto Center for an update. He said he would respond but did not.
