LOS ANGELES -- In a Team 4 Reports undercover investigation, Joel Grover exposes how some of the state's biggest car repair chains could be cheating customers -- even breaking the law.

There's one thing most car owners do every few months -- change their oil. In fact, several well-known chains specialize in doing quick and easy oil changes. But is that all their doing?

After hearing complaints from our viewers, we put three of the biggest names to the test. They're popping up in almost every neighborhood.

Lube Customer: "It's almost like McDonald's. You're in and out."

FeedRoom

Oil Change Outrage

These quick-stop locations are drawing customers by the thousands.

Lube Customer: "I expected them to be honest."

But listen to this insider.

Joel Grover: "Do you feel pressure to cheat customers?"

David Dickason, Former EZ Lube Manager: "Yeah, definitely."

---

4 MORE INFORMATION
Automobile Club of Southern California
Jiffy Lube
EZ Lube
California Bureau of Automotive Repair

---

To begin our investigation, we brought a Jeep Cherokee to a certified garage -- ISE automotive. We had owner Craig Kurami and mechanic Lauren Clark make sure our car was in excellent shape.

Craig Kurami: "Engine oil is good."

Lauren Clark: "That [coolant] looks nice and clean."

Joel Grover: "Car doesn't need any repairs?"

Lauren Clark: "Car doesn't need any repairs"

We even had our car doubled checked, at the research facility of the Automobile Club of Southern California (AAA), where they tested all of our fluids.

Steve Mazor, AAA: "All look to be fresh and clean and full."

Then we sent an undercover researcher to an EZ Lube on Harbor Boulevard in Costa Mesa for a $29 oil change.

Undercover Researcher: "I just want to have the oil changed."

The technician immediately tells us we need $200 worth of repairs.

EZ Lube Technician: "This is $39.99, the transmission is $89.99."

One suggested repair was flushing the transmission fluid.

EZ Lube Technician: "[It] should be nice and red. You see how bad it is already."

Undercover Researcher: "Well, it looks kind of red."

In fact, it is bright red, because our expert had just changed it.

Undercover Researcher: "It looks pretty bad?"

EZ Lube Technician: "Yeah"

So bad, EZ Lube says our transmission could break down.

EZ Lube Technician: "You're looking at about $3,500."

"That's just ridiculous," says David Dickason a former manager at two EZ Lubes.

Joel Grover: "Do EZ Lube technicians lie or play tricks on customers to sell them things?"

David Dickason: "All the time, all the time."

It seems we also got tricked at another EZ Lube in North Hollywood.

EZ Lube Technician: "Your transmission oil looks good."

This time, they want to change the "differential oil."

EZ Lube Technician: "The oil's breaking down."

He takes us behind the car and shows us what he says is a sample of our differential fluid next to what he says is good differential fluid. It's a tactic that the company's own training video forbids.

EZ Lube Training Video: "You never want to recommend a differential by looks or color or give a sample up. It's against the law."

But at an EZ Lube in Glendale they do it to us again, while pushing more services we don't need.

EZ Lube Technician: "The rear differential and the power steering."

"They were cheating." We heard that complaint, from one EZ Lube customer after another.

Joel Grover: "Do you usually get out of their with just a thirty-dollar bill?"

EZ Lube Customer: "No, never."

We heard the same thing from customers of another big chain -- Jiffy Lube.

Jiffy Lube Customer 1: "I would never go back."

Jiffy Lube Customer 2: "You need this, you need this, you need this."

A technician at the Sherman Oaks Jiffy Lube looks under our hood and says all of our fluids are fine.

Jiffy Lube Technician: "Radiator looks good. Your oil still looks brand new."

Undercover Researcher: "Looks like it's in pretty good shape?"

Jiffy Lube Technician: "Yeah."

But before our customer could leave, the manager calls her back and says our transmission fluid is burnt.

Jiffy Lube Technician: "Smells burnt."

He says our differential fluid also needs to be changed.

Jiffy Lube Technician: "The differential and that fluid is already dirty."

Undercover Researcher: "Does it need it?"

Jiffy Lube Technician: "It's needed yeah, it's really dirty."

They're pushing something else at a Jiffy Lube in Silverlake, Calif.

Jiffy Lube Technician: "It looks like you only need this engine flush."

A technician named Eduardo says we need a $40 engine flush.

Undercover Researcher: "Can you show me what's wrong with it?"

Jiffy Lube Technician: "It's just dirty."

Dirty? Our engine is as clean as they come. Remember, we've just had the oil changed in our test car eight times in four weeks.

So how would Eduardo explain pushing a repair we don't need?

Joel Grover: "You said this car needed an engine flush?"

Eduardo: "No, I didn't say that."

Joel Grover: "You didn't say that?"

Eduardo: "No."

So we show him our undercover tape and he takes off into the garage.

Joel Grover: "Can I show this tape to your corporate bosses?"

Eduardo: "Go ahead."

So we did show the tape of Eduardo to Jiffy Lube's corporate brass.

Jiffy Lube Spokesperson: "This footage you've shown me makes me furious. That totally violates our policy."

In fact that's what they say about all four Jiffy Lubes we tested

Jiffy Lube Spokesperson: "This is not right. It's wrong."

Their policy is that fluids can only be recommended by mileage not based on color or smell. That's the same corporate policy that EZ Lube has. So why did that EZ Lube technician in Costa Mesa tell us our cars fluids were the wrong color? When we showed up to ask him, he didn't want to explain.

EZ Lube Technician: "I just recommended it by mileage."

Joel Grover: "You didn't tell her the rear differential fluid was black and that's why it needs to be changed?"

EZ Lube Technician: "Well if you want to ask me these questions, you'll have to talk to the manager."

So we show our tape to his district manager.

Joel Grover: "This guy told a customer something that wasn't true. Does that bother you?"

EZ Lube District Manager: "Absolutely, that's a big problem."

Joel Grover: "If this happened to us, couldn't this have happened to a lot of other customers?"

EZ Lube District Manager: "I suppose anything is possible."

It happens all the time according to former EZ Lube manager David Dickason, because he says all stores have sales quotas.

Joel Grover: "How'd you feel about what you were doing?"

David Dickason: "Terrible. You're going to do anything you can to meet your quota."

Team 4 Reports obtained an internal document signed by every store manager pledging to sell at least $68 in repairs per customer.

Joel Grover: "If you don't meet these quotas what is going to happen to you?"

David Dickason: "You're demoted or fired. Plain and simple."

That's the reason he says so many customers get ripped off.

Joel Grover: "If someone comes in with a car that needs no services what do you do?"

David Dickason: "Well find something."

EZ Lube corporate officials did not want to speak on camera, but they did send us a letter about the findings of our investigation which said, "we have used the channel four reporting as a wake-up call to reinforce our values with all employees." And, according to the statement they have "taken immediate steps to assure that all employees are better aware of company procedures."

The third chain we tested, Econolube, didn't suggest a single unnecessary repair. Perhaps they learned a lesson from four years ago, when they were caught and punished by the State of California for overselling customers. The state shut down 18 stores.

How can you avoid car repair rip-offs? With the help of the Automobile Club of Southern California we prepared a tip card with information you should know about your car and the shops you go to. If you would like one, you can download it here:
Car Care Tip Card In English
Car Care Tip Card In Spanish

Or, if you would like us to mail you a copy of the tip card, please send a self-addressed stamped legal-size envelope to:

KNBC - Auto Repair Tip Card 3000 W Alameda Ave. - Room 2977 Burbank, CA 91523