Complain about a product or service

Midas - Warranty Complaints

Midas • Mufflers • Brakes • Other Service • "Lifetime" Warranty • Incidental Damage --- • Midas Responds

Tinethel of Milwaukee (6/25/03):
I went to have my front pads replaced I was told because I have a liftime warranty due to prior service, I would not have to pay for pads. The turning of the rotor would cost me a flat price of $15.00 per tire, (2) and $34.00 for service. I was also charged and extra $30.00 for labor while in the mean time the SPECIAL for brake pads, turning the rotors and labor cost was $98.00.

If I had a liftime warranty why did I pay the same price as a special. I should not have to pay for pads again I feel you owe me $30.00. I strongly feel Midas cannot take my money, argue with me and expect me to continue to be a faithful customer.

David of Atlantic Beach FL (4/10/03):
I have been a Midas customer since 1964. I took my 1987 Nissan 300ZX to the Midas shop for a routine muffler replacement (under "lifetime" warranty). I was told that a complete inspection would have to be performed, and an estimate of required repairs would be provided. In about fifteen minutes, the vehicle was put on the lift and I asked to see the underside. I was allowed to walk beneath the vehicle and while there, the technician advised that there was a crack in the exhaust manifold after which, he tapped on the pipe between the catalytic converter and the muffler with a flashlight, and advised that it would have to be replaced. The estimate was approximately $250.00.

I waited for the manager to discuss the tech's evaluation and was advised of the same analysis and told that they would not replace the muffler unless I had the pipe replaced as well. The technician advised that the car was just "old", and some noted oil on the underside of the motor was from "old age" and that the pipe had to be replaced even though there was no rust through, appeared perfectly sound, and the assessment was made with the end of a tapping flashlight. I felt as if there was an attempt to have me replace unnecessary parts for a significant cost before a "lifetime" warranty was honored.

The shop owner called me on the telephone to advise that my complaint to Midas had been referred to him, and he advised that policy prohibited honoring the warranty if other components were deemed necessary. He offered to "give" me the muffler with no continued warranty. I plan to take the vehicle to a dealership and have the exhaust system inspected and ask them to provide a written report which I intend to use in a possible lawsuit against Midas and this franchise.

Barb of Rome NY (4/5/03):
Midas says they switched to a new compputer system so when customers try to get a new muffler on their guarantee, their name cannot be found in the system. Manager is not nice to the customers and simply states "if we cant find the name, you dont have a guarantee." Midas is forcing customers to go somewhere else and buy a new muffler or pay Midas again for another muffler that should be replaced free.

Ken of Lewiston ID (1/30/03):
In July 2000, I pulled into our local Midas Muffler because we definitely needed a muffler. I opted for the lifetime muffler ($59.99 + $25.00 labor + $3.00 tx). The work went well, I was pleased with the outcome until January 2003. While driving my wife to physical therapy, my muffler broke in half! By this time, Midas Muffler had pulled up stakes and I figured my lifetime warranty wasn't worth a hoot! I called Corporate's 1-800 number and they told me "Go to any muffler shop, pay for it and Midas will pay you up to the amount that you paid them for the first job."

Being on disability, it is extremely difficult to come up with "extra money" for things like this. That's why I get warranties when I can. But, I managed to get the work done. This time, I went to a locally owned shop that has been in business for over 30 years. I got a lifetime muffler ($59.00 + $34.00 Labor + $3.00 tx). There was a $7.00 difference, but I figured at least I had my muffler and Midas would pay me the $89.00 from the other job. I sent all the paper work they required the day I got the work done (1/14/03) and waited the 10 business days that the gentleman told me to and then I called them to see if they received it. The woman on the phone said they received it on the 20th and I would be getting a check for $59.00 within 15 working days after their receipt!

There was nothing said about not covering the labor. They said "the job". If they had still been here in town, they would have replaced the muffler...would there have been a labor charge? None of this was mentioned in the warranty or over the phone! As far as I'm concerned, this company can stay away from Idaho. I'll stay with the local companies from now on. I did check with the muffler shop that put the new muffler on, and they include the labor in the warranty.

Dennis of Rochester Hills MI writes(1/6/01):
Midas refuses to honor their warranty on a muffler I bought in January 1999. The muffler has damaged baffles on the inside causing rattles. The warranty states, "You will not be charged for the new muffler, its clamps or the labor required to install them."

Midas supplied me with a written estimate charging for a tailpipe and labor. They are claiming the tail pipe needs replacing so therefore I should have to pay labor. However in the replacement of a muffler the tail pipe must be removed weather or not the tail pipe is replaced. In other words, there is no additional labor from replacing a tail pipe when replacing the muffler. The muffler is cut out and the old tail pipe is disgarded. I informed Midas I would pay for the tail pipe but no labor. This is after Midas attempted to charge me not only for the muffler, the clamps and labor.

They discarded the original estimate of $180.00. I said the muffler is covered so they changed it to $133. Then after much discussion they agreed to remove the clamps from the estimate along with some of the labor. However, I was still being charged $40 for labor. I then took the vehicle to another Midas franchise and they gave me an estimate of $132. This estimate included $75 in labor, $37 for tail pipe, and $18 in supplies. I inquired about the supplies and they said that included clamps and gas to cut the old one out. I then instructed them to return the vehicle to me and I left after receiving the estimate.

I plan on taking the car into the dealership and then entering a small claims court case against Midas. I feel I should only have to pay for the tail pipe and the gasket for the muffler. I disagree that the tailpip needs replaced. The muffler is damaged internally. It is common to replace a tail pipe when it can not be separated from the muffler due to corrosion. However, the muffler does not have large amounts of corrosion at the tail pipe muffler interface. The tail pipe in this case is probably salvageable.

Colleen of Columbus, OH:
I took my car in for a replacement muffler, which is under lifetime warranty by Midas Muffler. I also asked them to check my brakes as the car had been sitting for a while. Their total on the estimate was $1,407.51. I told them no thanks but please replace the muffler that was under warranty.

I was told my car was unsafe and they would not install my replacement muffler. Just because I didn't choose to have them do the repairs with their exorbitant prices, they were not going to honor my warranty. I'm not allowed to get my brakes fixed somewhere else? Just what does a lifetime warranty mean to them?

I told the mechanic that evidently this "lifetime warranty" means absolutely nothing if they can dictate to me who will do the repairs and that I have to have my brakes fixed before I can get a muffler installed. It took 3 hours to get an estimate and I missed a half a day of work to accomplish absolutely nothing.

Veronica of Ogden, UT:
Big O tires really messed my brakes up. They broke the rotors. After going back several times they replaced the rotors but the brakes still didn't seem quite right. I took my car, a 1991 Ford Festiva to Midas. The machanic took a look at the brakes and told me the rotors were put on backwards. I explained what a hard time I was having with my brakes. He advised me to get lifetime brake shoes. He told me that whenever they needed to be changed there would be no charge for the shoes. Having very little money I decided it would be worth it, even though I would have to sacrifice a lot of other things.

So Midas fixed the brakes and life was wonderful. About a year and a half after that the brakes were giving me trouble again. No problem -- into Midas I went and they brought my name up on the computer and fixed my brakes. This April I went to Midas and told them I needed my brakes looked at. I told them I had a lifetime warranty. The man said I would have to produce the paper that stated that. I told him that it should be in the computer.

He told me that they dump all the files after two years so if I didn't have the paper I was out of luck. Now I can't afford to buy new brake shoes and here's a company that turned on their own word.

I can't afford to get my car inspected because I know theres something wrong with the brakes. I'm scared to death that the brakes will fail and I have no other form of transportation.

Back to the top | More Midas Complaints