CBS Atlanta 46Customer: Bad oil change led to hood flying off

Customer: Bad oil change led to hood flying off

A customer who went to the Jiffy Lube on Highway 1-38 in Conyers said their service caused her hood to fly off in rush hour traffic.

Kristian Belton said she has been fighting with Jiffy Lube since the July incident.

"They were the last people to touch my car," said Belton. "I don't deal with my car.  I have no reason to. Those were the last people who touched my car and it wasn't broken before I got the oil change."

A company spokesperson, Michael Davis, told CBS Atlanta News one of their appraisers checked the car after the hood flew off and found that there was significant rust and damage to the front part of the car before they performed the oil change.

Belton said it would be another two weeks before the hood flew off.  She said a few days after the oil change, "My car started vibrating and shaking," Belton said.  "I took it back and all they did was put a bungee cord on it and wait for a response about whether or not they were going to fix my car."

Belton said she waited for two weeks with the bungee attached to her car until finally the hood gave way. 

"I think they pressed down too hard and will not admit it," said Belton.  "It's their fault.  To tie a bungee cord on there to say 'Hey we secured a hood' when the hood was not secured isn't right."

Davis said the Jiffy Lube employees told her it was a temporary fix and to get the car into a repair shop as soon as possible.

Belton said she was never told her life was in danger, if she had, she wouldn't have driven down the interstate with the bungee.

"It was horrifying," Belton said. "I didn't know what was in front of me, or behind me.   My hood flew off and then over and hit the back of my trunk.  Anyone who works for Team Lucor who has kids, can understand how dangerous that was. My parents could have lost me my brother and my younger cousin, that's not a good feeling.  I had no control.  I wasn't the one who did my oil change."

Jiffy Lube provided CBS Atlanta News with photos of rust and damage to the front of the car they claim shows the car had issues before the oil change was performed.

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