In October 2025, I took my vehicle to Pep Boys in Lansing, IL for brake service, including new brake rotors and related repairs. I paid over $1,000 for the work. Less than 24 hours after picking up my car, the engine began shutting down, which had never occurred before.
When I contacted the shop, they advised me to bring the car back in and then charged me an additional diagnostic fee of over $100, only to tell me that the vehicle now required another $1,000+ in new repairs. This immediately raised red flags, as the issue began only after their service was performed. I strongly suspect that something was either tampered with, mishandled, or left improperly reassembled during the brake service.
Feeling uneasy about their explanation and unwilling to pay another thousand dollars so soon after the first, I took my car to a different mechanic for a second opinion. The other mechanic discovered the issue was related to a sensor that appeared to have been affected during the prior service and a small fee to replace.
This experience left me feeling deceived and financially taken advantage of. It appears Pep Boys may have engaged in negligent or deceptive repair practices—possibly creating or worsening problems to generate additional income from customers. The situation resulted in lost time, energy, and unnecessary fees paid.
Potentially unethical business conduct, possible vehicle tampering, and unnecessary repair recommendations made to increase profit.
This raises serious concerns about integrity and trust at this location. I strongly caution other consumers — buyer beware.
In October 2025, I took my vehicle to Pep Boys in Lansing, IL for brake service, including new brake rotors and related repairs. I paid over $1,000 for the work. Less than 24 hours after picking up my car, the engine began shutting down, which had never occurred before.
When I contacted the shop, they advised me to bring the car back in and then charged me an additional diagnostic fee of over $100, only to tell me that the vehicle now required another $1,000+ in new repairs. This immediately raised red flags, as the issue began only after their service was performed. I strongly suspect that something was either tampered with, mishandled, or left improperly reassembled during the brake service.
Feeling uneasy about their explanation and unwilling to pay another thousand dollars so soon after the first, I took my car to a different mechanic for a second opinion. The other mechanic discovered the issue was related to a sensor that appeared to have been affected during the prior service and a small fee to replace.
This experience left me feeling deceived and financially taken advantage of. It appears Pep Boys may have engaged in negligent or deceptive repair practices—possibly creating or worsening problems to generate additional income from customers. The situation resulted in lost time, energy, and unnecessary fees paid.
Potentially unethical business conduct, possible vehicle tampering, and unnecessary repair recommendations made to increase profit.
This raises serious concerns about integrity and trust at this location. I strongly caution other consumers — buyer beware.
- John D., Lansing, US