When it comes to fixing cars — you may find yourself at the mercy of technicians. Sometimes the decisions they make might not always align with your sensibilities… or logic, really. That’s where a person who needed his 2021 Chevy Trailblazer found himself when he took his car to a Chevy dealer for repairs, but was ignored because the mechanic didn’t like the smell his car was emitting.
The owner, Tyler Weaver, took to Tiktok in a now deleted post to give a storytime of exactly what happened. Weaver just so happens to be a choir master who transitioned into selling cars, so his perspective was more than qualified. Unlike most, he knows exactly what he is talking about.
As a new father to a 1-year-old daughter, Weaver decided it was high time he got a car he truly loves to drive — the 2021 Chevy Trailblazer. But soon, the car started flashing the EVAP code. Not only that, it started to smell like gasoline inside, and as a father, Weaver simply couldn’t have that, so he took the car to a Chevy dealer because his own dealership doesn’t handle such advanced issues.
According to Motor1, whenever there’s a combination of the EVAP code flashing and a smell of gasoline filling the car, the culprit is usually a gas cap that is loose or cracked. The entire purpose of an EVAP system is to recycle fumes and fuel vapors being emitted when the engine is combusting. So if the cap is loose or cracked — the first thing that will happen is your car unfortunately smelling like a gas station. Technicians approach this issue in such a matter-of-fact way that it suggests any good mechanic would know how to fix it.
Still, when Weaver first took his car to the dealer on Oct. 24, and up to the time of print, he still hasn’t gotten his car back. Wonder what has been happening with it up to this point? Well, apparently the dealership has been playing hot potato with it. The first one apparently dropped the job because it doesn’t pay as much as they wish it did. The second one was truly ridiculous — this one claimed that despite the car’s special warranty, they don’t plan on fixing it because the smell isn’t covered.
The Tiktok was gaining traction fast, and it was going viral, giving the dealership a bad name. So Weaver’s next complaint went straight to the top. Corporate reached out directly to Weaver and assured him that they will follow up with the dealership and ensure that his issue is resolved as soon as possible. Don’t ever trivialize the power of bad press on Tiktok — this wasn’t the first time a company bowed to its pressure, and likely won’t be the last time.
Unfortunately, there will always be complaints about how dealerships choose to run their business. Sometimes you’re destined to find a facility that cares about how to make money first, and everything else comes second. But using your voice is always an underrated option. If you don’t ever complain — you end up just encouraging bad behavior.
