Car fire errupts hours after repair job, family issues warning

VALLEY CITY, Ohio - Duane Filley, of Valley City, has been running a successful auto body shop for years, but when his daughter's car needed a new alternator, he tried to find a qualified mechanic for the job.

Like many of us, Filley spent some time shopping for the best price, and found a repair shop that told him it would install a new alternator for less than $150.

"Things did not go as I expected. The first alternator installed by the mechanic seized up, causing a main drive belt to break," Filley said. Days later, the repair shop installed a second alternator, but Filley said, within hours a fire erupted under the hood.

The flames consumed his daughter's Chrysler Sebring in less than a half hour and the car was a total loss. Filley admits he told the mechanic to initiate repairs to the vehicle "for as little cost as possible," however Filley believes the blaze was started by yet another faulty rebuilt alternator.

Filley told 5 On Your Side Troubleshooter Joe Pagonakis, the repair shop would not admit fault, and refused to file a claim with its business insurance carrier. The Troubleshooter called the mechanic, and after two days of talks, the mechanic followed through on his promise, giving Filley's daughter a mini van to replace the burned-up Sebring.

"I'll never ask a mechanic to cut corners again," Filley said. "It can create a potentially hazardous situation, forcing a mechanic to speed up the job, so he can keep it profitable."

It's always important that consumers ask questions when booking auto repairs for their vehicle. Have your mechanic thoroughly explain the repair job, and tell you what to clues to look for, if the job should go bad.  If you hear or see anything unusual, like noises, smoke or dash warning lights, pull over to a safe spot on the roadside, and call the repair shop as soon as possible.

If you continue to drive a vehicle that is having problems, it could cause serious damage to your car, or perhaps a potentially dangerous situation.