I hired this mechanic to replace the cinching actuator on my Tesla. Immediately after he completed…read morethe work, my car began making loud, abnormal noises that never existed before. My door handles started making a loud squeaking/horn-like sound. When I opened my trunk, it sounded like it was malfunctioning or "dying." The same noise occurred when the trunk closed. When I opened my doors, the noise came from the trunk again. Even when I backed into my driveway and pressed the brakes, my car made a loud honking sound.
All of these issues began after his repair.
I contacted him immediately to let him know something was clearly wrong. Instead of taking responsibility or offering to inspect the problem, he became defensive and accused me of lying. He claimed the issues were preexisting and said I had tampered with my own car. He talked over me, became argumentative, threatened to cut business ties, said he would block my number, and abruptly hung up on me.
He also blamed me for "self-diagnosing," even though I was simply describing the symptoms I was experiencing--something any customer would do. I hired him because he is the mechanic. It is literally his job to assess, diagnose, and fix problems. Instead, he refused accountability and demanded I pay him an additional $250 just to run a diagnostic to determine whether he caused the problems.
Every reputable mechanic I've worked with in the past has stood behind their work. This one did not.
He then sent me a disclosure form he wanted me to sign stating that I would only receive a partial refund if he decided the issues were his fault. I did not agree to this. When I didn't respond to his repeated messages, he texted again saying that after "some thought," he would now be willing to refund only a "portion" of what I paid. I paid him $350.
When I declined to pay the additional $250 diagnostic fee, he argued with me and repeatedly stated that because I said no, I was "accepting that this is the end of the issue," then hung up on me.
To document the abnormal noises, I opened and closed the liftgate several times. During this process, a panel that concealed the wiring fell off its hinges. A Tesla-certified mechanic later told me this was because the panel had not been screwed in correctly.
I ultimately had to hire a Tesla-certified mechanic to fix what was done. Based on the symptoms I described over the phone, he immediately recognized that the wiring had been done incorrectly. When he inspected the vehicle, he confirmed that multiple connectors were improperly rewired, including the liftgate being wired into the speaker system and the trunk light being wired incorrectly. The horn was sounding as a warning that something was wrong.
This was not only careless -- it was a safety concern.
This mechanic was rude, dismissive, unprofessional, and completely unwilling to stand behind his work. Based on my experience, I would strongly caution Tesla owners and anyone with a modern vehicle against using his services.
*** This is in response to Jane's response. PLEASE READ as this is very important.
James claims he offered a "warranty check," AKA "diagnostic," but only if I paid him an additional $250 for his time. I declined. At that point, he repeatedly talked over me, read a disclaimer aloud without allowing me to respond, and ignored my polite requests to speak. He then told me he was "ending this relationship," said he would block my number, and abruptly hung up on me.
He did not offer a full refund--only an unspecified portion of what I paid. I uploaded a photo of the revised invoice he sent after damaging my vehicle. In that invoice, he attempted to insert a disclaimer stating that I would accept a partial refund only after he decided whether he caused the damage. The document does not specify any refund amount. Had I signed it, I would have forfeited my right to a full refund.
After my Yelp review, I sent James videos from a Tesla-certified mechanic explaining exactly what he did wrong. He incorrectly reattached the wiring, connecting the liftgate to the speaker system, which caused the loud horn noise. On a Tesla, this sound is a safety alert indicating faulty electrical connections.
James presents himself as an honest professional. My experience was the opposite. I was spoken over, yelled at, threatened with being blocked, and treated with hostility when I simply asked questions about the damage done to my vehicle. I have never been treated this way by any business before.
Based on both his conduct and the documented mechanical errors, James is not qualified to work on electric or modern vehicles. His behavior was unprofessional, aggressive, and manipulative. I strongly recommend that anyone with a newer or electric car take their business elsewhere.
Quantum Mobile Mechanic is not on Better Business Bureau. I reported him to the BAR (California Bureau of Automotive Repair).***