BREAKING: In a shocking incident, a Naperville man has uncovered unauthorized use of his SUV by a dealership employee. Jonathan Gregory used a GPS tracking app while overseas to confirm alarming activity involving his Ford Explorer at Fair Oaks Ford.
While Gregory was in Germany, he discovered that his vehicle was being driven around Berwyn, nearly 25 miles from the dealership. “I left my car in the trust of the dealership… and here I am in Germany and my car is being driven back and forth to a neighborhood I don’t know,” he stated.
Initially, Gregory noticed an additional 100 miles on his vehicle’s odometer after the first service visit. Alarmed, he documented the odometer reading at 8,302 miles and continued to monitor the FordPass app. The results were staggering: his vehicle’s mileage soared to 8,440 miles during its second visit to the shop.
Gregory reported that the dealership claimed the technician needed to drive his car to diagnose a noisy sunroof. However, he deemed the driving excessive and collected evidence from his GPS app, revealing multiple trips to Berwyn over several days. “I have daily screenshots from the app where the car was going back and forth to Berwyn every day for several days,” he said.
In response to the growing concerns, Gregory filed a formal complaint with the Illinois Attorney General and requested to be released from his lease, a request that was ultimately denied. However, the dealership offered a lifetime of free oil changes and maintenance as compensation, along with a promise to cover tolls and extra mileage beyond 340 miles after his lease.
The general manager of Fair Oaks Ford addressed the situation, stating, “We take customer concerns extremely seriously… We immediately launched an internal review, identified the employee responsible, and took swift corrective action.” The dealership confirmed the termination of the employee involved and reinforced policies to safeguard customer trust.
Gregory emphasized the emotional toll of the violation, stating, “The two most expensive purchases people make in their life are their cars and their homes, and you don’t want either of them being used without your permission.”
This incident serves as a crucial reminder for car owners to actively monitor their vehicles. Using tracking apps can provide peace of mind and alert owners to potential unauthorized use. Always check your vehicle’s mileage before and after service visits and inquire about any necessary test drives.
As this story develops, consumers are encouraged to remain vigilant and protect their investments.
