Jiffy Lube Reacts to Hidden Camera Report

By JOEL GROVER and MATT GOLDBERG

Updated 11:10 AM PST, Fri, Oct 17, 2008

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Video: Jiffy Lube reacts to hidden camera investigation

May 2006 - NBC Los Angeles uncovered a scheme at local Jiffy Lube stores where customers were charged for repairs that were never done.

Now, in an email, Jiffy Lube tells NBC Los Angeles that it's taking "agressive" steps to stop the fraud we uncovered.

A Burbank Jiffy Lube was closed to customers for two days because the company was retraining all its employees. Four other Los Angeles area stores were also closed -- all stores that we caught on tape charging for services, like a transmission flush, that were never done.

After our investigation, dozens of customers ... (emailed to say they) wondered if the same thing had happened to them.

To ease those concerns, Jiffy Lube says it's installing video cameras in 31 Los Angeles area stores so customers can make sure repairs are really getting done.

Jiffy Lube has also terminated six employees we caught on tape, including one employee at the Encino store who sold us a new fuel filter but later admitted to the district manager that the work was not done.

Also gone is the district manager, Steven Ayoub, who denied his identity when I tried to question him.

This is now the third time in three years that Jiffy Lube told us it was cleaning up its act.

With these latest changes, Jiffy Lube hopes customers like Dore Rodine will give it one more chance.

When asked if the steps Jiffy Lube was taking were enough to gether back as a customer, Rodine said, " That's difficult to say, Joel. I'm really not sure."

You might wonder why someone from Jiffy Lube didn't appear in this report. The company still won't sit down and talk on camera with Grover about the NBC Los Angelesinvestigation or the steps they are taking to clean up.