SAFETY SCAM ALERT
My biggest concern with East Hills
Subaru of Sayville is SAFETY. I brought my vehicle in for an active passenger seatbelt/SRS airbag issue. After paying for work on this safety system,
Subaru of Sayville is SAFETY. I brought my vehicle in for an active passenger seatbelt/SRS airbag issue. After paying for work on this safety system, I left with the same problem unresolved, including the constant seatbelt chime and an SRS system that may not operate properly in a collision.
I had already received a professional diagnosis using factory-standard diagnostic equipment and provided East Hills with the fault codes. They wanted another $300 diagnostic fee, which I declined.
I paid East Hills to perform the complete work and applicable Subaru factory procedures associated with replacing the seatbelt receptacle—not simply install a part and clear a code.
Most concerning, their own technician states in the service video that replacing the receptacle DID NOT resolve the problem. The technician does not mention performing the applicable SRS/occupant-detection re-zero calibration, and neither does my receipt. Yet the paperwork states the repair was completed to factory-standard satisfaction and that the vehicle was test-driven, despite the odometer not changing.
When I asked for documentation confirming the re-zero calibration was performed, they could not provide it. The same warnings and fault codes remained, and I was told I would have to pay another $300 diagnostic fee, even if the issue involved the work I had just paid for.
All I wanted was documentation showing the complete repair and applicable factory procedures were performed. Instead, my calls and emails eventually went unanswered.
I paid for a safety-related repair, their own technician acknowledged the problem remained, and I still cannot get documentation confirming the questioned calibration was performed.
Based on my experience, I would not trust East Hills Subaru of Sayville with another repair and will not return.
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by Shawng14
Service Price Transparency
Other Employees Tagged:
Scott Ladd
, Robert Kessler
Sep 22, 2026 -
East Hills Subaru of Sayville responded
Dear Shawng14,
We appreciate your bringing your recent service experience to our attention.
I’m told you were very specific about what you wanted us to do to your vehicle. You refused to pay for any diagnostic services. You told us an outside facility told you what to have done. So, we wrote the repair order to your exact specifications -- remove and replace the right front seat belt receptacle and clear the diagnostic trouble codes. We did this.
We told you upfront and we wrote this on your repair order that we will not guarantee any diagnosis you received from outside of East Hills Subaru. Even our technician stated that what you had us do to your vehicle might not fix the problem. You told us exactly what you wanted us to do and exactly what you would pay for. We did just that.
If there is any further work to be performed, allow us to diagnose the root cause of any issues. There will be a fee to diagnose this. Please let us know.
Sincerely,
Phil Wolhar
Chief Marketing Officer
East Hills Auto Group
pwolhar@easthillsjeep.com
Sep 22, 2026 -
East Hills Subaru of Sayville responded
I'm sorry you feel the way you do. My discussions with my team indicate a different conversation was had with you. We disclaimed to you -- not just from the service writer, but from the technician -- that we are not guaranteeing your fix would work because you were adamant as to the steps we were to follow. If you'd like us to repair your vehicle, please let us know.
Sincerely,
Phil Wolhar
Chief Marketing Officer
East Hills Auto Group
pwolhar@easthillsjeep.com
Sep 22, 2026 -
Shawng14 responded
If I paid for the job of replacing the seatbelt receptacle, that means all parts of the repair process. You don’t get to pick and choose when there’s protocols set forth. You chose to take a shortcut since I didn’t pay a huge diagnostic fee. You responding publicly instead of communicating via public forum when I called and emails multiple times show bad faith in service to customers and care for only your reputation. If you performed the Subaru standards scope of work for that job as you are obligated to do, you could have easily provided the information. Instead you shortcutted to have me comeback and pay more. I can provide all files to show highway and Subaru standards for this repair which what YOUR TEAM didn’t documents I assume you didn’t do the full scope.
Sep 22, 2026 -
Shawng14 responded
Please refer to Subaru Technical Service Bulletin 12-203-16R. For Post-Repair Scanning and Calibration (Subaru Position Statement)
I said replace my seatbelt recepticle. That’s the job. If I paid for a seatbelt receptacle replacement and you only did 2/3 thirds of that process and skipped mandatory (re-zeroing) part of the process, then you failed to do the full repair I paid for and knowingly gave back a car with safety problems. If I said change the tire, and you put on A tire and didn’t inflate it, does that count as a repair?
A certified Subaru technician is legally and contractually obligated to follow OEM service manuals, not customer
phrasing. Your shop replaced a critical Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) component and bypassed the mandatory ODS Zero-Point calibration required to make the system functional.
Leaving a customer's airbag system disabled and claiming it is the customer's fault for 'not asking' or saying word for word your full scope for a complete repair is an egregious safety violation.
This matter will most definitely be brought to attention to the BBB, and the NHTSA.
Jack Simon went out of his way to troubleshoot my car
problem. He was a pleasure to deal with. Thank you again, Jack.
Virginia Hutchinson
problem. He was a pleasure to deal with. Thank you again, Jack.
Virginia Hutchinson
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by Ginnyhtch
Service Price Transparency
Feb 24, 2026 -
East Hills Subaru of Sayville responded
Dear Ginnyhtch,
Thank you for trusting us with your recent vehicle service. We appreciate the opportunity to help you and we wish you all our best.
Sincerely,
Phil Wolhar
Chief Marketing Officer
East Hills Auto Group
pwolhar@easthillsjeep.com
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