Travis Jones says what should have been a routine oil change at Canadian Tire turned into a terrifying highway emergency after staff used plastic zip ties to secure a critical part of his car — marking the start of a two-year fight for answers.
He says as soon as he left his local Canadian Tire in Clarenville, N.L., in May 2023, he knew there was a problem with his 2017 Honda Civic. Jones says his car began shaking violently, making a roaring noise and struggling to reach highway speeds.
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"It was like the car was being dragged backward," he told Go Public. "I was frightened to my near death. I was losing control of my vehicle and I was on the highway with other motorists and there was a transport truck right behind me."
Jones brought the car right back to Canadian Tire.
It turns out, several bolts were missing from the engine splash shield — a plate that protects fragile parts under the car and is often removed during oil changes. Some shields are plastic, but Jones's was metal and he believed it had likely been dragging under the car.
But instead of replacing the bolts, the staff used plastic zip ties to hold the shield in place.
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