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‘What the customers don’t know’: Mechanic shares the ‘truth’ about AAA

‘Trust me, I’m not buying AAA for the “battery” benefits.’

Photo of Vladimir Supica

Vladimir Supica

Triple A Logo on building(l) Man sharing truths about Triple A Service(r)

AAA promotes itself as a dependable and convenient roadside assistance service, but a car service industry worker is calling out its battery replacement program.

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In a viral TikTok with over 96,000 views since Jan. 12, Gary Pace (@elitevoicetv), who often shares car-related content, claims AAA technicians sometimes install incompatible batteries during roadside service calls.

“What the customers don’t know and what a lot of us do know is AAA—you’re paying that $20 a month or whatever to, you know, for roadside assistance or whatever—they come out, they replace your battery,” Pace says in the clip.

He continues, “Depending on what kind of car you have, … a lot of the times, they’re gonna put whatever they got on that truck. It may not even be compatible with your car. It may not even be the right size.”

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Pace goes on to share an anecdote about a customer whose electronic power steering rack allegedly shorted out due to AAA installing the wrong size battery.

“It’s not putting out the right voltage to modules and everything else,” he claims in the video. “You gotta understand that when they do that, they put that battery in there—that’s temporary.”

However, several commenters were quick to point out that all standard car batteries provide 12 volts, with the main difference being the amperage or cranking amps. “All automotive batteries are 12v it’s the amperage that effects the components,” wrote one user.

What kind of batteries does AAA provide?

According to AAA’s website, the organization “makes sure you get the right battery for your car – one that meets or beats your vehicle’s original equipment manufacturer (OEM) battery specifications.” 

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Currently, the primary manufacturer for AAA-branded car batteries is reportedly East Penn Manufacturing, and AAA typically offers a 3-year warranty on their batteries. Although some consumers claim exact brands may vary by location.

Other commenters chimed in to say they mainly use AAA for their towing service rather than battery services. “Trust me, I’m not buying AAA for the ‘battery’ benefits, just the 1st tow pay for themselves,” said one.

A TikTok user who claimed to be a former AAA driver suggested that the issue might have involved a third-party contractor rather than an official AAA technician.

“Sorry man. That’s third party AAA,” they wrote. “Actual AAA trucks have to call another truck to drop off the correct battery if the current truck is out.”

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Update 10:14am CT, Jan. 17: Ellen Edmonds, director of external communications at AAA, told the Daily Dot the following via email:

“AAA’s mobile battery service was launched in 1999, and since that time, we have installed 30 million AAA-branded batteries for customers across the country. We stand behind every AAA-branded battery with a no-hassle nationwide limited warranty that includes free replacement if the battery fails in the first three years. AAA-branded batteries undergo periodic quality testing at independent certified labs and by our in-house team of experienced engineers. These tests verify our batteries meet or exceed label specifications for power and capacity, and additional testing is performed for things like vibration resistance, proper venting, and zero leakage. Testing also measures durability and the length of battery life.

AAA also has strict quality standards when it comes to our battery service program. The batteries installed must meet or exceed the original equipment manufacturer’s specifications for that specific vehicle. If a roadside service technician does not have the correct battery on their service vehicle, we have specific operational protocols in place to address this. The technician will do their best to secure the correct battery, but if they cannot do so in a timely manner, then the member is provided with alternate service options (jumpstart or tow). This may include offering to tow the member to a AAA Approved Auto Repair facility, which may have the correct battery in stock. There is a small percentage of vehicles in operation (VIO) that AAA does not stock or replace batteries. In those instances, the other service options I mentioned would be provided.”

@elitevoicetv What customers don’t know about AAA. Just be mindful and pay attention so that way you know for the future. #mechanic #mechaniclife #automotivetechnician #technician #automotive ♬ original sound – EliteVoiceTV

The Daily Dot has reached out to Gary Pace via email.

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