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‘Gathered My Tools and Walked Out': Volkswagen Atlas Driver Takes SUV for Tire Rotation. Then They Leave With a 'New Car'

"Thats one way to flare the fenders..."

Volkswagen Driver Takes SUV for Tire Rotation

Photo by: Unsplash.com

Steve Ecker

By: Steve Ecker

Nov 25, 2025 at 8:00am ET

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A Volkswagen driver recently took their vehicle in for a tire rotation and ended up leaving with a bigger issue.

The last thing any driver wants is more damage to be created after bringing the vehicle in for service. Well, that’s what happened to this Volkswagen Atlas driver during a routine tire rotation.

In a Facebook Reel that’s generated over 2 million views as of this writing, Nathan Coleman (@nathan.coleman.9275439) shares how these mechanics created a much bigger problem for the Volkswagen driver.

Why Is the Volkswagen Driver Leaving With a New Car?

In the Facebook Reel, Coleman reposts a video showing how mechanics completely botched a tire rotation job.

"Going there for a tire rotation, coming out with a brand new car," the on-screen text reads.

The post, captioned "Gathered my tools and walked out the shop," reveals that the Volkswagen SUV fell off the lift during the tire rotation.

While photos display the accident at the start of the post, security footage reveals the entire event unfolding in real-time.

The mechanics were completing the tire rotation on the front of the vehicle when it fell off the lift.

The footage shows the vehicle slowly tilting backward and gravity taking the vehicle's weight downward. The back part of the car with the tires still on hits the ground, causing the front of the vehicle to pop off the lift arm. The front of the vehicle is prevented from falling to the ground by the lift arm pole, which runs horizontally across.

Even with the lift arm pole stopping the car from fully falling off the lift, severe damage was done.

Luckily, the mechanics in the area quickly escaped the lift area, avoiding any injuries.

"Curious why it was that high off the ground for a tire rotation…" one Facebook commenter asked.

"Rookies," Coleman replied.

"That's why you do a shake test before lifting it SMH," another commenter added.

"That wasn’t the issue. The arm in the rear wasn’t locked, and it kicked out on the passenger rear. Seen this twice!" a third replied.

Gallery: 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport: Long Term Intro

2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport: Long Term Intro

"This Was and Is One of My Worst Fears"

Viewers went to the comments section to share their analysis and reasoning for why this situation occurred.

"The lift arm literally just slid out in the back," one Facebook commenter said.

"Lift arm lock failure. Not tech's fault. Look at the right rear arm, it kicks out from under the truck. When the lift is up, the arms are supposed to lock the swing," another commented.

"Those lift arms lock in place. They should not be able to move, the rear passenger lift arm did. Same bs happened to me once. It was a dealership lift too, figures," a third shared.

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While other mechanics expressed their fears of this happening and refusal to work with lifts with arms that don’t lock.

"This was and is one of my worst fears. I have a young tech in the shop and I'm always checking his setups. I'll say in 35 plus years I only had one vehicle fall off a lift and, thankfully, it was only a few inches off the ground. F150s will walk forward when lowered," one shared.

"This is why I refused to work under a lift where the arms wouldn't lock," another expressed.

What Happens When the Auto Shop Damages Your Car?

The last thing you want is a new problem to be created when taking your car into the auto shop. While mistakes may sometimes occur, the good news is that customers have protection and compensation available to them.

It turns out that the mechanic and auto shop can be liable for these damages with sufficient evidence.

If any damages occur during auto service, the mechanics are liable for the damages, according to Badell’s Collision reports.

When the mechanic creates a new problem for your car, this situation can fall under negligence.

During this situation, it’s best to document the damage, notify the mechanic, revisit the repair contract, and request reparations. If the auto shop is being difficult to work with, seeking legal advice can help you obtain compensation.

As mentioned, the mechanic can be liable for the damages that take place while servicing the vehicle.

"If a mechanic fails to exercise reasonable care or skill while performing repairs and this negligence leads to damage or harm to the vehicle or its occupants, they can be held legally responsible for those damages," per Badell’s Collision.

What do you think?

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According to Badell’s Collision, to establish liability, the vehicle owner must establish the following:

The repair was not competently and safely done by the mechanic, who owed a duty of care to perform the repair.
The mechanic failed to demonstrate the necessary skill and care during the service, resulting in a breach of duty of care.
The vehicle was damaged or harmed directly by the mechanic during service.
The damages incurred are quantifiable due to the mechanic's negligence.

Coleman declined to comment on the matter, telling Motor1, "I do not own this content, I am a meme page and reposting page."

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