Tennessee man buys replacement tires at Walmart. Then they cancel the order and tow his car

A Reddit user known as AioliOld2 recently took to the Walmartcustomer subreddit to share an allegedly frustrating customer experience story. After dealing with a flat tire, the Tennessee Redditor found themselves in the parking lot of a Cookeville Walmart, hoping to take advantage of the store’s tire center for an efficient fix. Instead of getting back on the road, they allegedly ended up in a multi-day ordeal involving a towed vehicle, unhelpful staff, and a massive headache.

In a post on Reddit, the user explained: “I bought a set of tires because I had a flat and rolled into Walmart parking lot. I did not want to have my car towed afraid of damage so I thought I’d just get tires there. I ordered them and signed paperwork that I was leaving my car.” It seemed like a straightforward plan, but the store had other ideas. The user noted that “Walmart cancelled the order 5 days later and I went into the store and ordered 4 more.” 

Despite the initial hiccup, the user thought they were back on track. However, the trouble really began the following day. “The next day I got a text my tires should be there so I went by after work and my car was gone! Freaking gone!” the user wrote. It turns out that the store’s asset protection team allegedly had the car towed, even though it was parked in front of the tire center with all the necessary paperwork already signed.

Aside from the paperwork, the user noted there were no signs

According to the Redditor, the store’s signage situation is a mess. “They only had one sign in a super center parking lot saying you could be towed which was on the other side of the building and the service listed got busted over 20 years ago so there’s really zero signs,” they explained. They also uploaded pictures to the post for the community to see. However, it should be noted that this is AioliOld2 version of the event and shouldn’t be considered verified fact until more of the background details in the story sre revealed.

To make matters worse, the tow truck driver allegedly told the user that they had towed approximately 24 other vehicles on that same day. The user noted that they spent four hours in the store, feeling completely irate while trying to get answers from the corporate 800 number. Last year, another customer ended up with a damaged car when they visited Walmart’s auto center for an oil change. 

The Redditor reported that even the representatives on the phone seemed disgusted with the store’s service. “The 800 number told the store to fill a claim out for me but they refused so he gave me the number and I submitted my own,” the user wrote. Then the Redditor alleged that “The store manager wouldn’t reply or even call the store her sorry a** needs to be demoted. Nobody did anything.”

The user claimed, “I called the tow truck service and he thought they were idiots he didn’t charge me for the haul.” However, the damage was already done. He says he had to pay another place for 4 tires and an alignment due to the tow truck “dragging the car up on the truck.” “Can’t make this shit up!” the user added.

This story highlights a growing concern about big-box retailers and the public regarding parking lot policies. Per Fight for Right, today, many stores post “No Overnight Parking” signs. This is largely due to liability concerns, local zoning laws, and the challenges of managing large, 24/7 lots. As the rules tighten, store managers are often under pressure to keep lots clear, which can lead to aggressive enforcement. 

Reddit was largely frustrated for AioliOld2. One user asked them to “Please put this on the Hip Cookeville FB page to blast them for their blatant ignorance!” Another commenter shared a similar horror story about a local flower shop owner whose car was crashed by Walmart employees during an oil change. They wrote that the company then dragged its feet on an insurance investigation. Of course, as one Walmart receipt found by Jiffy Lube suggests, sometimes people can damage their own cars by not following instructions.

When another Redditor questioned why the user didn’t just change the flat tire themselves, the original poster didn’t hold back. “You’re a joke man. My car doesn’t come with a jack or tire. My dad owned a garage so I’ve changed more than you I’m sure. I work next to Walmart so when I had a flat I just rolled in there,” they replied. 

Ultimately, this experience serves as a stark reminder. Even when you think you’ve followed all the rules, corporate communication and local store enforcement don’t always align. As the user noted, “That’s big companies no communication.”