Help Me Hank: Help Me Hank! Car wash calamity

Like most of us, Fran Dumas needs her car, and she knows to drive safely, you've got to see what's in front of you and what's behind you.

That's the problem. When she looks into her right side view mirror, well, it's not there.

Fran Dumas, driver
"It's very dangerous."

Why no mirror? Dumas took her car through the local car wash.

Fran Dumas, driver
"I heard a clunk."

When she got through and took a look, just as she thought!

Fran Dumas, driver
"It was my mirror just hanging by a cord."

The car wash had a sign, warning, "Fold in your mirrors," but she couldn't.

Fran Dumas, driver
"My mirrors are electric. So, you can't push them in."

She complained. She showed the attendant the mangled mirror, and he promised the car wash would fix it. She gave her name and number and drove home, minus the use of one mirror. She drove for days like that, and the missing mirror drove her crazy. She went back to the car wash, once, twice, but nothing.

Fran Dumas, driver
"Now, I'm getting a little angry."

Three weeks later, she drove to the car wash again. This time, they asked for her VIN number and the year and make of her car.

Fran Dumas, driver
"I thought, 'OK, now something is going to be done.'"

But still no call. Seven weeks later, she didn't need a mirror to "see" what to do next.

Fran Dumas, Driver
"I e-mailed 'Help Me Hank!'"

We found what you see in a car wash is soap and foam and lots and lots of water. What you don't see, there are often surveillance cameras to catch all the action. And if the car wash is responsible for damage, well, that's why they have all that insurance. They've got to pay for it.

Hank Phillippi Ryan, 7NEWS Investigative Reporter
"This is Hank Phillippi Ryan."

We called the car wash and told them, you broke it you fix it. What was their only excuse? The manager had been on vacation.

Hank Phillippi Ryan, 7NEWS Investigative Reporter
"OK, terrific."

We guess he must be home now, because soon after, Dumas was back on the road with a new matching mirror back in its proper place.

Fran Dumas, driver
"I find myself looking over and thinking, 'Wow, I got my mirror back.'"

(Copyright 2007 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)