Consumer complaint received 2021-04-16
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: CO
Product: Vehicle loan or lease
Sub-product: Loan
Issue: Problems at the end of the loan or lease
Sub-issue: Unable to receive car title or other problem after the loan is paid off

Complaint:
MY VEHICLE LOAN WAS PAID-OFF IN XX/XX/XXXX, AND I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A TITLE AS OF XX/XX/XXXX. 

My vehicle was originally leased from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and was registered in California in XX/XX/XXXX. The vehicle was refinanced with WELLS FARGO DEALER SERVICES in XX/XX/XXXX. I moved to Virginia in XX/XX/XXXX, and registered my vehicle there. I was issued registration, license plates, and a Virginia title number. The Virginia XXXX stated that they needed the original California title from Wells Fargo Dealer Services to convert into a Virginia title, and that they would request it from the Lien Holder. I also called Wells Fargo Dealer Services and made the request for them to send the California title to the Virginia DMV. In XX/XX/XXXX, I moved back to California and registered my vehicle and received license plates. In XX/XX/XXXX, I refinanced my vehicle through XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  and Wells Fargo Dealer Services ( now XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX ) was paid-off in full. I moved to Colorado in XX/XX/XXXX, and notified the California XXXX of my change of address for title. As of XX/XX/XXXX, I have not received my title from XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX or the California XXXX. If I do not have my new Lien Holder listed on a title by XX/XX/XXXX, I will be in default and trigger an increased interest rate/monthly payment amount. I have been trying to resolve this issue with XXXX XXXX XXXX, Virginia XXXX, and California XXXX since XX/XX/XXXX. 

XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX initially said that they released my electronic title upon payoff. Then they claimed there was a XXXX error code, and that they couldn't do anything further. I called the California XXXX, and they first claimed that there was no error in their system. They told me that XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX should have no issues releasing title to me. XXXX XXXX XXXX could not complete this, and I did open a few different cases with their Complaint Department. XXXX XXXX XXXX  requested that I get a " Registration Only-No Title '' letter from the Virginia XXXX. The Virginia XXXX stated on several different occasions that no such letter exists in their system. In the end I was given a notarized XXXX XXXX form from Wells Fargo XXXX. 

During my numerous calls to both California 's and Virginia 's XXXX offices, I learned the following : XXXX. A California title was first generated and recorded by the California XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX. 
XXXX. When I moved to Virginia in XX/XX/XXXX, Wells Fargo Dealer Services never completed the Virginia XXXX request to replace the California title with a Virginia title. 
XXXX. Since a Virginia Title Number was generated in their system when I registered my vehicle there, the Virginia XXXX claim that they still need a California title. 
XXXX. The California DMV now states that when I registered my vehicle in Virginia, they VOIDED my title record. They also state that they now need a Virginia title to convert back into a California title. They claim that they have no title in their system to be released. 
XXXX. I now live in Colorado, and my vehicle is registered here. The Lien Satisfied that XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX has provided me will not be sufficient enough for me to get my vehicle titled here. Colorado will need a hardcopy title provided to them. 
XXXX. There is no title on record for my vehicle in California. 
XXXX. There is no title on record for my vehicle in Virginia. 
XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX actually has no title to release to me, upon satisfying my loan terms. ( Is a Lien Satisfied form even valid at that point? It is definitely not worth anything to me in this situation ). 
XXXX. How can I get a Title ( electronic or paper ) so that I can have my new Lien Holder listed before I have to start paying a penalty on my current loan?

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation