Dealer replacing front calipers under warranty, charging for pads/rotors

[TowingExplorer]

I still have an extended warranty on my '06 Ford Explorer. Only 80k miles on it now as it's my secondary vehicle.

I brought it in for some noise which I assumed was a wheel bearing as that's what the sound was last time. Also had soft brakes.

They diagnosed 3 of my 4 wheel bearings were bad! I guess the 4th is the one they replaced last year. Weird that 3 would all go at once like that.

Anyway, my soft brakes they diagnosed as a pair of frozen front calipers. In addition, they said I needed new pads and rotors while they were in there.

Here's a rundown of how this went...
1. I said I would have someone else do the rotors and pads because they wanted nearly $500 which is far too much for me for such an old vehicle.
2. They said they would not do the calipers without doing the pads/rotors because it would be "too unsafe to drive."
3. I offered to have it towed to another shop after they changed the calipers, attempting to save my $100 deductible from becoming two visits.
4. They refused and said I could have another shop do the brakes and bring it back.
5. How can another shop do the pads/rotors if the calipers are frozen, I asked?
6. They can't, they said. <silent evil laugh I think here>
7. I suggested that their frozen calipers caused my pads/rotors to fail.
8. They said my lack of driving it regularly caused the pads/rotors to fail.
9. I said I take it to work 1-2 times a week plus I went to Virginia last fall and Ohio after the New Year, so I disagree.
10. The guy said it had "not being driven all over it." which is clearly nonsense.

So tomorrow I should be picking it up. They've got me over a barrel here as I need it to take the wife and kids to Virginia for vacation beginning this weekend.

I explained that I felt they had me over a barrel because of this and I will have to contact a ford rep. The guy offered me the number.

Any suggestions? I'd consider speaking with a service manager tomorrow, if they're even available, but other than what I said above, what else is there to be said?

IMO, it's a chicken or egg scenario. Either the pads/rotors caused the calipers to seize, in which case I should pay for the calipers too (cringe)... Or the seized calipers caused my pads/rotors to degrade in which case they should pay for them all.

My Father's friends with a sales manager at another dealer (much further away so I did not go there) but he said he'd have gone with me not paying for the pads/rotors because there is no way to know which failed first.

Open to ideas.

 

[JuBean]

Their unsafe frozen calipers that they are replacing under warranty put your life and the lives of those around you in danger so if they cannot take care of those free they can suck a lemon or offer to replace them at a normal cost

Have you seen the pads and rotors? I cannot see how the pads and rotors could cause the calipers to seize unless they were stupidly warped.

Not allowing the vehicle to be towed to a trustworthy repair shop is straight up bull and should be pointed out when you talk to a manager.

Me personally I would have told the tech he is full of crap to his face and demanded to see a manager even if that means they have to bring out someone from the sales department for you to yell at!

 

[TowingExplorer]

Thanks JuBean. This has been largely over the phone so far as I dropped it off and took a much smaller Escape Ecoboost for a loaner.

I don't think (literally) "yelling" gets anyone anywhere, so I'll assume you're kidding there. Emphasizing might be another story though.

I'm open to suggestions. I do like your approach of "your seize calipers put myself, my family and everyone around me in danger" though.

Ultimately, this being a 9 year old car is probably going to cause the ESP to be worthless, even though the dealer admitted fault by covering the caliper which caused my pads/rotors to get so bad they refuse to not change the calipers.

 

[JuBean]

Normally I would agree that yelling will not get you anywhere but this is a dealership so their whole approach to business is screwing you over in any way they can..... I might be a little bitter though!

The age should not be a factor, the usage should be the only thing they are looking at and at 80K miles it is not abused. I have had several vehicles older that yours that were driven less and never ran into an issue where not using it caused a part to fail.
The tech saying "it has the signs of not being driven all over it" is beyond stupid and feels like they are just insulting you.

Go stick it to them

 

[colintrax]

The frozen calipers been be greased up, no need to replace them.

The old pads and rotors can be reused with the new calipers should they replace them anyways. The caliper doesn't care if it's pushing on a new or old pad.

 

[TowingExplorer]

The frozen calipers been be greased up, no need to replace them.

The old pads and rotors can be reused with the new calipers should they replace them anyways. The caliper doesn't care if it's pushing on a new or old pad.

That was my opinion too. Had I not been planning on taking it on my trip this weekend and had more time to fight with them, I'd have taken it home, replaced the pads/rotors and brought it back.

I offered to have it towed away to get the brakes done after the calipers were done and they refused. Basically had me over a barrel that I either had to get it all fixed or none of it, and pay my deductible for "services (not) rendered."

 

[TowingExplorer]

Picked it up today. The front bearing they got had a bad ABS sensor and I guess that's part of the bearing assembly. They had to order another which delayed my receiving the vehicle back from them.

It is very quiet now and stops well again. I'm happy that I brought it in given that I am taking it to Virginia this weekend for vacation with the family.

I ended up paying $370 plus tax for the front pads and rotors. I did ask for the originals parts back, which the gentleman did not seem very pleased about.

While waiting to make sure that my loaner was returned to their system without issue as I didn't have to sign anything on return, I saw the manager fly through the service bay next to the front desk in My Explorer, presumably to get the rotors. Then, a couple minutes later, he flew back around the building and left it out front. Maybe that was his personal braking test! The vehicle only had 5 more miles on it than when I dropped it off.

I'll post back with Ford's assistance, if any.

 

[TowingExplorer]

Ford Service keeps saying they'll make a note of it, not open a case or even contact the dealer.

I contacted the dealer to tell them about how they left the master cylinder cap off and I only noticed because I changed the oil (after a drive to and from work). They're lucky I don't drive like a maniac or it may have left the bay.

 

[TowingExplorer]

I had suggested they give me my old rotors back when I picked up the vehicle, which they did with a bit of displeasure. They don't look great, but they don't look like they were going to crash the vehicle. I could have driven it out of there and fixed this issue on my own once the calipers were no longer seized.

As you can see in my signature, I can do rotors/pads.

 

[TowingExplorer]

So I survived my road trip from Massachusetts to Virginia and back. About 1400 miles total. The Explorer ran like a champ.

My other thread Name that leak, someone suggested it may have been brake fluid which splashed out which appeared as a leak on my front diff/steering rack. Great.. wonder how low I was for the trip.

My wife called the "service manager" on the invoice about the master cylinder cap being left off. Routed eventually to the exact service person I'd been working with, who is apparently the acting service manager right now. She told me he was very surprised as it was his "head mechanic" who did the work. She responded asking what else they must have left undone as a result.

Anyway, the road trip I just had from Massachusetts to Virginia and back, about 1400 miles total, was a success.

Still working out the pads/rotors cost with Ford. Ford Service keeps saying they are "updating our feedback" but haven't opened a case or done anything proactive about this.

 

[TowingExplorer]

Ford Service publicly, via Twitter, says they want to do whatever they can to help. Privately they "update our feedback" and say that all the dealers are Franchises and that they effectively have no control over it.

At least they get to collect their franchise fees and make their profits when the vehicles are sold. I guess past that it's not of much interest to them. :thumbdwn: