Dealer screwed up caliper replacement: advice?

ive been going to Hurlbert in epping NH...

I hope everything turns out all right for you buddy, good luck!

 

I use Centric brake parts at my shop when factory parts are discontinued. However, I make sure my customers know they are not receiving factory parts and that the price will reflect that. The price difference between Centric and factory Toyota is substantial. I am assuming this dealership was doing it's best to build in a higher gross profit for the ticket unbeknownst to the customer...

 

My shop is not allowed to use non Ford parts unless the customer signs off.

 

My shop is not allowed to use non Ford parts unless the customer signs off.

It sucks as the tech because you really do try to do your best but things happen you get distracted and you forget to tighten a caliper bolt. Happened to me two weeks ago lucky for me it was a used car and I caught it on the test drive before it fell off. But it happens to the best of the best techs

 

Too be the best Tech you don't forget things like this as you should always double check your work…..

Not saying you are an incompetent Mechanic but there is no excuse for this type of mistake on such a key component to vehicle and owner safety…..

There would be a very serious chat with the Dealership Service Manager along with the Dealership Manager….

 

Yeah, to me it seems that it almost needs to be a tech problem. Yeah, the aftermarket pins are flimsier, but I just can't see all four of them shearing or sliding out. No way. They just didn't get put on, and the work didn't get double-checked.

Service manager considers this a closed issue. Haven't yet talked to someone higher up.

Did get a call back from Toyota. They are looking into it.

 

I had the Service Manager tell me last week that I was being too picky.. I said being picky it was your lack of attention to the detail and your Cranial Rectosis that we are having this conversation.

Then I asked him WTF would my being picky have to do the retention of a customer…..His answer was talk to my Boss If I have any further disappointments in the service I have received.

I have a meeting with him the Dealership Manager and Owner of the dealership on Friday of this week…..

 

I have never seen a Toyota Dealer use anything other than OEM Parts except when it is specifically an after market item.

Very Strange Indeed!

 

When I bought my 94 toy pickup NEW off the lot, the dealer, as part of the contract, was paid to install a factory rear bumper (then an option) and a factory sliding back window. Guess what, it was the cheapest aftermarket stuff available and failed soon after.

I think we have not a material issue here, but two seperate dealer issues, upselling calipers and failure to install parts correctly.

Howard

 

The Service Manager told me that was their standard practice, since the Toyota OEM parts were so expensive.

He also claims that they told me this, but, well, they didn't.

When they called me about the stuck caliper, they asked me to approve the work, and even ran down the cost. They never mentioned the fact that they were aftermarket calipers.

 

Something like the OP is disciplinary action in the military for anyone working equipment. Especially safety critical stuff.

The tech data and service manuals they go by are offiical orders, called technical orders (tech orders, T.O.s). If you skip or misperform any steps in there, you are guilty of violating orders.

 

Last I checked this isn't the military. No one got injured no property was damaged. Tech will get a talking to and have to re do the job for free but that's it.

They shouldn't have been using aftermarket in the first place but that's a management decision

 

Agreed, however none of us are privy to what was seen. The OP did mention he was told that there was abnormal wear. That could be indicative of bad calipers. Sticking slides typically only have one pad wear down excessively. Sticking pistons will wear both pads excessively. No idea what was seen since I am guessing they didn't specify that much detail to the OP.

We have installed Centric parts at my shop here, and they are acceptable in quality. I haven't had any centric brake components fail before, but yeah, the retaining system sucks.

There are no rules in place for a franchise dealership that requires them to use OEM parts, other than warranty repairs. Service and maintenance components done are not required to be OEM. Pretty much every dealership will do this. Granted they usually only do so if an OEM part is not available to perform the repair immediately (i.e. part not in stock and 2 days to get it)

I agree with the first part of your statement, but there is no way to quantify your last sentence, since none of us know why the Centric parts were actually used. Perhaps an OEM set of calipers were not in stock, and couldn't be available for a couple of days. The question DOES arise as to how much the OP was charged for the Centric Calipers. Hey OP, do you have a copy of the original invoice from when you got the work done?

Even the best techs have an off day, or make a mistake. Can you state beyond a shadow of a doubt that you have NEVER in your life made a mistake at a job? We are ALL human.

True, but private industry is NOT the military. And mistakes like this do NOT go unnoticed. I have seen plenty of disciplinary action taken on techs that make mistakes at dealerships. I am damn good at my job, and work hard to make sure I don't screw up, but I won't lie, I have made mistakes. And I have suffered the consequences.

OP, as long as YOU are satisfied with what they have done to correct the error, then that is what matters. Yes, you could have been seriously injured, but you weren't, and they have corrected the problem. Everyone makes mistakes. Don't pass judgement on the entire service department as a whole. Simply request next time you go in that you have a different tech look at your truck, and not the tech that installed the other parts on the last visit. The dealership made good on the issue. Not really fair to fault them as a whole because of the CHANCE (since we don't know 100% for SURE what happened) that they had a tech make a mistake.

 

Best response yet

 

OP here... Thanks for the well-reasoned response.

They did mention on the phone, and on the original invoice, that the LF caliper had a frozen piston.

Interesting to hear. Thanks.

I've since confirmed with the Service Manager and Dealer Manager that it is standard practice for them to use aftermarket parts instead of OEM on several repairs unless it is warranty work, and that they currently don't disclose this unless asked. Calipers being one example. They declined to give others. Interestingly, they did explicitly tell me that part of the repair was non-OEM: they replaced the brake tubes as well, and while they had the OEM part for the FR brakes, they bent a custom tube for the FL since they didn't have one in stock.

They do stock OEM calipers.

$250.00 each for the LF and RF calipers. Discounted to $217.28 each since I bought the Toyota there.

If I they had done the repair with OEM parts, they would have charged me $315.31 each for the OEM calipers.

 

Interesting point, but there is no legality on which parts to use, or if disclosure is required when using non-OEM parts. I can see where you would say that the owner should be notified, but as a shop owner, I also see the dealership's side. I don't disclose to my customers if my parts are OEM or aftermarket when talking to them. Not that I hide it either. It does reflect on the invoice that the customer is required to sign, and as the OP mentioned, when he got his invoice it showed that Centric parts, and the part number, were used. No that the OP is wrong in any way, but he should have read the invoice before signing and paying for the repairs, and if there were any questions, ask then. This statement does NOT excuse what happened as to the failure, but just simply related to the comment about using non-OEM parts for a repair.

With this information included, I do think it would have at the LEAST been good customer service to contact you with BOTH options (OEM and non-OEM) with the price and let YOU make the decision. ESPECIALLY when considering they had OEM in stock. This would just be good business practice. When I was at the dealership we would offer both options if we were concerned about making a sale, and had both parts available, thus letting the customer choose their option for their own truck. Usually here at my shop I try to give several options, letting the customer make the decision. For example we have 3 different levels of brake pads, Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Bronze are organic pads(Most cars today don't use them, but older cars still do), Silver are semi-metalic, and Gold are ceramic. I price each option, giving the customer the advantages and disadvantages of all 3 options, and let THEM make the decision. However MOST of the time the organic pads are never in stock.

 

I do know that Centric was contacted by the Service Manager, and the Service Manager has decided that even if they use Centric parts in the future, they will use OEM pins. Hopefully nobody has this particular problem again.

 

That's exactly my point. And safety issues are no less critical in the private sector so maybe some managers need to start running things a little more like the military, as far as quality and accountability goes.

Usually when things start getting accidently overlooked is when the push for production numbers and profit become more important than safety and quality. Applies to anything too, book publishing, software development you name it. Rush jobbing is going to result in increased mistakes. And yes the same thing happens for the military too. If they get called and they suddenly need all five of these planes in the air within 30 minutes they will do it taking whatever shortcuts necessary. Then everyone just accepts the responsibility if problems arise. Chalk it up to military necessity.

 

Interesting about a dealership driving right towards aftermarket parts. I used to run the wholesale side of a parts department for a local Toyota dealership. Occasionally I would get called in to help out the service side of parts. Ordering aftermarket was strictly used as a last resort function in the service department. Maybe, it is due to the next day availability of almost every part. The west coast parts supply chain for Toyota dealerships was impressive. I agree with everything BamaToy has stated.

 

Random updates:

1. Dealer sent a $25 gift card, along with a note saying that by sending the $25 gift card they in no way acknowledge that they may have done anything incorrect.

2. Toyota Corporate got ahold of me: they are arranging for another Toyota dealer to inspect the brake system for safety, and giving me a reimbursement credit for cost of the screwed up brake job.