MOT Failure - was I ripped off?

anntargett

I bought my car brand new nearly three years ago and today it went in for it's first MOT with a mileage of 5,700 (I live in the city so don't use it that much). I expected it to sail through with a fixed price service of £175 and a free MOT as I am a gold card holder. Anyway they phoned to say that my car had failed the MOT due to brake fluid contamination and it would cost £45 as it wasn't covered by my three year warranty.

Was I ripped off?

vax2002

Short Answer : YES

pinkteapot

Did you take it to the main dealer?

Was the £45 for them to change the brake fluid? If so, the charge is about right for a main dealer. Our car is going in for a main dealer service next week and they offered me a brake fluid change which is apparently recommended on the second service and would set me back £40.

Whether or not that should have been an MOT fail is another matter that people more knowledgeable than me will be along to answer soon.

vax2002

Testing brake fluid is not a requirement for the MOT.

pinkteapot

Then yes.

Notmyrealname

However I will point out that brake fluid should be changed every 2 years regardless of mileage done as it absorbs water which then reduces its efficiency under heavy braking. So whilst it wasn't something that should have failed a MOT, it was a job that is a year overdue and you've been charged what is the going rate. In short, you've not paid more than you should have done anyway.

slyracoon

vax2002 wrote: »

Testing brake fluid is not a requirement for the MOT.

Indeed, but testing of the effectivness of the brakes is part of the MOT.

Brake fluid contaminated with excess water which lowers its boiling point is not as easily compressed thus causing problems with brake fade. This could be the cause of the failiure and the garage has advised the OP that a fluid change will get is passed.

So what I'm trying to say is, on its own the fluid is not a fail but it can cause a fail if it is adversely affecting brake performance.

OP, what exactly did it say on the fail sheet?

hartcjhart

you weigh it up
£45
or possible catastrophic brake failure

System

You need to find out what the failure actually was rather than the tester's opinion on the cause of (up to now) an undisclosed failure

anntargett

Regarding the fail sheet I haven't got it at the moment as they still have my car - they phoned me and told me about the contamination and said it would pass if the brake fluid was changed so I agreed to them doing it.

Sgt_Pepper_2

Did you use the same dealer last year?

They should have changed the fluid at 2 years.