Car Failed - Calipers fell off

sarahpowell

Good Morning

I am after some advise on behalf of my husband.

On Wednesday he was advised his Calipers needed to be replaced due to inefficency of his brakes (cauing a failure in his MOT) he had the work done the Wednesday/Thursday, paid by Credit Card to the Sum of £460 for 2 tyres, the calipers and headlight adjustment all which meant the car passed the MOT.

He drove the car to work and back about 7 miles each way, on both Friday and Saturday.

Yesterday he drove the car to work and he has to go along the dual carriageway he was doing 70mph, he then came up to a roundabout and started to apply his breaks (he knows the area very well so its not like he slammed the breaks on) and off fell the calipers and the break discs and all the brake oil came out meaning he had no breaks at all, the one saving grace is that thi shappedned at 05:00 on a Sunday morning meaning the roads were extremly quiet but he could have still hit the central reservation or even another car.

Anyway he has contacted Trading Standards and the garage he had the work done has picked up the car and have given him a hire car whilst they fix his car but in all honestly he could have lost his life, he avoided an accident due to experience motoring and quick thinking.

What else do we need to do? I ideally think he should be reimbursed the money he paid for the work to be done originally as a gesture of goodwill but where do we stand on this?

Any advise would be much appreciated.

Thanks

S

smcaul

Personally, I would call the garage inform them that they must not touch the car, then call your local VOSA (Vehicle and operator services agency) office and report them, there is no way (by the sounds of it) the car should have passed an MOT like that and it will be down to VOSA to investigate the garage and the way they conduct MOT's etc.

colino

They are fixing your car and I'd expect them to also give you some monetary compensation to keep you quiet. No doubt about it, they screwed up and in not double checking the brakes, I strongly suspect there's another mechanic unemployed today. Your better half had a lucky, lucky escape.

rodenal

That is such an elementary, basic check - leaving one slider loose i think could be done, but not doing up 4 of them!!!

The supposedly defective areas clearly werent retested properly by the garage or this *should* have been picked up. I would be gunning for all your cash back - BEFORE they touch the car again or you give VOSA a call, they really will not want this.

KillerWatt

sarahpowell wrote: »

he then came up to a roundabout and started to apply his breaks (he knows the area very well so its not like he slammed the breaks on) and off fell the calipers and the break discs

I can see how the caliper could possibly part company from the vehicle if it wasn't bolted up properly, but there is no way the brake disc could have followed it unless the roadwheel fell off first.

sarahpowell wrote: »

What else do we need to do? I ideally think he should be reimbursed the money he paid for the work to be done originally as a gesture of goodwill but where do we stand on this?

Well I certainly wouldn't want the same garage to fix it because that was more than just a simple oversight.

Hammyman

sarahpowell wrote: »

and off fell the calipers and the break discs

The only way for the brake discs to come off is if the wheels drop off.

nullogik

Wow, your husband was very lucky that it happened when it did.

Absolutely, I would try and get a refund/goodwill payment off the garage. As a minimum you should be aiming to get a refund on the labour paid as this is what appears to be at fault. If the car needs new discs/calipers etc. as the other ones are damaged then these should be provided free of charge as that is a consequence of the work not having been done properly in the first place.

If you do go back to that garage to have the work rectified, obviously insist on another mechanic doing it. I would also ask them to accompany you on a short test drive once the work is completed for peace of mind.

sarahpowell

Hammyman wrote: »

The only way for the brake discs to come off is if the wheels drop off.

My apologioes - Being just a mere woman and not knowing much about cars lol. The hubby states "the calipers fell off, the break pads fell out and the break fluid leaked out.

Would this make more sense? Basically the break pads where not where they were meant to be to work correctly

Your right he was very lucky. I awaiting to hear what the next stage of this is, once I know anymore I will let you know.

S

skiddlydiddly

I'd also check that bits falling off haven't damage the inside of the wheel,brake lines, suspension and underneath the car.

As said, discs won't come off as they are held in place by virtue of being between the wheel and the wheel hub and unless there's a lot of clearance between the wheel and calipers they probably wouldn't be able to come off either.Some pads can fall out though if not fitted properly and that would let the caliper pistons push too far out, past their seals and leak brake fluid.

gilbert_and_sullivan

Yes get VOSA on it.

zooks

skiddlydiddly wrote: »

I'd also check that bits falling off haven't damage the inside of the wheel,brake lines, suspension and underneath the car.

+1 very good advice, even more so if their alloy wheels