Fault that garage fixed reappeared a couple of months later

Burnsie1983

A few months ago at a traffic light my electronic parking handbrake stuck on 

I transported my car to a garage around the corner from me who replaced the motor on the electronic handbrake (third party part)

Today the fault has reappeared so, I am guessing the garage fitted it in correctly which I believe is unlikely as it's worked for a few months, all the part that you sourced and fitted was faulty. 

Does anyone know what my right side here in terms of having the issue fixed? 

Burnsie1983

What my rights are here... 

(I can't seem to edit the post above!)

flashg67

Depends what they changed - there is probably a motor on each side - did they do both? The garage will have got a warranty on the part they bought so would expect it replaced FOC unless it is a different fault. Book it in and let them look I guess.

born_again

Might not be motor now, could be the other end binding on.

Burnsie1983

born_again said:

Might not be motor now, could be the other end binding on.

I think it is as I can hear the motor making a noise like it did last time after I turn the engine off

Mildly_Miffed

Some cars have a motor mounted within the caliper on each wheel.
Some have a single motor pulling cables to calipers on each wheel.
Some have two motors, one each side, each pulling cables to calipers on each wheel.

If you mean you can't hear the motor/s, then it isn't necessarily a mechanical fault with the motor/s, cable/s, calipers - it could be an electronics fault preventing the motor being operated.

You're simply guessing as to the fault being the same as last time.

Burnsie1983

Mildly_Miffed said:

Some cars have a motor mounted within the caliper on each wheel.
Some have a single motor pulling cables to calipers on each wheel.
Some have two motors, one each side, each pulling cables to calipers on each wheel.

If you mean you can't hear the motor/s, then it isn't necessarily a mechanical fault with the motor/s, cable/s, calipers - it could be an electronics fault preventing the motor being operated.

You're simply guessing as to the fault being the same as last time.

I am, yes. Given that the symptoms such as the noise is exactly the same. 

Let's just assume it is the same problem, would I have to pay all over again for the same fix, do you think?

Mildly_Miffed

Burnsie1983 said:

Let's just assume it is the same problem, would I have to pay all over again for the same fix, do you think?

If it's a faulty part, the garage should cover it then sort it with their supplier.

If it's faulty workmanship, the garage should cover it.

If it's been killed by whatever killed the first one but wasn't properly diagnosed, it's down to the garage's goodwill, but you're going to have to pay for more diagnosis and fixing the actual cause.

If it's NOT just simple failure of the exact part they fitted last time, it's you.

jimjames

Burnsie1983 said:

born_again said:

Might not be motor now, could be the other end binding on.

I think it is as I can hear the motor making a noise like it did last time after I turn the engine off

It's entirely possible the new part has failed again. On my car there is an electric motor that powers the rear calliper to put the handbrake on and off. The motor can fail because the calliper is getting worn out or sticking. You can replace the motor for very little money or replace the whole calliper for a lot. I spoke to my mechanic and he advised that it wasn't worth replacing the motor on its own because it was likely to fail again. As an experiment I ignored him and replaced it myself as the part cost me under £10 from eBay. Just over a year later it failed again. This time I replaced the whole calliper which cost £200 for the part alone. In theory I could have replaced motors for the next 20 years for the same cost but the failure was down to the root cause rather than a faulty part.