How long will it take the brakes to go out after a foreign substance has been poured into the master cylinder? This is a 1999 Corolla. Work was done on the car on Sept 9 and the brakes started acting up on Oct 30. When the car was taken back to the shop, they found an unknown substance in the master cylinder. Shop does not think it could be from them working on it in Sept, since so much time (close to 2 months) has elapsed. The shop suggested vandalism. What are your thoughts?
I think the shop will say what ever they think will get you to not suspect them.
A foreign substance? Hmmm like what?
It is doubtful that a repair shop would pour anything but brake fluid in your master cylinder. I'd say, however, that vandalism is a good possibility, whether it happened at the shop or afterwards.
There is no way to determine how long it would take for a foreign substance to be detrimental to the brake system. It depends on what the substance is, and how much was poured in.... Whether the car just sat or was driven.... etc.
If there was a small amount of power steering fluid poured in there, it could have taken that long to become a problem. They have no way of knowing what the substance is, unless they do testing on it, which could cost several hundred dollars and the repair will only cost $1,000, at most. So, not sure if it would be worth it to go through the testing. About 1,000 miles were put on the vehicle in between the visits to the shop. Only $1,100!?
I'd be furious! Especially if I knew I didn't put the foreign substance in there.
Someone has just cost you a lot of money. I'd get a surveillance camera.
Good luck with this.
Is there a possibility that someone had access to under your hood without your knowledge?
I'd start locking my vehicle! I know. I shouldn't say "only", but I don't know if spending another $500 on testing would make a difference. I would find out what the substance is, but not how it got there. There still isn't proof that the shop did it. The shop feels that the problems would have shown up immediately, not 2 months later.
The doors on the car stay locked at all times. If they are telling you that the trouble would have been immediate (without even knowing what contaminated the system), then you know they are full of shit.
If there was only a small amount of what ever is comtaminating the system, it can take a while for effects to start showing up.
If you lock your vehicle, and you didn't add anything to your brake system, then you can be fairly certain that:
1. The system was contaminated before the shop even worked on it.
or
2. The shop comtaminated the system.
How did they determine that the system was contaminated?Car Repair Talk's forum.
A foreign substance? Hmmm like what?
It is doubtful that a repair shop would pour anything but brake fluid in your master cylinder. I'd say, however, that vandalism is a good possibility, whether it happened at the shop or afterwards.
There is no way to determine how long it would take for a foreign substance to be detrimental to the brake system. It depends on what the substance is, and how much was poured in.... Whether the car just sat or was driven.... etc.
If there was a small amount of power steering fluid poured in there, it could have taken that long to become a problem. They have no way of knowing what the substance is, unless they do testing on it, which could cost several hundred dollars and the repair will only cost $1,000, at most. So, not sure if it would be worth it to go through the testing. About 1,000 miles were put on the vehicle in between the visits to the shop. Only $1,100!?
I'd be furious! Especially if I knew I didn't put the foreign substance in there.
Someone has just cost you a lot of money. I'd get a surveillance camera.
Good luck with this.
Is there a possibility that someone had access to under your hood without your knowledge?
I'd start locking my vehicle! I know. I shouldn't say "only", but I don't know if spending another $500 on testing would make a difference. I would find out what the substance is, but not how it got there. There still isn't proof that the shop did it. The shop feels that the problems would have shown up immediately, not 2 months later.
The doors on the car stay locked at all times. If they are telling you that the trouble would have been immediate (without even knowing what contaminated the system), then you know they are full of shit.
If there was only a small amount of what ever is comtaminating the system, it can take a while for effects to start showing up.
If you lock your vehicle, and you didn't add anything to your brake system, then you can be fairly certain that:
1. The system was contaminated before the shop even worked on it.
or
2. The shop comtaminated the system.
How did they determine that the system was contaminated?Car Repair Talk's forum.
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