Opinions on this suspected VW dealer repair ripoff

Posted by a Facebook friend. I have general shadetree mech awareness but ha ve never specifically worked on a VW. Whaddya think?

Is there any way the bearings could be so shot they'd impact the brakes and there wouldn't be obvious symptoms and a competent tech wouldn't realize i t when working on the brakes?

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Last week I took my car in for an oil change. $900 later, the VW dealer tol d me my rear caliper was sticking and rear brakes & pads (3mm) needed doing .

As soon as we drove off, the ABS and tracking system were engaging and I co uld hear the click of that kicking in which I?ve never heard before . I kept asking my husband ?what?s that new noise?? We both thought because it was just done, it needed to reset itself. Then the ABS and traction dash lights came on. We got home and we noticed a bunc h of brake dust on the back rims. Odd for a fresh job.

Took the car back and imagine my surprise when they called and said ? ?we did a great job. Your brakes are just fine but you need new bearings and electric cooling fans and speed sensors. $4,400 for everything.

Brakes were done just under a year ago - rotors and pads. Funny how they're telling me that the excessive brake dust is from the bearings which were f ine before the dealer installed the brakes. Rear brakes and wheels heated u p real good on the way home too.

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Reply to
brassplyer
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On Wednesday, August 1, 2018 at 12:16:50 PM UTC-10, snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com wrot e:

have never specifically worked on a VW. Whaddya think?

nd there wouldn't be obvious symptoms and a competent tech wouldn't realize it when working on the brakes?

old me my rear caliper was sticking and rear brakes & pads (3mm) needed doi ng.

could hear the click of that kicking in which I?ve never heard befo re. I kept asking my husband ?what?s that new noise?? ? We both thought because it was just done, it needed to reset itself. Th en the ABS and traction dash lights came on. We got home and we noticed a b unch of brake dust on the back rims. Odd for a fresh job.

??we did a great job. Your brakes are just fine but you need new bearin gs and electric cooling fans and speed sensors. $4,400 for everything.

re telling me that the excessive brake dust is from the bearings which were fine before the dealer installed the brakes. Rear brakes and wheels heated up real good on the way home too.

The dealer is trying to rip you off. Report their ass to VW. If I had those symptoms, I'd check the wheel sensors at the rear. Maybe they sabotaged yo ur car.

Reply to
dsi1

[snip]

I can't comment on a competent tech noticing (I'm certainly not that, just another shadetree mechanic) but I did have similar symptoms in my Ford F150.

The front wheel bearings or the ring (within the hub assembly) were worn badly enough that the ABS would engage/disengage during low speed stops and turns. The bearings had some (but not a lot) of play, so the issue may have been damage to the ring. Replaced the hub assemblies and the problem went away.

Just my experience.

Tom

Reply to
Tom

Apart from anything else, they should have got your authorization for any work other than the oil change for which you took the car in.

They may have violated some consumer protection law.

Perce

Reply to
Percival P. Cassidy

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