My Vrs had amongst other things a Brake Fluid Change yesterday.

I did notice a difference in the pedal/braking effectiveness on the way home last night & they still felt a bit spongy this morning (but I'd been driving the wifes car for 4 days, so thought nothing of it. However tonight when I left work to pick up the kids from nursery - on comes the 'brake warning light' accompanied by three loud bongs !

I phoned the garage en-route for the kids & explained the situ, they agreed to pick my car up from work...but it gets worse !

When I got home & got a torch, it appears that there is no fluid in the reservoir !!!

Could there be a genuine reason for this or is it simply poor workmanship?

Either way I ain't driving the car, they can pick it up from here now. It's the hassle & inconvenience it causes - I've kids to get to the nursery & work to get to also. Not to mention the safety implications it could have had.

To think after the praise they got yesterday - http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/190577-cheaper-labour-for-cars-over-3-years-old/

That doesnt sound good,hopefully they will sort it asap,it may be a leaking bleed nipple,hopefully they havent left any thing loose,either way i suspect they wont admit it,just fix it for you.

Prolly subbed out to a fast fit which was why it was so cheap lol

Nah - they'll have done it, along with the MOT & Cambelt/pump change (think you are pulling my leg)...seriously how psst off should I be - I am not a happy chappy ! Surely this should be bread & butter stuff for them?

You would be surprised just how much goes out to local garages. MOTS, alignment, glazing, tyres, A/C, transmission.

They prolly did do it, I'd push for repair and refund of the service due to the lethal nature of it. No brakes is as bad as it gets!

I'd 'prepaid' for that part of the work done, via my service plan.

Just psses me off that I got a car back that wasn't fixed to a proper standard & I'd had my kids in it ! I'll certainly asking some questions when I speak to the Service Manager. You are right, the consequences are terrible

Doesn't give you much confidence does it? cambelt will be falling off next.

Not at all, car was recovered by a contractor garage this morning before 9am...called the dealer at noon to see what was happening...and they've not even looked at it yet!

Customer Service = zero, as far as I am concerned. If I don't get it back tonight, I'll be insisting on a courtesy car, but that's not the point - I want my own car that I've just shelled out another £400 this week, back & working 100% & an apology - unreasonable?

You should speak to the Dealer MD, best to go down there and make noises about a car being left in an unfit condition and them not even being bothered. I think I'd have another dealer or RAC check the car at their expenses afterwards.

Wish I'd read your post before I picked the car up. Probably too late to insist on the further inspection now.

Got a call just after 2pm from the Service Manager, apologising & to say the car was 'fixed' & ready to pick up. He claimed that the problem had been traced to one of the rear wheels (as they could see where the fluid had hit the alloy - which they'd steam cleaned apparently) & they'd concluded that some 'grit' had got in the system, causing a leak. He claimed that nothing had been left loose - i.e bleed nipples. When I questioned this, he said they were satisfied that there hadn't been any negligence or they'd be discipling the technician. He said he was surprised when he found out that it was one of the Senior Tech's that had worked on the car. He claimed he'd got to view the car before anyone else got near it (unlikely as it had sat all morning waiting for them to put it up on a ramp !)

Unfortunately I didn't feel I had the necessary knowledge to challenge what he was saying any further, but have been left feeling duped & angry.

I reflected last night on what could have been - 70mph on the dual carriageway twice & one trip with the kids in the car...approaching queuing cars ! The consequences could have been tragic, but thankfully I got away with it...as have they !

I'll make sure they remember this episode the next time I use them, if there is a next time ! Episodes like this make me start wishing I'd changed the car & maybe manufacturers...shame, as I love the car & it's running well...but...

That is full on BS mate. Grit in the system my arse. Just got to look for a new garage now.

Don't let the actions of one dealer put you off what is a great car. This episode leaves me asking a few questions, how did the grit get into the brake caliper in the first place? Why did they feel the need to steam clean the wheel? cynics would say to get rid of evidence!! Are they sure that no bleed nipple had been left loose?

I know I for one would be pushing for some recompense, either cash back or a free service next time, emphasising the fact that your children have been put in danger needlessly, because of their lack of attention to safety or cleanliness.

Ian

Oh - I am sure you are right - I just couldn't prove otherwise. Frustratingly I have not long paid for a service plan & the next nearest garage is a fair trek from home (not even sure how far - 35-40 miles to Maud maybe?)

I reckon they'd be ultra careful if there is a next time, as I'll make sure if I do use them, I remind them of this one !

The grit story is nonsense. Unfortunately this is all too typical. It is not just Skoda, the whole motor trade is riddled with poor practices and sloppy quality control. Having worked in the motor trade I could tell you all sorts of horror stories.

Unfortunately the trade is locked in a business model more appropriate to the 1930's. Poor margins on new cars and excessive demands from manufacturers to build 'glass palaces' mean that service departments are often the cash cow of the dealership and cross-subsidising new car sales. The techs are under too much pressure and exploited to do jobs quickly, and the service manager is monitored via monthly KPI reports to 'upsell', reduce warranty claims etc etc. Its all about bonuses - which usually means poor customer service. All a bit of a mess.

The service department should be a stand-alone cost centre. Probably based on an industrial estate in a featureless shed (not part of the glass palace) and basic servicing and brake work (fluids, filters, pads) should be done on a while-you-wait basis at about half the current cost.

If brake fluid has been on the alloys then it will have eaten in to the paint in a matter of minutes.

I would be inspecting the alloys very closely.

Also, if grit had been in my braking system I would be asking for everything to be renewed - calipers, pipes, master cylinder, ABS block the lot. Anything could have been damaged and who knows if it is all out?

There is only one way you can grit in a braking system - carelessness!!!

Get on to Skoda UK and see what they have to say about it - endangering lives and carelessness with customers cars should not be brushed off so easily by a main dealer.

Edited 10 February, 201115 yr by andyvee

Spent some time on Autotrader tonight...thinking I might cut my loses & just get rid (won't be buying another Skoda now)...not sure I am in a position to pursue any further now that I've taken it away from the dealer.

Like I say, I feel duped & a bit annoyed with myself for not being a bit more knowledgeable & firmer in my resolve to get answers. I guess the Service Manager can be happy that they have got away with it - this time !

Will have a good look over (& under!) the car at the weekend if I can get it cleaned up, especially the alloy(s).

On a positive note - at least I know the warning system for the low fluid works !

If brake fluid has been on the alloys then it will have eaten in to the paint in a matter of minutes.

I would be inspecting the alloys very closely.

Also, if grit had been in my braking system I would be asking for everything to be renewed - calipers, pipes, master cylinder, ABS block the lot. Anything could have been damaged and who knows if it is all out?

There is only one way you can grit in a braking system - carelessness!!!

Get on to Skoda UK and see what they have to say about it - endangering lives and carelessness with customers cars should not be brushed off so easily by a main dealer.

Agreed sometimes dropping a line like "my brother who is a technician for the RAC says your talking BS" and then throw in some of the points people have raised in here might get them back peddling FAST! Ask them to put in writing what they found and did to solve this problem for your service history as a customer your more than in your rights before doing anything. If they do you can then throw some real pressure at them. I know from my own time working in the workshops in main dealers that anyone whos kicked up a fuss about quality control issues where a mistake was made get a lot more care given to next time out of sheer fear of a repeat.

Harveys - As you mention the alternative of Maud above, I can only assume your talking about Specialist Cars in Aberdeen i.e. the main Skoda dealer.

I live just outside of Aberdeen and they are known for the poor service and quite frankly poor quality of work. After the stories I've heard I wouldn't go near them and a inspection would be a good idea. Maybe worth going back and saying that unless they pay for an inspection you'll kick up a fuss. You have spent a lot of money, they left you with a potentially lethal fault and I can't see how 'grit' would cause the leak. Maybe worth suggesting you'll complain to Skoda UK and contact the Evening Express for a story on it.

Personally I wouldn't sell, the garage at Maud is probably the best garage I have come across. There is only a small handful of staff and they know their stuff. The garage doesn't supply new Skoda's but they are an authorised Skoda dealer for repairs and service.

The service manager is a gem, he lives in Ellon and to save me driving to Maud he takes home a courtesy car the night before and we swap cars. He then takes mine, the work is done and we swap back after taking payment on the phone. He does this for a lot of people and it works well.

So in conclusion..........Maud is a good option and put Specialist cars to shame.

BTW...........I've got no financial interest in the Garage in Maud.......just a happy customer

Dougall

I would go for an RAC or AA inspection, I would write a letter to the dealers and copy Skoda in on it. They've taken your money and not carried out the work with due care. I would also go +1 on the replacement of parts. Grit in the system is a major issue, it can cause all sorts of problems further down the line. At the very least get the service done elsewhere and send the bill to the orginal dealer.

Poor service from the dealer does not warrant selling your car. I assume your car is out of warranty. I would look hard at the option of using a decent independent garage for servicing. Most service work is straightforward (oil, filters, fluids, friction parts) and the Octavia is a no more complex than most mainstream cars. There is no reason to tie yourself into the franchised dealer network, you are likely to get better and cheaper service from an independently run outfit.

Another member here on Briskoda recommended a good independent for Aberdeen, It's the Volks Centre which is in Kingswells

As a vehicle examiner/mechanic myself i suspect that they didnt leave a bleed nipple loose as when you pressed the brake pedal it would of emptied the resevior in a matter of minutes,they probably didnt tighten it up enough & it was seeping over time,what they should of done is when they came back from roadtest have a look at the bleed nipples & check all is ok with no leaks(i do this every time when i do any work on braking systems) if a nipple was loose the mechanic (hopefully!)would of noticed the brake pedal getting spongy with more & more travel on the roadtest& seen the fluid over the wheel. The story about grit in the system is rubbish.Every body makes mistakes at some time,however the after work checks should of highlighted this problem & it is unaceptable how they have treated you over this matter,they should of bent over backwards to rectify this problem which was their fault & given you a apology & a goodwill jesture.I would not of been so nice about it if it was my car. Glad its ok now & no accident happened.I would not get rid of the car just because of a incompetent garage experience,if you like the car keep it,you could get this with any car!.

You can get mistakes anywhere. I'm not surprised they gave you a story when this fault would have been dangerous.

I had a bike serviced and they didn't put a clip on the fuel line. It was dripping petrol onto the exhaust. Luckily spotted it before I lit up.

You say they did an MOT too. I wonder how it passed the MOT when it was leaking brake fluid.

Right here goes...after all the posts of support/suggestion, I thought - you know what you are all right, I should pursue further. Exactly how far I go/get is debatable, as time is a factor (i.e I have none - but then I would have had much less if I'd had an accident I suppose !)

So I called the Service Manager, got his email address & I am going to write & request an explaination of what he found & what they did to rectify it. If nothing else, I'll have that for future reference if any further problems maifest themselves.

I also advised him that I want an independent inspection done, which I told him that they will pay for - my email will request acceptance of that also. Once I have that done & the report, I'll decide what to do next.

He said 'I've never lied to a customer' & is adamant that it was grit that was on the caliper/bleed nipple when it was screwed in (sounded a different story to yesterdays?) He is now saying that they bleed/checked all 4 wheels, yesterday I think it was only one (the rear passenger side).

I've answered some of the posts/questions you've had - thanks so much for the info/help guys

You should speak to the Dealer MD, best to go down there and make noises about a car being left in an unfit condition and them not even being bothered. I think I'd have another dealer or RAC check the car at their expenses afterwards.

See above - he said he didn't want me to take it to another garage & then modified that to another garage in his group or Skoda?

Don't let the actions of one dealer put you off what is a great car. This episode leaves me asking a few questions, how did the grit get into the brake caliper in the first place? Why did they feel the need to steam clean the wheel? cynics would say to get rid of evidence!! Are they sure that no bleed nipple had been left loose?

I know I for one would be pushing for some recompense, either cash back or a free service next time, emphasising the fact that your children have been put in danger needlessly, because of their lack of attention to safety or cleanliness.

Ian

You are right. He is now suggesting they introduced it - which leads to all sorts of questions on procedures etc - he claims it's never happened before !

If brake fluid has been on the alloys then it will have eaten in to the paint in a matter of minutes.

I would be inspecting the alloys very closely.

Also, if grit had been in my braking system I would be asking for everything to be renewed - calipers, pipes, master cylinder, ABS block the lot. Anything could have been damaged and who knows if it is all out?

There is only one way you can grit in a braking system - carelessness!!!

Get on to Skoda UK and see what they have to say about it - endangering lives and carelessness with customers cars should not be brushed off so easily by a main dealer.

I'll be keeping an eye on it (& the rest of the car !) My next action will depend on the report. Agreed on the carelessness.

Agreed sometimes dropping a line like "my brother who is a technician for the RAC says your talking BS" and then throw in some of the points people have raised in here might get them back peddling FAST! Ask them to put in writing what they found and did to solve this problem for your service history as a customer your more than in your rights before doing anything. If they do you can then throw some real pressure at them. I know from my own time working in the workshops in main dealers that anyone whos kicked up a fuss about quality control issues where a mistake was made get a lot more care given to next time out of sheer fear of a repeat.

See above - & I hope so !

Harveys - As you mention the alternative of Maud above, I can only assume your talking about Specialist Cars in Aberdeen i.e. the main Skoda dealer.

I live just outside of Aberdeen and they are known for the poor service and quite frankly poor quality of work. After the stories I've heard I wouldn't go near them and a inspection would be a good idea. Maybe worth going back and saying that unless they pay for an inspection you'll kick up a fuss. You have spent a lot of money, they left you with a potentially lethal fault and I can't see how 'grit' would cause the leak. Maybe worth suggesting you'll complain to Skoda UK and contact the Evening Express for a story on it.

Personally I wouldn't sell, the garage at Maud is probably the best garage I have come across. There is only a small handful of staff and they know their stuff. The garage doesn't supply new Skoda's but they are an authorised Skoda dealer for repairs and service.

The service manager is a gem, he lives in Ellon and to save me driving to Maud he takes home a courtesy car the night before and we swap cars. He then takes mine, the work is done and we swap back after taking payment on the phone. He does this for a lot of people and it works well.

So in conclusion..........Maud is a good option and put Specialist cars to shame.

BTW...........I've got no financial interest in the Garage in Maud.......just a happy customer

Dougall

You are right. It's a shame, as my recent experiences have been better than the start ! Will be getting that inspection. I am south of Aberdeen - but will consider Maud in future.

I would go for an RAC or AA inspection, I would write a letter to the dealers and copy Skoda in on it. They've taken your money and not carried out the work with due care. I would also go +1 on the replacement of parts. Grit in the system is a major issue, it can cause all sorts of problems further down the line. At the very least get the service done elsewhere and send the bill to the orginal dealer.

See above

Poor service from the dealer does not warrant selling your car. I assume your car is out of warranty. I would look hard at the option of using a decent independent garage for servicing. Most service work is straightforward (oil, filters, fluids, friction parts) and the Octavia is a no more complex than most mainstream cars. There is no reason to tie yourself into the franchised dealer network, you are likely to get better and cheaper service from an independently run outfit.

It's actually got an extended (Skoda) warranty & service plan, hence why it goes there, although I appreciate I could still go Indy

As a vehicle examiner/mechanic myself i suspect that they didnt leave a bleed nipple loose as when you pressed the brake pedal it would of emptied the resevior in a matter of minutes,they probably didnt tighten it up enough & it was seeping over time,what they should of done is when they came back from roadtest have a look at the bleed nipples & check all is ok with no leaks(i do this every time when i do any work on braking systems) if a nipple was loose the mechanic (hopefully!)would of noticed the brake pedal getting spongy with more & more travel on the roadtest& seen the fluid over the wheel. The story about grit in the system is rubbish.Every body makes mistakes at some time,however the after work checks should of highlighted this problem & it is unaceptable how they have treated you over this matter,they should of bent over backwards to rectify this problem which was their fault & given you a apology & a goodwill jesture.I would not of been so nice about it if it was my car. Glad its ok now & no accident happened.I would not get rid of the car just because of a incompetent garage experience,if you like the car keep it,you could get this with any car!.

Agreed - it's negligent !

You can get mistakes anywhere. I'm not surprised they gave you a story when this fault would have been dangerous.

I had a bike serviced and they didn't put a clip on the fuel line. It was dripping petrol onto the exhaust. Luckily spotted it before I lit up.

Hopefully I have rattled them a bit - let's see what happens next.

You say they did an MOT too. I wonder how it passed the MOT when it was leaking brake fluid.

Assume the MOT was done first ! Lets hope so !

Edited 11 February, 201115 yr by harveys