Hey guys,

Need some advice on how to handle a situation with a shop. I just got my 2012 S550 base back after it was in for about two weeks. They were doing a warranty claim and a full front brake job (new rotors and pads). I spent a good amount of money, but I’ve found three things since getting it home that have me really frustrated.

1. Washer Fluid Leak: I’ve got a steady puddle of orange washer fluid dripping right under the driver-side front tire. I know the reservoir and the pumps are behind that fender liner, and since they just did the front brakes and were looking at my suspension/mounts, they were obviously right in there. Did they likely bump a hose or jar a pump grommet loose? It was 100% bone dry when I dropped it off.

2. Broken Oil Dipstick: This is the most annoying part. I went to check the oil and the handle is completely snapped off. Not only that, but the rest of the stick is shoved all the way down into the tube so I can’t even pull it out. I looked it up and it’s a $100 part. It feels like someone was just being reckless under the hood.

3. Cut Wires and Loose Screws: I popped the hood and found a wire that was clearly cut, just sitting on top of the radiator support, along with a couple of loose screws. I have no idea what it went to, but finding "extra" screws and cut wires after a "professional" inspection is a huge red flag for me.

I’m taking it back tomorrow morning to talk to the owner. I appreciate that they helped with the warranty stuff, but I feel like they rushed the reassembly and broke stuff in the process.

Has anyone dealt with a washer leak after having the fender liners moved? And any idea what that wire on the radiator might be for before I go in there? I don't want to get pushed around by the shop saying this is just "old car problems" when they were the last ones touching it.

Thanks for any help.

 

What was the warranty claim for?

 

OP.... Get ready for what IS.

You may not like it.

Your car has many components made of plastic. What you ask happens to plastic with age and many heat cycles? I’ll help... It gets brittle.

Your fifteen year old dipstick broke.

The washer reservoir uses a rubber grommet between the plastic reservoir and the pump. They rot away. The pumps fail for a leak. Reservoirs warp with age. Rodents chew up hoses and wiring to the washer pump. 15 year old parts that are not touched doing a brake job.

What is the wire? Looks like what remains of a brake wear sensor that got replaced during a brake job.

Sounds like they already did right by you with whatever was going on with brakes.

It is your 15 year old car and the repair shop didn’t write a new car warranty for you by replacing brake pads, rotors and a wear sensor.

Deep breaths.... They are not out to get you.

 

Mercedes-Benz of the era are notorious for how those plastics have held up... or rather how they have not.

Trenton O. Gibson
tgibson@highline-autos.com
Highline Autos
Direct: 602.909.9216
Office: 480.348.0777

 

That is the most creative placement of a used brake wear sensor I have seen in a long time.

 

This^^^

It would give an indication of components that may or may not have been disturbed in the course of the repair work.

Orange liquid on the turbo V8 could easily be coolant.

Those white things could easily be the weather seals for electrical plugs.

 

It's not "that" it happened, it's that it happened and they didn't tell you or were too careless to notice there was anything to tell you.

Attack of the shop monkey. Caveat Emptor.