Question: Do i have a claim? auto repair?

(Posted by: Megan W on 2010-03-09 11:14:18)

I took my SUV to a major auto repair shop X. There they are supposed to do a check on breaks steering and other major things. They told me that the car was fine and ok to take home after I paid hundreds of dollars to get my car fixed the first time. About a month later I was driving down the road when my break went out. So I had my car taken to auto repair show X. There the mechanic told me that the break lines were rusted and something wrong with the cylinder. I asked the man if this should have been noticed last time when I was in, he looked worried then looked over at his boss and said yes. So essentially they sent me out on the road with rusted break lines and a broken cylinder putting my life in danger. Should I contact a lawyer? Do I have a valid claim to do so?

Posted by: gary o on 2010-03-09, 11:25:48

Forget the lawyer as you would not gain enough to make it worth while since no damage was done to you.. However you can ask the shop to fix at their cost and if not turn into your state bureau of automotive repair and better business bureau. then if not fixed can get repaired then file a claim yourself in small claims court to recover the expense. Keep a record of all the facts, who ,what ,when where and document costs.

Posted by: kfhaggerty on 2010-03-09, 14:31:51

Your question is filled with too many vague statements to be able to properly advise you. I don't know specifically what was worked on previously, what systems they inspected, how old the car is, how many miles you drive in a month, etc. I can put a car on a lift today and do a passing safety inspection and the vehicle can experience trouble in an unrelated area tomorrow. I don't even know if they touched your brakes a month ago. Odds are that if they did something to cause brake failure you would have experienced it while driving away from the shop the first time. Here in New England all but the newest cars have some degree of surface oxidation. Unless a brake line is so rusted that the metal is flaking, it may look totally normal. And the term "broken cylinder " does not really tell me any thing. That is not a common term used in describing brake problems. You can have a leaking wheel cylinder, or a master cylinder with an internal bypass for example. Unfortunately, with the information you have supplied, I would say you have no malpractice case against your mechanic. I would suggest (meaning no disrespect) that you have someone a little more knowledgeable regarding autos give you a hand next time you bring the car in for service, so that you can better understand what is being done, and to protect yourself from future incidents such as this one.

Posted by: automd on 2010-03-09, 23:58:32

I think the you and the shop should settle this one. I think they should give you necessary assistance so that things like this won't happen again.