Brakes - At Dealer

[Joe G 2]

So I brought my ST in to the dealer this morning to have a complete brake job front and rears, because the past couple months, the Trac just hasn't been stopping like it use to. I figured it was just time for a brake job. About 45 mins after they took my truck back, a service rep came to me and asked me why I brought my Trac in so I explained. The service rep said that the tech working on the truck said the brakes were ok and he didn't want to replace them since they didn't need it yet. Shocking eh? Anyway, the tech continued to look for an issue and drove the truck, another 30 mins later I get the news that the brake booster needs to be replaced. It's going to cost me just under $400 for the parts and labor, which is almost exactly what is was going to cost for the brake job anyway. I haven't ever had a vehicles brake booster go bad. What would cause this? I thought that if the booster went bad, it would be very hard to depress the brakes, my brakes feel more soft than anything. Just don't want to fork out $400 and still have an issue.



01 Trac 100k



Thanks!

 

[EddieS'04]

Sometimes the booster diaphram ruptures. If it is in the fold it will seal enoughfor the brakes to work. They will be weak though.



I have replaced one in my life.'88 t-bird. Sometimes it may just be the check valve. The dealer may be going for the whole thing 'cause of milage. Check valve, less than $10. Replace booster yourself with rebuilt, less than half of dealer price. Not a hard job either. Plenty of room to work on the trac.

 

[Todd Z]

Hmm..... If the disk in there is slightly leaking, the "normal" pedal you feel is the bad booster and now the soft feel is the booster working.....



Don't know, I doubt it but don't know....



Maybe take it back and have a second look or drive it and see what happens...



Todd Z

 

[Richard L]

ND Sport Trac,

It sounds like your dealership has honest people working in their shop, but let that be a lesson to you.



Never, ever just take your vehicle in to a shop when there is something wrong, and ask them to do a brake job or tune up without diagnosing the problem. Had they just replaced the front and rear brakes without any diagnosis, you would have had to pay for the front and rear brake jobs, and that would not have resolved your braking issues.



The same applies to a rough-running vehicle... It is common for dealers recommend a tune-up, and customers to believe it just needs a tune-up. So the dealer replace the plugs, etc, charges you an arm and leg, and you get your vehicle back to find it still runs rough??



If you have a problem with your vehicle, always tell them you want the problem diagnosed and fixed...Do not let them talk you into a vague shotgun approach when they have not even diagnosed or identified the exact cause of the problem. If you ask for a Tune-up you will only get a tune-up, and if you ask for a brake job, you will only get a brake job and that never includes diagnosing and replacing or repairing the master cylinder or brake booster.



You were very lucky you have a dealership with some ethics.



...Rich