Kwik fit - dangerous work

[lulu82]

Hi,I had my brake pads and discs replaced in ther Surbiton branch the total cost of which came to £490.55. I yesterday had to take my car into my local garage due to it suddenly making an awful sound as I came of the motorway. i took it to my local garage and the mechanic informed that one of the calliper bolts had completely come off and the others were all loose and needed tightening. He then asked who had previous done the work on the brakes as they had not properly tightened any of the bolts. He also informed me that I was incredibly lucky that I had heard the bolt come off and that it had happened close to home as it could have caused a serious problem with my car and even caused a crash. I am furious with them, i put my trust in them to keep me safe and after reading a lot on here abot them making up faults wouldn't be entirely surprised t find the work they'd already done was not needed. I had two kids in the car and was lucky but complaining to them and won't let it go.

[Bandit127]

Ask the garage that found the fault to write a report for you - £25 in beer tokens should get you something you can use in court.

 

Use this to support your complaint to Kwik Fit and take it straight to head office. Don't bother with the branch - they will just fob you off (or offer a few beer tokens).

 

This is such a serious breach of good practice that you need to get it properly sorted - for the safety of others that use that branch as much as anything else.

 

Keep us posted.

[lulu82]

thanks, the garage said they'd do a report for me and sent the complaint via their website which I assume is their head office, not going to let it lie, so will see what, if any, response I get.

[Bandit127]

OK - chase the garage for the report (nicely). Save a copy for yourself and send a copy to Kwik Fit when you get it.

 

Make sure the garage do the report - like I said earlier - you may need to pay for it.

 

Are you able to post a copy of what you sent to Kwik Fit?

[lulu82]

Below is a copy of what i emailed over to them:I would like to make a complaint regarding your Surbiton branch. In November 2011 and February 2012 I had my brake pads and discs replaced in your Surbiton branch the total cost of which came to £490.55. I yesterday had to take my car into my local garage due to it suddenly making an awful sound as I came of the motorway. i took it to my local garage and the mechanic informed that one of the calliper bolts had completely come off and the others were all loose and needed tightening. He then asked who had previous done the work on the brakes as they had not properly tightened any of the bolts. He also informed me that I was incredibly lucky that I had heard the bolt come off and that it had happened close to home as it could have caused a serious problem with my car and even caused a crash.I look forward to reply as to what is going to be done regarding this incident.

[Nagasis]

Kwik fit will probably come back to you with 'it was 12 months ago and anything could have caused it and its upto you to prove otherwise'.

 

Do you know if they used new bolts or reused the old ones with some thread locker.?

 

What is it that you want them to do to put things right? Do you have any out of pocket expenses ie the new garage bill etc?

[lulu82]

The new garage is pretty sure that it was faulty work from having the pads replaced, as far as I know they used the old bolts. Had a new garage bill which was only 50 but want them to take responsibility as so dangerous and shoddy workmanship. Also want some money back just to teach them a lesson!

[Nagasis]

I understand your annoyed with them for shoddy work.

I've had poor service myself with them.

 

Just a thought , when was your mot? And was this not marked as an advisory. Although I don't think caliper bolts are part of the mot I would have assumed they might of noticedand shouted up.

[Bandit127]

Nagasis - caliper bolts do not just come loose. It matters not if they used new bolts, old bolts or thread lock (I hope not) - if they had been tightened correctly they would not have come loose.

 

If Kwik Fit come back with "it was 12 months ago" then they are fobbing Lulu off.

 

Lulu - did you get the report? And forward it to Kwik Fit in support of your complaint?

[Nagasis]

I agree caliper bolts don't come loose if tightened or torqued but we both know kwik fit will say and do anything to worm their way out of responsibility.

However, even if they did own up, they wouldn't pay anymore than the out of pocket expenses as a gesture of goodwill. What they will never do is admit their work was dangerous.

[heliosuk]

Nagasis - caliper bolts do not just come loose. It matters not if they used new bolts, old bolts or thread lock (I hope not) - if they had been tightened correctly they would not have come loose.

 

If Kwik Fit come back with "it was 12 months ago" then they are fobbing Lulu off.

 

Lulu - did you get the report? And forward it to Kwik Fit in support of your complaint?

 

Rubbish and very dangerous talk.

 

Caliper bolts are usually tightened to yield and must be changed everytime they are loosened as you cannot get the required clamp force with re-use. It is not acceptable to use lubricant or thread lock unless specified and that will be with a new bolt. Where this is required it is usually supplied in the pad kit.

 

If you are going to give advice which affects safety related items please be sure you are on firm ground before doing so

[lulu82]

My MOT was in October and when i mentioned about the bolts, the garage said that they don't check that they're tightened properly, just that they are present, which they were all at that point.Lulu - did you get the report? And forward it to Kwik Fit in support of your complaint? - The garage is still compiling it for me but will send to Kwik fit as soon as i receive it.

[Bandit127]

Rubbish and very dangerous talk.

 

Caliper bolts are usually tightened to yield and must be changed everytime they are loosened as you cannot get the required clamp force with re-use. It is not acceptable to use lubricant or thread lock unless specified and that will be with a new bolt. Where this is required it is usually supplied in the pad kit.

 

If you are going to give advice which affects safety related items please be sure you are on firm ground before doing so

Steady on - I wasn't suggesting people do those things in any way. Only if that sort of abuse had occurred they probably still wouldn't have come loose.

 

As far as I am aware, the only way the OP could have had loose bolts was for them to have been left like that from the last person that should have done them up.

 

Clearly - anybody doing caliper bolts up should consult the manual. Or - in Kwik Fit's case - have had the required training and oversight.

[heliosuk]

It's a case of the" matters not" because it does matter where a bolt has gone into yield. You might achieve the same torque as specified but you will not achieve the required clamp force and the two are very different. It's the same as people who swear by using copper slip on wheel studs and bolts. From an engineering perspective it is a big no no.

New bolts and nuts everytime on brakes and clean surfaces for wheel bolts and nuts. If you ever see this happening then go back and tell them to do the job properly. As Bandit points out it's a case of training but is rife throughout the industry.

[lulu82]

The Operations manager for London rang me today, and said that they take full responsibility for the issue although it is easy for other garages to blame the last person to work on the car (strange half appology) but he is refunding me the cost of the repair, i mentioned that my life time guarentee on the brakes is now useless and he told me if i ever need work done on the car that i should phone him and he will personally book it in and i will receive royal treatment. An offer that is never going to be taken up on but he was very nice and he is covering the expense of repair.

[KwikFit Official Customer]

Hi lulu82,

Just to reassure you that we have received your email and are giving it the attention it deserves. Your case is being investigated by one of our Operations Managers.

Kind regards,

Andy

[Nagasis]

This is kind of what was expected, 50 quid out of pocket expenses as a gesture of goodwill.

 

They can do better than that if they are sincere, what about a free service thrown in?

[Yukiko]

After what happened to my Mercedes E280 when I let them do a service and MOT, I'd be happier taking the refund and running!

[lulu82]

to be honest i wouldn't let them touch my car again, if a simple thing like putting the bolts on was to much trouble to do proprly but i am happy with the refund and the apology and the guy i spoke to was very helpful and polite.