dealer broke bleed nipple during service (E63 W212)

[mrmonkeyboy]

Have there been many other instances of rear brake caliper bleed nipples snapping off during a service?

my local MB dealer has call to let me know it is £673 for a new rear caliper as the bleed nipple has broken off and apparently it is all part of the caliper unit, so it can't be extracted and replaced. Dealer is saying wear & tear so they're not going to cover the cost.

a) is this true about it being a single unit
b) does anyone have any experience of tackling the dealer?

i'm also going to complain to MB as I've a service car plan, so i'm really expecting someone else to pick up the bill here.

thanks

 

[AMGeed]

I wouldn't be happy about that at all

So a ham fisted tech broke the bleed nipple, and you are expected to pay for his poor workmanship.
Wear and tear is rubbish too. How many times has your E63 had its bleed nipples opened before?

I'd make it clear that I'd expect MB to foot the bill and if they refuse, escalate a complaint to MB UK head office.

 

[190]

Bleed nipples can get stuck with corrosion but what the dealer should have done is refuse to bleed that wheel rather than just apply more force until it sheared. I've had that exact scenario and managed to free the nipple myself with a lot more time am patience than the dealer was prepared to employ.

 

[pmcgsmurf]

Exactly, no way should they have simply broke the nipple.

A few years ago I asked a friends garage how much to do a fluid change in a W211 (needs Star).
Was quoted an hour for labour plus the fluid but with the specific that they will inspect bleed nipples and any that will not free they will ask me first as these could break (new caliper).

Ask them why they did not tell you it was siezed and ask them to send a picture of said damage?

 

[mrmonkeyboy]

am going to call MB shortly to complain, am still in shock at their arrogance that it is somehow not their fault

the car has full, on-time MB main dealer service history since it was new in December 2013 so this is a complete kick in the nuts.

And its the usual 6 weeks wait for the part too if I wanted them to go ahead and order it

 

[st13phil]

As has been said above, bleed nipples do seize and can shear off but it would be good practice to call you and advise that it was seized rather than just loading it up until it sheared.

Unless the caliper itself has been damaged, I don't see why a competent workshop couldn't remove the remains of the nipple and fit a new one rather than replacing the whole caliper. There are firms that specialise in brake caliper refurbishment: why not give one a call and ask if they could help?

 

[merc85]

Mercedes Waterhouse Chelmsford had issues with one of the Bleed nipples on rear caliper on Brutus,

They called me first and asked if it was ok to try, but did say there was a high likelihood id need a new caliper Which i did in the end , But i was totally fine with that as they has asked 1st.

 

[mrmonkeyboy]

if they'd have called me first and explained that, then i'd probably have let them go ahead with it but they didn't.

MB customer services though were fantastic when i called and explained the situation to them, they're now looking in to for me, not only the bleed nipple, but also the lack of explanation/warning beforehand and also the lack of the offer for a courtesy car for the minimum 6 weeks i'd be without mine, which is currently now going to be at the dealers for a while as i'm not driving it away, so i've been left without a car

 

[190]

If the bleed nipple sheared it won't be leaking fluid so why isn't the car driveable unless of course they botched the fluid change and the system is full of air (I'm assuming all they were doing is a fluid change).

If the dealer doesn't cover the full cost of all this I would have the car out of there and delivered to a indie or brake specialist that is a least prepared to try and remove the broken nipple.

This "replace the whole assembly regardless of cost approach" is surely a good reason to avoid main dealers in the first place.

 

[pmcgsmurf]

I'd be demanding a look at the caliper or at the very least a few pictures of the damage.

Very easy to then determine if a good machine shop could repair this (very likely).

The MB main dealers are very quick to send videos when your car is in so should be very simple for them to show the part in question, unless of course they don't want to.

 

[grober]

Brake Caliper Refurbishment & Repair Specialists. Mail order

 

[KennyN]

If your car has a FMBSH then the brake fluid should have been replaced every two years , so there is your get out of jail card.

If the fluid had been replaced two years previously then there is absolutely no way that a nipple would seize in just 24 months , so either the fluid wasn`t replaced or the tech engaged max torque before brain - none of which is your fault so why should you be out of pocket.

If a nipple shears then the car would still be driveable until the dealer can get a new caliper at their expense.

K

 

[Jobsworth]

I've been a qualified mechanic for thirty years. I've never sheared off a bleed nipple. I have saved a few calipers that had the nipples broken by other ham-fisted mechanics. You develop a feel for when they are not going to come undone easily. That's the time to stop pulling on the spanner. Carefully applied heat, decent quality seize breaking fluid (Würth make a particularly good one branded ICE) and some careful too-ing and fro-ing will get them out. Patience is the key. The latest induction heater tools are brilliant for loosening stubborn ones.

 

[mrmonkeyboy]

thanks everyone, there is some comfort in knowing that i'm not alone in thinking that the dealer should foot the bill here.

Will add an update when I hear back from MB, the dealer in question is MB of Brighton (really though it is Lookers of Portslade!)

 

[Teego]

In any main dealer workshop time is money and not to be wasted by being patient. In my youth I ran the stores for a small dealer. Every job had a manufacturer's recommended time for billing. A good mechanic was running 3 job cards at a time. He got a cut of the invoiced hours.

 

[merc85]

Whilst i agree to some extent Jobsworth, would applying heat to a Alloy caliper damage the aluminium, and or Rubber seals? Alloy gets very soft when using heat

 

[Petrol Pete]

OP, the grease monkey that was let loose on your car would have been on a strict time limit with the car on the hoist but still zero excuse to snap a bleed nipple off.

As for a brake bleed nipple being a wear and tear item...boll0ks . Technically it is turned less than 180' every TWO YEARS !

Fight them.

 

[Jobsworth]

Whilst i agree to some extent Jobsworth, would applying heat to a Alloy caliper damage the aluminium, and or Rubber seals? Alloy gets very soft when using heat

A pal of mine worked at Dunsfold Aerodrome back in the day. He gave me a sheet of annealed titanium heat shield from the engine bay of a Harrier jump jet. I have some holes drilled in it (hard work) to drop over the bleed nipple and protect the caliper. Particularly useful on painted alloy ones. Couple of cycles of nipple red hot and the freeze spray gets them going. Always replace the nipple with new once its out.

 

[grober]

I've been a qualified mechanic for thirty years. I've never sheared off a bleed nipple. I have saved a few calipers that had the nipples broken by other ham-fisted mechanics. You develop a feel for when they are not going to come undone easily. That's the time to stop pulling on the spanner. Carefully applied heat, decent quality seize breaking fluid (Würth make a particularly good one branded ICE) and some careful too-ing and fro-ing will get them out. Patience is the key. The latest induction heater tools are brilliant for loosening stubborn ones.

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REMOVING RUSTY BRAKE NUTS WITH MINI DUCTOR | CAT Magazine | CAT Magazine

 

[merc85]

^ Jobsworth, cant see a mb dealer doing that, not when the labour rate can be around £130 a hour or so but nice to know how it should be done.