Took my vehicle in for a brake inspection ,report comes back need new front pads and rotors. I tell them to proceed with the work. On the way home brakes start smoking ,figured it was just the breaking in process, 5 minutes later smoke is pouring out and both wheels are on fire. I get the fire put out and call the shop, nervous manager cant believe it and tells me ill have to have it towed back at my cost. They call me and tell me I will now need another set of new brakes and rotors and now new calibers installed. They are telling me it is my fault because I didnt have new calipers put on and the cost is on me! Any thoughts or suggestions on what would have caused the fire, and should the shop be held liable?
Brakes on fire
- Thread starter rtag2004
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I'm curious as to the vehicle and state you live in.
Both wheels or one? If it is one wheel that is likely a stuck caliper, if both wheels did it then it isn't the calipers as the chances of both calipers sticking would be astronomical. Both wheels could be the master cylinder. Post a pic of the work order.
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one would assume the shop in question would have lubricated the slide pins and hardware and road tested the brakes before returning them to you, so I would say it is on them.
If you do not know how brakes work, then you do not know how they can fail. We can speculate to the moon, from poor workmanship, processes, etc. As to liability, this is a maintenance forum on how to fix mechanical issues. You are going to get nothing but speculation on that question. My condolences.
Live in wisconsin, the vehicle is a 2011 chevy Tahoe LTZ
Both wheels were on fire
Sorry, that doesn’t make sense.
The wheels are either steel, or more likely, aluminum. They don’t burn. The tires can burn, but not the wheels. The brake pads can burn.
So, the “fire” that you saw - whether flames (fire) or just smoke - was much more likely coming from the brakes, not the wheels.
As far as what happened - you don’t give us enough details. It’s going to be speculation on the cause - but no decent shop would let you drive away after that work without testing the brakes first.
Seeing that wheels are made of steel or aluminum, I don't see how that's possible.
Should be on them. If your brake stuck on the way home, the shop probably didn't road test.
Did they recommend new calipers and did you decline them?
both
Very coincidental this happened after the brake work, and would lead me to believe something happened with the replacement. What that is could be a variety of things and unless you actually watched the process, could be difficult to pinpoint. I have seen plenty of things go wrong with brake service, especially if it was rushed or done on the cheap. The master cylinder could be a likely cause as was mentioned. Depending on how the shop bled/refilled the fluid could have caused M/C to stick and not release fluid pressure, in turn, heating the pads to the point of fire. Then, just about any rubber component (piston boots, bushings etc.) is gone, and why they say you need calipers now. All is speculation of course. Good luck, sound like they are going to try hard to pin all this on you.
If so, the shop should have declined to do ANY work.
It was the brakes that were on fire not the tires, They did do a test drive on the vehicle. When they came back they said it was good to go other than a noise they heard that was not related to the brakes. After 15 minutes of driving home there was a burning smell then smoke coming from both wheels, when i stopped to get out and look at it fire was coming out of both Calipers or brakes. when it cooled down I could physically move the driverside caliper back and forth the other side did not move at all.
They maybe used a clamp on the brake hoses which collapsed the interior preventing the brakes from releasing fully.
So where did you get the fire put out? At home or on the way home? I'm confused because you then checked the calipers which required the wheels to be removed.
Also if you had a real fire then there is going to be more that needs replacement or repair besides just the brakes.
They recommended replacing calipers at some point but said they were ok.
like i said after it cooled down i was able to reach in and grab the caliper the wheel does not need to come off the calipers are exposed through the rim.
Was in an actual fire or just very smokey brakes?
I've learned that you can't really pad slap on anything that's been run in the salt brine. The caliper pistons seize up. With that said the mechanic should have noticed how hard the pistons were compressing and realized this was going to happen and done new calipers.
I've learned that you can't really pad slap on anything that's been run in the salt brine. The caliper pistons seize up. With that said the mechanic should have noticed how hard the pistons were compressing and realized this was going to happen and done new calipers.
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