working on brakes the bleed valve was seized. Took it to the dealership and they said it’s seized and would snap trying to open it and would need to order a new setup. $2k for it all but the warranty was denied. I feel pretty strongly it should be covered since I’m not the one that made it seize. Anyone ever disputed a denial?



This bleed valve was seized.

 

They’re telling me it’s not covered because it’s cross threaded. But I’ve never had new pads put on. It came from the dealer like this.

 

They’re saying it’s not a manufacturer defect... but there’s no records of anyone having ever done a brake change before. Has 36.5k miles. Saying they can’t prove it’s their fault so won’t cover it. This sounds like crap to me. They said maybe I did it but I told them they can see in the photos it’s corroded over and hasn’t been broken (bolt turned) ever.

 

First off, it's a $200 caliper. Made by TRW, it's a fairly common design and relatively simple caliper. Put something like a channel-lock wrench on there and maybe a little WD-40 or PB Blaster, and it should come out. I like to use Teflon tape around the threads when I put them back in so the air doesn't bleed out around the threads and it makes it easier when you go to bleed them.

I hope you didn't pay $2k for something to fix that. Your dealer was probably just being pissy because you didn't take your LR back to them so they could gouge you on simple routine maintenance. You should have said to them you wanted new pads (they probably would have said you needed new rotors as well,) but then when they went to bleed them if there was an issue and they couldn't fix it, they would warranty it out to JLR and not even involve you.

If you had to replace it yourself that caliper should be all that you need. For $2k you should be able to upgrade your front calipers to six-piston Brembo's.

https://www.landrovermerriamparts.co...RpZXNlbA%3D%3D

 

If it were cross threaded it would have never sealed and been a constant source of brake fluid loss, resulting eventually in no brakes. It's critical that the bleed screw go in PERFECTLY straight so that the pointed end with the fluid passage bottoms out evenly and creates a seal. They are BSing you and should be ashamed of themselves. Spray it liberally with PB Blaster and use a 10mm 6point deep socket to break it free. It would be helpful to hit the caliper in the area around the bleed screw with a hammer first. The vibrations will help break the bond. It's strongly unlikely that it would snap.

 

They wouldn't know it was cross threaded without removing it to look at the threads. Just because it was too tight doesn't mean it was cross threaded. Maybe it was over torqued by LR or maybe it's a bit corroded. In any case it shouldn't be that hard to remove it.

 

Ask them to explain how it would have held hydraulic pressure if it were cross-threaded. Any mechanic who knows anything will tell you that it wouldn't and would have leaked badly.

 

Going to bring it home and fix it myself at this point. Still being charged a $500 diagnostic fee.

 

How is $500 justified for diagnostics when even at dealer rates that’s like 2.5-3 hours?
Given you already told them what the problem was...

 

I just got the bill it was $442 they didn’t charge me for restocking.


So here’s the story from the top down. I went to LR after going to brake check to bleed my brake lines. I had done the pads no problem but needed to bleed the lines and I frankly was out of time. Brake check is right near the house and felt much safer than 16 miles of Houston traffic highway driving.

While at Brake Check they came over and said they didn’t think they’d be able to bleed the back left side due to it being frozen. They didn’t want to snap the part. So I go to LR as early as possible to have it looked at. They come back and tell me it’s leaking and stripped... now I had sent them a photo I took with the wheel off at Brake Check and in that photo it’s dry and slightly corroded. The rep and LR sends me his photo which shows it cleaned up and dripping. So obviously that happened at LR. Now LR is saying it’s stripped. That it won’t be covered by warranty. If it were stripped it would have been their tech that did it. Total new cost, just under $2k for all new parts.

I come here and you guys validate my concerns so I tell them I don’t want to do it and I’ll come pick it up. I’m told since I refuse service it’s the $442 cost (give it take a buck receipt is in the car).

Just in case I called the dealership I bought it at. A CPO with 6800miles. They never touched the brakes. Told them everything and off-book said I need to fight LR on this.

I pick it up this morning, drive it home, and with a 1/4inch drive 11mm socket I’m able to unscrew it pretty easily. So LR had to have been the ones to brake the bleed bolt free. I pull it out and take a look and it seemed ok to me.


Hand screws back in with no issues. Start to bleed my left brake that LR said wouldn’t bleed. Tightened her back up, placed paper towels under it. Mashed the brake a lot and no leaking.

So my problem is LR makes you sign paperwork going in that says you’ll be charged if warranty work is denied. LR denies it because they say someone tampered with it. Since I took it to brake check they couldn’t verify it was them even though the bolt was still corroded shut and hadn’t been opened.

Because LR says the bolt is stripped they said I need an entire new assembly. So basically instead of replacing the bleed bolt they want $2k worth of work. I’m a little besides myself because it was denied for a completely wrong reason. Then they give me the choice of either $2200 to fix it all (they wanted to move my sensor as well which would be another $150) or pay the $442. I paid the $442 because there was no other way to get my vehicle. But I’m pretty upset with all of this and through my own photos and in my own driveway I was able to prove their statements untrue.

They basically noted it had the rear pads replaced “outside influence” and used the wrong sensor (its the right sensor just from autozone vs LR), and decided they didn’t have to warrant it. Also when I got home they overnighted the lugs so damn much I had to get a cheater on it to break it free. My Metabo impact gun does 225ft/lbs and couldn’t break any of the lugs free. So this is some pretty bad service.

Im going to dispute charge of my CC and file a complaint with LR but not sure what else I can do.