Main dealer forgot to replace brake fluid reservoir cap
Discussion
Hi everyone
Just after some thoughts on this one please.
My wife took her car to main dealer for new brake pads last October. Took the car for an MOT last week and the tester noticed there was no cap on the brake fluid reservoir.
Not an MOT fail, but clearly:
Brake fluid has slopped around the engine bay and I understand it’s highly corrosive. Would that cause long term issues to paint, plastics, rubber etc?
Safety issue of returning a car to my wife that could be potentially unsafe.
Any thoughts on this please? I don’t mean how much of a bunch of clowns the dealer service team are - I mean how bad are the potential long term issues of brake fluid slopping around the engine bay for 5 months, and the safety side of brakes failing?
We haven’t opened the bonnet since the car came back to us, so neither of us noticed the missing cap.
Many thanks !
Just after some thoughts on this one please.
My wife took her car to main dealer for new brake pads last October. Took the car for an MOT last week and the tester noticed there was no cap on the brake fluid reservoir.
Not an MOT fail, but clearly:
Brake fluid has slopped around the engine bay and I understand it’s highly corrosive. Would that cause long term issues to paint, plastics, rubber etc?
Safety issue of returning a car to my wife that could be potentially unsafe.
Any thoughts on this please? I don’t mean how much of a bunch of clowns the dealer service team are - I mean how bad are the potential long term issues of brake fluid slopping around the engine bay for 5 months, and the safety side of brakes failing?
We haven’t opened the bonnet since the car came back to us, so neither of us noticed the missing cap.
Many thanks !
I'd be getting it assessed as to what damage it's caused, the costs to rectify, then informing the workshop that left the cap off.
If it's stripped paint off in the engine bay, that could run into a lot of money to put right.
What did the MOT tester say?
Did they suggest any future problems because of it?
Did she pay the main dealer with a credit card?
The credit card company might be able to do something? (may be a six month timescale)
If it's stripped paint off in the engine bay, that could run into a lot of money to put right.
What did the MOT tester say?
Did they suggest any future problems because of it?
Did she pay the main dealer with a credit card?
The credit card company might be able to do something? (may be a six month timescale)
Edited by Trevor555 on Monday 9th March 09:16
Being realistic, after nearly 6 months you've go no chance of getting anything back from the other garage. They'll say that it's been 6 months and could have happened elsewhere in the intervening period, you know that's not the case but can't prove otherwise.
Put a new cap on, make sure the levels are right and take it for work elsewhere going forward.
Put a new cap on, make sure the levels are right and take it for work elsewhere going forward.
SAS Tom said:
Trevor555 said:
Removing a brake fluid cap isn't something an ordinary car user would do.
I'd be letting a judge decide whether or not the dealer is liable.
Why is knowing where it is part of the driving test then?I'd be letting a judge decide whether or not the dealer is liable.
Presumably not enough was lost to trigger the fluid warning light?
When was fluid replaced? There may be a bit more moisture in the fluid than normal (even though caps are vented it limits moisture exchange). Possibly dirt.
While proof of culpability will be hard I would look their manager in the eye, explain the situation and offer him the opportunity to make a good will gesture. In the interests of avoiding losing potential sales and bad online reviews it may be productive. Don’t talk to whoever is manning the phone on the service desk they will just offer to sell you a new cap.
Also have you checked whether the cap has fallen down eg onto the under tray? It’s odd for a spare cap not to be noticed at a mechanics but of course anything is possible.
When was fluid replaced? There may be a bit more moisture in the fluid than normal (even though caps are vented it limits moisture exchange). Possibly dirt.
While proof of culpability will be hard I would look their manager in the eye, explain the situation and offer him the opportunity to make a good will gesture. In the interests of avoiding losing potential sales and bad online reviews it may be productive. Don’t talk to whoever is manning the phone on the service desk they will just offer to sell you a new cap.
Also have you checked whether the cap has fallen down eg onto the under tray? It’s odd for a spare cap not to be noticed at a mechanics but of course anything is possible.
The OP doesn't state the age of the car. If they haven't had to raise the bonnet in months, it's probably not very old. 
Modern cars have lacquered paint, even under the bonnet, and it may not that corrosive (DOT 5 is less harmful). Any paint damage will be obvious. Not much would 'slop' out, it's not like a bowl of soup.
Personally, I would suck out as much as possible using a syringe, refill and have the brakes bled. That long with the cover off, it will have deteriorated and probably absorbed moisture from the air.
Modern cars have lacquered paint, even under the bonnet, and it may not that corrosive (DOT 5 is less harmful). Any paint damage will be obvious. Not much would 'slop' out, it's not like a bowl of soup.
Personally, I would suck out as much as possible using a syringe, refill and have the brakes bled. That long with the cover off, it will have deteriorated and probably absorbed moisture from the air.
sixor8 said:
The OP doesn't state the age of the car. If they haven't had to raise the bonnet in months, it's probably not very old.
Modern cars have lacquered paint, even under the bonnet, and it may not that corrosive (DOT 5 is less harmful). Any paint damage will be obvious. Not much would 'slop' out, it's not like a bowl of soup.
Personally, I would suck out as much as possible using a syringe, refill and have the brakes bled. That long with the cover off, it will have deteriorated and probably absorbed moisture from the air.
Good advice - another possible issue is the dirt contamination that may have gone in but I don't think you can do anything other than flush the system through and hope for the best.Modern cars have lacquered paint, even under the bonnet, and it may not that corrosive (DOT 5 is less harmful). Any paint damage will be obvious. Not much would 'slop' out, it's not like a bowl of soup.
Personally, I would suck out as much as possible using a syringe, refill and have the brakes bled. That long with the cover off, it will have deteriorated and probably absorbed moisture from the air.
I wouldn't lose too much sleep over it but mitigating damage now is probably better time spent than trying to get a garage to recompense after this length of time.
Given the design of most modern brake reservoirs, I'm not even sure much would "slosh out" unless you're baja racing or dune bashing.
Put a photo of the engine bay up OP and it'll be pretty clear if there is much/any potential for damage.
If you're up for a chat with the original garage, I'd go back and tell them they left it off and see if they can do you a free brake fluid change and maybe a quick steam of the engine bay, otherwise I'd put the cap back on, spray the engine bay with engine degreaser, and give it a hose down, and move on with my life.
Put a photo of the engine bay up OP and it'll be pretty clear if there is much/any potential for damage.
If you're up for a chat with the original garage, I'd go back and tell them they left it off and see if they can do you a free brake fluid change and maybe a quick steam of the engine bay, otherwise I'd put the cap back on, spray the engine bay with engine degreaser, and give it a hose down, and move on with my life.
CanAm said:
That would be interesting if you turned up for your test in a Cayman, where you can only see oil and coolant fillers. BTW is that allowed these days or do they insist on dual control? I know certain named cars are refused because of poor visibility.
OT, dual controls aren't needed, my daughter passed in her own car, only 'modification' was an additional rear-view mirror.https://www.gov.uk/driving-test/using-your-own-car
Thanks everyone - I really appreciate your feedback.
The car is a 2019, you are quite right that it’s not used every day, but it’s been to Devon from London a couple of times since October and she does go to work in it occasionally.
Personally I haven’t seen it, being stuck in Middle East with all the closed airports fiasco so I am not back in the UK for another week at least.
This means I haven’t yet seen any damage, but the MOT guy said the level was a lot lower than it should have been.
I did immediately book it into a brand specialist round the corner who have changed the fluid and put a new cap on, as I was concerned about water / dirt getting into the system.
And I fully agree - it’s very hard to prove that the car hasn’t been touched under the bonnet in 5 months - I guess they could look at the BMW tracker history which would show where the car has been in that time, but as they changed the brake pads at the last visit, they would definitely have taken the cap off.
And although my wife drives well (she does track days as well in our Clio track car), she never opens the bonnet so there is not a chance she would have removed it
Thanks again for your collective wisdom, it’s always appreciated.
The car is a 2019, you are quite right that it’s not used every day, but it’s been to Devon from London a couple of times since October and she does go to work in it occasionally.
Personally I haven’t seen it, being stuck in Middle East with all the closed airports fiasco so I am not back in the UK for another week at least.
This means I haven’t yet seen any damage, but the MOT guy said the level was a lot lower than it should have been.
I did immediately book it into a brand specialist round the corner who have changed the fluid and put a new cap on, as I was concerned about water / dirt getting into the system.
And I fully agree - it’s very hard to prove that the car hasn’t been touched under the bonnet in 5 months - I guess they could look at the BMW tracker history which would show where the car has been in that time, but as they changed the brake pads at the last visit, they would definitely have taken the cap off.
And although my wife drives well (she does track days as well in our Clio track car), she never opens the bonnet so there is not a chance she would have removed it
Thanks again for your collective wisdom, it’s always appreciated.
They said there is definite fluid on various components - what I don’t know is what the long term prognosis is for this. So for example if fluid has been sitting on rubber hoses for 5 months, does that mean there will be long term damage to the rubber over time. That was where I was going. Thanks again.
I wouldn't be so worried about the rubber components - it's the water absorption and dirt inclusion which are probably the greater risk. Failed seals, ABS pump etc in the years to come.
Of course there's no saying any of this will happen and the only way of being sure it won't is to change everything.
I think that would be an OTT way of dealing with it.
Of course there's no saying any of this will happen and the only way of being sure it won't is to change everything.
I think that would be an OTT way of dealing with it.
Until you have seen what damage there actually is or have a report to say what said damage is difficult to know your first step beyond what you have already done.
Irrespective I think I would be at the very least explaining the situation to the Service manage of the MD you went to.
Whether or not you have much of a relationship with them or not may also be a factor.
Irrespective I think I would be at the very least explaining the situation to the Service manage of the MD you went to.
Whether or not you have much of a relationship with them or not may also be a factor.
I'm not sure that you can say that they 'definitely' removed the cap. There's mention of pad change but not fluid and it is sometimes possible to change pads without removing the reservoir cap.
Unless a 'friend' or neighbour has 'helped out' by checking the car in your absence I agree that on the balance of probabilities, the dealer did it, however, as already stated, 5-months on you're virtually on a hiding to nothing. You've done the the best thing under the circumstances and a follow-up visit to the dealer on your return might help and then take it from there.
Unless a 'friend' or neighbour has 'helped out' by checking the car in your absence I agree that on the balance of probabilities, the dealer did it, however, as already stated, 5-months on you're virtually on a hiding to nothing. You've done the the best thing under the circumstances and a follow-up visit to the dealer on your return might help and then take it from there.
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