Unexpected expense from bi-annual brake fluid change

[outnumbered]

My local BMW dealer managed to shear off the bleed nipple on one of the front brake calipers, for which their solution is to replace the caliper at my expense :bigcry:

They're claiming that sometimes they just shear off due to corrosion and there's nothing they could do, and it's a safety issue to try to extract the remains of the nipple as they might damage the thread and it'd leak in future. After I complained to the service manager they've agreed to reduce the replacement to @cost or thereabouts, but it's still going to be a significant outlay.

I thought about getting the car to the good local indy to have a go at drilling the remains of the nipple out, but since I still want to get a BMW stamp for the warranty, it'd then have to go back to BMW anyway, and I can't be bothered with the hassle as I'm going away at the w/e.

Can't wait to see some more official documentation from Mondial about using non-franchised dealers for servicing, so I can just take the car to somewhere I trust a lot more...

[shimmy]

Are they AP or OEM?

Nipple rusting is pretty common and they do sheer off very easily.

[shane@mbtech]

Agree,

We have had a few nipples shear off with no warning and very little pressure too.

Certain calipers on Mercedes seem more problematic,

Issues can arise from previous over tightening too.

And I can understand their stance on replacement, not worth the risk for them.

[Equinox]

Sounds fairly honest to me, unfortunatley these things happen every now and then and this time it was your car, its a pain in the arse but in all honesty its not their fault.

Equinox

[Mark CSL]

If it was my car and it was in the dealer and they broke it they would be fixing it.

Also why dont they change them as its a cheap part bleed nipples say every 2 years like the fluid :banghead:

Does warranty not cover this ??????????

[outnumbered]

I can see that it just happens sometimes, but was pissed off that their first response was sorry mate, that'll be £550. Would have been good to have offered some goodwill without me having to push...

Warranty classes it as consumable/service item when the dealer checked with mondial.

[shane@mbtech]

If it was my car and it was in the dealer and they broke it they would be fixing it.

Also why dont they change them as its a cheap part bleed nipples say every 2 years like the fluid :banghead:

Does warranty not cover this ??????????

Look at it from my point of view as a garage owner Mark......

Its not my car, its not my caliper, its not my bleed nipple and its not my corrosion that caused it. Its the owners car, the owners caliper, the owners bleed nipple, and the owners corrosion.

I have bled the brakes on probably 1000's of calipers, and about 5 have snapped on me personally over the years. You can only turn the nipple, I know how to undo a bolt correctly, and if one does snap I know 100% its not my fault.

Its not always as black and white as it might seem.

Having said that on the ones that have snapped, we have repaired all of them at no cost to the customer, because customer service goes a long long way, and if a customer returns, the profit from their business over the years, and their reccomendations, more than covers the small time taken to repair. Most come out with easy outs, heat, penetrating oil and lots of patience, only one required drilling and tapping.

It does not take long to take a caliper off and get it in the vice to work on.

[The Gorilla]

Hi,

Good Engineering shop will ''spark out''
bleed nipples and leave existing thread
in tact.


Regards,

The Gorilla.

[_Nathan_]

I am in Reading, think I have my csl calipers still of any good to you, is it at coopers?

[Mark CSL]

Warranty classes it as consumable/service item when the dealer checked with mondial.

Its not any where in the service book that it is a consumable/service item
But there you go its new to me :whistle:

[Mark CSL]

Look at it from my point of view as a garage owner Mark......

Its not my car, its not my caliper, its not my bleed nipple and its not my corrosion that caused it. Its the owners car, the owners caliper, the owners bleed nipple, and the owners corrosion.

I have bled the brakes on probably 1000's of calipers, and about 5 have snapped on me personally over the years. You can only turn the nipple, I know how to undo a bolt correctly, and if one does snap I know 100% its not my fault.

Its not always as black and white as it might seem.

Having said that on the ones that have snapped, we have repaired all of them at no cost to the customer, because customer service goes a long long way, and if a customer returns, the profit from their business over the years, and their reccomendations, more than covers the small time taken to repair. Most come out with easy outs, heat, penetrating oil and lots of patience, only one required drilling and tapping.

It does not take long to take a caliper off and get it in the vice to work on.

I Know what you mean bolts brake all the time.
All i was saying its a BMW part that has failed on a BMW in a BMW garage
they should fix it as you said you sorted the ones that broke on you :)

[shimmy]

Hi,

Good Engineering shop will ''spark out''
bleed nipples and leave existing thread
in tact.


Regards,

The Gorilla.


what does this mean, i have one to get out

[shane@mbtech]

what does this mean, i have one to get out

Hit it really hard and spark it out:hahaha:

I assume he means chase it out, I got ours out, with drilling out nipple with small drill then easy out to get it out. Use good easy out though as cheap ones snap and are a bugger to drill.

On your AP?

[The Gorilla]

Hi,

Quote- ''what does this mean, i have one to get out''


Shimmy- they use an electrode to cause
'spark erosion'.

Broken nipple nearly always comes out clean,
they then just run a 'tap' down the threads to
make sure all is good.

The art is to spark out the top but not to go to
deep so as to leave the 'seat' good.

Good Motorcycle Shops will have done it many times.

Regards,

The Gorilla.

[shimmy]

cheers


(spare set Lawsy)

[outnumbered]

I am in Reading, think I have my csl calipers still of any good to you, is it at coopers?

Cheers for the offer, but they've done it now. And yes, you guessed right on the dealer.

[83SY]

Nice touch, cheeky beggers asking you to pay for it!
Good news all sorted :beer:

[northernjim]

Cheers for the offer, but they've done it now. And yes, you guessed right on the dealer.

if its always been serviced at coopers you could have said that thy overtightened it in the first place........


and although it may be your caliper and your corrosion, bmw must surely know about bimetallic corrosion....and know about the need to take care?