On May 15 I took my Chrysler product to the dealership to repair a broken signal light and squealing front brakes. I was told that there was nothing wrong with the brakes and that they likely "just had dust in them" which would be taken care of with a cleaning. A charmingly named "Peace of Mind" service was performed, along with other suggested maintenance, for the somewhat less charming amount of $1, 347.47.
On May 19 I brought the vehicle back to the dealership as the service advisor had told me to return it after the weekend for a cleaning'. I informed them that the brakes were still squealing but again was told that it was "likely just something in the brakes." They did not charge me for this advice.
On July 26 while travelling down a steep hill, there was a sharp odour followed almost immediately by complete brake failure and I do mean "complete". My foot, brake pedal beneath it, hit the floor and I had no brakes at all. Thanks to some excellent driver training I managed to negotiate a sharp corner, narrowly missed a concrete barrier, swung over onto a gravel shoulder and threw the car into "Park". With four children in the vehicle at the time, this most certainly did not seem to qualify as the "most enjoyable and rewarding ownership experience" I had been promised!
On July 27th I called Parker's to advise them of the brake failure. They sent a tow truck and later that day advised me that there were no brakes on the outboard linings and that the callipers had stuck on, causing the outside pad to tear off. The Service Advisor also noted that: "We should have caught that". The service manager offered to pay for the new brakes, rotors and labour but thought I should pay for the callipers and pads as I would have paid for those IF they had caught it originally.
Now I suppose that on the surface, this seems reasonable. I WOULD have paid for those things had they been installed when they should have been. The problem of course, is that Parker's negligence is what caused both me, my children and their friends to undergo a horrifying and traumatic event that should never have happened. My son, aged ten, now has to be cajoled into even getting into a car. I have had to find alternate ways to work. Friends have to take me to the grocery store. The cost in money, time and peace of mind, is huge.
Parker's now says that, in order to be "fair" they will split the difference on the brake job. How kind!
Chrysler Canada state on their website that: Whether you buy or lease a new vehicle, we believe it's the start of a special relationship. That's because, when you bring your vehicle to us for regular maintenance, our exclusive Five Star standard of quality service ensures that we meet your expectations in every way. After all, we understand that delivering quality service is one of the most important aspects of a satisfying ownership experience
I have called them twice, been promised a return call twice, and have heard nothing.
Virginia
Summerland, British Columbia
Canada
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