Dealer parking-brake adjustment fail.

[chad1376]

Warning - this is just a whiney rant. I need to vent.

Since we received our '17 BRZ (now at just 3,000 miles), the parking brake doesn't catch until it's at the top of the throw. Unless you get that last click at the top, the car will roll.

So, my wife calls Subaru Las Vegas, and schedules an appointment to have it adjusted. First, they tell her that the car has an electric parking brake, and there's nothing they can do. After she explains that no, a BRZ has a standard mechanical brake, they schedule her for an appointment at 4:00 in the afternoon.

She shows up, and they tell her it is a 4-hour procedure, requiring removal of the center console to adjust. So she reschedules another appointment for a Saturday morning.

On the second appointment, it takes the full 4-hours to get her car back. On the drive home, at freeway speeds, the brake begins to bind, the car shudders, and she pulls to the side of the road, thinking she's had a blow-out or some other catastrophe. She limps the car back to the dealer, and tells them they 'fd up the adjustment.

20-minutes later, the car is out of the service department, and the brake is back to it's initial adjustment, and she drives home.

After all this, we are now in conversations with Subaru of America. I am quite unhappy with the dealer's handling of what should be a very simple procedure.

Knowing that the parking brake is just a small drum, and certainly not intended for continued use and obvious overheating, we're requesting that the rear brakes be dis-assembled, inspected, and if damaged the shoes/rotor replaced.

So, reading up on the adjustment, I understand that it just requires adjustment of star adjusters at the drum (correct me if I'm wrong). The dealers line about this being a 4-hour job is either total lack of knowledge, or they didn't want to do the adjustment and wanted her to just go away.

I could have done this in my driveway in a 1/2 hour, but it's a new car under warranty, so we figured let them do it.

OK, I'm done ranting and feel a little better.

[CSG Mike]

File some complaints, and just DIY at home.

Once you "tighten" it, back off at least 2 "turns" (sweeps of adjustment within the range of the hole), or you will overheat the brake from dragging, and get that vibration again.

[FirstWinter]

Seems like they chose the other method of adjustment. Adjusting from the rear drum is much simpler and less likely to cause issues.

[ApexEight]

I'd be furious. Please do not drop contact with corporate. This is unacceptable.

[chad1376]

Follow up:

After some nudging by my wife, Subaru of America directed her to take the car back to the dealer for an inspection. The service department did disassemble the rear brakes this weekend. They said the lining on one of the shoes was cracked, and they are replacing both sets of drums and shoes. Parts are on order now. Corporate also did a follow up email to both my wife and the dealer. I'm sure this was made much smoother by going directly to the corporate customer service, rather than trying to deal with the dealer service department alone.

So, it's getting handled as best as can be expected after the initial error.

[chad1376]

Follow-up to the follow up:

Parts came in, dealer replaced them, brake now engages where it should.

After about 10-hours at the dealer, between all the combined visits, corporate is making 1 payment for us.

Subaru America did everything in their power to make it right and provided excellent communication and follow-through. Still "iffy" to what extent we can trust the dealer service in the future though.

[jasonojordan]

IF you keep on SOA about it they generally are pretty good about handing out $500 good faith service coupons. These can be used at the dealer for anything from parts to service to nick nacs in the parts department "gift shop". Downside in my experience when I was given on they required it be spent all in one shot.

[finch1750]

Glad it worked out OP. Hopefully the dealer will be better after they know you'll get corporate involved.

Originally Posted by jasonojordan

IF you keep on SOA about it they generally are pretty good about handing out $500 good faith service coupons. These can be used at the dealer for anything from parts to service to nick nacs in the parts department "gift shop". Downside in my experience when I was given on they required it be spent all in one shot.

Kinda sucks, but if you have storage space you could easily spend $500 on consumables (filters, brake rotors, spark plugs, etc).

[jasonojordan]

I spent 2/3 of it on oem rear spats (the black plastic trim peices that look like little steps) the rest was spent on gift shop stuff. SPT Oil fill cap battery tie down and such.

Originally Posted by finch1750

Glad it worked out OP. Hopefully the dealer will be better after they know you'll get corporate involved.



Kinda sucks, but if you have storage space you could easily spend $500 on consumables (filters, brake rotors, spark plugs, etc).

[Tor]

Originally Posted by chad1376

She shows up, and they tell her it is a 4-hour procedure, requiring removal of the center console to adjust.

4 hour job?
The center console can be take out in 60 seconds by someone who has done it 2 times.