Brake, master cylinder, aligment, wheel balance...

[ken_oy]

what happened to my 95' Camry??
Two weeks ago, I changed the engine oil in Pepboy, and also, I let they do an aligment for my Camry. OK, everythings were great: 80MPH from San Antonio to Austin, super smooth, and I really enjoy the trip.

Last week, the brake became soft and I had to use the handbrake to stop. Back to Pepboy, they said Master cylinder pass away, and asked for a $360 to repair. But it was 6:00 pm that time, and they close at 6:30pm, so they asked me to come back next day. How can I drive just with a handbrake?? And the CarX was still open that time, so I go to CarX, and sent $430 on all the repair work.
Bad things strart to come then. Next day, I found the car was shaking when I drive upto 60mph, when I press the brake, the brake was also vibrating. The steering wheel was vibrating when I drive at a high speed. And the worst thing was the car pull to the right side, and with a ugly noise. The car seems real dangerous. Then I came home. And I also notice that the front wheel were hot, almost burning!!!
I got back to CarX, they check and said, the brake rotor are not smooth, and they asked me to spend $130 for 4 wheel rotor adjustment. They also said there is a aligment problem with my car, and show me in the garage that the front wheels were "toe-in". I did notice they were!! What happened? I do alignment just for 2 weeks?! So they sent me back to Pepboy.
I asked Pepboy to fix the alignment problem for me. But after they checked and re-do the alignment, they said, it was impossible for them to make the steering wheel at the right angle, the steering wheel would be 2~4 degrees to the right side...but they also said the vibration is from the wheel balance problem. They asked me to spend $45 for 4 wheel-balance...
How can I said? I had spent over $450 for all this jobs, and almost 3 days waiting in the garage... and it's the mid term for college students, and for me there are two exams waiting for me. So, I left.
My Camry is still vibrating when I drive on the high way..., I am feeling so sad.....
Anybody have any suggestion or recommendation??
Thanks so much??

[blackhawk]

GO back with a base ball bat and tell em you mean business before you barry bonds their asses

[Novice_cardude]

Go back and make them fix it. Just by hearing the symptoms, I know where I'd check first. The goons who put the master cylinder in probably didn't adjust it properly, so it's constantly pressing just a little bit. That small amount of pressure will build up a load of heat, and warp the rotors (vibration when you hit the brakes, and when you're just driving). Also it seems there's a slight imbalance, kinked brake hose, or something that's making the right side caliper engage before the left, most likely causing the pull and off-center steering wheel.

I do alignments, and when a Camry/ES300 comes in with a pull, 80% of the time it's a tire problem. If it's an alignment problem making it actually pull, there's not much you can do about it without special kits to make the spindle lean in or out from the strut.

Have them fix the problem, and check for brake hose swelling, sticking calipers, and a misadjusted brake booster pushrod. Also have them check the runout on the rotors to see if they're warped.

And they'll do that for free.

[ken_oy]

I tried. But what they said is just to let me spend more and more money to fix my car. For the CarX, they said the vibration is from the rotor problem, not from their job; for the Pepboy, they said the problem is from the tire balance not from the alignment.... So, How can I do??

But I really don't believe there is such a lot of serious problems of my car. My 95' camry is in good maintain. One of my friend said, in San Antonio, you'd better repair your car by yourself, once you go to a auto shop, they would just keep asking for money and make your car worse and worse. I still can't believe this. But I really prefer to repair my car in Austin, but actually I spend 90% of time in San Antonio

I still remember, months ago, I post a message for help. Since after I change the engine oil in Firestone, my Camry strart to leak engine oil. This time......
I am tired. I hope I was an expert, and I can repair it by myself.

Is there any good auto shop in San Antonio?? I really don't want to wasting my time and money again!

[wtftoy]

Learning it youself is really the best way. I do go to this shop that everyone (I know, recommends) but I watched one of them change my sister caliper and they did a shitty job.

Thats what I'm going to college for automotive collision and maintenance technology. Good luck with your problem, sorry for not being able to help.

As for 'expert', just pick up a haynes manual and look through that, some of the jobs that you pay alot of money for are pretty easy, just need time.

[Stillrunning]

ken-oy, I would dump both those shops right now as it seems they don't want to pay for their mistakes, if indeed they made any. Find a small independent shop that specializes Toyos, get them to inspect and fix and write on the work order what the problems are and how they were caused. Then file a claim in small claims against the other two shops if it can be shown that what they did (or did not do) caused your problems. If a judge agrees with you, you will only collect the amount that you paid in excess of what should have been charged, so do not pad the claim. But you will need proof in writing from another shop. This is from a non-lawyer who has used small claims before with success.

Your story reminds me why I do all my own repair work. I do not trust any shop until I KNOW they are trustworthy and competent. I usually find the larger the car repair chain the less competent the personnel.

[ghettosled]

sounds like carx did something strange. novice cardude is right. i think all of the problems you are now having stemmed from the brake booster and a front caliper. a sticking caliper will cause a lot of excess heat, warp the rotor and in turn feel like the car's alignment is off. i think once the brake issue is worked out, the alignment will be okay. dont let carx off the hook.

[renmike]

Originally Posted by ghettosled

sounds like carx did something strange. novice cardude is right. i think all of the problems you are now having stemmed from the brake booster and a front caliper. a sticking caliper will cause a lot of excess heat, warp the rotor and in turn feel like the car's alignment is off. i think once the brake issue is worked out, the alignment will be okay. dont let carx off the hook.

I agree, it sounds like both shops are trying to pass the blame off between the two. If you can find a place that offers free inspections, take it there, don't tell them what you've been told by pepboys or carx and let them give you an opinion, in writing if possible. From your description, it sounds like your biggest problem to begin with wasn't the master cylinder but instead a sticking caliper. Chain shops like those worry me, I almost wonder if they're trained to loosen bolts and make things more likely to break...

And I hate to say this, but a lot of 'mechanics' don't really diagnose problems, they just throw the most expensive part on there first to see if it fixes the problem, then start to nickle and dime you from there. I just don't understand why a lot of places don't seem to understand that if you do the job right the 1st time the customer will tell MORE people to go there, then they'll get more business

Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox now.

[ken_oy]

Thanks to all of you guys.
But I just want to know is it a real balance problem?
I still don't know why before brake repairing it drives smooth but after does not with the same tire in the same position.
Actually, I didn't rebalance these four tires for a whole year (over 11000 miles).
Any suggestions?
Thanks!

[xtremeskier97]

I dont think it's a balance issue...I think, like others, that your rotors are warped (due to the master cylinder job done poorly) and the pads are dragging on the rotor while driving, causing it to FEEL like a balance issue.

It seems all of your major problems stemmed from CarX doing your master cylinder improperly. (im not implying that PepBoys is good, but it doesnt seem they were at fault this time)

[ShawnM]

There is no adjustment for a master cylinder. It is possible there is some defect with the new master that isnt allowing the fluid to return after you release the brake pedal. Either that or you have a brake calliper going bad. If it shakes at high speeds without touching the brake pedal then you probably have a wheel ballance issue. Sometimes wheel weights fall off, or maybe they knocked one off when they removed your tires to bleed the brake system after installing the master cylinder. Seems very suspicious that everything went out right after you had that work done. I agree with everyone else, take it somewhere else and have them diagnose it, then at least you know who to blame. Those chain stores mess up a lot of stuff. Go to an independant that actually has his name on the business.

[ghettosled]

if you are only feeling the vibration in the steering wheel, rotate the front wheels to the back to see if the front end still has the shakes.