Dealership Runaround

Yeah, I'm with Lyn on this one. The dealership is telling you it's still under warrantee. Considering the circumstances it sounds like they've responded properly.

If you want a second opinion, take it to a different Dodge dealership. I'd also ask a brake repair place how much damage a small amount of the wrong fluid can do in a few days time. (Seems to me it would not be much, but I'm no expert.)

You could also take the car somewhere (like an abandonded shopping mall parking lot) and run a series of high-speed hard brake stops to see if any problems show up.

Bottom line is, she's your daughter. What do you need to do to get peace-of-mind?

I missed something here. If the brake warning light comes on it is telling you that there is a system issue. If upon inspection you find the brake fluid reservoir low, it indicates that you have one of two issues. 1. a leak. 2. worn shoes or pads. Now that they have inserted the wrong fluid you say the master was leaking out the shaft seal. That is an issue that was not there to begin with, I assume. So I would look at item 2 1st. The level of fluid decreases as the pucks move outward and pads wear. This causes some shops to just add fluid. Wrong thing to do. More knowledgeable service shops should be investigated for use. Dealer also should have caught this if it was an issue.

Treat the cause not the symptom.

"Now that they have inserted the wrong fluid" Wrong fluid??????? Who said?

this isn't the last chapter

How about switching cars until you get it sorted...You're lucky they didn't void the warranty....which they could still do, so I wouldn't press the issue any more....If you don't trust the mechanics, take it someplace you do, and be prepared to pay... .02

"What recourse do I have, if any, to get the dealership to replace the booster?"

None.

As Lyn said, there is no credible evidence that the booster needs replacement. Thank your dealership and when the vehicle requires warrantee maintenance, go to the dealer first.

Lastly, a failed booster, should it happen, is not a real safety issue. You should prep your daughter on a safety drill in the event of a failure.

The correct procedure for a booster failure is to press down harder on the foot brake pedal when stopping. The car will stop just fine. That should be a normal response anyway.

I don't think brake fluid can be 'wrong' these days as there are standars to esure compatibility.
(Ok transmission fluid or Lager may not be compatible, but I think all brake fluids will be to a standard)
Del
(I reserve the right to be wrong. You should really ask the dealership's cat)

Sorry, the Cat's caveat saved his tail.... Generally speaking you can always go up a DOT grade from DOT 3 to 4, but never backwards; i.e., using DOT 3 where 4 is specified. The higher the grade the higher the boiling point,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOT_4

DOT 5 has a different base fluid so all bets are off due to seal compatibility issues. Lager of course involves other issues!

I have two things:

1. #3 We have NEVER established that the incorrect fluid was installed at any time. Nor that during the short period of time DOT 5 may have been there, that it would have caused any damage.

2. #7 A failed brake booster IS indeed a safety issue! Maybe not for you, unless you get hit by some college student who isn't strong enough to apply enough force in time to stop her car.

A failed brake booster is more of a nuisance than a serious safety concern. It is not the same thing as a sudden or total loss of your brake system.

The failure mode for these is usually a slow degradation in performance. So there is plenty of warning when the brakes require more and more pressure to work.

A totally failed booster would be a pain in the leg for many people not used to a manual brake system for day to day use, but these systems are designed to be effective enough, even when dysfunctional, to allow you to stop the vehicle with reasonable force.

Nevertheless, any performance loss or change in brake operation is cause for concern and should be addressed right away.

I agree that these aren't usually catastrophic failures.

But, in this case, the driver is a college student, who took the car to the wrong repair shop, twice.

With due regard for what the other posters have indicated here, you have not violated any part of your warranty by taking it to other service agencies before taking it to the dealership. This is validated by the fact that the dealership worked on it under warranty this time and further indicated that the car was still under warranty for another year.

Furthermore, since this is indeed a safety issue, the dealership takes on a measure of responsibility for any potential issues you may have where brake failure can be shown as the cause.

Ensure that you have the service statements well in hand each time you visit the dealership for this issue. If the brake light comes on again or if you have any demonstrable issues with the brakes, make sure you schedule a service appointment right away. Your immediate action will show that you take this issue very seriously and consider it a threat to safety. You may consider having it towed under your warranty agreement for this issue. Anything that makes the car unsafe to drive allows for towing and is reimbursable by the manufacturer under the warranty.

Lastly, for now, taking the car to any other service provider and retaining a written order for service or professional assessment can only help you with this issue should you need to go outside of the manufacturer's support network, i.e., the Better Business Bureau and arbitration authorities.

This may well be a very simple issue, but don't let the dealership or manufacturer lull you into thinking that they have your best interests at heart in their actions. Their bottom line sometimes takes over on what could be a serious issue for you down the road.

Brakes and steering control are nothing to kid around about. This is a serious issue, so stand your ground!

I am in the business and my recommendation is in the following order, ie do #1 first, followed by 2, then 3:

1. Contact The Chrysler corporate office and give them the details (dates you brought the car in and to which shop, the type of fluid used, etc). Forward a copy of the repair bill from the dealer. Include in the letter that brake fluid leaked into the booster and you're concerned about the safety, since it is the brake system. Ask them for their recommendation. If the brake booster does fail, you have proof that they (the builder and designer of the car) gave you the okay to have your daughter drive it. This is a huge liability on them, however if the brake booster does fail and your daughter is injured or killed, the lawsuit still won't bring things back to normal.

2. If Chrysler tells you it will be okay, do your own test. Find out the type of fluid that leaked into the brake booster. Purchase a set of brake booster seals from the dealer - make sure they are the same ones on the car. Put the seals in the fluid for the amount of time she had fluid in the booster. Check the consistency of the seals. Did they swell up? Do they look "soft". If so, don't take a chance and even if it comes out of pocket, have the booster replaced.

3. If you don't want to pay for the repair, trade the car in. If Chrysler won't cover the repair and your daughter's safety is at risk, don't take a chance. Life and health are too precious.

I hope this helps.