arnel619

Just got a call from the service manager at Magnussen's Lexus of Fremont stating that they will not honor the TSIB for the front brake pads (due to excessive dust) as well as the front break squeak. As noted in the TSIB, this should be honored under comprehensive warranty for 48 months or 50,000 miles which I have not reached. I have two issues here:

1) The service manager Monte states that the brakes were too worn down and that it is not his call to get the tsib honored. He states that it's with Corporate Lexus.

2) I call into Lexus customer service and they state that they called the dealership and the dealership states that they would not recommend the pad replacement via tsib but rather pad replacement due to normal wear and tear. Customer serivce also stated that if I see the brake dust after I get my brakes replaced, they will move forward with it. ????? So let me get this straight, you want me to pay you guys to replace my brake pads with oem pads, then if I complain again, you will replace them again and work on the sqeak??? WTF?? Why are you guys wasting my time.

Tell me if i'm spinning my wheels here but no where on the tsib does it state when you can't replace it due to certain wear? What really pisses me off is the run around BS I get about why they can't do it.

Bottom line is I'm switching dealerships. This is really crap customer service especially to a dealership I go out of my way to go to.

BinaryJay

If your pads are at the end of their lives, then I don't really blame them. You might as well just replace them with the pads of your choice and move on. If you create a huge stink about this you may dilute your chances of getting something more serious done in the future that is also "on the edge" of being permissible.

In other words, I think it would be reasonable of you to pay for new pads if indeed the ones on your car that you're complaining about now are well worn out. There are some things worth demanding, but I do believe that one has to be reasonable to the business if you wish them to be reasonable with you.

Ice350

iTrader: (1)

Off topic....why did you misspell "breaks" in your title but spell in correctly (brakes) in your narrative?
All over the net I see people using the words "breaks".
Am I missing something?

arnel619

Thanks for the input Jay. I do agree to a certain extent. Other threads on this forum talk about dealers honoring the tsib regardless of brake wear. I do have issues with this run around from the service manager saying its up to lexus, then I call lexus and they say its up to the dealership. Sorry to be sensitive but crap like that I give a stink about. As for more serious things in the future being permissible, I don't think I'll be doing business with this dealership any longer. I also left a voice mail as well as email for the service manager to call me back to further discuss this issue but....he never called back. I think I'd be more reasonable if he didn't just blow me off.

BinaryJay

I know how you feel. I think you need to try another dealership.

User 121523

On a somewhat related note, I've never had good service from any of the Magnussen dealerships. Back when I had a Toyota, their Palo Alto service shop was horrendous both in treating people and treating my car, not to mention the dealership / service center itself looked like a dump from the outside (still does!). When I was shopping around for a Lexus in late 2008, Magnussen Fremont Lexus was the only one that completely ignored me when I walked into the show-floor. Don't bother with Magnussen's.

dunnojack

you got no warrenty for those breaks!

probably the 2 most commonly misspelled words.



Anyway, I just got my car back from getting TSIBs done.
The brake squeal should be warranted regardless of pad wear.
The L-SB-0015-09 tsib calls for shim kit and new pads, and that's what i got. a new brake job. However, they replaced my original dusty pads with the same dusty pads.

I'm not complaining though. My warranty is almost up, and I got new pads that should last me for the next 40k miles.
the dirty wheels never bothered me.

so, if you just want free brakes, ask to get the anti squeal kit. forget about the low dust pads.

GS350Lexus

iTrader: (5)

Ice350 and dunnojack, guys he is really frustrated. Instead of helping him out you guys talking about 2 words he misspelled? Seriously?
Anyways back to the original topic, don't stress it dude. The brakes they were going to put on are STILL crap and would of been more running around. Just switch to any aftermarket ceramic break pads and forget about dust and squeak.

IXI187IXI

iTrader: (3)

i can see both sides. depending how low the pads are and if the squeaking is coming from the pads being low then i understand their point. on the other hand its pretty easy to tell when theres excess brake dust on something. whether the pad is low enough or not should not be a concern. the fact that you are not out of the manufacturer warranty, they should look into this for you.

BinaryJay

Uh oh...

helpmeout1

I had my brakes replaced for free under a TSB because they were squealing. I then had them swapped back again for free under a TSB because the excessive brake dust was destroying my chrome wheels. My brakes started squealing again, and my dealership just ordered me the new brakes under the latest TSB that are supposed to fix both the squeal and excessive brake dust – this will also be done for free.

I would push your dealer, or Lexus, a little harder.

arnel619

Thanks for the input guys. I actually brought my car in for both TSIB's (L-SB-0015-09 Front brake Squeak) and (L-SB-0121-08 Alternative Front Brake Pads). Magnussen Lexus service manager said since my brakes were worn to a certain extent, the tsibs are no longer valid. From the comments above, sounds like there is no consistency between dealerships or lexus in general.

@ helpmeout1 and dunnojack - What condition were your brake pads when you had the tsib done? Also, what dealership did you guys go to (if you guys are in California)?

helpmeout1

I've had the brakes replaced twice in 20k miles so the brakes still had good life each time. I am in the midwest.

Sango

iTrader: (10)

I had my pads changed out and the squeek done. It was not done for the same intensions since I was complaining about brakes being too powerful when I first got the car - to properly claim it, service told me I can do it under excessive brake dust.

They also mention that the brake pads cannot be less than 5 mm because that would imply that the brakes are worn down and the customer is simply trying to get a free set of new brake pads after using them. Since my car was relatively new, it is not applicable to me.

Chances are they are not honoring it because brakes are less than 5 mm and they have not informed you of this information specifically.

dunnojack

i have under 30k miles on my car, so my pads were probably good condition.

there's really no reason for a dealer to block the job because they're getting paid pretty good for a simple repair.

so, the 5mm rule makes sense. They have to follow the rules.