My brakes went out on the day after Christmas, December 26. Since I was in the Merrillville area, I took my car to a station near my mom's house. The station owner put my 1994 Lincoln Towncar up on the rack, then explained and showed me that there was a leak in the brake line. The entire brake line on the driver's side needed to be replaced. Due to the holidays, the station owner was short staffed. The owner, after suggesting I take the car to the nearby American Brake and & Muffler, put some brake fluid into the car so that I could drive over there.
Once I got to American Brake and Muffler, I explained that the brake line was leaking and that entire brake line on the driver's side needed to be replaced. When American Brake & Muffler looked at my Lincoln, they said the brake line replacement would be $250 and, if the fuel line broke during the repair, it would cost $400. I left my car there for several hours while they made the repairs. When I picked it up the invoice was $259 including tax.
I was able to drive my car home without any problem. I did not drive my car again until Friday, December 28. I was very upset when I applied my brakes and the brakes did not work! I bought brake fluid and put it in the car, but the brakes still did not work.
In addition to being unemployed for several months and not using the car very much, I was now scared to drive it at all! I did not want to make a trip out of my way to take the car back to Gary for repairs until I had to be in the Gary area.
On January 16 (less than a month later), I was going to the Gary area so I took the car back into American Brake & Muffler. I explained that I had not been using the car and had not been in the area to bring it back into their shop. I also told them that the very next time I drove the car after their repair the brakes did NOT work.
The manager said something similar to "Oh it's not our fault. You're brake failure could be due to many different things." When I asked, "Such as?", I was informed that it could be that the rear brake line was repaired and the front or middle line broke. I explained that the entire driver's side was replaced. The manager then asked for my invoice. The invoice showed only the two rear brakes lines as replaced. I explained once again that the entire driver's side had been replaced, and was told "that's not what the invoice shows". Once again, BEFORE EVEN LOOKING AT THE CAR, the manager denied that it could even be their fault. Aggravated, I left their shop.
I went to two stations and had my car was examined. Both stations told me that the proportional valve's screw had been cross-threaded during the brake line repair. This caused the loss of all brake fluid. Both stations also told me that the only way to make a brake line repair and replacement was through the proportional valve.
I went back to American Brake & Muffler. This time they did put my car up on the rack, and I even pointed the failure spot to them. Once again they denied their fault. I was told, "We're experts, we did not touch the proportional valve when we repaired the brake line."
Well after spending $250 on their botched brake line repair, I took my car back to one of the stations which had examined by car. The station replaced the proportional valve. This station has also given me the proportional valve which has the cross-threaded screw from American Brake & Muffler's faulty repair. This cost another $250.
A dispute of American Brake & Muffler payment has been raised with the credit card company.
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