I took my Mother-In-Laws 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid in for a brake inspection at the Meineke in Marysville Washington located at 10501 State Avenue due to a grinding rear brake. As expected it needed new rear rotors, calipers and pads. Negotiated with J.R. what we considered to be a fair 500 dollar price and left the car.\r
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There is a specific procedure required when changing the brakes on this vehicle. The computer must be put into a maintenance mode before removing the calipers. The mechanics at this Meineke did not know this but removed and replaced the calipers, rotors and pads anyway. I picked up the car and was told by J.R. that the dash brake warning light was on but that he had test driven it and that it had brakes and I should just have the dealer reset the computer. Drove away from the Meineke shop and quickly discovered I had NO BRAKES. Virtually NONE! I did have shiny new calipers, rotors and pads attached to the car. What I also had was a dash warning light and a nearly worthless brake pedal.\r
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With massive pressure applied to the brake pedal the car would slowly eventually roll to a stop. Dragging your foot on the ground would have been the equivalent stopping power I suspect. \r
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I took the car to the dreaded dealer. We learned that when the calipers were removed without the computer being properly set it closed off a bunch of safety check valves in the brake lines and locked the calipers in an unseated position. Not only did I pay 500 dollars for a brake replacement that left me with no brakes, I got to pay an additional 518.76 to the ford dealership to have them undo what Meineke did and reinstall and bleed the brakes properly.\r
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So in the end it seems I paid Meineke 500 for the parts I could have bought myself for 200 and another 518 to the dealership to undo and re-do the work meineke didn't know how to do correctly. \r
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The procedure for changing the brakes is available to anyone with a simple google search on brake replacement for a 2006 mercury mariner hybrid. You should really know how to do a job before giving an estimate or have the ability and foresight to look it up before starting work on an unfamiliar vehicle.\r
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Oh, I Did promise J.R. at the Marysvile shop that I would mention that he was sorry it didn't work out. I do have to decline your offer of a free oil change to compensate us for the brake job we paid for but really did not get. Do not think I will let that shop near our vehicle again.\r
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We are also not pleased with the Marysville Ford dealership. Really? you needed 13 quarts of brake fluid to bleed the brakes? It really costs 11.93 per quart? That is a review yet to be written
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