Scarlet_Spider

Took my 01 T/A into Pep boys last month. They worked on the brakes changed my pads and front rotors they also reccomended an engine flush and switched me back to regular mobile oil 10w 30 from castrol synthetic 10w 30. After picking up the car i noticed when i turned off my traction control a few minutes later the ABS Inop and Brake Light would randomly turn off. Now keep in mind The TCS is off and i have 2 more lights on my dash saying Brake and ABS Inop. If i try to turn traction control back on the TCS will not respond, the TCS light on the console does not respond and the 3 warnings stay on the dash... Only way to reactivate TCS temporarily is to pull over and turn off the car, restart the car... and only then its still only fine for about 20 mins and randomly will turn off the TCS and again the brake + ABS Inop light will come on... i've tried pulling over and burning out to test if TCS was still on and it might have just been a light issue; TCS is indeed off.

Took the car back to pep boys where they took my car for a joy ride around the block refused to check the sensors on the rear wheels. Connected it to a big hand held computer and then told me nothing is wrong with the brakes and that if the light comes on just pull over and restart the car ! WTF ! the mechanic said TCS has nothing to do with the brakes and it is like apples and oranges and one has absolutely nothing to do with the other... This guy obviously thought i was a complete moron...

Since my visit with Pep Boys the car has started giving me a pulsating feeling almost like a shaking when im at a light or pulled over. Also Smelling a burning smell which smells like oil.

Please Help me out with any Feed back or knowledge that can be past over this way. I will greatly appreciate it Please Help Me Keep my 01 SOM T/A on the road !

qwk93ta

iTrader: (13)

I would never take my car to Pep boys, you get what you pay for........did you check to see if your ABS sensors are connected?

Blown427conv

iTrader: (1)

They are a bunch of idiots over there. Our 2 stores finally went out of business last year due to all their shoddy work and having to pay customers bills at other shops to fix their mistakes. I had my own problems with them just installing tires...any monkey can do that I thought.

ghardester

Yes, see if all the sensors are connected. Also check the wires to the sensors in case they pinched them. The TCS is tied to the ABS so I would think they screwed up something about the sensors.

And don't worry about the regular Mobile oil, but put synthetic back in next oil change, whatever flavor you think is best. I assume you won't be going back to Pep Boys.

Don't be afraid to complain loudly to the corporate Pep Boys office. Might do no good, might get a partial credit.

frisky2101

iTrader: (8)

X2 pep boys round here is full of retards , but they sure know how to put gawdy things on ricers LOL

onebadazzls1ta

PEP BOYS ARE A BUNCH OF WELL...I myself work for Advance and our guys are a hell of alot better trained then the morons across the street, Pep Boys is more or less a toy store and has nothing to do with auto parts. I hear horror stories of people comming over to our store after being at Pep Boys LOL.

tording99Z28

iTrader: (3)

Bitch and complain then bitch and complain some more. My best friend worked in the service center at the counter at a pep boys and he said all customers have to do is bitch and complain and call the corporate number and complain and they will give you pretty much anything you want. He only worked there for a few months because he couldn't stand all the retards ******* up everyones cars and then the customers complaining. Pep Boys sucks ***.

1 FMF

iTrader: (1)

looking through my 2002 service manual,
the ipc (instrument panel cluster) illuminates brake indicator when following occurs- low fluid level condition from sensor on master cyl resevoir, or parking brake engaged.

from diagnostic procedures, here is all they list which can be the problem:
- low brake fluid level in master cylinder, triggering brake fluid level sensor in master cyl.
- daytime running light module
- parking brake switch (under center console on the lever mechanism)
- a bad instrument cluster panel

I would start by checking brake fluid level in master cylinder, if ok then disconnect the plug to that fluid level sensor and i think you'll want to connect the two leads on that wire to fool it into thinking brake fluid level is ok. if doing so makes the brake light go off, then you have faulty brake fluid level sensor. But i bet it's a low fluid level in the master. Just buy the smallest bottle of any brand dot3 brake fluid you can find and top it off.

if that doesn't do it, then disconnect the parking brake switch under the center console to rule that out (it's unlikely it is this) or if you find it easier i would remove each back wheel and rotor and disconnect/reconnect the wheel sensors first. It's possible when servicing the brakes they bumped or removed them for some reason, or if they also replaced the parking brake shoes at each rear wheel they may have f'd that up.

and i would also remove each wheel then reinstall using a torque wrench on the lugnuts. I'm sure they used an impact gun and you won't have even torque on each lug and you'll have warped rotors in under 5000 miles- don't ask me how i know.
and the burning smell is oil spilled on exhaust manifold when they refilled. give it time to burn off or wash down engine bay.

hitmanws6

iTrader: (20)

i work at sears and one of the other techs used to work at pep boys. absolute horror stories. you would be better off trying to do all of this yourself than taking it to pep boys

1Loudz28

iTrader: (47)

id have a certified mechanic recheck all of their work, then take the bill to pep boys.

fuseone

How comes you only hear horrior storys but when people actaully do get goodwork from a place you dont ever hear the good stuff.hmmmmm

3.8redbird

iTrader: (3)

the good places that do brakes and tires are eveyrwhere. ask and you will suually get a list of the good places. Around here if you ask for a machine shop you get the top 3. ask for tire mounting and drag slick balance you get a certain fellow. ask for exhaust or tint you get top 3 of each

its only when you get what you DONT expect when you alert others
if you get what you pay for and EXPECT its no big deal unless they go above and beyond with service

Arc00TA

iTrader: (17)

I would take a look at the harness to the ABS sensors, they probably didn't disconnect them but instead broke the damn wires off. If you let the caliper fall onto it the connector and wires break really easy, ask me how I know.

z44ss

iTrader: (1)

what about checking vacuum. that would cause both brake problems and the stumble when idling.... just a thought

Slvr00Bird

iTrader: (2)

Do NOT do an engine flush.. If you do, you'll need to drop the pan anyway.. An engine flush will cause all the gunk and **** to fall to the bottom of the engine and block the oil pickup. This will keep oil from going through your motor and it'll pop..

Scarlet_Spider

thanks for the info. what they said is that if i cover the parts they'll cover the labor. im calling corporate yet again to file another complaint.
when i took the car back they said i need the following:
all 8 ignition coils and wires need to be replaced, all spark plugs and wires need to be replaced -mind you spark plugs were done 30 days prior by pepboys-. Cats have to be changed and the computer may be bad or it may be a sensor issue in detecting the ABS inop / TCS / Brake light their also saying oxygen sensors need to be changed which i knew had to get done.
all this just to get my brakes changed. im not going to lie im no mechanic and i just drive it and maintain it but after this experience i will never trust anyone with my car again. i guess im going to be forced to learn how to service my own car at this point. the only reason i never did was because i never had the time, but now im going to have to put in the effort.

BAD2000TA

iTrader: (6)

Yeah, start learning to work on your own stuff. Will not only save you money, but a hell of a lot of aggrevation dealing with those so-called mechanics. Changing brake pads and rotors are actually quite easy on these cars. If you ever get stuck on something, there are plenty of people on LS1Tech that will lend a hand.

As for your issues, as mentioned, most likely a disconnected or broken sensor wire.