chris_dobbins

Ford focus goes in for MOT - i get a call that the front break pads & disks need replacing plus the rear drums need cleaning.. Pick up car and i have what i thought was water on the clutch pedal. I thought it was just water so left it thinking it would dry, it did not and my brake light kept coming on and off. Took car back in and told that the clutch master cylinder seals broken!

I dont know anything about cars, so all i know is that i didn't have a leak on Thursday and did have a leak on Friday after MOT/Brakes etc.

So is this coincidence or could the garage have caused the damage and is there anything i can do to check?

Appreciate any help

mk22door

Not sure, so don't go kicking off, but!!!

It seems very odd that your master seal has gone when the brakes have been messed with - I did this myself once (to my own car years ago) and basically when bleeding the brakes up I pressed the pedal in too far and blew the master cylinder seals!

Lesson learned.

For me it's not fair to say that they (the garage you used) did or did not cause this.

But it's very fishy.

Smudge374

It is quite possible they have done it, however its a matter of proving it. Have a word with the manager about it, but honestly I wouldn't hold my breath.

botters

iTrader: (2)

if it helps the clutch master cylinders on focus's are a very common failure, i would put it down to coincidence they wont have touched your clutch whilst fixing the brakes. there is a slight possibility that when they pushed the pistons back in your brake calipers that the fluid will have spilled out of the brake resevoir and run down the pipe that feeds the clutch master and run into the car giving the false indication of a leaky master but that is a very slim chance

chris_dobbins

MK22 - thanks for the feedback!

Very hard not to think that the garage caused the fail, i rang the manager and expressed my concerns, i also got advised that if the pistons are moved without removing the cylinder cap that this can put pressure on the cylinder and break the seals, however the manager explained that this would only happen to the brake cylinder not the clutch cylinder.

I dont know enough about it to argue...

chris_dobbins

Thanks Botters - maybe im getting cynical in my old age lol im certain im gonna have to pay the £120 for new cylinder and fitting. Then move on to another garage after as i cant help losing trust in the timing of the fault.

Thanks for the advice/feedback

Rax

iTrader: (1)

Snap !! I did this myself on the morning of the mot.I have done a lots of brakes over the years so I should of know better.I think a brake bleeding kit is a safer bet for older cars.

stevieturbo

So does your clutch work as normal or not ? And has the reservoir for the clutch actually lost any fluid ?

pedroS2RST

I just had my daily in for a new caliper and exactly this happened. The guy didn't admit fault but he sorted it foc straight away - nuff said.

JOHNDQ

Some times things do just happen odd as it sounds its happened to me at work a few times i.e last friday i replaced a coolant hose on a golf, nice easy job took about 10mins carried out road test and packed it up. Few hours later owner picks it up and it wont start the crack sensor had failed which is no where near the work what was carried out! The only thing is what were the drums failed on you cant see inside them

botters

iTrader: (2)

from memory an aftermarket (as in non ford but usually made by the same company that makes them for ford so essentially genuine) clutch master cylinder is around £40 and less than half an hour to fit and bleed so i would question £120

Cozziekid

Could just be a coincidence.
The fluid reservoir feeds both your brake and clutch master cylinders so any spillage when topping up COULD have run down the pipe, but then again the pipes and the clutch master cylinder are sealed at the bulkhead so probably a very slim chance of fluid getting past there.
If there is fluid on your clutch pedal its a pretty sure bet its from your clutch master cylinder from where its situated just above the pedal inside the car, and as said, its a pretty common failure on the Focus anyway.
Good luck getting it sorted.

Stevie RS Boy

late last year i put a new clutch slave cylinder on focus i was selling, got it off ebay £20 inc p&p, about half hour to do the job, would deffo question £120, but i am mechanic so i did know what i was doing