Midas - Their Service is Smoking!

I was thinking that when I write this post, it's really going to sound like I'm complaining a lot lately. You're probably thinking 'bitching' is a better word, but I reserve that word for Camaros.

During one of those flash 1 inch snow storms in December, my brakes suddenly acted differently. By suddenly, I mean that I was tapping them in slow creeping heavy traffic and without warning the brake pedal went all the way to the floor. As I pumped the brake, it was raise the pedal, but as I kept my foot on it the pedal would slowly sink back to the floor. This made me think that I had a busted brake line.

The next Monday evening I dropped the van off at Midas in Eldersburg. I usually drop my vehicle off that night whenever I need work done. And inevitably it's about 10 degrees outside and windy as cuss when I do this. Ever try to fill out that form in the cold wind with the pen that barely works?

I didn't get a call on the next day, which was slightly irritating, but I thought I'd give them the benefit of the doubt. They could be really busy.


I called on Wedensday and asked if the van was done yet. I was told no, but to call back later in the evening and it should be done. I got busy with the family and never called. So the next day (Thursday) I called again. Still not ready. Okay. Now it's officially getting irritating. No benefits of doubts anymore.

I call Friday. Well.......we thought it was the calipers and and brake line. The calipers were definitely broken as was the brake line (as I had suspected), but after fixing that the problem was not resolved. They told me they then put on a new manifold to see if that resolved the problem. It did not, and it would be too much work to take it off, so they were going to give that to me free of charge and not charge me for the labor to install a part I didn't need. I thought that was generous. ~~~

What it came down to was that they didn't know what was causing the problem. They suspected now that it might be the anti-lock brakes and it would be really really expensive to repair. However, they were going to contact Ford to find out if they have a log of any similar problems.

Monday arrives and Ford recommended that they replace the hydraulic control module. It was about $1000. So I approve the repair and I think it was Wednesday before it was done. That's right - 9 days. $1300. But the problem was fixed and the brakes work wonderfully now.

If it had just been for this part of the story, I probably wouldn't have written this blog post. It's this part that requires my complaint. While in their shop for 9 days, I think they smoked about 200 packs of cigarettes in my van. When I first got in I practically fell out of the driver's seat choking for oxygen. The EPA is constantly going after the auto industry and factories about pollution. Hey guys - how about the cigarette smokers at Midas?

It's been a couple of weeks since we got our van back, but I cannot deny that when I get in I still smell the smoke. Since I have covered parking at work I've left the windows open all day hoping to reduce the cigarette smoke smell. Ugh - it is so terrible.

Another funny(?) part of my story. I was telling a neighbor this exact story, but when I got to the part where I said the brake pedals sank to the floor and would pump up, but sink again, he said, "let me guess - it's either a failed manifold or a broken hydraulic control module." Are you f-in kidding me? What took Midas 9 days and several conversations with Ford's "professional" auto repairmen took my neighbor about 30 seconds to diagnose with only limited information from my story and not seeing the the vehicle.

So my conclusion - if you want your brakes repaired, I think Midas does good work at a reasonable price. However, they are a bit slow and your vehicle will reek of cigarette smoke for months.

Does anyone know how to get this smell out? Febreeze doesn't do it.