[jsbmw87]

So, here's the story. Took my car in yesterday for a few items to get checked.

1.) Steering wheel emits a loud squeak when turning the wheel
2.) Car claims it needs more washer fluid - but when I go to put more in, the reservoir is full
3.) Brakes squeaking like none other

They had the car over night last night and I received a call from my SA earlier this afternoon. He asked what washer fluid I was using and I told him Rain-X. He said it is not BMW approved and the sensors couldn't detect it (new one to me). Also, they cleaned the brakes and didn't see anything wrong. As for the steering wheel squeak, they couldn't find anything wrong. I sent them a sound clip, and they are still trying to listen for the squeak. The SA then tells me that their technicians do not get paid for problems that don't get fixed, so if they can't find anything wrong or fix anything - I'm essentially wasting the technicians' time when they could be earning money on something else. He also said they can only spend so much time on a particular car. Guess I'm a little confused by this - BMW technicians only get paid on problems that are fixed???

Here's another one that got me - I was also told that if they spent time looking for something wrong by removing the steering wheel and found nothing wrong, BMW would not pay for it and it would be on me?!

[BimmerHJ]

Originally Posted by jsbmw87

So, here's the story. Took my car in yesterday for a few items to get checked.

1.) Steering wheel emits a loud squeak when turning the wheel
2.) Car claims it needs more washer fluid - but when I go to put more in, the reservoir is full
3.) Brakes squeaking like none other

They had the over night last night and I received a call from my SA earlier this afternoon. He asked what washer fluid I was using and I told him Rain-X. He said it is not BMW approved and the sensors couldn't detect it. They cleaned the brakes and didn't see anything wrong. As for the steering wheel, they couldn't find anything wrong. I sent them a sound clip, and they are still trying to listen for the squeak. The SA then tells me that their technicians do not get paid for problems that don't get fixed, so if they can't find anything wrong or fix anything - I'm essentially wasting the technicians' time when they could be earning money on something else. He also said they can only spend so much time on a particular car. Guess I'm a little confused by this - BMW technicians only get paid on problems that are fixed???

Yeah, he's lying.

[shivaswrath]

that's hogwash.
a warranty is a warranty. a moan/squeak needs to be addressed. BEST BET, is when it's moaning/squeaking, go to the dealership, get the SA, have them sit in it and then have THEM get a tech...

[wdlv]

If you live in close vicinity to another BMW dealership, you can always go there as well, for a second opinion.

[jsbmw87]

Originally Posted by wdlv

If you live in close vicinity to another BMW dealership, you can always go there as well, for a second opinion.

Will be doing this as soon as I get my car back. Just curious if you guys have ran into this sort of thing before.

[Neutrino45]

Your SA is an asshol3. Post his name and dealership.

[bnekic]

Fuck them, go to another BMW dealer. Nothing is more annoying then poor ignorant service.

[jsbmw87]

Originally Posted by Neutrino45

Your SA is an asshol3. Post his name and dealership.

Ralph Schomp BMW in Colorado. Not too keen on posting the SA's name at this time.

[rayusaFL]

Man... How can they lie like that??? Lol

[The X Men]

jsbmw87

I am using Rain-X washer fluid in my BMW and I dont have a problem with the sensor. Your SA is right that if they could not ID the problem, they dont get pay. If they ID the problem and get approval from BMW to repair it, they get pay, rather what ever they replace work or not. What you need to do is show them the squeak in the steering wheel and have them document the problem.

[Seagull]

I've used Zaino and rainX - no issues at all.

He's a lying bum!

[CE750Jockey]

There's a ton of stuff that isn't "BMW approved". That's baloney. And the sensor couldn't detect it?! My b.s. detector is going off. I'd ask for the name of their Regional Service Manager and have a nice little chat with him. Be sure to include the proper spelling of the SA and Service Mgr. at the dealership. Having been in this end of the business, trust me, going over their head to the regional rep is not something they want to happen.

[jsbmw87]

Originally Posted by Seagull

I've used Zaino and rainX - no issues at all.

He's a lying bum!

Apparently the F30 uses "two sensors that indicate the chemical makeup" of the fluid?????

Wtf?

[claykin]

OP, ask to speak with the shop foreman or service manager who will engage the shop foreman. This SA needs some schooling on how to talk with customers.

[Seagull]

Originally Posted by jsbmw87

Apparently the F30 uses "two sensors that indicate the chemical makeup" of the fluid?????

Wtf?

Right, and soon they will put a mass spectrometer in it.... just to detect rain or dirt??!? Uh huh. All it does is detect the strength of light reflecting within the glass. Foreign materials draw off the light reducing what is detected.

[irishbrahmin]

As for the "technician not getting paid," there might be something to that. When I had my '09 N54 135i, I took the car in for an all-too-familiar rough idle which tends to develop after changing the spark plugs (covered under free maintenance). The tech spent an hour with the car and (not surprisingly) couldn't reproduce the problem. So I asked him to ride with me, which he did for about 10 mins. He mentioned that if he does not find a problem (which would allow him to enter a repair code in the system, etc.), he earns nothing on that item. Perhaps he didn't mean money; rather, it sounds like techs have a quota/production goals that must be met. Even under warranty, finding nothing = nothing.

[jsbmw87]

Originally Posted by irishbrahmin

As for the "technician not getting paid," there might be something to that. When I had my '09 N54 135i, I took the car in for an all-too-familiar rough idle which tends to develop after changing the spark plugs (covered under free maintenance). The tech spent an hour with the car and (not surprisingly) couldn't reproduce the problem. So I asked him to ride with me, which he did for about 10 mins. He mentioned that if he does not find a problem (which would allow him to enter a repair code in the system, etc.), he earns nothing on that item. Perhaps he didn't mean money; rather, it sounds like techs have a quota/production goals that must be met. Even under warranty, finding nothing = nothing.

Interesting... thanks for the info. The SA asked that I come in tomorrow morning and drive around with the technician to see if I can get the problem to occur while I'm driving. Will see how it goes...

[brn2900]

Originally Posted by jsbmw87

So, here's the story. Took my car in yesterday for a few items to get checked.

1.) Steering wheel emits a loud squeak when turning the wheel
2.) Car claims it needs more washer fluid - but when I go to put more in, the reservoir is full
3.) Brakes squeaking like none other

They had the car over night last night and I received a call from my SA earlier this afternoon. He asked what washer fluid I was using and I told him Rain-X. He said it is not BMW approved and the sensors couldn't detect it (new one to me). Also, they cleaned the brakes and didn't see anything wrong. As for the steering wheel squeak, they couldn't find anything wrong. I sent them a sound clip, and they are still trying to listen for the squeak. The SA then tells me that their technicians do not get paid for problems that don't get fixed, so if they can't find anything wrong or fix anything - I'm essentially wasting the technicians' time when they could be earning money on something else. He also said they can only spend so much time on a particular car. Guess I'm a little confused by this - BMW technicians only get paid on problems that are fixed???

Here's another one that got me - I was also told that if they spent time looking for something wrong by removing the steering wheel and found nothing wrong, BMW would not pay for it and it would be on me?!

I have the squeaky brakes too. I have a 335i m sport that's 2 weeks old. The rear brakes have squeaked since I got it. First they tried lubricating them. That didn't work. They replaced the pads yesterday. I heard a few very quiet squeaks again today. I followed the procedure that other people have mentioned on here for bedding the brakes and that seems to work. They're quite for now.

[PeterM]

A few things the washer fluid is BS lol haven't heard anything that dumb.

As for not getting paid if he can't find a concern that is correct if he spends 1-2 hours to find a "probably" and cant the tech gets nothing, shop earns nothing and so on. They get paid by the job and he can't throw parts at it cause if it doesn't fix the issue you will be mad, tech will get in trouble. Its a pain to be a tech, but the SA is acting like a douche he should of just told you he couldn't duplicate the issue and come back when it gets worse or drop the car off for the whole day so the tech can drive it through out the day while trying to make some money.

[jsbmw87]

Originally Posted by brn2900

I have the squeaky brakes too. I have a 335i m sport that's 2 weeks old. The rear brakes have squeaked since I got it. First they tried lubricating them. That didn't work. They replaced the pads yesterday. I heard a few very quiet squeaks again today. I followed the procedure that other people have mentioned on here for bedding the brakes and that seems to work. They're quite for now.

Thanks... will look for info on bedding

[CirrusSR22]

I would try bedding in the brakes as described. I was working on a supercharged Range Rover once that persistently had noisy brakes (big Brembos) I took the pads out and very carefully cleaned and lubricated everything, twice - and it still squeaked.

I finally did a full bed-in procedure and that cured it. I've replaced dozens upon dozens of brakes, and that was the only vehicle that NEEDED it. Some just do I guess.

[brn2900]

Originally Posted by jsbmw87

Thanks... will look for info on bedding

Bedding them is definitely worth a shot. It didn't work with my original break pads though. Seems to have worked so far, with the replacements.