This review is intended to share our personal experience and warn other potential customers about the financial loss we experienced when we took our 2011 Ford F150 into Firestone Complete Auto Care, 3105 Airport Boulevard, Mobile, AL (near Bel AIr Mall) for brake service. We made an appointment for Thursday, August 14, 2025, and was checked in by Brandon Sells (store manager). We heard noise when braking, Brandon Sells (the store manager) checked us in and out. Brandon Sells later called and advised the truck needed rotors and pads to the tune of $630. We approved the work. Although Brandon Sells told us we could come and pick the vehicle up on the same Thursday, August 14th, when we got there, he told us the truck was still not ready. Brandon Sells told us the wrong brake parts had been put on the truck two times and the truck would not move. We were sitting in the parking lot watching the technician trying to move the truck and it would not move. Brandon Sells then told us it would be Friday, August 15th before the truck would be ready. We received a call the next day, on Friday from a Samantha telling us that the truck was ready. We picked it up made two stops on the way home without any problems. The next day, Saturday, August 16th, when my husband left to drive from Rivere du Chien/Halls Mill Rd area to Wigmans on Dauphin Island Pkwy the front area where the brake work was done started smoking. Witnesses to this said it looked like the front end of the truck was on fire. We called and tow truck and Brandon Sells immediately. Brandon Sells advised us it was the oil that was on the rotors that prevents rusting and it was safe to just drive it back and they would clean the oil up. We said no, and for safety reasons would prefer to have it towed back to him. The brake work had a warranty of 12,000 miles or 12 months. Brandon Sells did not have a technician look at the truck while we were there, Brandon Sells said he couldn't get to it until the next day. Next day, Sunday, August 17, 2025, Mike (the service manager) said Brandon Sells had the truck diagnosed on Saturday, August 16, 2025 and said the front calipers needed replacement and would cost $899. I don't know what happened whilst the truck was in the repair area, but it is highly suspect that brake work was done on Friday and then one day later (Saturday) the same area is smoking.
Here is what my research found:
A brake inspection on a 13-year-old vehicle should have included a check of the calipers, especially since your F-150's brakes were already making noise. Signs of a problem can include:
* Uneven brake pad wear: A sticking caliper will press one pad more than the other, causing them to wear out at different rates.
* Dragging sensation: If a piston is seizing, it can cause the brakes to constantly rub, feeling like a dragging sensation while driving.
* Contaminated brake fluid: older fluid that has absorbed too much moisture can cause corrosion inside the calipers.
There are a few reasons why a technician might have missed a problem during the initial check:
* Hidden corrosion: The caliper piston can be corroded in a way that is not immediately visible. The piston's ability to retract can be affected by debris that builds up behind it over time.
* Minimal symptoms: A caliper that is just beginning to seize may not have caused a noticeable pull or other clear symptoms during a quick test drive.
* Inadequate inspection: The technician may not have performed a sufficiently thorough inspection to identify a latent problem.
How the calipers could have been damaged during the repair
The repair process itself can trigger a latent or new caliper issue. The damage is not necessarily intentional, but it can be caused by improper procedures.
* Piston retraction: During the replacement of old, thin brake pads with new, thick pads, the technician must push the caliper's piston all the way back into its bore. If the piston is already compromised by corrosion or debris, this process can cause it to seize.
* Improper handling: As you noted, letting the caliper hang by the brake line can damage it. A brake caliper should be properly supported when it is removed from the rotor to prevent stress on the flexible brake line.
* Failure to clean and lubricate: The caliper sliding pins are vital for its proper function. If the technician does not clean and lubricate them properly, they can seize, which puts stress on the caliper.
Addressing the shop's response
* "It was oil on the rotors": This explanation from the manager is highly suspicious. While new rotors can have a protective oily coating, a significant amount of smoke hours after installation is not normal. The burning brake pad material from a seized caliper is a much more likely cause.
* "Diagnosis changed": It is not uncommon for a new problem to reveal itself after a brake job, especially on older vehicles. However, in your case, the initial inspection should have spotted the un read more