A recent brake service appointment left me with a missing Brake Fluid Cap and a frustrating conversation with the mechanic. He insisted he hadn’t touched the cap, claiming he refills brake fluid from below to avoid introducing air into the system and never even opened the hood. This explanation, delivered without eye contact and peppered with nervous fidgeting, raised immediate red flags. He even went so far as to say he doesn’t use the reservoir when refilling the fluid, implying he wouldn’t have even encountered the cap in his shop.
His story unraveled further as he struggled to maintain eye contact, glancing away while explaining his brake bleeding process and offering to write down my number “in case he came across someone who had a cap for sale.” The only direct eye contact came after he secured my number, fleetingly, before asking if I needed help closing the hood. The entire interaction felt incredibly suspicious.
While I try to avoid labeling people as “shifty,” this experience left me with little doubt about the mechanic’s dishonesty. The lack of eye contact, the convoluted explanations, and the overall nervous demeanor spoke volumes. A simple apology and offer to replace the cap would have sufficed. Instead, I received a masterclass in how not to handle a customer complaint.
The missing brake fluid cap itself is a minor inconvenience, easily replaceable thanks to a kind online community member. However, the blatant dishonesty and poor customer service are the real issues. A bad Yelp review seems inevitable, a consequence of poor communication and a lack of accountability. Ultimately, this experience underscores the importance of finding a trustworthy mechanic who prioritizes honesty and transparency. A missing brake fluid cap became a valuable lesson in identifying red flags and the true cost of poor customer service.
