CARDONE Complaints

The contact owns a 1996 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle was running rough and then stalled. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to the residence. The contact had a mobile mechanic diagnose the vehicle, and it was determined that there was a failure of the manifold. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was not running properly and called another mobile mechanic. The second mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that an aftermarket distributor and aftermarket computer had both failed. The contact stated that the distributor and computer were installed previously by another independent mechanic. The contact had purchased the aftermarket parts, Cardone Distributor Part Number 84-4694, and Cardone Computer Part Number: 79-1199 Model Number: 04886961, online. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and declined to stand behind the aftermarket computer and distributor parts. The failure mileage was approximately 223,000.

I REPAIRED MY DAUGHTER JEEP WITH A REPLACEMENT CALIPER/BRACKET ASSEMBLY FROM A LOCAL PARTS STORE. THE REPLACEMENT CALIPER FAILED IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS DUE TO THE ATTACHING BOLTS THAT CONNECTS THE CALIPER TO THE BRACKET BACKED OUT DURING VEHICLE OPERATION ALLOWING THE CALIPER TO SEPARATE FROM THE BRACKET LOCKEDUP THE WHEEL AND RIPPED OFF THE BRAKE LINE RENDERING THE BRAKES INOPERABLE AND FELL TO THE ROADWAY. THAT CALIPER/BRACKET ASSEMBLY WAS MANUFACTURED BY BBB INDUSTRIES LOCATED IN ALABAMA. THAT COMPANY HAS CONTROL OF THE OLD PART BUT I HAVE PICTURES OF THE PART IN QUESTION. THE COMPANY CLAIMS THE PART WAS NOT DEFECTIVE BUT IT'S NOT NORMAL FOR THE BOLTS TO FALL OUT WHILE OPERATING A VEHICLE ON THE RODEWAY. I THINK THIS WARRENTS AN INVESTIGATION AS THEY MAY HAVE PRODUCED MORE OF THESE PARTS THAT MAY FAIL AND LOCKUP THE WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL AND FAILURE TO BE ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH AL CARDONE BRAKE CALIBERS, MODEL# A118-4300, A118-4299. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED WITH NO POWER RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR END OF THE PROCEEDING VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CONTACT AND THE DRIVER IN THE OTHER VEHICLE WERE INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED FOR THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL COLLISION CENTER. THE CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE FRONT RIGHT CALIBERS STUCK IN AN OPEN POSITION. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 5/3/10 *CN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1985 NISSAN 720. THE CONTACT PURCHASED FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED BY CARDONE AND DANA. HE NOTICED THAT THE BLEED SCREW ON EACH CALIPER WAS MISPLACED AND LABELED INCORRECTLY. THE LEFT ONE SHOULD FIT ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND VICE VERSA. HE CALLED BOTH MANUFACTURERS FOR THE PARTS AND WAS INFORMED TO FLIP FLOP THE CALIPERS; HOWEVER, THAT ONLY WORKED FOR THE DANA PART, NOT THE CARDONE. THE CARDONE COMPANY HANDLES THE INQUIRIES FOR BOTH PARTS. THE ONLY PART NUMBERS AVAILABLE WERE FROM NAPA, A RESELLER OF THESE PARTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 159,000.

BRAKE BOOSTER LEAKING VACUUM CAUSING THE CAR TO MIS FIRE AND RUN ERRATIC AND DIE IN MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. THE BOOSTER QUITS WORKING WHICH MAKE IT A DEATH TRAP AND HARD TO STOP. LOSE OF POWER BRAKES. *TR

A REBUILD POWER STEERING RACK ON MY 1995 TOYOTA CAMRY MALFUNCTIONED ON 19 MARCH 2004 AFTER HAVING BEEN IN MY CAR FOR 16 DAYS. THE UNIT WAS SUPPLIED TO MY AUTO REPAIR FACILITY BY NAPA, IN KISSIMMEE, FL AND WAS RECONDITIONED BY CARDONE INDUSTRIES INC. IN PHILIDELPHIA. AS I PULLED OUT OF A SEVEN ELEVEN PARKING LOT ONTO A 4 LANE HIGHWAY. IN LONGWOOD, FL TURNING HARD TO THE RIGHT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS JERKED OUT OF MY HANDS BY THE HYDROLIC SYSTEM WITH THE WHEEL TURNING ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT. I COULD NOT TURN THE WHEEL BACK OR GET THE HYDRALICS TO RELEASE AND HAD TO DRIVE MY CAR IN A 180 DEGREE LEFT CIRCLE ACROSS A DIVIDED MEDIAN, AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT TO GET THE CAR HEADED BACK TOWARDS THE 7/11 DRIVEWAY. WHEN I COULDN'T STAIGHTEN THE WHEEL OUT TO GET BACK IN THE PARKING LOT I STOPPED THE CAN AND PUT IT IN PARK. AT THAT POINT SOME OF THE HYDRALIC PRESSURE WAS RELEASED AND I MANAGED TO STRAIGHTEN THE WHEEL AND DRIVE BACK INTO THE PARKING LOT, ALL THE WHILE FIGHTING THE WHEEL THAT WAS TURNING BACK TO THE LEFT AGAIN. ONCE IN A PARKING SPACE AND IN PARK THE WHEEL WOULD VIOLENTLY JERK TO THE LEFT WHEN I TRIED TO TURN THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT. I DID THIS 3 OR 4 TIMES BEFORE I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND LEFT THE CAR OVERNIGHT. THE NEXT DAY WHEN I HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK TO THE REPAIR SHOP THE PROBLEM DID NOT REOCCUR. THE SHOP REPLACED THE POWER STEARING RACK AND NAPA SENT IT BACK TO CARDONE FOR TESTING. IF THIS HAD OCCURED WHEN I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY I WOULD BE DEAD RIGHT NOW AND THIS MAY VERY WELL EXPLAIN SOME HEAD-ON COLLISIONS BECAUSE I COULD NOT STOP THE WHEEL FROM TURNING, IT WAS LITERALLY JERKED OUT OF MY HANDS WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO BREAK SOMEONE'S WRIST. *AK