‘They was just bout to scam that woman.’
A New Jersey mobile mechanic convinced a woman to have her Honda diagnosed before approving the replacement of its master cylinder. She’s lucky she did, and here’s why.
TikTok creator TRP (@trpmobile) posted a video about the situation on Monday.
“So, I had a repeat customer call me,” he said to start the video. “She needed rear shocks done on her GMC Acadia. She’s like, ‘Hey, while you’re out here, could you also replace the master cylinder on my Honda?’”
He agreed and gave her a quote. However, “I was like, ‘But I do have to inform you, whenever I replace a part without doing a diagnostic, I do not warranty it,’” he said. “‘Because there’s no way I can verify that was the actual problem.’”
The customer decided to approve the diagnostic, and it’s a good thing that she did. It took TRP just a few seconds under the hood to realize that the master cylinder didn’t need replacement—it simply wasn’t plugged in.
TRP asked the customer why she thought she needed a replacement, and she said she was told that by another mechanic.
“Plugged it in, brakes started working just fine,” TRP said to close the video. “This is why you pay for diagnostics.”
In the caption, TRP wrote, “Diagnostics are important. Pay the little now so it doesn’t cost you a lot later.”
A master cylinder is part of the vehicle’s brake system. When you hit the brakes, the master cylinder creates the hydraulic pressure that makes the calipers press your brake pads against the rotors. If it fails, it’ll be more difficult to press the brake pedal down.
As this Advance Auto Parts tutorial shows, the master cylinder has electrical connections and sometimes special fittings or sensors on the fluid lines. That’s likely what TRP means by “disconnected.”
Unfortunately, some unethical mechanics sabotage vehicles so that they can then charge the customer for a repair. Unplugging a component and then telling the customer that it needs full replacement is one of those tactics.
In the video’s comments section, viewers discussed what the first mechanic might have been thinking.
“Sadly, I believe they were trying to scam her,” one person said. “They probably are the ones that unplugged it.”
A second viewer agreed, “Nah, bro, they were just about to scam that woman.” TRP replied, “I never like to badmouth other technicians, but it is a possibility.” The commenter responded, “Brother, I feel you. You ain’t say their name, though, so It’s still respectful. But the truth is the truth.”
Motor1 contacted TRP via TikTok comment and direct message for comment. We will update this story if he responds.
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