Beware of 'Cari makan' Technique On the Road

Dear colleagues, friends and road users!

Beware of tricks using by unknown car breakdown assistant. Don't simply and don't ever trust them. This is happened in Klang Valley and it could happen else where.

This is an incident which I heard from my colleague yesterday which makes me feel could not tolerate and it is indeed to share with all of you as to prevent more victims to come. The same technique is being used but just different in location.

I think some of you might have heard the similar techniques being used by the so called car breakdown assistant. The scenario is as follow to whom my father was the victim.

About one and a half months ago during daytime while my father was driving along Jln Syed Putra (Federal Highway) near Kuen Cheng Girls School, suddenly 2 Indian fellows riding a motorcycle wearing Shell petrol kiosk vest approaching my father telling him to stop as there is something wrong to my father's car. When my father stop to check, it was a great surprise to see the front LH wheel was smearing and smoky. With immediate action, without saying much to my father, the 2 fellows voluntarily to carry out the jack from my father's car as to dismantle the wheel for inspection. Then, my father is being advised that the Brake Caliper is broken causing the brake fluid to leak that leads to the smoky sign and threaten it need a replacement or else no brake on the car. This is a tactic used as to hold the car owner at the scene and find chance to cheat if they are giving chance to undertake repair. (Refer to the diagram enclosed below, the red pointer shown the Brake Caliper mechanism which contains a chamber fill with brake fluid that clamps with the Brake Disc when we apply brake)

In such a panic situation and dare not take the risk, my father has allowed the 2 fellows to troubleshoot the problem however without negotiate the repair cost with them. After dismantling, 1 of them pretend to carry away the Brake Caliper to source for spare part. Upon return, he brought "another unit" which I believe is the same existing unit of Brake Caliper which the original condition is intact to reinstall to the wheel hub. When my father questioning them where is the damage unit and the new unit packaging, they just pretend and said it has left at the spare part shop and shown a bill of RM600 something for the spare part and asking RM200 something for labour. Due to insufficient cash on hand, my father paid them RM800 and the balance shall withdraw from the ATM. However, they just disappear in the traffic flow on the way follow my father's car to find an ATM. Later, when call to the spare part shop to justify the bill which looks messy in writing however it could not be contacted. All these signs shown my father has been cheated.

Yesterday, the same incident happened to my colleague's brother but just different in location along Jln Duta. He later decided not to allow the 2 Indian fellows to undertake repair and call our KAA for towing assistance after the part being dismantled. It just end up paying the 2 fellows RM30.00. Fortunately, this should have save him for paying high repair cost which in fact the brake condition is serviceable. Later it is justified to be intact by the mechanic after the car being towed to the workshop.

As to how it would cause smear and smoky on the wheel and it can be explained that the 2 fellows would have prepared a container or somekind of plastic bag which is contains some oil base liquid and throw it on the road then spot any car which drive through on it. When the burst causes the liquid to splash on the wheel and brake disc that would have cause smoky sign because the brake disc is on high temperature under working condition. It is the similar sign when a car drive through a puddle and would cause slight smoky to the wheel disc and exhaust paip. Or they might using the tactic to pour the liquid to your wheel at the second when they are trying to approch the targetted car and tell to stop.

It is good to keep a contact of a car repairer or calling our KAA for assistance if you encounter car breakdown or any emergency, stay alert and be calm. And the most important, don't forget to maintain your car to ensure hassle free motoring.