Car breaks down 2 days after garage 'fixed' problem

jopwo_87

Hi there, I am looking for some advice regarding my car.

It was booked in at a garage for its MOT last week. It failed on a number of things, mainly lights, brake pads and joint gaiter split (whatever this means!)

£235 later and its all fixed with an MOT.

I pick it up and drive the 2 miles home and smell a terrible burning smell but put it down to it being new. Today I go to drive it to my Mums approx 6 miles away and start smelling the terrible burning again. When I pulled up outside I noticed thick grey smoke billowing out of the tyre. I immediately called the garage as I was very scared but of course they were closed but I left a message asking for a return call.

After describing problem to my Dad over the phone he seems to think it sounds like the breaks have 'stuck' and that this is down to the garage to fix.

Obviously I could not drive it home and had to get a lift so its still outside my Mums house and I will call in the morning to speak to the garage but Im just concerned what my rights are about this?

My parents seem to think this is their fault and they must arrange collection and fix it but something tells me this won't be that easy.

Please could someone advise what my rights are?

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

Your responsibility to return the car to the garage, as the fault could be coincidental.

tomstickland

Calipers might be a bit seized. New pads fitted, this reveals the problem.

pendulum

I know a bit about this because this exact thing happened to my car.

It's fairly common for caliper faults to show up when new pads are fitted. The caliper could've been faulty for thousands of miles beforehand, but the problem will only ever show once new thicker pads are inserted. I had this happen on my car after fitting new pads, and the wheel kept overheating due to the pads being constantly pressed against the disk. I checked my work and it was ok. I then put the old, worn pads back on as a test and guess what, no more overheating!

I tried fitting the new pads one more time and the overheating came back. So, I took it to a garage who confirmed the pads were fitted properly. They took the caliper apart and cleaned it - the problem was due to rust inside the caliper making the piston not fully retract.

When new pads are fitted there's less tolerance for an error with any part of a caliper so a problem that has been there for a long time will suddenly rear its head.

What I am saying is don't go to the garage all guns blazing, or listen to your parents who think the garage "must" be responsible, because there's a very good chance they aren't. They are only responsible if they have been negligent e.g. fitted something incorrectly, which is of course possible, but they are not responsible if they have fitted new pads and this has caused another problem through no fault of their own.

Ring them and politely make an appointment. Let us know how it goes.

gilbert_and_sullivan

Agree with Pendulum up to a point though you may never know what the problem was, keep cool and polite you want the garage on side not develop hostility if possible.

Calipers get corroded up with salty crud during the winter particularly aluminium single piston sliding ones often found on smaller cars.
The sliding mechanism of these do need to be dismantled and cleaned with wire brush and sharp chisel after every winter ideally and the slides lubricating, by brake grease around the base of the piston and with copaslip or similar on the sliding/rubbing parts.

Sometimes these things don't get cleaned as well as they should when new pads are fitted, not saying this is the problem here but it's a good possibility.

It's also possible that something is catching the inside of the tyre, you didn't say whether the smoke smell was of rubber....as a precaution do put the wheel concerned on full lock and and have a butchers and feel round the back of the tyre for any rubbing marks....if it's got hot by catching you'll probably feel some sticky melted rubber clinging to the tyre, if you find that don't drive it till someones removed the wheel and had a look.

EDIT see Tom Strickland mentioned seizing calipers, sorry.

w.dws

Agree with Pendulum but I would expect a garage to be aware of this common problem and test drive a car after new brakes have been fitted, you an untrained mechanic spotted the fault within 2 miles. Return to garage and ask them nicely to resolve the problem.

jopwo_87

Thanks for your help guys. Car is going back in an hours time. Will let you all know what happens. Thankyou xx

Anihilator

w.dws wrote: »

Agree with Pendulum but I would expect a garage to be aware of this common problem and test drive a car after new brakes have been fitted, you an untrained mechanic spotted the fault within 2 miles. Return to garage and ask them nicely to resolve the problem.

What a load of crap
Why should a garage have to resolve a pre existing problem.
As for a test drive. Do you remember a thread on here a few weeks back where someone complained what happened on a test drive. No wonder garages wont do them.

This society sues sues sues then wonders why people avoid all risk possible.

jopwo_87

OK a little update...

Some of you are physic
Turns out that something like the hole that the callipers piston is in was rusty, therefore every time I braked, the piston would stay out, rather than retracting back. They have cleaned it out thoroughly for me and put it back together for free.

Fantastic!

Many Thanks for your advice everyone. xx

pendulum

Wahey - MSEers get it spot on for once

Thanks for the update.