Back Break Smoking after Cleaning?

Kevie192

Hi all,

I took the car for a service and MOT yesterday and they said the rear brakes needed removing and cleaning which they have done.

Just come back from the supermarket and noticed that the rear left brake was smoking and when I got closer could feel it was very hot. Is this normal or have they messed something up? They're closed now till Monday...

Cheers,

Kevin

BertTheRaccoon

Sounds like you have a sticky caliper so the pad is sticking to the disc and friction is causing it to overheat.

Probably OK for a very short journey but wouldn't drive too far. It will cause a bit of drag so your fuel consumption will get worse.

The garage need to sort this out

forgotmyname

Sounds like cleaning didnt work and needs a new caliper.

Unless someone put it back together wrong? Either way take it back.

If they say a new caliper, Mention but you just paid to have the brakes cleaned. Why did they clean a seized caliper. Should offer a discount.

david29dpo

The car may have drum brakes on the back?

flashg67

david29dpo wrote: »

The car may have drum brakes on the back?

I was thinking this. if they've adjusted the rear brakes too much then that could explain the smoking and overheating.

I'd avoid using the car too much until it's been back to check in any case

david29dpo

Quite,
Probably turned the drum oval by now, cooked the shoes and melted the slave cylinder seals.

BertTheRaccoon

what is the car? Does it have ABS?

david29dpo

Thats my point, so far most have assumed it has rear discs.

cajef

Can happen even with discs, I had a garage over adjust the handbrake which operated on the rear discs and caused over heating.

westwood68

I also had a garage adjust the handbrake incorrectly a few years ago only in my case it resulted in the disc overheating and cracking while doing 70 on the motorway.

Take it back

Kevie192

Bit of an update... It's a Toyota Corolla 2005, btw so disc brakes all round.

Took it the local 'National Autocentre' on Saturday as the garage was shut. They said to take it back to the servicing garage but were almost certain the brakes hadn't been touched/cleaned.

Took it back to the garage this morning where they looked at it and told me the caliper needed replacing at £150. I asked them why they didn't pick that up when cleaning the brakes or doing the service and was told the caliper was fine then... Told them to put it back together and I'd take it somewhere else to have it done.

Took it to a kwikfit and after 3 hours they said they'd just needed cleaning and they would be fine, although the pad showed signs of heat damage and needed replacing soon as it was 8.05mm. Charged me £20. Made sure they'd checked the caliper and they said it was perfectly fine... Drove the car home only to find it even worse than before. Smoke billowing out from the brakes by the time I'd got back home. So now I have to take it to them at 8am tomorrow to look at it.

I'm slightly concerned kwikfit are now going to expect me to pay them £200 for a new caliper and the damage caused today and tomorrow might mean I need new pads and discs too at a cost of £200 again.

I just can't afford £650 all in one go like this!