New brake pads and discs today...SMOKING ??

[Deleted User]

I had new brake pads and discs fitted today by the garage that I bought the car from a year ago. Vauxhall astra tourer Gj11...38,000 on the clock. The garage dropped it off at work at 5.30 today and is 7 miles from work. I left work and noticed that the car would slow down to a halt like I was applying the brake as I took my foot off the accelerator...some 4 miles down the line the front left was smoking...and felt now like the car was breaking ...but I wasn't applying the brake. I got home and you could seriously fry an egg on the front left wheel and it was still smoking ! I've left a message to the garage to call me in the morning asap. Could there be serious damage done here ? What's gone tits up as I ain't no mechanic and worried that they could have fooked up my car ?

w50nky

Well the pads sound as though they are binding permanently on the discs. You should have them collect the car and investigate and repair properly. I would also want the brake fluid replaced too as this may have boiled too.

angrycrow

Stuck caliper, may not be the garages fault but should have been picked up on test drive after work was completed.

With old pads and discs the piston is almost all the way out. The piston corrodes or gets a build up of dirt. Installing new pads and discs requires the piston to be pushed all the way back in causing the corroded area of the piston to drag on the caliper seal. Once the brakes are applied whilst driving the piston fails to retract and jams the pad against the disc causing friction and heat buildup.

The garage could strip the caliper and clean the piston and replace the seal but more likely they will say you need a new caliper.

Other possibility but less likely is a collapsed brake flexy hose stopping the fluid returning but my moneys on the caliper

[Deleted User]

Thanks ..you know your stuff...I've since taken the car out again for a 15 minute drive and it's driving well...no signs of the car breaking or slowing...and no smoking wheels. Should I still follow up my message to the garage and get them to check it out ?

Aylesbury_Duck

Yes. Brakes are too important a part to take chances with.

Ectophile

It could be an intermittently sticking calliper. In which case it still needs looking at.

I had that problem on an old Citroen once. There were a couple of occasions when the calliper stuck on for too long, the brake fluid boiled, and I lost all braking except the handbrake.

RickRastardly

Remember to have Callipers changed in pairs, especially on the front. If not you could end up with an uneven braking effect making you veer off to one side. Also if one calliper has gone then the other wont be far behind.

Ganga

Also have the new disks checked as if the brakes were binding that much might have buckled the discs

missile

Name and shame that "garage" and next time I would suggest you go somewhere else.

When changing pads a reputable garage would clean the callipers and check the brakes are not binding.

[Deleted User]

Took it back today and they checked it all over ...no damage....got written confirmation. Next time I'll ignore any discount offers and just take it to my usual mechanic !

liltzero

That's why I don't mind paying £600 to get my brakes done. I always say this but you can't put a price on your family's safety.