Are my car brakes working?!??!!

MercilessKiller

This title might make people go "stupid person" but please read and advise before judging :rotfl:

Pug 206. Year 2000. 66000 miles. Jsut had it serviced. New pad's and disc's.

Before service, Peugot's are quite slow at breaking compared to the focus for example. The pedal's a bit floppier than other cars, but when you put your foot down it stops.

Since the service, oddly enough the foot must go down more before the car slows down. So lets say I'm going 30 and see a red traffic light, as i gently press my foot on the break, nothing at all happens when it used to start slowing. Only when i put my foot a good half way down does it start to subtly slow.

I tested doing an emergency break on a clear road. It was raining and the car skidded before breaking (no ABS) so the test was inconclusive. Doing a test on a clear 30 road though, going at about 20, it did manage to stop though no suddent jerk as expected.

This might be me being a perfectionist, but I want to know if this is normal after a pad/disc replaceemnt. I mean it does brake and I can control it, I just have to change the way I drive, but I'm nto sure if I'm meant to?!?!

Any comments much appreciated.

snails's_pace

brake fluid? maybe pads not bedded in? im blonde and a woman so not much good with cars haha

hartcjhart

could be that they need 'bleeding' contact the garage and explain that they dont feel the same and would they mind bleeding them again(if not done already)

MercilessKiller

No idea... This was done at a Kwik Fit by the way. There's another one nearby. I could just go there and tell them I've had them done and ask them to do a check as they don't feel the same.

Is it usual for brakes to need a bit of force before slow down?

steveo3002

the fact theyre a bit dead could well be that they need time to wear in a little bit

if the pedal goes down further than before, thats not right ..it needs bleeding or the rears need re ajusting

take it back and explain they feel worse than before

anewman

Could also be any number of things associated with the brakes. I wonder if the shoes at the back are properly adjusted. Apparently nearly all MFR's self-adjusting mechanisms do not work properly and need to be checked and adjusted manually everysooften.

Just to check, was anything done with the rears? They are most likely a drum/shoe set-up rather than a disc/pad set-up like the front.

Hearing all I have heard about kwik-fit I would never use them personally, and this story, with someone in Leeds where I live, makes me all the more determined to never ever use them.

tomstickland

It does take a while for pads and discs to bed in and the breaks can be a bit poor until a few 100 miles have been done.
As long as it can skid on a dry road if you push down hard enough then you know that they work.

MercilessKiller

the rear pads weren't touched. Front pad's and discs changed only.

Just looked at the service sheet. THe front pad's both got ticked, and the front disc's got x's, however they told me the pad's and disc's required changing (legally).. *sigh*

Anyway I'm driving to cardiff on friday from leeds (and back) so I just am being a bit paranoid maybe! Will see how it fair's out tomorrow! Thanks all

thescouselander

If the pedal feels spongy its almost certainly air in the system - there is no adjusting mechanism on your front brakes. As a previous poster said, get them to bleed the brakes again.

Stephen_Leak

tomstickland wrote: »

It does take a while for pads and discs to bed in and the breaks can be a bit poor until a few 100 miles have been done.
As long as it can skid on a dry road if you push down hard enough then you know that they work.

I concur. I had my front discs, front pads and rear shoes replaced last year and had to be very careful until they all bedded in.

However, if you have any concerns about them, get them checked out. Not to put too fine a point on it, you don't f*ck about with things that tend not to give you second chances, like tyres, steering & brakes.

PS. I'd take it to the other KwikFit branch and not tell them who did the original job. When (NB. not if) they come back with the list of faults, then produce the receipt!

MercilessKiller

Great idea Stephen. I will do this on thursday. I believe there is indeed a free brake check isn't there? And even though they may wear in I want to be safe than sorry on a long 5 hour drive in the train.