MOT question

FluffySheep · 15 Mar 2014 at 21:17

Hi knowledgeable people.

can I have your opinions please? Mid Nov I took my car to a local indy for a service/MOT. The handbrake was not working properly, so I expected repairs. Rear nearside calliper was seized so was replaced. Rest was 'bog standard' service.

In the MOT I had 3 advisories: 2 rear tyres worn and rear seatbelt (baby seat was in the car) but nowt on brakes.

Jump to this week (a little under 3000 miles later) and I get a mad squealing under braking from rear offside. Jacked the car up and I'm running metal on metal on that corner.

Questions:

Would you expect both sides to have pads done at the same time in an indy?
Is the MOT a brake function test or do they look at the amount of wear left on pads?
The disc is scored, so will it be a new disc?
Any opinions on the indy? no, I won't name them, but is this just a little poor or a complete **** up by them?

Thanks
FluffySheep

Skeeter · 15 Mar 2014 at 21:20

Did they actually replace the pads? And if so, did you check?

FluffySheep · 15 Mar 2014 at 21:21

near side pads were replaced, offside not worked on at all

Liquidfox · 15 Mar 2014 at 21:31

Yes I would definitely expect both sides to be replaced if one side needed doing!

Haggisman · 15 Mar 2014 at 21:45

I was under the impression it was very bad practice to only replace one side pads at a time?

FluffySheep · 15 Mar 2014 at 21:47

Haggisman said:
I was under the impression it was very bad practice to only replace one side pads at a time?

So was I, hence the question. Problem is there is a difference between bad practice and a true **** up, and that's why I'm looking to find out if an MOT tester looks at the pads themselves

fluffy

Em3bbs · 15 Mar 2014 at 21:50

Yes - they will issue an advisory for low brake pad friction material.

But please, maintain your car properly and check these things yourself.

SilverTongue · 15 Mar 2014 at 21:55

Em3bbs said:
Yes - they will issue an advisory for low brake pad friction material.

But please, maintain your car properly and check these things yourself.

but only if they can see the pads without removing parts

FluffySheep · 15 Mar 2014 at 21:55

Em3bbs said:
Yes - they will issue an advisory for low brake pad friction material.

But please, maintain your car properly and check these things yourself.

Cheers. Just what I needed to know before I get in touch on Monday. As for maintaining these things myself, tyres have been replaced and I (mistakenly) assumed that having passed an MOT less than 3000 miles ago and having no advisories I didn't need to lift the car up to check pad depth. I know all my fluid levels are bob on, tyres are near new on all corners and everything is as good as it can be on an 11 year old car. Tomorrow the front is going up for a check as I'm not assuming they are OK now. FFS!

Fluffy

FluffySheep · 15 Mar 2014 at 21:57

SilverTongue said:
but only if they can see the pads without removing parts

Does that include tyres? They can be seen through a window once the wheel is off?

SilverTongue · 15 Mar 2014 at 22:02

FluffySheep said:
Does that include tyres? They can be seen through a window once the wheel is off?

MoT tester cannot remove any part from your vehicle during the test

FluffySheep · 15 Mar 2014 at 22:05

SilverTongue said:
MoT tester cannot remove any part from your vehicle during the test

so my only chance of complain is along the lines of whether it should have been brought up during a service. I asked them to look at rear brakes/hand brake, and as they replaced 1 cylinder and the hand brake was fine after I would assume that the other side was checked also.

FluffySheep

andy_mk3 · 15 Mar 2014 at 22:09

FluffySheep said:
Would you expect both sides to have pads done at the same time in an indy? Absolutely yes. You can't even buy pads in anything less than a full set, they must always be replaced as an axle set.

Is the MOT a brake function test or do they look at the amount of wear left on pads? Both, although it depends on how visible your brakes are through your wheels, it's not always possible to see.

The disc is scored, so will it be a new disc? Yes, a pair of discs of course though.

Any opinions on the indy? no, I won't name them, but is this just a little poor or a complete **** up by them? Is there any proof that they only did the one side? If so then absolutely yes they are to blame. But there may well be another issue that's caused a problem.

Bradmax57 · 15 Mar 2014 at 22:12

In your first post you don't mention that the pads were replaced just the caliper? The handbrake works on drums does it not so they wouldn't have had to change the brake pads for that?

SilverTongue · 15 Mar 2014 at 22:15

FluffySheep said:
so my only chance of complain is along the lines of whether it should have been brought up during a service. I asked them to look at rear brakes/hand brake, and as they replaced 1 cylinder and the hand brake was fine after I would assume that the other side was checked also.

FluffySheep

to be fair the MoT is only a snapshot of the condition of the car at that moment in time and is not a guarentee of the condition beyond that point

FluffySheep · 15 Mar 2014 at 22:29

Bradmax57 said:
In your first post you don't mention that the pads were replaced just the caliper? The handbrake works on drums does it not so they wouldn't have had to change the brake pads for that?

Good point. I know the pads/calliper were replaced nearside, as I was feeling around and I can feel at least 6mm of pad and the calliper is not corroded, but offside is corroded (read: old) so another question is what did they actually do to the shoes on the handbrake to repair it?

Fluffy

andy_mk3 · 15 Mar 2014 at 22:30

Bradmax57 said:
In your first post you don't mention that the pads were replaced just the caliper? The handbrake works on drums does it not so they wouldn't have had to change the brake pads for that?

Depends on the car. Some have discs over drums and some have the parking brake on the caliper operating the pads.

Brookert · 15 Mar 2014 at 22:38

Only replacing the pads on one side of the axle is bad. I can only assume they forgot to do the other side.

miniyazz · 15 Mar 2014 at 23:17

FluffySheep said:
Good point. I know the pads/calliper were replaced nearside, as I was feeling around and I can feel at least 6mm of pad and the calliper is not corroded, but offside is corroded (read: old) so another question is what did they actually do to the shoes on the handbrake to repair it?

Fluffy

My rear pads have got at least 4mm left, possibly more, despite not having changed them in the last two years (as long as I've owned the car). Just because one side has plenty of pad left doesn't mean they changed it, or that they were previously replaced in pairs, or that there isn't something rubbing on the one that's worn out.