C3 Uneven Front Brake Pad Wear

[ABT]

Hi. Took my 2007 C3 1.6 hdi for it's MOT. It's failed due to uneven front brake pad wear, as well as too much play in the anti roll bar linkage (on a different post). My car has done 102000 miles, and had new front pads and discs only 12000 miles ago. I've only had the car since July 2011 (it was previously my boyfriends car for three years). The garage has said that there is uneven wear on the front pads, and that it needs new pads and discs for its' MOT. I had noticed there was very slight jeddering when braking on the slip road coming off the motorway, but it is very slight. What could cause the uneven brake pad wear, and what would cause it after only 12000 miles. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[paul.h]

Have you checked the pads and discs yourself in case the garage is trying to get work out of you ? Is the garage one you can trust/ a Citroen dealer ? I seem to remember Kwik Fit trying to get work this way on TV (Watchdog).

 

The MOT testers manual can be seen on-line from the direct gov website and you can see what checks are done for brakes - uneven wear may not be a failure point unless the brake balance is affected or a pad is very thin.

 

Likely causes of uneven front pad wear are a sticking brake piston and pads seized so unable to move freely.

[ABT]

Have you checked the pads and discs yourself in case the garage is trying to get work out of you ? Is the garage one you can trust/ a Citroen dealer ? I seem to remember Kwik Fit trying to get work this way on TV (Watchdog).

 

The MOT testers manual can be seen on-line from the direct gov website and you can see what checks are done for brakes - uneven wear may not be a failure point unless the brake balance is affected or a pad is very thin.

 

Likely causes of uneven front pad wear are a sticking brake piston and pads seized so unable to move freely.

 

It's not a Citroen dealership, it's a garage that I've used for quite a while. Haven't got a clue what I'd be looking for if I looked myself. I can top up oil etc. and change a wheel if needed, but that's my limit! Also my boyfriend works away and wont be back before next weekend when the car's going back in to be worked on and retested.

 

When I brake, the car doesn't seem to pull to either side (but what do I know!), but there is a bit of juddering if you're doing any speed and slowing, such as coming off the motorway at the top of the slip road. Bloody cars!

[paul.h]

A quick check of the brakes would be to remove a wheel and look at the pads to see if they are the same thickness. The brake discs should also be checked to see if they are worn too thin but unless there is something wrong they ought to last maybe 40k miles.

 

The juddering may be if the new front brake discs had not been fitted properly. If the hub onto which they were fitted was not clean the disc may not be flat against the hub so would wobble very slightly when the wheel spins - not enough to notice by eye but would show up on a dial gauge held against the disc and to be felt through the brake pedal. There will be a maximum amount for this 'run out' and should be checked when installed. This may be a reason for now needing new discs since if like this when installed and if not corrected (usually by checking the surfaces are clean and possibly by rotating the disc against the hub if the disc machining is slightly out) the disc may not wear evenly so it would be thinner in some parts.

 

As a check though the garage ought to check the disc run out before doing anything and the disc thickness. If new discs are needed then new pads should also be fitted. I once had juddering caused by a badly worn rear brake drum so if checks on the front brakes do not show anything then the rear ones should be checked.

 

At the last MOT of our C3 the dealer said it had failed on a front brake imbalance and it needed new front pads and discs - I pointed out I had done this nearly a year ago and about 3k miles although the car had not been used much recently, the service manager then had another word with the tester and said they probably just needed a clean which they did and the car passed. So, if not already done, I would point out your pads and discs have only done 12k miles.

[ABT]

Thanks very much for the advice. It's really appreciated. Will get the brake pads looked at before it goes back to the garage on saturday, and I'll mention to them that the car has only done 12k. Thanks again.