Driving - Going Into Neutral Gear

[Guest For what its worth]

Hello,

 

Please can anyone help me. I have bought a new C4 which can operate as I am sure you will all know in both manual and automatic. I have never had an automatic before. I drive this car very carefully and prior to new brake pads being fitted please see below was getting 50 plus mpg.

 

What I would like to know is, when driving (ie in motion, if the gear level should be moved from D to N, as I have accidentally done when intending to put the wipers on, will this do any damage to anything.

 

Secondly, I have had to take my car back to the garage as there was a juddering sensation when braking even gently. I have also noticed a very hot metal/ possibly plastic smell after driving. Initially I put this down to the newness but it continued. I took the car back to the garage where they suggested it was a plastic bag on the exhaust (without even looking). They couldn't find anything wrong. So I suggested we take it for a test run. The mechanic could hear a problem as well as feel it when he braked. The outcome was new brake pads. The mechanic suggested that if the car had sat in the open for any length of time the pads could have warped can this be true??! I have had cars sit outside for thirty years but never had this before. Is it possible the problem is something else?

 

The car had done a 1000 miles at this point and had its initial check with nothing adverse found.

 

Since the pads were fitted my fuel consumption seems to have dropped by c15 mpg. The hot almost burning smell still remains. Any suggestions pls.

 

Replies most welcome

 

regards

 

For what its worth

[techbod]

even new discs rust ( I bought a new jag a while back with 3 miles on the clock ) show room example discs rusted but it was surface rust only and normal as the discs cant be rust proofed like the car due to uneven heat transference,

if its new why does it need new pads?

[Johndouglas]

Go for a drive and try not to use the brakes. After a couple of miles feel the wheel centres. They should be comparatively cool. If they are warm/hot then it sounds as though the pads are binding.

 

The mechanic suggested that if the car had sat in the open for any length of time the pads could have warped can this be true?

 

Highly unlikely, I would have thought. My C5 has sat outside for 4 years and as it only does long runs, it isn't used very often. Whilst the discs can sometimes get some slight rusting after a few damp days, the pads themselves don't suffer.

[techbod]

very good answer ^^ break discs are alternating temps and made of pig iron so the rust naturally

[BigJohnD]

Pads warping? That's not possible.

 

Juddering could well be a sign of the discs out of true, and coupled with a binding pad (jammed piston/calliper) would be consistent with what you describe.

 

Some light rusting after damp weather is nothing to worry about.