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Car Forum / Citroen Cars / February 2008ZX brake failure
After being parked for about 24 hours, reversing out of the parking space there was a nasty crunching sort of sound from under the back of the car and after that I noticed that the foot and hand brake levers were moving a very long way with almost no effect. Managed to park safely and legally and left it in gear on the flat, with no damage or other excitement, but I'm not looking forward to the expense! Just as I was setting off for a family emergency too.  Signature-- ^^^^^^^^^^ -- Whiskers -- ~~~~~~~~~~ Whiskers (Whiskers <catwheezel@operamail.com>) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying: > After being parked for about 24 hours, reversing out of the parking > space there was a nasty crunching sort of sound from under the back of [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Just as I was setting off for a family emergency too. When were the rear brakes last done? My money's on a shoe lining coming unbonded and going for a wander. DO NOT DRIVE IT. If it gets wedged, that brake will lock completely. > Whiskers (Whiskers <catwheezel@operamail.com>) gurgled happily, sounding > much like they were saying: [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > When were the rear brakes last done? Last serviced in the summer and not many thousand miles added since. MOT passed in December. > My money's on a shoe lining coming unbonded and going for a wander. That was one of my thoughts; I had a shoe disintegrate once before, many years ago, and the sound-effects and loss of braking were similar. I can't see any fluid leaking onto the ground, so the hydraulic system seems to be intact still. I couldn't find any debris either, so whatever failed is still attached to the car somewhere. > DO > NOT DRIVE IT. If it gets wedged, that brake will lock completely. I have no intention of driving it! I like being able to stop, for one thing ;)) I'll have to get it towed to the garage when I get around to thinking about it again - family matters take precedence at present. I just hope public transport can fill the gap well enough. Signature-- ^^^^^^^^^^ -- Whiskers -- ~~~~~~~~~~ Whiskers (Whiskers <catwheezel@operamail.com>) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying: >> When were the rear brakes last done? > Last serviced in the summer and not many thousand miles added since. > MOT passed in December. Mmm. But when were the back brakes last touched? > I'll have to get it towed to the garage when I get around to > thinking about it again - family matters take precedence at present. > I just hope public transport can fill the gap well enough. Good luck with the family matters/emergency, but get it recovered to the garage today, and it'll probably be ready tonight or tomorrow... It's not a big job, only an hour or two and maybe £100 in parts at most. > Whiskers (Whiskers <catwheezel@operamail.com>) gurgled happily, sounding > much like they were saying: [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Mmm. But when were the back brakes last touched? Errr .... I don't watch the garage doing the work, but the car was 10 years old at the time of the last service in July, and had just over 90,000 miles on the clock. The invoice I paid mentions "renew rear wheel cylinders and bleed system" and the work-sheet has boxes for "check operation and condition of front brakes" and "check operation and condition of rear brakes (including handbrake)" and "carry out brake report" all of which were ticked. The pads/shoes at the front were reported as having 20% wear, and the rear 25%, and the discs/drums were described as 'corroded' (I was also charged for "brake cleaner" which I assumed was to deal with the corroded discs). The brakes seemed to me to be working correctly, right up to the moment they weren't. Naturally, I'll draw all that to the attention of the garage when I go in to tell them that my brakes failed. I remember that the first time I took the car for an MOT, back in 2001, the garage (not the one I use now) told me the front brake shoes were 'fake' and crumbling and had to be replaced before they'd let the car back on the road. They showed me some that were indeed in a bad way (but then they would, I suppose). >> I'll have to get it towed to the garage when I get around to >> thinking about it again - family matters take precedence at present. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > garage today, and it'll probably be ready tonight or tomorrow... It's not > a big job, only an hour or two and maybe £100 in parts at most. I didn't have time to arrange anything before resorting to rail travel, and only got back last night. I sincerely hope it doesn't cost more than about 100 quid to fix - I'm skint. Railway tickets are not cheap, either! Signature-- ^^^^^^^^^^ -- Whiskers -- ~~~~~~~~~~ >> Whiskers (Whiskers <catwheezel@operamail.com>) gurgled happily, >> sounding [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > condition of rear brakes (including handbrake)" and "carry out brake > report" all of which were ticked. Quite possibly everything was OK, if what is suspected has happened it has not happened out of ware and tear but just old age. The pads/shoes at the front were > reported as having 20% wear, and the rear 25%, and the discs/drums > were [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > me to > be working correctly, right up to the moment they weren't. No, that is cleaning fluid to de-dust the friction linings and surfaces, quite frankly most garages absorb this cost (no pun intended) as part of the service/labour charge - how much did they charge BTW? > Naturally, I'll draw all that to the attention of the garage when I > go in [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > about 100 quid to fix - I'm skint. Railway tickets are not cheap, > either! Just make sure that they *KNOW* what 'you' suspect the problem is, that way they will hopefully lift the rear wheels and not the front when recovering the car back to their workshops... The bug in the soup in all this will be how much they charge for the recovery. :~( >>> Whiskers (Whiskers <catwheezel@operamail.com>) gurgled happily, >>> sounding [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > Quite possibly everything was OK, if what is suspected has happened it > has not happened out of ware and tear but just old age. Well I know that feeling. >> The pads/shoes at the front were >> reported as having 20% wear, and the rear 25%, and the discs/drums [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > intended) as part of the service/labour charge - how much did they > charge BTW? On close inspection of the invoice, that item is listed but no specific charge is shown for it. snip >> I didn't have time to arrange anything before resorting to rail >> travel, [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > when recovering the car back to their workshops... The bug in the soup > in all this will be how much they charge for the recovery. :~( If they lift the back they'll have to take it out of gear too, of course; the front wheels won't go round otherwise. Hopefully I can arrange to be there when the tow-truck arrives - I'm one of the 'time rich' so that's quite possible. The car is less than two miles from the garage. Signature-- ^^^^^^^^^^ -- Whiskers -- ~~~~~~~~~~ just a note on "brake cleaner" a friend of mine who used to run a garage bought an expensive wheel around brake cleaner from snap-on, it had an air line and hose fitted which fed brake cleaning fluid through a brush and a big collection tray similar to wheel around oil change catchers ( forgive lack of techy terms). when the local council started taking an interest in the enviroment they were very impressed with it as it collected all the fluid and dust/rust/crap in one go, but because of the enviromental issue he could now start charging for it instead of just absorbing the cost. If i recall it was only around £1 - £1.50 but when you seen how super clean it could make your braking system i thought it was well worth a pound or too, plus added benefit for me i could use it myself when ever i had a little job on and it made life so much easier. > Whiskers (Whiskers <catwheezel@operamail.com>) gurgled happily, sounding [...] > Good luck with the family matters/emergency, but get it recovered to the > garage today, and it'll probably be ready tonight or tomorrow... It's not > a big job, only an hour or two and maybe £100 in parts at most. It did only take a couple of days, but well over £200 - apparently one of the wheel cylinders was damaged by the failing shoe, and I was urged to replace a couple of corroded discs at the same time. Signature-- ^^^^^^^^^^ -- Whiskers -- ~~~~~~~~~~ |
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