nissan primera - brakes

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
View Threaded
Wed 25 May 2005 20:52
nissan primera - brakes - brg190 pete
Could the back room please help me with the following query :

Took my car for a service at Nissan main dealer today, and one of the items I asked them to check was the fact that there is sometimes a 'popping' sound when I apply the brakes.

They phoned me and said the brakes needed 'shimming' and were beginning to 'break up'. While this sounded serious to me, they said it does not really matter and is not a safety issue. They recommended waiting for the next service before doing the 'shimming', at which time new pads would also be needed.

I guess I trust them because they are a main dealer, and one would assume it would be in their interest to do the work rather than not to - so perhaps they are just being very honest.

But, not being a technical person, any issues with the brakes do worry me.

Could anyone please tell me what 'shimming' is about? Is it do with the pads or discs? Does it matter if it is not done?

One other minor query - my front fog lights are not working, and the garage says there is a connection problem, and they need to trace through the wiring. This sounds like it could be costly, also I would need to take the car back again. Can you confirm that the front fog lights are not an MOT-fail item? If not, I think I'll just leave them.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 25 May 2005 23:43
nissan primera - brakes - Crinkly Dave
Nissan expert along shortly, but sounds like anti-rattle (anti-squeal) shims. Check with them. If so, I think their advice correct
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 26 May 2005 00:06
nissan primera - brakes - Aprilia
Are you sure they were not talking about 'skimming' the discs (i.e. taking off a thin layer of metal to even out the disc surface)? There are shims on the back of the pads - they are there to stop squeal and don't normally wear out.

As regards the fog lights, check the fuse first and then check the multi-pole connector on the harness that goes to the fog lights - right at the front of the car. Just follow the wires from the back of the fog lamps back to the connector, it probably needs cleaning out.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 26 May 2005 10:47
nissan primera - brakes - sierraman
Doubt it would be skimming,discs being fairly cheap these days it is not economically viable.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 26 May 2005 12:39
nissan primera - brakes - Aprilia
Nah, plenty of places still skimming discs. My mate has got a very nice on-car skimming machine. It gets used a few times a month and he reckons its one of the 'big ticket' equipment purchases that actually makes him money.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link

10 warranty myths exposed

Here’s how to sort the fact from the fiction when it comes to car warranties.

Cheap Car Warranties

Looking for a garage you can trust? Honest John's Good Garage Guide has thousands of reader recommended garages, plus how-to guides and tips on servicing.

The Good Garage Guide