Ford Focus Saloon 2006 - sticking calipers

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Thu 23 Aug 2012 18:55
Ford Focus Saloon 2006 - sticking calipers - graddfaboy

I recently took my car for a service to local main ford dealer I explained I had a problem with the front brakes the n/s seemed to be binding.

I collected the car and was told the fault was due to brake dust, the problem never improved and when I checked on the internet sticking calipers seems to be a common problem.

I removed the wheel and the hub N/S was virtually unable to be turned while the O/S was much easier to turn, I sprayed some WD40 and it eased the problem straight away not happy with the situation I returned to the garage very angry.

I spoke to the service manager and asked for an explanation as to why I was aware of a caliper problem on the Focus and a ford main dealer was not, after all I did inform them I was concerned about the brakes when I took it for the service, and in my opinion they should have pin pointed the problem straight away, I asked why the caliper pins were not lubricated and he said it's not part of the service well maybe it should be.

The car was returned and the 2 front calipers have been removed cleaned and treated with copper grease FOC, this could have all been avoided if they had taken my concern about the brakes seriously the mileage is 37000 and as been serviced on a regular basis, and I feel this caliper problem should be checked at every service to prevent major problems.

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Thu 23 Aug 2012 19:20
Ford Focus Saloon 2006 - sticking calipers - skidpan

I feel this caliper problem should be checked at every service to prevent major problems.

Maybe but how may complaints would there be about the increased cost of servicing.

Where did you spray the WD40, if there is any chance it got on the disk or pads the pads need changing now, they will be contaminated and will not wok at the correct efficiency.

In truth most 2006 cars would have had their pads replaced before now, 6 years is a long time but your mileage if 37,000 is very low.

At least the fix was free, you should be thanking the garage not critisising them.

Edited by skidpan on 23/08/2012 at 19:22

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Thu 23 Aug 2012 20:11
Ford Focus Saloon 2006 - sticking calipers - gordonbennet

The car wasn't serviced, simple as.

Oh it no doubt had the default oil and filter change, kerching, and anything else chargeable whilst quick was also fitted, kerching, but the car wasn't fully serviced, it was inspected and an invoice presented, seems to be standard practice these days.

Brakes should be stripped, inspected, cleaned and lubricated with any new parts needed every year, especially with sliding calipers, horrid things, give me two or 4 piston fixed calipers every time.

Peering through, or from behind a wheel, is not even inspecting brakes for function and condition, its part of the modern way of 'look see if we can invoice for new pads and or discs'.

Thing is you have to pay for it, standard garage inspection don't include such work.

As Skidpan says, WD40 and other accessory shop maintenance..;) sprays should not have been used in this way.

Edited by gordonbennet on 23/08/2012 at 20:14

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Fri 24 Aug 2012 12:01
Ford Focus Saloon 2006 - sticking calipers - graddfaboy

I took the car in with a brake problem and it came out with the brake problem I paid £213 for the service, I think I have every right to critisize the garage I appreciate the FOC fix but it should never have come to that if the brakes had been checked as I asked.

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Fri 24 Aug 2012 23:18
Ford Focus Saloon 2006 - sticking calipers - focussed

It's the usual main dealer in a huge glass palace on a busy road with expensive overheads problem. The manufacturer demands that the dealership has prestige premises(to keep up with the other manufacturers) usually in an expensive location, lease, business rates etc. To keep their overheads down and profits up they employ kids in the workshop who have been to the local technical college and who have handfulls of certificates and not much experience or knowledge except at plugging in a laptop or code reader and saying "There aren't any fault codes-Doh, what do I do now?" Any experienced technician with a brain has got fed up changing oils and filters and left long ago to set up on their own or work for an independant garage.

The manufacturers are as much to blame as the dealers because they don't seem to want service dealers, who maybe have a decent workshop in an out of the way location, lots of knowledge and experience but who don't want to sell new cars.

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