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• Renault Kangoo Combi (1999 - 2004) - 2004. 1.5 dci uneven brake shoe wear 6 Apr 2008 (Forum)
  hi, could anybody tell me why there is uneven wear on my rear brake shoes . passenger side shoes are showing about 4mm of wear left on both shoes but the drivers side are down to the metal but only on the one shoe. ive been to my local fast fit centre who says this isnt normal but doesnt know why!.
• a cheap, simple way to make a car safer? 19 Sep 2006 (Forum)
  Back in June, I replaced the brake pads on my Ford Ka with EBC uprated pads (as suggested in the CBCB) (see also http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=41866 ) Since then, it seems to me - though I have not done any testing under controlled conditions :-) so it may be my imagination - that braking has been significantly improved.
• Mazda 323 noises 17 Jul 2006 (Forum)
  I've got a Mazda 323F 1998. I bought it 6 months ago and soon after began to make a 'knocking' noise whenever I was braking and turning at the same time. It seems to happen at each corner but mostly front offside and I can usually feel it through the brake pedal. It is getting progressively worse but it only ever happens when braking and turning.
• SEAT Leon TDI 10 Jun 2006 (Forum)
  I have just test driven a 2001 Leon TDI SE. I was unimpressed by the brakes. They felt far less effective than the brakes on my (unmodified)Golf GTI mark 2. Is this the norm or is it the sign of some defect? The service history indicated brake pad replacement some 8000 miles ago.
• Tools for Zafira front brakes 17 Apr 2006 (Forum)
  I have a haynes manual to refer too, but can anyone advise on specific tools I may need to buy inorder to remove the brake callipers and pads, I am thinking of sockets etc. Thank you Nick Shep
• advice 30 Aug 2005 (Forum)
  I have just had to take my car in to have the rear brake discs & pads renewed due to the rear pads going down to the metal. This after my local Nissan dealership advising me a few weeks ago during a standard service that the brakes should be checked in 6 months time/ 6,000 miles and that the rear brakes were half worn!
• Volvo S60 - Brake pads, replace when? 22 Mar 2005 (Forum)
  My charming and lovely local Volvo garage, while not fixing the power steering fault my car went in for mentioned that my tyres and brakes were severely worn and would need replacing very soon. I checked the tyres and they have 6 -7 mm of wear left, hardley severly worn; in fact new last July and I haven't really used the car much!
• 406 HDi Brake Fluid Warning 17 Nov 2004 (Forum)
  Typical, just as I put the old Pug up for sale I get a new warning light appear!! When I apply the handbrake I get a beep and the computer tells me that the "Brake Fluid Level Low". It isn't low - it's right on the max mark. The handbrake holds the car fine, and in fact it just passed the MOT since this warning started appearing. I guess it could be a dodgy sender unit but why would it do this only when the handbrake is applied?
• Mondeo brake problems 12 Nov 2004 (Forum)
  My Mondeo estate (`94 2 litre petrol) failed its M.O.T because the rear passenger side brake pulls up twice as hard as the other 3. Shoes and flexi-pipes changed, drums swapped, cylinders in good working order and of same bore, everything stripped, cleaned, greased where appropriate, entire system blead out and new fluid put in, but the result`s from 2 different test centres show no change.......does anyone know anything about the compensator valves on the master cylinder?
• Peugeot 406 HDi Brakes 10 Sep 2004 (Forum)
  Tally to date is 7 new sets or disc skims and they are still not cured. 'Repair' lasts 4-5K before they start to go again. I'm not heavy on brakes (70K on my other car and only recently had 2nd set of discs + pads) and I don't keep the pedal down after a hot stop. Thankfully it was under 3-yr warranty for most of this work. Is this a common prob with 406s, and is it completely beyond P's ability to cure?
• Clio - brake fluid in coolant! 5 Jun 2004 (Forum)
  Someone I know (and no, it isn't me) has just shown me the coolant tank which six months and 2,500 miles ago, they unknowingly topped up with brake fluid as it was near the minimum. I suggested they quickly get it drained, flushed and refilled. My question on their behalf is what kind of damage will this have done? The car is a 3 year old, 13,000 miles, Clio 1.6 16v petrol (import).
• 1992 Astra 1.4 Merit. Rear Brake Binding 12 Feb 2004 (Forum)
  Hi I have been having real trouble with this from time to time. At apparently random intervals the nearside rear brake will remain on with the handbrake lever in the car disengaged. I have stripped and examined, replaced all springs etc and readjusted handbrake. But all to no avail - it keeps happening. When it does I whip the wheel off and give the drum a tap with a persuader and it normally frees it up.
• Clio Brake Fluid 13 Sep 2002 (Forum)
  A Damsel in distress in Sutton[1] has just called me. He brake warning light has come on. I'm assuming the Clio has no pad wear indicators and that this is either a dodgy switch or fluid. I'll be hot footing it over there tonight to assist. Can anyone confirm a) That a fluid top up is a good starting point. b) That the fluid bottle will be above the master cylinder over the middle pedal on a clio. c) Any other helpful info?
• Glad to be alive 3 Nov 2001 (Forum)
  Suddenly, about 50 yards in front, a massive great artic ambles out of a side turning and straight into the inside lane. Mass panic behind it - drivers brake hard, a Peugeot 309 locks up all four wheels and slides sideways into the outer lane straight in front of me. Many thanks to Yokohama (tyres), German & Swedish (good quality brake disks and pads) and Bosch (anti-lock brakes that still work at 10 years old).
• What's the best way to treat rusting brake callipe 21 Jul 2001 (Forum)
  A question from me, the owner of a VR6 Highline, bought new in December 1996: I won a battle with the dealer and VW to have the brake callipers painted free of charge when they started rusting within six months of buying the car. They are now deteriorating again. Any advice on how to treat them for a truly durable result? I know it wouldn't/shouldn't matter with normal hub caps covering them, but the very open-style six-spoke alloys expose the callipers in all their gory glory.
• volvo v70 - hissing noise 25 Feb 2011 (Forum)
  I have a hissing sound coming from the brake pedal area fo a 2004 v70 2.4 diesel. When the brake pedal is gently applied the sound goes but soon returns. any ideas on what it could be?
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  Is my car going to fail its MOT if the exhaust touches the fuel pipe? 2 Jan 2017 (Ask HJ)
  I bought a 1983 Saab 99 two months ago with a 12 month MOT. It had no advisories. I recently had an exhaust system fitted. It was mentioned by the mechanic...
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  Brake caliper failure on Honda Civic 22 Nov 2016 (Ask HJ)
  I have a 2012 Honda Civic with 25,000 miles on the clock. The other day I went to my car only to find that it had rolled down my drive and into my garage...
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  Bought a used car with dodgy brakes - What should I do? 23 Jun 2016 (Ask HJ)
  I purchased a used 2013 Honda Jazz with 42,000 miles on the clock. I did notice corrosion on the all the brake discs at the time and the rears were quite...
• Daihatsu Skywing - Coke can for brake caliper 12 Mar 2016 (Forum)
  Have already cleaned up the slider pins and pad guides. Its got a new brake hose that side, but I've used PTFE tape on the outer threads of both the brake hose and the bleed nipple. I was pretty careful to avoid it getting into the plumbing and acting as a non-return valve, and opening the bleed nipple doesn't free off the wheel, so I don't THINK that's the problem.