LV brakes-Have I been stooged?

Morexbs · 24-06-2011, 06:50 PM

My wife has a 2009 LV Focus which has done 54000kms.A few weeks ago it developed an occasional grinding noise from the driver's side rear wheel.Today I took it to Ford for them to investigate the noise (as well as a transmission warning message) and I was told that the rear brakes were metal to metal and was presented with a bill for $368.
When I got home I had a closer look at the invoice and it reads:"Check condition of rear pads found metal to metal.Machined disc rotors,removed & replaced rear brake pads,freed up and lubricated caliper slides.Road tested all OK now."
I'm confused by the caliper slides part.If they needed to be freed up,does that mean that they weren't free and that may have caused the pad wear?
How long should pads last?
Wouldn't the front pads wear out before the rear?
The car was roadworthied in February and also had a 45k service and neither Ford nor the RWC mechanic mentioned the brakes.
My D40 Navara has also done 55ks and the brakes have never been touched.
Have I been stooged or does this all sound OK?

**russellw** · 24-06-2011, 07:37 PM

While it is unusual for rear pads to wear prior to fronts it isn't entirely unheard of although I'd be looking a little deeper for the cause of that.

Lubricating the caliper slides is part of the standard pad replacement routine but it would be worth asking if they were binding.

Cheers
Russ

Russ · 24-06-2011, 08:25 PM

Is it possible that the handbrake has not been releasing fully, that would explain the wear, although 50,000 K's for a set of brake pads is not too bad, have the fronts been replaced yet ? If not you would expect they'd be close to needing a change as well. If they have plenty of meat left then I'd be looking into it further and making sure that the fronts are doing their job properly and not sending extra work to the rears. I wouldn't have thought this would be possible normally, but nowadays with ABS and EBD who knows

casabonka · 24-06-2011, 10:41 PM

I have heard on here that pads on the focus to go quiet quick. In saying that tho, I changed my front pads and rotors at 50odd K, and the back are still standard after 63k

Morexbs · 25-06-2011, 11:40 AM

Thanks for the replies,I don't feel so bad now.I will ask them about the front brakes when it goes for the 60k service.

TEKILA · 25-06-2011, 12:09 PM

that happened to me back in the day when I had my focus. Rear right hand side was making a grinding noise.
At first it was only when i was braking at 10-15k's then it was a consistent noise every time I braked.

It's a common thing with the foci apparently.
Your lucky you didnt have to replace both discs like I did. Probably my own fault though as I didnt have it fixed straight away!

TEKILA · 25-06-2011, 12:10 PM

By the way, dont go to ford for Pads they charge out of their rectum, go see any brake dealer for cheaper better quality pads. IBC greenstuff or something???

DZFord · 25-06-2011, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TEKILA

that happened to me back in the day when I had my focus. Rear right hand side was making a grinding noise.
At first it was only when i was braking at 10-15k's then it was a consistent noise every time I braked.

Exactly the same thing happened to me - at 30k's - it was my right rear pad / disc to go first.

rand0mn00b · 25-06-2011, 06:47 PM

when you guys say rear-right, is that from the perspective of being inside the car or when facing the car from the front?

my rear passenger side brake has started making noises like those described above at approx 73,000KM and I'm due for a service soon so definitely going to have it looked at even though at every service so far the brake pads have been inspected and reported to have plenty of life in them

has anyone actually been able to resolve it early or know why so many of our cars are doing this?

Mine's a 2007 LT Zetec

DZFord · 25-06-2011, 07:37 PM

To clarify - rear driver's side.