Brakes fitted wrong way round!!

[Smithy 1987]

I purchased a Renault Megane convertible from a certain large car retailer (I wont disclose the name for legal reasons) on 10th September 2010.

 

In March 2011 a rattling noise was noted from the vehicle rear following an MOT at Renault but it still passed, however Renault suggested further investigation was required in to the brakes. I took the car back to Renault to get repaired in May 2011, as the noise had become audibly horrendous! Renault found the off side rear brake pad had been fitted back to front and the car was unsafe to drive. The brake disc showed significant scoring where the brake pad had been fitted back to front on it.

 

The car retailer who sold me the car deny that the vehicle was sold in that condition, despite reports from Renault and refusing to pay for work that had to be repaired. The company's argument is that the car was checked before being sold, and it would be impossible to not have noticed such a fault and asked how did it still manage to pass MOT?

 

The matter is still due in court, but any further advice on the issue???

[Smithy 1987]

I purchased a Renault Megane convertible from a certain large car retailer (I wont disclose the name for legal reasons) on 10th September 2010.

 

In March 2011 a rattling noise was noted from the vehicle rear following an MOT at Renault but it still passed, however Renault suggested further investigation was required in to the brakes. I took the car back to Renault to get repaired in May 2011, as the noise had become audibly horrendous! Renault found the off side rear brake pad had been fitted back to front and the car was unsafe to drive. The brake disc showed significant scoring where the brake pad had been fitted back to front on it.

 

The car retailer who sold me the car deny that the vehicle was sold in that condition, despite reports from Renault and refusing to pay for work that had to be repaired. The company's argument is that the car was checked before being sold, and it would be impossible to not have noticed such a fault and asked how did it still manage to pass MOT?

 

The matter is still due in court, but any further advice on the issue???

[patdavies]

The condition of the brakes is only checked on an MoT test by measuring the effectiveness of the braking. Even metal-to-metal could possibly pass an MoT as long as the brakes reached the required efficiency and braking effort remained balanced across all wheels. Callipers and hoses are checked for leaks/perishing, but there is no check of pad condition if they cannot be seen without dismantling

[heliosuk]

How many miles between the date you took delivery and the MOT?

[Conniff]

Hmmm

[Smithy 1987]

Thanks for your advice. Renault did state this, BUT the retailer still argues the MOT checks the thickness of the brakes and this could not have been measured by Renault if the brake pad was back to front, ALSO they said the car has alloy wheels so Renault could have peered through the alloy to cimply check the brake condition. This retailer is REALLY not giving in!

[Smithy 1987]

I bought the vehicle in Sept 2010 with a mileage of 31, 852 miles, at the MOT in March 2011 when rattling began the mileage was 34,749, but I did not get the vehicle fitted until two months later May 2011 (because of finances) with a mileage of 35, 305 by then the noise was horrendous and the disc significantly scored!

[grahamengineering]

I bought the vehicle in Sept 2010 with a mileage of 31, 852 miles, at the MOT in March 2011 when rattling began the mileage was 34,749, but I did not get the vehicle fitted until two months later May 2011 (because of finances) with a mileage of 35, 305 by then the noise was horrendous and the disc significantly scored!

 

That does kind of throw your claim straight out the window. You admit that despite knowing a fault existed that was damaging your discs you continued driving it. They are also going to point out that it took 3000 miles and 6 months to discover the fault which came to light while being worked on by another garage. They will simply say anyone could of tampered with the car during that time.

[BrazilianCCK]

Is it even possible to fit the pads the wrong way round ? You don't say what age the Megane is, but from memory they have locking pins that wouldn't fit the wrong way round

[heliosuk]

There is something not right about this post. For a start there is the multiple postings. And then as Graham points out. 3000 miles and six months for the noise it must have been making. Sorry.....just don't buy any of it.

 

It is possible to fit incorrectly but the warning signs would have been there from as soon as it was driven away.

 

It's just not a credible story.

 

However I have seen worse. So the question has to be why did you leave it that long given the noise that must have been apparent and you admit, to query it?

[Ed Gasket]

"BUT the retailer still argues the MOT checks the thickness of the brakes"

That is incorrect. All they check is the braking efficiency and balance on a rolling road. They may or may not look at the brake pad thickness; most do not as it is not part of a standard MoT Test and on most cars you cannot see the pad thickness anyway without dismantling which is not done in an MoT test.