Main Dealer Service - Removing Wheels ?
Discussion
So I had one of the cars serviced last week at a main agent, who then told me I need new rear pads.
Their price was a little more than I expected to pay (£129) so bought the pads for £18.90) and had arranged for a friend to fit them today, who was unable to get the wheel off the hub
and said clearly the wheels hadn't been removed from the car as part of the service but he could see the pads definitely needed changing.
Called the dealer who was adamant (to start with) that they did remove the wheels but after going away to talk to a technician for a couple of mins admitted they wouldn't have removed the wheels.
I guess my question is would you expect the wheels to be removed for a proper brake inspection as part of a major (40K) service or am I being unrealistic ?
The dealer is now having the car in to remove all 4 wheels and clean them to make them easier to remove later in the week. I was slightly more concerned that with a flat there's no way I'd be able to have changed the wheel.
Their price was a little more than I expected to pay (£129) so bought the pads for £18.90) and had arranged for a friend to fit them today, who was unable to get the wheel off the hub
and said clearly the wheels hadn't been removed from the car as part of the service but he could see the pads definitely needed changing.Called the dealer who was adamant (to start with) that they did remove the wheels but after going away to talk to a technician for a couple of mins admitted they wouldn't have removed the wheels.
I guess my question is would you expect the wheels to be removed for a proper brake inspection as part of a major (40K) service or am I being unrealistic ?
The dealer is now having the car in to remove all 4 wheels and clean them to make them easier to remove later in the week. I was slightly more concerned that with a flat there's no way I'd be able to have changed the wheel.
Not unusual to leave the wheel on if theres space between the spokes to see the condition of the pads.
Give the wheel a swift kick (On the outer face will do) with some decent boots on and it should come off, if not get a big hammer and knock the back of the wheel. When you put it back on put some copper grease around the centre of the hub to stop it happening again, but dont paste it on or you will have it splattered all round your nice wheel after the first drive.
Give the wheel a swift kick (On the outer face will do) with some decent boots on and it should come off, if not get a big hammer and knock the back of the wheel. When you put it back on put some copper grease around the centre of the hub to stop it happening again, but dont paste it on or you will have it splattered all round your nice wheel after the first drive.
VW main dealers dont remove wheels to check the pads. I know this from experience with my Passat. Now this was about 7 years ago but I suspect things havent changed much.
Passat went in for major service. Came back with everything serviced and checked, nothing more to be done. Less than 100 miles later the rear brakes made a grinding noise followed rapidly by complete failure (pads pretty much just disintegrated).
When I went back to the dealer with my Mr Angry face on they told me that they had inspected the pads as per the schedule and that pads were present. The check only required them to check if pads were there and they had done this. Wheels on of course.
I queried this with VW customer service but they told me the dealer was correct, the check list item was to check for presence of pads. Nothing about wear. I pointed out to them that this was a pointless check and could be dangerous as brake pads could disintegrate when run low (as in my case). They didnt agree.
Passat went in for major service. Came back with everything serviced and checked, nothing more to be done. Less than 100 miles later the rear brakes made a grinding noise followed rapidly by complete failure (pads pretty much just disintegrated).
When I went back to the dealer with my Mr Angry face on they told me that they had inspected the pads as per the schedule and that pads were present. The check only required them to check if pads were there and they had done this. Wheels on of course.
I queried this with VW customer service but they told me the dealer was correct, the check list item was to check for presence of pads. Nothing about wear. I pointed out to them that this was a pointless check and could be dangerous as brake pads could disintegrate when run low (as in my case). They didnt agree.
Cheers - seems like I expected a bit much then....
A good kick with boots and 2 guys pulling at it didn't release the one wheel we tried.
Will let the dealer sort it on Thurs (it needs to go in anyway for them to cut a new key and program remote etc) then have my mate fit the new pads in the afternoon.
A good kick with boots and 2 guys pulling at it didn't release the one wheel we tried.
Will let the dealer sort it on Thurs (it needs to go in anyway for them to cut a new key and program remote etc) then have my mate fit the new pads in the afternoon.
bigdods said:
VW main dealers dont remove wheels to check the pads. I know this from experience with my Passat. Now this was about 7 years ago but I suspect things havent changed much.
Passat went in for major service. Came back with everything serviced and checked, nothing more to be done. Less than 100 miles later the rear brakes made a grinding noise followed rapidly by complete failure (pads pretty much just disintegrated).
When I went back to the dealer with my Mr Angry face on they told me that they had inspected the pads as per the schedule and that pads were present. The check only required them to check if pads were there and they had done this. Wheels on of course.
I queried this with VW customer service but they told me the dealer was correct, the check list item was to check for presence of pads. Nothing about wear. I pointed out to them that this was a pointless check and could be dangerous as brake pads could disintegrate when run low (as in my case). They didnt agree.
Every VW service I've had they always state pad thickness for front a rear padsPassat went in for major service. Came back with everything serviced and checked, nothing more to be done. Less than 100 miles later the rear brakes made a grinding noise followed rapidly by complete failure (pads pretty much just disintegrated).
When I went back to the dealer with my Mr Angry face on they told me that they had inspected the pads as per the schedule and that pads were present. The check only required them to check if pads were there and they had done this. Wheels on of course.
I queried this with VW customer service but they told me the dealer was correct, the check list item was to check for presence of pads. Nothing about wear. I pointed out to them that this was a pointless check and could be dangerous as brake pads could disintegrate when run low (as in my case). They didnt agree.
I am a car mechanic not for a main dealer but know a few guys that work for dealers. The garage that I work for remove the wheels on every service even the interim. Even if they can measure the disc and the outside pad there's no way of measuring the inside one. Unless they are checking the inside pad with the likes of a bore scope which is just pure laziness
I had the self same problem of getting the wheel off at the side of a dark M5 which wasn't fun. The solution was to put the car back on the floor with loosened wheel nuts and drive it a couple of yards. It came free with a dull pop sound. Its a tip i will tell anybody to help them avoid the same problem.
bigdods said:
VW main dealers dont remove wheels to check the pads. I know this from experience with my Passat. Now this was about 7 years ago but I suspect things havent changed much.
Passat went in for major service. Came back with everything serviced and checked, nothing more to be done. Less than 100 miles later the rear brakes made a grinding noise followed rapidly by complete failure (pads pretty much just disintegrated).
When I went back to the dealer with my Mr Angry face on they told me that they had inspected the pads as per the schedule and that pads were present. The check only required them to check if pads were there and they had done this. Wheels on of course.
I queried this with VW customer service but they told me the dealer was correct, the check list item was to check for presence of pads. Nothing about wear. I pointed out to them that this was a pointless check and could be dangerous as brake pads could disintegrate when run low (as in my case). They didnt agree.
Sent a car in for the coil pack recall, got the ticklist of free checks and that included a wheel off measurement of brake pads. So sounds suspect to me. Are you essentially saying that they are concerned that between services the brake pads are going to be lost? And that if a vehicle came in with the brakes grinding that they would say they are fine because the pads are there?Passat went in for major service. Came back with everything serviced and checked, nothing more to be done. Less than 100 miles later the rear brakes made a grinding noise followed rapidly by complete failure (pads pretty much just disintegrated).
When I went back to the dealer with my Mr Angry face on they told me that they had inspected the pads as per the schedule and that pads were present. The check only required them to check if pads were there and they had done this. Wheels on of course.
I queried this with VW customer service but they told me the dealer was correct, the check list item was to check for presence of pads. Nothing about wear. I pointed out to them that this was a pointless check and could be dangerous as brake pads could disintegrate when run low (as in my case). They didnt agree.
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