Parking brake failed at MOT
Discussion
Hi All,
Hope someone can help, please forgive me if this post should be elsewhere.
My volvo c70 (52 plate ) failed it's mot yesterday at my local branch of Kwik Flit on parking brake efficiency and a split steering rack gaiter. I have a horrible feeling I am being taken for a total numpty, not least by the guys eagerness to book me in for a free brake inspection. When I asked about the split gaiter he also seemed to change his mind and suggest it's just a clip which they would do for nothing.
a) If you'll do it for nothing, why haven't you already?
b) How can there be any doubt, you just failed it!
I'll be crawling underneath the beast this morning to see if there is a split but seeing as I had a new rack 2 years ago, I think it's unlikely, but of course not impossible.
The main purpose of this post is the brakes. The result was... PARKING BRAKE EFFICIENCY 0%
The volvo has an auto box so always leaving it in park before pulling the handbrake I couldn't honestly be sure of its operation but having left the test centre and parked it on a steep hill, the handbrake works fine in stopping the car roll away. 0% suggests it doesn't work at all, which clearly isn't the case. There's no excessive travel in the lever (5 or so clicks) so... Am I missing something?
I started to get annoyed when the fella in Kwik Flit (the manager no less) started quoting me for front disks and pads!!
So gentlemen and fine ladies, any info or advice would be warmly welcomed prior to my retest tomorrow.
P. S not sure if this is late onset of short angry man syndrome (I have a tall wife which has always been compensating) but if my worries about being mugged off are found to be accurate, should I complain or report it.? I seriously dislike theiving b******s.
Cheers
Phil
Hope someone can help, please forgive me if this post should be elsewhere.
My volvo c70 (52 plate ) failed it's mot yesterday at my local branch of Kwik Flit on parking brake efficiency and a split steering rack gaiter. I have a horrible feeling I am being taken for a total numpty, not least by the guys eagerness to book me in for a free brake inspection. When I asked about the split gaiter he also seemed to change his mind and suggest it's just a clip which they would do for nothing.
a) If you'll do it for nothing, why haven't you already?
b) How can there be any doubt, you just failed it!
I'll be crawling underneath the beast this morning to see if there is a split but seeing as I had a new rack 2 years ago, I think it's unlikely, but of course not impossible.
The main purpose of this post is the brakes. The result was... PARKING BRAKE EFFICIENCY 0%
The volvo has an auto box so always leaving it in park before pulling the handbrake I couldn't honestly be sure of its operation but having left the test centre and parked it on a steep hill, the handbrake works fine in stopping the car roll away. 0% suggests it doesn't work at all, which clearly isn't the case. There's no excessive travel in the lever (5 or so clicks) so... Am I missing something?
I started to get annoyed when the fella in Kwik Flit (the manager no less) started quoting me for front disks and pads!!
So gentlemen and fine ladies, any info or advice would be warmly welcomed prior to my retest tomorrow.
P. S not sure if this is late onset of short angry man syndrome (I have a tall wife which has always been compensating) but if my worries about being mugged off are found to be accurate, should I complain or report it.? I seriously dislike theiving b******s.
Cheers
Phil
The so called thieving buggers probably dislike snotty sod who will ride about with a deffective vehicle ,take it to the Volvo agent and get it repaired by properly trained people [ hopefully] using the correct parts . BTW if ian emergency situation you threw you auto box into park a small bill for brake maintainance would be the least of your worries
Ooh be nice!
As already stated, subsequent test on steep incline suggests the vehicle is not defective. Also adjustment on daisy wheel I am currently doing suggests shoes and adjustment is also fine.
The sort of emergency that might require throwing the box into park is not going to be saved by the handbrake, but who would do that??
Snooty sod isn't very nice, but thanks for your input x
As already stated, subsequent test on steep incline suggests the vehicle is not defective. Also adjustment on daisy wheel I am currently doing suggests shoes and adjustment is also fine.
The sort of emergency that might require throwing the box into park is not going to be saved by the handbrake, but who would do that??
Snooty sod isn't very nice, but thanks for your input x
one eyed mick said:
BTW if ian emergency situation you threw you auto box into park a small bill for brake maintainance would be the least of your worries
I'm struggling to think of an "emergency situation" when you would need to use the parkingbrake which would lock the rear wheels.
eybic said:
one eyed mick said:
BTW if ian emergency situation you threw you auto box into park a small bill for brake maintainance would be the least of your worries
I'm struggling to think of an "emergency situation" when you would need to use the parkingbrake which would lock the rear wheels.
If you've tested it and it holds the car it shouldn't be 0%. The parking brake operates on the rear drums which are separate from the discs so WTF they are doing trying to sell discs and pads I don't know!
You can watch the MOT take place to see what they're playing at if you have time. Otherwise I'd see what the retest brings and if it still fails I'd take it somewhere else. If somewhere else pass it you can contact VOSA about the original test result.
You can watch the MOT take place to see what they're playing at if you have time. Otherwise I'd see what the retest brings and if it still fails I'd take it somewhere else. If somewhere else pass it you can contact VOSA about the original test result.
eybic said:
one eyed mick said:
BTW if ian emergency situation you threw you auto box into park a small bill for brake maintainance would be the least of your worries
I'm struggling to think of an "emergency situation" when you would need to use the parkingbrake which would lock the rear wheels.
It's also why some citroens from the 80s/early 90s had hand brakes that acted on the front wheels, giving far better braking capacity. Unfortunately, overstepping that capacity lost your steering, which isn't what you want in an emergency.
cptsideways said:
One eye has obviously never tried it! It'll just ratchet & do nothing except make a noise
No i havent tried it but if you knew what the mechanism involved niether would you , it's ratchet /pawl devise that locks the g/box out put shaft / propshaft and any thing above slow walking speed Will damage , the box . prop , final drive ,tyres et al . The parking brake/ h/brake is classed as an emergency system and should pull 25% braking efficiency I believe to pass mot .williredale said:
The parking brake operates on the rear drums which are separate from the discs so WTF they are doing trying to sell discs and pads I don't know!
Every car I've owned with rear discs (except Fords) has had the handbrake drum cast as part of the disc, I'm pretty sure Volvos are like this from when I used to work in their parts dept. New pads are just a standard garage thing with new discs.OP - Does the handbrake work everytime? My dad used to have a Jeep with a random handbrake, one day it'd work & the next nothing. The whole system worked in bits, never could work it out. That failed the MOT one year & then when he drove out to park it, it worked so he passed it.
Hooli said:
williredale said:
The parking brake operates on the rear drums which are separate from the discs so WTF they are doing trying to sell discs and pads I don't know!
Every car I've owned with rear discs (except Fords) has had the handbrake drum cast as part of the disc, I'm pretty sure Volvos are like this from when I used to work in their parts dept. New pads are just a standard garage thing with new discs.I read the OP as they were trying to sell him the discs and pads for the discs rather than the discs and handbrake pads. When has the drum part worn out before the disc?
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