Crash caused by faulty brake pedal cover
Crash caused by faulty brake pedal cover
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Discussion

MKA29

Original Poster:

400 posts

165 months

Tuesday 12th June 2018
quotequote all
As the title says I was involved in a 15mph crash (at fault), caused by the aluminium brake pedal cover coming apart under braking... (Which is a factory option)

Luckily no injuries to anyone, but frustrating nonetheless. I wouldn't like to think what would've happened if this same situation occurred on the motorway...

I've spoken to the manufacturers head office to try and report this as a safety concern, but they weren't interested. Does anyone have any advice on how I can get the issue re the pedal covers escalated/ investigated?

The car was not purschased from a main dealership.




TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

156 months

Tuesday 12th June 2018
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What car/age/mileage?
Do you know for sure that nobody had worked on that pedal cover since it left the factory?
Did the cover break up, or simply come off?

meehaja

607 posts

138 months

Tuesday 12th June 2018
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my seat leon covers used to come off quite regularly, and a pain to get back on, i just gave up and used normal pedals in the end

Riley Blue

23,205 posts

256 months

Tuesday 12th June 2018
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'Coming apart' or coming off? I can't see any breakage. Either way, it happened at low speed and no one was hurt so I'd move on and forget the 'what ifs'; life's too short to fret over such things though I'm baffled by how it caused brake failure.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

156 months

Tuesday 12th June 2018
quotequote all
Riley Blue said:
though I'm baffled by how it caused brake failure.
If it caused the foot to slip off the pedal when it came free...

It's why security of pedal covers is part of the MOT.

MKA29

Original Poster:

400 posts

165 months

Tuesday 12th June 2018
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
What car/age/mileage?
Do you know for sure that nobody had worked on that pedal cover since it left the factory?
Did the cover break up, or simply come off?
I can't be sure if it has been worked on, I bought it from an indie dealership.

The pedal cover came off completely. As naive as I am I didn't even realise it was a cover from the start, until this happened

It's a Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart 2012, mileage is 34000, it was 23000 when I picked it up. MOT done just under two months ago.

TooMany2cvs said:
If it caused the foot to slip off the pedal when it came free...

It's why security of pedal covers is part of the MOT.
Correct, my foot went off the pedal straight into the footwell and I couldn't recover quickly enough.

I'm having the car repaired, but really don't want a repeat of this problem in future.. hence why I'd like Mitsubishi to take a much closer look at this.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

156 months

Tuesday 12th June 2018
quotequote all
MKA29 said:
hence why I'd like Mitsubishi to take a much closer look at this.
So the cover came loose on a 6yo car, without any indication of if somebody else had left the fasteners loose... and you think it's Mitsu's problem?

I'd have thought you'd feel it moving around under your foot before total detachment, and Mr MOT should have picked it up two months ago. How much thread should be engaged?

MKA29

Original Poster:

400 posts

165 months

Tuesday 12th June 2018
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
So the cover came loose on a 6yo car, without any indication of if somebody else had left the fasteners loose... and you think it's Mitsu's problem?

I'd have thought you'd feel it moving around under your foot before total detachment, and Mr MOT should have picked it up two months ago. How much thread should be engaged?
No indication of looseness, or I would have had it checked. MOT didn't pick up any issues either.

It is Mitsubishi's problem, as it's their car. At the very least I would've thought a quick investigation to assess whether other cars are at risk/ clarification on maintaining these pedals covers. As I said, if this happened at 70mph it could have been severe.

TooLateForAName

4,930 posts

214 months

MKA29

Original Poster:

400 posts

165 months

Tuesday 12th June 2018
quotequote all
TooLateForAName said:
Thank you! Much appreciated

TimmyMallett

3,197 posts

142 months

Tuesday 12th June 2018
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Playing devil's advocate, looking at that wear on the pedal it looks like you only use the corner and repeated use like that I wouldn't be surprised it slipped off.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

156 months

Tuesday 12th June 2018
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TimmyMallett said:
Playing devil's advocate, looking at that wear on the pedal it looks like you only use the corner and repeated use like that I wouldn't be surprised it slipped off.
MKA29 said:
It's a very good point. The wear is VERY localised on the cover, going by both the metal and especially the rubber.

MKA29

Original Poster:

400 posts

165 months

Tuesday 12th June 2018
quotequote all
TimmyMallett said:
Playing devil's advocate, looking at that wear on the pedal it looks like you only use the corner and repeated use like that I wouldn't be surprised it slipped off.
Hadn't even realised that myself! Will have to be more conscious of how I brake from now on

anonymous-user

84 months

Tuesday 12th June 2018
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MKA29 said:
TooMany2cvs said:
So the cover came loose on a 6yo car, without any indication of if somebody else had left the fasteners loose... and you think it's Mitsu's problem?

I'd have thought you'd feel it moving around under your foot before total detachment, and Mr MOT should have picked it up two months ago. How much thread should be engaged?
No indication of looseness, or I would have had it checked. MOT didn't pick up any issues either.

It is Mitsubishi's problem, as it's their car. At the very least I would've thought a quick investigation to assess whether other cars are at risk/ clarification on maintaining these pedals covers. As I said, if this happened at 70mph it could have been severe.
If it’s Mitsubishi’s car why are you bothered?

I guess you mean they made it but who’s been maintaining it? As has been pointed out there are signs of unusual, not to say misuse.


blitzracing

6,422 posts

250 months

Tuesday 12th June 2018
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Looks like it was held on with double sided tape as an aftermarket part, so no wonder it failed. I really cant see this being OEM.

Durzel

12,999 posts

198 months

Tuesday 12th June 2018
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blitzracing said:
Looks like it was held on with double sided tape as an aftermarket part, so no wonder it failed. I really cant see this being OEM.
Where are you seeing the double sided tape?

OP did say that it was a factory option, although it's possible it was purchased later and fitted by the previous owner and/or isn't OEM.

What seems to be more likely, looking at the wear being localised to the bottom right and the top image, is that the cover "clips" over the brake pedal normally, but OP essentially unclipped it by constantly pushing down on one corner.

anonymous-user

84 months

Tuesday 12th June 2018
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I'm more often wrong about most things in life....however

If those pedals are factory fit I'm a monkey's uncle - they look more aftermarket than a professor of aftermarket studying aftermarketing at Aftermarket University...


MKA29

Original Poster:

400 posts

165 months

Tuesday 12th June 2018
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REALIST123 said:
If it’s Mitsubishi’s car why are you bothered?

I guess you mean they made it but who’s been maintaining it? As has been pointed out there are signs of unusual, not to say misuse.

Because I bought it and am likely to continue using it after repairs? The last thing I want is for it to happen again

I agree it does seem wear appears to be localised to that area, however I've had the car for a year and the car is six years old... I can't account for previous owners. That's what MOT and services are for...

ciege said:
I'm more often wrong about most things in life....however

If those pedals are factory fit I'm a monkey's uncle - they look more aftermarket than a professor of aftermarket studying aftermarketing at Aftermarket University...
All these Ralliart edition cars come with these pedals as an option from factory.

helix402

7,913 posts

212 months

Tuesday 12th June 2018
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Some pics:




Cardinal Hips

323 posts

102 months

Tuesday 12th June 2018
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The Audi TT mk1 had optional pedal covers very similar to that. They attach just the same as the rubber covers, there's a lip on the back that flips over the metal pad on the pedal.

I went down the Audi garage, bought a set and put them on my mk4 golf GTI "back in the day".

So if there's a problem with those metal ones, there's a problem with the rubber ones too as the fixing is the same.



Good luck.