Braking News

Carried out an mot to a Merc Vito today, the presenter does his own vehicle maintenance but is not a qualified mechanic, but does that mean anything anymore in this day and age and if so should the Government in some department somewhere not be enforcing some type of "Your not licenced to repair" so take it to an approved garage?

The guy has taped up his brake hose and been driving round with it in that condition, and look at the area of tape that appears to have a bubble in it?

That part is full of brake fluid



On the same vehicle today the rear disc brakes had their brake wires cut off along the rear body section and left with bear ends, yet the instrument display brake warning lamp came on with ignition and went off as soon as the engine started, which then brings the question to mind "should the customer" just be allowed now to cut the wiring out of circuit to the rear brake pads so that it is now not present, and the warning lamp tell the driver everything is OK?

I also had a Ford Focus today with two wiring harnesses one on each side at the rear where the suspension arms bolt to the bodywork, the wiring normally goes into a two pin plug on each side, which on drum brakes is not used, but where brake discs are used at the rear they serve as brake pad sensor wires. Today my example to the offside rear had one plug missing and exposed damaged bear wires, which is just going to get taped up, thus not a proper repair and nothing we can do about it.

I can't see anything long term becoming of this electrical systems being brought into the mot as far as professional repairs are concerned, because people will just cut off and tape it up, then we just have more administration put on us advising the presenter that they have botched up their repairs, which they already know

A Toyota retest today another example;

Nearside rear lamp cluster insecure, and offside rear lamp cluster wiring cut and wires damaged and bear ends, thus no fog lamp and no tell tail operation.

Brakes passed with an advisory because they were at 25% across the front axle, wait for it!!

Mechanic looks at mot sheet and tells customer after looking through the road wheels that there is nothing wrong with his brakes, his wife tells me today!

I see sat on the passengers front seat a box of brand new brake pads, and after roller testing and the brakes still at 25%, he was very lucky I had to continue to pass and advise them, then when I spoke to him about the pads on the front seat he said he knows and just wanted to get through the mot test, but wait for it here is the best bit, he said this morning about 11.30am;

I have had a heart attack this morning and just been released from Hospital

Well I have never had that one put before me before, although I do remember some years back a woman said to me during the mot test that she wanted to take her car as I was testing it to go to see her husband in hospital because he had some serious illness?

Now if that were true I don't know and at that time did not release the car, but if that were true should we just abort the test and write donn the reason and let the vehicle go, I don't know what do you guys think?

What a day