My Mini's brakes were squeaking and dusting up a storm. I went through this with my E92 BMW a few years ago and switched to Akebono and love them. I bought them and new Zimmerman rotors for the Mini and had them installed today. I think something might be wrong though and wanted to ask you guys opinion before going back to the shop. Driving home the brake pedal is very mushy. It goes over half way to the bottom. The car stops, but nothing like my BMW (which is much heavier than the Mini). I also just looked at the rotors and 3 look normal with the pads cleanly hitting the surface. But one rotor looks like only an inch of the pad has been in contact. Here are a couple pictures showing what I'm talking about. One normal and one with the one in question. Note, I've only driven the car about 20 miles, so maybe it will all sort itself out?

Normal

Not right?

 

Is that a rear rotor? Possible the piston adjustment needs to work itself out... Did you do the work, or a shop? Did the caliper slider bolts get enough lubrication? Do they need more?

 

Yes, the non-normal pic is the rear rotor. I had a shop do the work, so I'm not sure about the piston adjustment or caliper slider bolts. Is that something that would "fix itself"?

 

The pads need time to bed in. I would give it a week or so.

 

Never had a brake job that gave a result like that. Should have been driven by mechanic and checked prior to releasing car to you.

I had a slight issue on one caliper and several weeks after having the brakes done, the mechanic called me to follow up to make sure nothing was leaking.

 

Also mushy pedal sounds like air. Did they flush brakes as well? I got some air in my abs unit last time I did a brake flush, and needed to use Ediabas to activate the abs unit to get it out.

 

Yes, that back is not making full contact. I have seen it do that right after a brake repair, but not after 20 miles. Something is holding back that pad, check the pads on the slider clips, sometimes the pads get hung up on them if there is some corrosion or grim.

 

Am I seeing this correctly? Is the red the red pad to rotor contact and the yellow space with no pad contact? Also, is the grey the primer like spray that covers the rotor? If so, something is really messed up. I looks like you have a very small pad or one that is somehow not seated correctly. I would take it right back to the place who did the job.

 

I took it back to the shop. They said that the caliper was seized. That seems like quite a coincidence but I didn't debate it. I had them replace the caliper and the brakes seem fine but. But That was a lot more expensive than I was expecting. I'm pretty upset with the shop. I've used them before, but will not be using them in the future.

Thanks everyone for all the tips and suggestions!

 

Sounds like BS. The caliper did not seize exactly as they replaced the brakes or immediately after. If they were seized before, there would have been obvious evidence via prior brake wear pattern. I think you are being lied to.

 

I think so too. I could have argued, but it wouldn't have done any good. I know where not to take my car for service in the future.

 

Might as well list the shop name so others are aware.