Vauxhall front brake discs & pads replacement

How do front brake discs work?

The brake disc is a metal plate mounted on the wheel hub that is clamped between **2 brake pads **when braking is applied; this causes friction and slows the vehicle down.

How often should brake discs need replacing?

As a rough guide, your brake discs should last between 50k and 70k miles, but there are many variables that could affect this, including driver behaviour, the weight you carry and the speed you travel.

The law, vehicle regulations and your MOT

Incorrect brake function, damaged or excessively worn discs or pads are considered unsafe for your vehicle performance and will cause your car to fail its MOT. Nearly 20% of MOT failures are caused by faulty brakes.

What happens when we replace your front brake discs?

• Our efficient and fully qualified mechanics will inspect the brake system for signs of wear, damage and breakage.
• They will establish which brake discs need to be replaced and fit new ones as necessary.
• You will be advised if any of the brake pads need to be replaced for the best operation and health of your vehicle.
• Once the brake discs have been replaced, our mechanics will test them thoroughly to ensure the correct operation of the new parts, and make any adjustments required for premium performance.

What causes brake discs to stop working correctly?

Brake discs wear out over time from continual use. The friction applied by the brake pads, and the intense heat generated, will eventually deform the disc, causing it to become thinner and less effective when performing its job.

Extended use can also cause brake discs to crack, rendering them ineffective. Scars and rust on the disc can be caused by debris thrown from the road and poor weather conditions; this is also effective in reducing the operation of your brake discs.

Symptoms of malfunctioning brakes discs

Braking causes unusual noises

Loud screeching or grinding noises from your brakes is an indication that there is a problem with either your brake discs or pads.

When your car pulls to one side under braking

If only one brake is working correctly, it can cause your car to pull in the direction of the functioning brake.

The car vibrates under braking

Your brake pads or discs could be warped if the pedal vibrates when you press down on it.

The front brake disc shows signs of damage

Look through the wheel for a visual check—if the disc’s surface isn’t smooth, or it displays cracks, grooves, spots or a blue colourisation, then the disc is quite likely damaged.

Your brake warning light on the dashboard is illuminated

If any of your dashboard warning lights are illuminated, the sensor that detects problems or worn out parts and components has identified an issue and activated the system.

Vauxhall

Vauxhall Motors Ltd. is a British car brand owned by German manufacturer Opel. Initially founded in 1857, but didn’t begin to build cars until 1903, the brand is officially over 160 years old.

How popular is Vauxhall in the United Kingdom?

Their popularity can be easily quantified by the 3.9million Vauxhall cars on the road in the UK today.

Vauxhall: A car for every need

By their own admission, Vauxhall has a car for the school run, a trip to the shops, a cross-country holiday, being the face of your business or delivering a van-load of goods. With such a wide range of vehicles, they’ve got every avenue covered.

A forward-thinking company with traditional values

Throughout their extensive history in the automotive industry, Vauxhall has featured predominantly in all areas. It produced the first sports car, also the first car to achieve over 100mph, it has launched award-winning models and consistently introduced pioneering technology.

Their core brand values claim to be:

• Ingenious—offering brilliant mobility
• Progressive—as forward-thinking and innovative
• Approachable—being authentic and simple

The UK’s 3rd best selling car of 2018: The Vauxhall Corsa

Competing with Ford Fiesta and VW Golf for the top-selling car in the UK, the Vauxhall Corsa has become a household favourite—and why not? Their supermini hatchback is stylish, nippy and economical to run. Neatly finished inside and out with a host of modern technology and features, you’re getting plenty of car for your money and all backed with Vauxhall’s reputation for building cars that go the distance.

Vauxhall’s reliability and reputation

Vauxhall ranked joint 11th place with Mazda out of the 30 car brands in the What Car? Reliability Survey in 2018. Their reliability efficiency score of 94.6% wasn’t too big a jump from top of the tree marque Suzuki, who scored only 3% more at 97.7%.

Recent Vauxhall recalls and reliability issues

Various recalls have been made on Vauxhall models throughout their motoring history. The following are a list of the most recent in the UK and Europe.

30/12/2016 – Vauxhall Meriva (2009–2011)

It is possible that the steel cable for attaching the seatbelt tensioner on the outer side of the seat may suffer fatigue

11/11/2016 – Vauxhall Adam (2014–2015)

Cracks in the steering box’s rack and pinion may lead to breakage and to steering failure

26/03/2016 – Vauxhall Zafira (2005–2014)

The resistor of the heater fan motor may not perform as intended

13/05/2016 – Vauxhall Vivaro (2013–2014)

An incorrectly installed passenger airbag module may increase the risk of injury in the event of an accident

13/05/2016 – Vauxhall Movano (2015)

An oil hose may be incorrectly crimped

06/05/2016 – Vauxhall Mokka (2015–2016)

Water ingress in the electronic brake control module control unit may cause a short-circuit

13/11/2015 – Vauxhall Mokka (2015)

A faulty steering column torque sensor can lead to a loss of steering assistance

All recall information sourced from gov.co.uk data.