OK I drop of my car last night around 9pm so I can be the first in line for a regular service. I bought the car used from this particular dealer and Ive been following the maintenence schedule. I wanted the transmission fluid flushed and refilled (car has never had it, Im fast approaching 70k) and I wanted them to check the status of the Knock Sensor.

The ECU tripped the Knock Sensor code in July and after I reset it, it hasnt come on since, but I kept the code in the ECU. I couldnt find much info besides general info on the Knock sensor, but a post I read about losing top end power prompted me to ask at least. My service guy said the Knock Sensor really has no impact on driving at what I called "Highway speeds." I really didnt notice any change since the ECU was tripped so I didnt argue.

Recently I had noticed somewhat of a dragging sensation at highway speeds and awkward braking. I had no idea what the braking problem was since I had replaced the front pads this summer and the rear brakes had been done at 40k. I thought the dragging was do to something else, quite possible the transmission, so I asked them to check that.

Anyway, I get a call around 9am this morning and my service guy says, "Well, the good news is the transmission looks ok." The bad news was that the rear brakes are shot. He said that the pads are badly worn and practically stuck to the rear rotors. He also said that since the parking brake is connected to the rear brake caliper and the parking brake line is also crap, that the rear brakes were constantly in the "On" position.

Too make a long story short, $549.00.

Any thoughts or opinions? What would happen if I decided not to have the work done? Im going back to school tomorrow so I have no time to attempt the work myself and my parents are on me about it so I have no choice.

Wouldnt the fact that the rear brakes being almost engaged all the time affect my acceleration?

Thanks

 

I say you got ripped off for a $25 job you could have done yourself

 

The most major problem I had with my car was a sticking rear brake. I knew it was only one side because I could feel that particular wheel after driving, and it would be very warm. Anyways, I had my mechanic fix it. He basically re-used all the parts and had to do some stuff with the parking brake as well. Total cost came to $350. My car was, and still is great after that job.

So, your rear brake job sounds about right.

DW

 

Should have had a friend knowledgable in autos look at them
550 bucks for rear brakes? Horrible.

 

dude.. i don't mean to be rude.. but you got greased up every which way since sunday.. you got shafted..

i swear i have saved over $3000 last year from being on this site and doing my work myself..

 

No, I totally agree, Ive saved a sh*t load of money too --starter, ignition, front brakes, exhaust, you name it. I just have no time to get the parts and do the work in 20 degree weather plus my parents are on my a*s with the safety thing.

Sorry if the tone of the post came out wrong. It was more of a "b*tch and look for some redemption" post than a "I disrespect the ORG and its posters post." I understand Im getting ripped, ofcourse, this is a dealer, I just didnt address that in the first post.

 

its cool man.. my wallet feels for your wallet

hey.. this weekends forcast looks like this for me..

http://www.weather.com/weather/local/06704

but i will be doing plugs in my car and a sentra we won't go into details about the sentra owner

but them leeches man.. i just can't submit to those leeches..

****ed me off when last year i had a bad O2 sensor and i didn't feel like changing it.. i went ot the dealership.. told the service guy the o2 sensor was bad and i just picked one up from parts.. the guy says.. well he doesn't know if its the o2 sensor.. so he is going to charge me $75 diagnosis charge and then 1 1/2 hours worth of labor..

I said dude.. its a 5 mins job and i know whats wrong.. you don't have to check it.. he is like.. well if you are so smart .. why don't you change it yourself..

5 mins earlier i saw him rip this cutie off so bad.. but her man dropped her off so i was like f*ck her that aint my problem..

so i went home.. bought a 22" Open ended wrench and did my O2 sensor myself.. but yeah.. they are leeches

 

i had the same problem the other morning. I had my e-brake engagged over night when it dropped down to the teens and snowed like 2inches here, and in the morning i dropped the e-brake handle to get going but both rear tires were still locked up for atleast a 1/2 mile. So i was litteraly dragging them behind my car, they finally broke free but the pad was still locked on the rotor. AT every light id look back and smell burnt brake pads and see smoke pouring out of the wheel wells. I drove to my mechanic and he told me it was just the cold weather and to drive it out. So after getting to work i parke my car in a heated shop for the day to let it thaw out. I guess it worked cause my rear brakes are fine now. But to be on the safe side i wanna see what i could do to prevent this from happening again.

Sprint: you said that greasing some stuff could solve the "brake lock" problem? what would i wanna grease up back there?
Since then i dont set my e-brake at night anymore, hehe just incase

 

grease as in they fu#cked him in the as$ with no lubrication..

 

hahaha!

do you have any idea what could cause them to lock up?? besides cold weather?

 

It happens. LOL

They must make a killing on the O2 sensors, they pulled the same sh*t on me and wouldnt let me leave until I got hostile -I ended up getting the o2 sensors from courtesy. I can just imagine what they do to other people.

So Sprint is it a given that this problem is due to the parking brake? I use it an awful lot, guess I wont anymore, especially in the cold.

 

i think and i know i am guilty of this.. some times we disengauge the parking brake.. but we don't totally disengauge it.. its like its at a point where its down.. its still holding.. however its down far enough that the light is off.. one thing i have done is slighty budge the parking brake and you see the light flash.. so i put it up and down again.. plus a have a 5spd so i use it constantly.. when i guess i should be parking in gear plus braking alot doesn't help ither.. since i am always doing 100 mph on the highway and then i get on the brakes alot.. we gotta remember that when you hit the brake pedal.. its not 100 % front brakes.. some of the distribution goes to the rear also

 

Yeah evidence from what I thought was (and my friends thinking Im crazy) my rear brakes engaging first.

So what's the moral? Should all of us Maxima owners learn to use the parking brake sparingly or only when necessary? Or not at all in the cold?

 

I have two stories:

1) Mechanic tried to tell me my O2 sensors were bad, when I got my car inspected. Total BS! I just put new ones in when I got my new Y-pipe. Went in and asked him to explain the situation, he said it was a mistake that it was the other maxima that was in the shop.

But you know if I would have agreed, they would have done no work and still charged me.

2) With my first car during inspection, told my parking brake needed replacing. I knew it didn't cause I just replaced the brakes and I use it all the time. I went in, he put the car on the lift and pulled on the cable from the center of the car.

The cable had slack so he said it was broke. I traced it back to the rear brakes and it was disconnected. I pointed this out, and then he started to blame the mechanic. Well, I ended up getting my inspection for free because of "our misunderstanding"


Well, I've found two places that I'll never go back too. If you do find a good shop, stick with it even if it costs a little more.

 

well.. i wouldn't worry about it.. what i did was.. i bought cheap $15 Autozone pads that are life time warranty.. so that way.. when they wear down.. i break the worn pads and get a new set for free

 

Me and my Cousin in the condo parking lot

 

No more parking brake for me unless Im on a steep hill and there is ice all over the ground --although if that was the case, I probably wouldnt be parking on a steep hill. Just the actual engaging of the parking brake (vigorous pull up until it locked) just seemed all to easy to me -obviously there are some consequences.

Come to think of it, the other night when I was leaving this restaurant in Alexandria I forgot to disengage the parking brake but the car still performed flawlessly. Hmm, well atleast Ill have a parking brake now.

 

we can only watch from now forward