I have a 2yr old 2006 Ford Fusion SEL V6. Last week I started hearing a Grinding noise from my Right rear wheel and notice it got worse when braking. I took the car to local Ford Dealership who wanted to keep car for a day before they could even look at it. So I ended up going to a local Belle Tire shop. I asked to find out what is wrong and an estimate of cost. After an hour they looked at the brakes and told me the R.Rear Rotor was “bad”, the R.Rear pad was worn down causing the grinding. I don’t know much about brakes other than it seemed Way overpriced. They quoted me $101 to replace Both Rear Brake Pads, and $63 to replace the R.Rear Rotor. And $70 for labor. All I wanted was the One brake fixed. Is it normal to Replace both Rear Pads even when the Left Rear is ok? I thought they would just Smooth out the Rotor make it even again but they never even suggested it, only talking about Replacing the whole part. There is no way I can afford $244 for Rear Brake repair.
Pads come in sets (left and right). You CAN’T buy pads just one side.
I’m a little confused on the prices!! $101…was that for the pads + labor…or the pads alone. If pads alone…that seems a little high. But $244 for rear brakes which includes a new rotor sounds like a decent price to me. I’d be very very surprised if the dealer cost is under $500.
As Mike stated, pads are sold in sets and for a good reason. You want them to provide balanced braking across the axle. One new set and one old set on the same axle can lead to problems.
Edit: I should have added- usually, both sides should be wearing evenly. If one side is grinding, the other should be close behind. If not, you have a larger issue like a sticking caliper or wheel cylinder.
Rotors are not faced off/turned much anymore. They are manufactured just above their minimum thickness to reduce unsprung mass. The days of having extra thickness so they can be turned are long gone.
I hate to say it but $244 is a reasonable price in just about any region of the States for a rear axle brake repair. The option is to do the work yourself.
the $101 is for Rear pads (estimate cost, unknown brand) and the $63 is for Rotor (assumed it is a new rotor). the $70 is for Labor.
I called 5 other places to ask for “ball park” estimates and almost all stated $250 is reasonable.
I have one more repair shop my brother-in-law has recommended as he knows a guy etc. Going to have them give it a look.
I understand that the Pads are done in pairs. It makes sense to me, but money is very tight. As I just shelled out a month ago a chunk of change for new tires.
While it’s regrettable you can’t or won’t spend money to repair the car you should consider a few points.
One is that the rear brakes failure could have been caused by a park brake cable; either hanging up or you’re leaving the park brake on a notch or two at times.
Two is that it’s not always possible to machine a brake rotor and make it smooth; and this is especially true of rear rotors which are often thinner than the front ones. Too thin means a potential sudden brake failure, a possible crash, and then the owner of the car who had demanded the rotors be cut too thin will then turn right around and sue the beejeezus out of everyone in town.
Three is that one NEVER performs half of a brake job, which is what you’re wanting them to do. Again, it’s liability issues and the proper repair means doing both sides. The only addendum here is that the shop should replace BOTH rotors; not one.
This means your brake job should cost more.
And a question. You don’t have the money to repair the brakes but yet you’re driving a 2 year old, '06 Fusion? How about getting rid of that and finding an older car to drive since vehicle payments, and other financial obligations, are eating into any normally required maintenance funds.
(And those prices you quoted are very fair)
And a question. You don’t have the money to repair the brakes but yet you’re driving a 2 year old, '06 Fusion? How about getting rid of that and finding an older car to drive since vehicle payments, and other financial obligations, are eating into any normally required maintenance funds.
(And those prices you quoted are very fair)
I have to agree 100%…If this $244 is causing problems…then get a cheaper car.
I can understand the situation. One way to conserve would be to ask them to put in organic pads. They won’t last as long and will have less performance but they will cost less. You could also ask them for the good guy price, perhaps a 10% discount. Times are tough all over and they may be willing to do something to help. Good luck!
Make this a third vote for misplaced priorities. It is nice to be able to drive a new or a nearly new car, but if you can’t afford to repair the brakes properly, then I would suggest that priorities be readjusted and perhaps this includes selling the 2 year old car and buying something cheaper.
Just bear in mind that all cars need brakes, tires, oil changes, etc., but few items are as important to safety as brakes and tires are.
Gee… I came here to ask a question about my grinding brake and find out if the Estimate I got was decent…
I did not come here to be berated for being Frugal.
The Last 3 Ford’s I owned I did NOT have to get NEW brakes after only 2 years.
Its rather Insane to me that Everything In this Society is expected to Be Disposable or Replaced. Whatever happened To Quality?
My 27" CRT TV is pushing 12yrs old now and still works. Why Shouldn’t I expect The Brakes on a 2yr Old Car Lasting Longer than 2 years!?
Goodness… I never expected to get so much Negativity. Very very Sad.
I came to this site because my Father told me about the Radio Show and the Website might help me find some good info.
AND ANOTHER THING, Has anyone Notice the State of the Economy Lately? Not everyone has the Ability to Shell out $200 At the Drop of a hat.
To Everyone who said My Priorities are misaligned… You don’t know ME and Don’t Know my situation. I’ve been laid off for 4 Months and every Dollar that comes Is spent with Purpose. I thought, I could Post a Question and Find out if the Estimates I got were Reasonable.
I know now NOT to come back and Expect a Reasonable Response if the Posters who responded to me are indicative of the standard yahoos on this Board.
Very Very Sad.
On a Last note: I finally took my car to a local Independent auto repair place that my brother-in-law suggested and these guys did their own diagnostic and DID Not pile on the Doom & Gloom that a couple other places pushed on me. these guys actually showed me the rotor explaining to me what was needed and why they were going to do what they were telling me and told me that the other Left rear brake was perfectly fine. so from them they installed a new right rear rotor, and a left and right rear pad, checked the calipers, brake line, brake fluid, and the front brakes as well. their total for me was $220 total. which i gladly paid.
I know now not use this site if I want to get honest & positive answers.
Then don’t accuse the shop of being “way overpriced”. By stating this you’re insinuating that you’re being gouged.
Don’t compare a solid state TV to a 2 ton vehicle being stopped by a few square inches of brake pad material.
As to why the rear brakes are gone, that’s debateable.
If the park brake mechanism/cables are not hanging up then it’s going to be any one of several things.
Driving around with your foot resting on the brake pedal.
Driving around with the park brake partially engaged.
Why not provide some more info. How many miles on the vehicle for one, do a lot of stop/go driving for another, and what about the front brakes in all of this?
As usual, yet more info lacking.
WHY in the world is a brake line being replaced on an 06 vehicle?
If these guys are doing half-brake jobs then good luck. And don’t tell me that they replaced/machined front rotors along with pads as part of that job also.
IMO Ford brakes are one the worse as far as wear. I also thinkn they’re the easiest to work on. 2 years for rear brakes seems a little bit sooner than normal. But in my experience, I have never had Ford brakes last longer than 3 1/2 years - tops ! But as someone said here previously, you got to expect doing maintenance on any vehicle and brakes are no exception.
If the car really needed a new brake line, then there is definitely more to this story.
However, another thought comes to mind. If the bumper-to-bumper warranty is still in effect on this 2 year old car, wouldn’t that warranty cover the brake line, as long as the problem was not as a result of accident damage?
I know that wear items like pads and rotors are never covered, but I believe that a brake line would have been covered by warranty. And, since it is necessary to bleed the brakes in order to do that replacement, that means that the brake fluid would have been covered as well. But, since the OP appears to be in a snit, I guess that we won’t find out if the bumper-to-bumper warranty is still in effect.
That brake line thing really raises a red flag. Even on a northern rust belt car a brake line should not be rotted through on an 06 car.
The OP thinks 244 dollars is “way overpriced” but “gladly pays” 220 dollars. Wow.
Something for consideration; and it’s unlikely that any of us will ever hear the rest of the story as Paul Harvey would say.
Since the fronts are apparently fine and the right rear was metal on metal what about this scenario.
The OP ran over something (curb, critter, spouse, whatever) and the right rear brake line was damaged. This could allow fluid pressure to be retained and would cause premature brake wear in that particular brake assembly.
This could explain why a brake line was needed and only one side was wiped out.
Just a theory. What does anyone else think about this possibility?
ok4450
I like that theory. As we both know, some very important detail is missing here if her 2 year old car really needed to have a brake line replaced, and the scenario that you have suggested certainly does make sense.
However, we will probably never know the actual details because the OP is not likely to return. She did not like the advice that she was given, but since she did not pay for our advice, at least she cannot claim that it was “way overpriced”.
Any chance it is under warranty? You did not say how many miles. We had a plymouth that had 12,000 mile warranty on brakes and pads, at 15,000 the dealer replaced the front rotors and pads because it was so obvious that the rotors were bad from day 1. Badly pitted is what I recall them saying.