hi, I’ve got an 04 focus with a 5 speed. I really like the car but it’s been getting more expensive this past year… Last week I took it in and got the brakes revamped(after they blew out on the turnpike, unrelated) and I also got the right cv axle replaced which had been in the back of my mind for a while. anyways, it’s been about a week and it keeps stalling while I’m on the road, usually I’m slowing down i think. It’s happened like 3-4 times now. its not the end of the world, I have power steering/brakes for long enough to safely stop. I think its only when I’m in gear slowing down(clutch still contacts but braking a little) When i got to work this morning, after it happened again, I smelled this like burning clutch smell from the front right which I usually only smell when my father drives the car .
I guess what I’m wondering is whether or not this is just coincidence? I was under the impression that replacing the CV was fairly straightforward, what could they have done that stalls it out like that? is the stalling even related to the burning smell or could that just be some residual grease thats burning off?
Anyways, I’m probably gonna go back to sears where i got this done either today or tomorrow, I’d just like to be a bit better informed before they start making things up to replace.
thanks, cc
Sears is circling the drain. If they solve your problem I am not trying to be rude but do not go to Sears for vehicle problems again. Find a independent garage and not a chain type.
You might have Auto Zone read for codes before going back. ( some states don’t allow reading of codes).
It sounds like your front right brake is sticking. What parts were replaced in this “revamping”? The next time this happens, carefully feel the wheel to see if it’s much hotter than the one on the other side.
volvo-I know, i usually go to a smaller shop but i was sort of trapped w no brakes. I think they’ve jacked the rates in the past few months too, it wasn’t cheap. If this is their fault though, they should fix it w/o comp. anyways, after this I’m not going back.
lion- That sounds accurate, do hot pads smell like hot clutch? The ‘revamping’ included most of the lines and I think the cylinder/compressor. I’ll have to check the receipt this afternoon. I’ll check the heat of the pads when i get home tonight.
Yup, hot brakes can smell a lot like a hot clutch, the material is similar. I think @lion9car has hit on the problem. Sticking caliper. That sometimes happens even with new (or rebuilt) calipers.
so- it’s definitely the brakes seizing up. that much became abundantly clear on my drive home. It got a lot worse for some reason. per lion9car’s recommendation i checked to see if they were hot. little plot twist- it was the rear right that really seized not the front. I checked the pads and rotors on the front too. the rotors were hot but the pads not so much, i guess that’s normal? is it just that the pressure in the system is a lot higher than before? just to be sure, i jacket up that end and tried to move it around- needed to put a lot of body weight into it to do so.
Anyways- I guess what I’m really wondering is if it’s reasonable to expect sears to foot the bill on this and fix it or if it’s on me for driving it around for a week? The pads and drums shouldn’t be that bad- they were replaced about 5 months ago so i really wouldn’t expect them to be the culprits.
By your post Sears did nothing to the brakes or the rear of vehicle, my feeling is that it is just one of those things that happen. You can ask but I think you are just going to have it fixed.
ok- this morning I took it back to them and had them look at this seized brake. They did fix it for free and I spoke to the actual mechanic(its difficult to do at a place like that…). He said it was like the 1/8" guide or something that had slipped out of place. I guess the thing was just wedged in between the drum and the foot… I don’t really know whats inside the drum to be honest so I couldn’t tell you exactly what part it was. He just said, ‘can’t believe I didn’t see it before.’ kind of hard to blame the guy though, it seemed like he was the only guy working there at the time trying to do a few cars at once.
BUT, the plot thickens… driving it from sears to work I stalled out again. the car is a lot more free now, it rolls along just fine without any drag from the brakes yet still i got this stall. This time though I think i had the clutch in. anyways-I think there’s two different problems I’m chasing. I think most of these stalls were on hills which from some previous reading leads me to suspect the fuel filter?? I’m gonna do some hill testing tonight. Also, gonna get some tools and start doing this stuff myself, that seems to be the only guarantee of quality+price.
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