# What happened here... brakes, rotors, calipers? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** brakes\ **Created:** [February 17, 2015, 7:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-happened-here-brakes-rotors-calipers/89063 "2015-02-17T07:07:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hefnera1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/77aa72/32.png) [@Hefnera1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Hefnera1)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 7:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-happened-here-brakes-rotors-calipers/89063/1 "2015-02-17T07:07:11Z")
I took my car to a nearby repair shop. They replaced the rear brake pads and resurfaced the rear rotors. When I left, I felt and heard clunking while driving. Initially I thought it was just stuff rolling around in the trunk. As I drove on, I realized it must be something the shop did. It sounded like metal scraping metal every time the tire rotated and started making terrible sounds when I hit the brakes. I stopped to take a look. It looked like the rotor or something behind it had ripped. Any ideas on what happened here? It’s a 2006 Honda Civic EX. Picture _hopefully_ attached. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 7:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-happened-here-brakes-rotors-calipers/89063/2 "2015-02-17T07:10:29Z")
It looks like someone forgot to install and tighten the top caliper bolt. Tester ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 7:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-happened-here-brakes-rotors-calipers/89063/3 "2015-02-17T07:12:43Z")
I’d call them and have them tow it to their shop to fix it at their cost. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 7:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-happened-here-brakes-rotors-calipers/89063/4 "2015-02-17T07:18:32Z")
They should absolutely fix this at their cost, and by “fix” I mean by replacing the metal shield behind the disc… that’s what’s torn. How the heck hey managed that trick is beyond me. Tester may be right, but it boggles the mind. By the way, thanks sincerely for the great photo. Life would be far easier if everybody provided such great information. Sincere best. ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 7:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-happened-here-brakes-rotors-calipers/89063/5 "2015-02-17T07:27:13Z")
That’s really a bad situation. Towing the car is highly recommended. ---
**Author:** ![SteveC76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@SteveC76](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveC76)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 7:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-happened-here-brakes-rotors-calipers/89063/6 "2015-02-17T07:39:51Z")
Beyond the fact it looks like one of more bolts were left loose and the caliper is jammed into the backing plate, the surface finish on the rotors looks rough. Like was said above have it towed and the shop should repair it at no cost to you. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 8:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-happened-here-brakes-rotors-calipers/89063/7 "2015-02-17T08:26:41Z")
Left the yoke bolts loose or out while reinstalling the rotor and the rotor shield is the only thing keeping it from going full circle…? They owe you a tow, a few parts, and a do-over on their dime. ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2015, 10:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-happened-here-brakes-rotors-calipers/89063/8 "2015-02-17T10:21:22Z")
Ditto to what everyone above has said. ---
**Author:** ![bloody\_knuckles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@bloody\_knuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bloody_knuckles)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2015, 12:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-happened-here-brakes-rotors-calipers/89063/9 "2015-02-18T00:27:01Z")
I would make sure they put that car on a flatbed. Don’t let them tow it with the wheels on the ground. ---
**Author:** ![JayWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e480ec/32.png) [@JayWB](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JayWB)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2015, 10:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-happened-here-brakes-rotors-calipers/89063/10 "2015-02-18T10:31:56Z")
In addition to all else mentioned, I’d demand an explanation for how this wasn’t noticed in the test drive that obviously never happened. That means they worked on your brakes (and obviously screwed that up) then did not check their work.