Hey everyone, 

New to this forum!

I

've been a little unsatisfied with my cars braking lately. My car is always serviced and kept on top of. It passed it's MOT today, thankfully, with no advisories. 

 

I didn't think to ask the tester to explain the results of the brake test, though. I looked at the results and noticed a reference to 62 percent brake efficiency. Would this be with maximum brake pedal force applied? If so, I am somewhat concerned as I thought brake efficiency for newish cars must be at a minimum of 58 percent. If this is the case, would this mean my car is only just meeting the bare requirements? 

 

If there are any MOT testers on here, I suppose all I hope to understand is whether my brakes are any good or should I be looking at having them inspected further? 

 

I've attached the results for reference. 

 

- Martin 

Welcome.

Someone will be along to help hopefully.

 

How many miles has your car done and is it the first MOT?

At services what have you paid to have done to your brakes?

Have the wheels ever been off the car,

the brakes serviced / stripped, cleaned, greased. the brake fluid tested for H20 or the brake fluid changed? 

Or is it just an inspection that has been done?

 

 

Edited 6 July, 20223 yr by roottoot

17 minutes ago, roottoot said:

Welcome.

Someone will be along to help hopefully.

 

How many miles has your car done and is it the first MOT?

At services what have you paid to have done to your brakes?

Have the wheels ever been off the car,

the brakes serviced / stripped, cleaned, greased. the brake fluid tested for H20 or the brake fluid changed? 

Or is it just an inspection that has been done?

 

 

Hey, 

Thank you for your reply. 

The car is a 2016 and on 32 thousand miles. At services I have had regular oil and filter changes every 5 thousand miles and often take my car to the garage whenever something appears to need doing. I'm not frugal in the least. The brake discs and pads have been on there a year and the garage changed the fluid at the same time. I've taken my time looking around my car and I've not seen anything untoward. 

 

I recently removed the calipers to clean them of dirt and to also remove dirt off of the pads (squeaking in the hot weather they were). My braking grievance was here before me removing the wheels to clean them. Besides this the calipers and braking system have not been serviced or greased. I was tempted to perhaps have my calipers refurbished but all around me the garages don't seem to want to touch calipers and prefer to replace them. 

22 minutes ago, roottoot said:

Welcome.

Someone will be along to help hopefully.

 

How many miles has your car done and is it the first MOT?

At services what have you paid to have done to your brakes?

Have the wheels ever been off the car,

the brakes serviced / stripped, cleaned, greased. the brake fluid tested for H20 or the brake fluid changed? 

Or is it just an inspection that has been done?

 

 

The garage also scantooled my car the other day when I went there with my concerns. They said they brakes "appear fine". But I'd be curious to see what the results of this test means 

Can you not go back and ask the tester, and was that at a MOT test station or at the dealership?

 

Have you been OK with how the brakes have been for how you use them or has the performance of the braking been reducing?

 

Appearance is one thing as far as the dealership goes, and passing the MOT is another.

Was the Master Tech happy enough with the braking when they road tested the car?

 

What discs and pads went on last year were they main dealer supplied?

 

I have had brand new Automatics over the years with pathetic brakes from new and that when on brake testers and were pathetic but would have passed a MOT. 

 

11 minutes ago, roottoot said:

Can you not go back and ask the tester, and was that at a MOT test station or at the dealership?

 

Have you been OK with how the brakes have been for how you use them or has the performance of the braking been reducing?

 

Appearance is one thing as far as the dealership goes, and passing the MOT is another.

Was the Master Tech happy enough with the braking when they road tested the car?

 

What discs and pads went on last year were they main dealer supplied?

 

I have had brand new Automatics over the years with pathetic brakes from new and that when on brake testers and were pathetic but would have passed a MOT. 

 

I had the MOt done at a garage local to me. This garage has a contract with the local police force and service all of the police cars and vans in the local area.

 

I've been okay with the brakes since the test. And nobody made any mention of the brakes during or after the cars MOT. And when I queried some weeks ago my concerns with the brakes, the garage expressed they were happy and unconcerned with the braking based on their testing of it. 

 

If I'm honest, I'm unsure as to what brand they put on my vehicle; it was this garage that did the discs and pads last year. They have a contract with a supplier that I've forgotten the name of. Whilst I doubt they'd use subpar products I likewise doubt the parts used were any brand of significance. 

 

The only reason I'm querying the MOT results is for reassurance primarily. I wouldn't be happy if my brakes are only just above the legal requirements as to me that would indicate a developing issue. 

 

Hopefully someone on the forum has experience with deciphering the results I've attached. I understand the acronyms based on what I've read online. However, I'm unfamiliar with what it means all the same. 

Possibly low miles and gentle use is the issue.  

 

Maybe it was TPS for the parts supplier, that is the VW Group one. 

I don't know about the percentages, I've never seen such a print out perhaps it's a matter of course for Police vehicles and the garage is just in the habit.

 

3 hours ago, roottoot said:

Possibly low miles and gentle use is the issue.  

I was wondering that for brakes and tyres with tyres being an important component of of brakes, steering, suspension and handling and ride comfort and noise.

 

With one year old discs and pads (front only I assume) I would expect reasonable braking, subject to mileage and condition of the rest of the braking system and tyres.  I note 62% seems to relate to pedal efficiency(?), the MoT has -  

"M1 vehicles [passenger cars] having a service brake operating on at least 4 wheels and which were first used: - on or after 1 September 2010 - 58%"

which maybe a different thing, but I don't know.

I believe the pass/fail point is 58% efficiency, but the tester might well have not nailed the brakes as hard as possible. As long as it goes green and they've still got braking power in reserve, a lot of testers won't see a lot of point in making the car jump about on the rollers. 

 

Brake efficiency is the braking effort divided by the vehicle weight, as a percentage.

12 hours ago, StevesTruck said:

I believe the pass/fail point is 58% efficiency, but the tester might well have not nailed the brakes as hard as possible. As long as it goes green and they've still got braking power in reserve, a lot of testers won't see a lot of point in making the car jump about on the rollers. 

 

Brake efficiency is the braking effort divided by the vehicle weight, as a percentage.

I didn't consider the point you've noted. That perhaps they didn't slam the brakes and only applied until efficiency was met. That's plausible and worth considering.