I’m pretty sure I’ve got a problem with my brakes, but I don’t want to go to go into a repair place without a reasonable understanding of what might be wrong. I drive a 1997 Ford Aerostar with 115,400 miles on it. The symptoms:[ul][li]whole vehicle vibration when brakes applied between 30-45MPH[/li][li]squeeking when braking at lower speed[/li][li]no vibrating when braking under 30 or over 50 MPH[/ul]I’m probably due for new brake pads. I’m guessing the vibrations come from a warped rotor or two. I have no problems stopping - so far.[/li]
So, what’s wrong with my car?
What can I expect it to cost to fix?
Would it be better to take this to the dealer or a tire-and-brake shop or some place else?
Do one of you want to come over to my house and fix my car? I’ll make you lunch!
OK, seriously, help me prevent auto repair ripoff. Educate me. Thanks.
It is my humble opinion that you have a warped rotor or two.
Replacing the rotors and pads should be less than $100, in parts only. Add labor, (probably 2 hours at $50 per hour) and your up to $200. Of course they will always find something else that “needs” to be fixed too. Take it to a nearby brake and muffler shop for the work. It will be much cheaper than the dealer.
I`d come over and do it myself but I live 1,900 miles away, sorry.
About the rip-off part, if they find “other” problems, still have the rotors and pads replaced but get a quote for the “other stuff”. That way you have it in writting and you can safely drive the car to another shop to have it looked at if you are skeptical. If it`s something minor let them fix it as long as they have it up in the air and half apart already.
Is this a metal on metal sound? Cause the front pads have little metal thingys in them that let you know its time to change the pads. naturally, I can’t hear that myself, but perfect strangers come up to me & tell me they hear that…sigh. Even then when I looked at them it appeared they had another 5000 miles of pad on them.
IMHO sounds like warped rotors. You should probably change the pads, too, while they’ve got it apart.
At your mileage, I would replace the rotors rather than have them turned which most likely isn’y even an option.
Prices vary widely by location. Statistically (if you had this procedure performed 50 times) you’d do best taking your vehicle to a highly recommended independent garage. Dealer would be more expensive and lower overall satisfaction. The muffler/brake chains average last. Of course, the satisfaction of your individual transaction is impossible to predict, so YMMV.
In Chicagoland, a new domestic rotor costs around $100 and a set of pads $50/ wheel. Labor on dometic vehicles varies from free - $125/hr, but oftentimes brakes are sold as a “package” and not itemised.
While I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of rotor warpage, what you describe does not fit the typical symptom pattern.
With warped rotors, there is normally pedal pulsation, and steering wheel shimmy if it’s front rotors. It normally gets worse with higher speed–I don’t recall a case of the symptom vanishing over a certain speed.
I think it would be wise to inspect not only the brakes, but steering and suspension parts.
It might be helpful to try applying the parking brake in that 30-45 mph range. If the symptom occurs, the problem is likely in the rear brakes (warped rotors or out-of-round drums) or suspension. If it does not occur, the problem is likely in the front.
Brake squeak has several possible causes, some benign and some potentially serious. It’s wise to inspect the brakes when a new noise comes along, but the squeaking by itself, without other information, is pretty useless for diagnosis.
I agree with Lorenzo about finding a good quality independent shop. It’s easier and more productive to seek out a good shop than to try to arm yourself to counteract the pitfalls of a poor shop. Ask around, not just of friends and coworkers but also sources in the trade. Find some parts stores that cater to the pros (like Carquest or Napa, not Autozone), see if you can catch a tool dealer (Snap-On, Mac, etc.) on his route, check trade associations (ASA, ASP, etc.).
With all respect to beegirl 13, anyone crafty enough to charge for work that wasn’t actually done is usually crafty enough to have old parts from someone else’s vehicle available to give you. If you don’t really trust them, don’t do business with them–at all.
No mechanics in the family? hmmm… wish I could come over, sounds to me like you’ve gotten pretty good advice. The work’s not that hard either.
My vote’s on rotors and brakes. Maybe some front end work, alignments are usually inexpensive and a reputable shop will usually give a free estimate and if it’s not that. They will often look at your brakes to be sure.
That’s the difference between a rotor for a front wheel drive vehicle and a rear wheel drive vehicle. On a RWD car, the front hubs, races, and ABS sensor rings are often integrated into the brake rotor. FWD rotors are normally nothing but bolt-on discs, flat, with holes for the wheel studs.
Even so, www.napaonline.com lists rotors for that Aerostar for about $36. Not too shabby.
Yoiks, can’t believe I forgot I started this thread…
I just had the front end checked a couple of weeks ago - the guy said everything looked good, so I’m pretty sure that’s not an issue. I had no intention of going to Midas - I’ve heard too many horror stories about them over the years. But I don’t have a “garage guy” - I’ve been taking the vehicle to a shop owned by but operated separately from a Ford dealer. They’ve done good work, but I expect they may be on the expensive side.
t-keela, my husband used to work on cars all the time in his youth, but in his old age, he’d rather write a check. My auto mechanic skills are limited to changing tires and light bulbs, with the occasional fuse tossed in.
I appreciate all the responses - I’m flying out of town tomorrow, but when I return, my van goes to a shop - that gives me a week to decide.
