Northern Auto Tech - ECU and Blue & Me Repairs

Panda Red exclamation on dash - brake light!

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Panda Red exclamation on dash - brake light!

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ShivaYash

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Dec 21, 2010
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Hello chaps,

Newbie alert.

My mum's 2007 car is playing up. She called the AA and the 'man' topped up the brake fluid and said drive no more than 1 mile!

Its now at my usual garage, I drive a 1994 Mercedes-Benz, and no barely anything about the Panda.

I suspect it needs new pads. Does the Panda 2007 have discs all round? What brand is OEM for pads? If the discs need doing, I think the car has covered about 65k, who is OEM for them?

Could it be anything else?

Any North London garages recommended? Should a car like this go to a specialist?

Thanking you in advance!
 
ShivaYash said:
Hello chaps,

Newbie alert.

My mum's 2007 car is playing up. She called the AA and the 'man' topped up the brake fluid and said drive no more than 1 mile!

Its now at my usual garage, I drive a 1994 Mercedes-Benz, and no barely anything about the Panda.

I suspect it needs new pads. Does the Panda 2007 have discs all round? What brand is OEM for pads? If the discs need doing, I think the car has covered about 65k, who is OEM for them?

Could it be anything else?

Any North London garages recommended? Should a car like this go to a specialist?

Thanking you in advance!
Click to expand...

Discs on front drums on rear. The drums will last a long long time. I suspect you need pads and probably discs if theyve been run too low. The fluid was probably 'low' because the pads were so thin.

They're simple anyway take it to any garage you trust it'll take them 30 minutes. The usual brands are brembo ferrodo Bosch etc depending on where you go. They'll probably offer you a unbranded or branded choice. If you go to fiat they'll stick whatever fiat use on.

Best of luck
 
I'm wondering if the AA man thought there was a leak in the brake system to cause it to lose brake fluid? You'll probably need new discs and pads. If you don't know when the brake fluid was last changed, you could get that done too as it will go off over time. While you're at it, you might as well get the rear drums checked out too. Make sure there's no leaks in them. I had a leak at around 82K miles on mine which caused a delamination and brake failure.
 
When the AA said drive it no more than one mile, did anyone not think to ask why?

The warning light appears to be the braking system warning light.
The most common reason is due to low fluid in the reservoir, and can tend to start "swinging" and activating the warning light when cornering at first as the low fluid starts sloshing around in there, then light all the time once the fluid has dropped low enough.

As mentioned, this could be due to pad/disc wear or a leak in the system, but leaks quite often give other symptoms like a spongy feel to the pedal and difficulty in pulling the car up without pumping the brakes like mad.

Places like Kwik Fit and National offer free brake checks, and can be of use to those of limited knowledge as they can offer services like "brakes for life".
So you pay once (usually cost a bit more) but anytime in the future they need replacing, they do it for free.

Though a competent garage should have little problems diagnosing and repairing the braking system.

Most branded brakes available via the usual suppliers would surfice, brands like Pagid, Bosch, Textar, ATE all make OEM parts for various manufacturers.

I would also suggest it your mum's car might be due a proper service if the brakes/fluid have got so low as to light the warning light and limit it's use to a mile!
 
Last edited:
... Or possibly the AA man concluded that pad wear was severe (which would also cause a drop in brake fluid level over time) - hence his suggestion. If he had found that brake fluid had been leaking, he would not have suggested driving the car any further.
The AA are very aware - and trained - regarding their liability in such circumstances.
 
Last edited:
Hello, all comments have been duly noted.

My garage, a Mercedes-Benz and BMW specialist relieved my mother of
£183 today and changed both rear cylinders, using TWG parts, I've never heard of them. He also bled the system and I suspect, renewed the brake fluid.

I think there was some adjustment also done to the rear shoes and handbrake, I'll inspect the invoice tomorrow.

Seems a little steep, but I am not sure what exactly was done.

Also, I was a little put out with the parts, I usually prefer to buy my own parts, as then any guarantee lies with ME and not the garage. I would have preferred BREMBO parts too.

I'll post again tomorrow with the details.

With best,
SY
 
Last edited:
ShivaYash said:
Hello, all comments have been duly noted.

My garage, a Mercedes-Benz and BMW specialist received my mother of
£183 today and changed both rear cylinders, using TWG parts, I've never heard of them. He also bled the system and I suspect, renewed the brake fluid.

I think there was some adjustment also done to the rear shoes and handbrake, I'll inspect the invoice tomorrow.

Seems a little steep, but I am not sure what exactly was done.

Also, I was a little put out with the parts, I usually prefer to buy my own parts, as then any guarantee lies with ME and not the garage. I would have preferred BREMBO parts too.

I'll post again tomorrow with the details.

With best,
SY
Click to expand...


It sounds ok Mercedes won't mess around. For the brand I'm sure its fine. I can't see how the shoes weren't contaminated though. its probably ok though if they think though as I'm sure they would have liked to sell you more if needed.
 
Thanks, its wasn't MB main dealer - just an independent garage.

daveofkent said:
It sounds ok Mercedes won't mess around. For the brand I'm sure its fine. I can't see how the shoes weren't contaminated though. its probably ok though if they think though as I'm sure they would have liked to sell you more if needed.
Click to expand...
 
Personally if it was me, I'd have changed the brake shoe linings too. It sounds like there was a bit of a leakage into the rear drum so I'd be concerned about contamination.
 
Evening chaps,

Finally got round to my mum's place and checked the car. The Mercedes indy did the following

Work carried out:
Remove rear wheel cylinders
Cleaned and adjusted rear brake shoes
Bled brake system

Labour: 1.5 hours @ £70 per hour = £105
Remove and install new rear wheel cylinders
Clean rear brake shoes
Bleed brake system

Parts:
Rear wheel cylinder, TWG branded at £14.40 each (x 2) = £28.80
Brake flue £8.50
Brake cleaner £10

Parts costed £47.30 + labour of £105, plus 20% to the VAT man = £182.76

Ripped off?

On another note, the car then went for a full service to Fiat and Alfa specialist in Barnet called Veloces. I'd never heard of them, but then again, I am not really a Fiat or Alfa man.

The service was excellent, a chap came to collect the car and it was back here within 2 hours! Total cost £156.70.

This is what they did:

Air filter @ £11.25
Spark plugs @ £24.30
Oil filter @ £5.88
Environmental levy @ £5.56
Sundries @ £5
Selena oil @ £23.96

Parts total: £55.58 and 1 hour's labour @ £75.

They called this a full service, but looking at it now, this is not a full service. I just drove the car and they even though they did a test drive, presumably driving it to and from the house, they didn't think to change the windscreen wipes, front and rear!

Am I being too fussy here?

With best,
 
ShivaYash said:
Evening chaps,

Finally got round to my mum's place and checked the car. The Mercedes indy did the following

Work carried out:
Remove rear wheel cylinders
Cleaned and adjusted rear brake shoes
Bled brake system

Labour: 1.5 hours @ £70 per hour = £105
Remove and install new rear wheel cylinders
Clean rear brake shoes
Bleed brake system

Parts:
Rear wheel cylinder, TWG branded at £14.40 each (x 2) = £28.80
Brake flue £8.50
Brake cleaner £10

Parts costed £47.30 + labour of £105, plus 20% to the VAT man = £182.76

Ripped off?

On another note, the car then went for a full service to Fiat and Alfa specialist in Barnet called Veloces. I'd never heard of them, but then again, I am not really a Fiat or Alfa man.

The service was excellent, a chap came to collect the car and it was back here within 2 hours! Total cost £156.70.

This is what they did:

Air filter @ £11.25
Spark plugs @ £24.30
Oil filter @ £5.88
Environmental levy @ £5.56
Sundries @ £5
Selena oil @ £23.96

Parts total: £55.58 and 1 hour's labour @ £75.

They called this a full service, but looking at it now, this is not a full service. I just drove the car and they even though they did a test drive, presumably driving it to and from the house, they didn't think to change the windscreen wipes, front and rear!

Am I being too fussy here?

With best,
Click to expand...
I too would have expected new linings if there was actually a leak

As for the service this is the problem with the term"full service" . Unless you take it to a stealership who will carry out the service in line with the owners manual/service schedule you dont know what they are going to do unless you ask / reach an agreement . Thats why instead of taking the car to my garage to get "serviced" I take it and ask them specifically what I want doing I.e.just had my panda done and it needed the coolant replacing and the oil and filter changed and a check of the exhaust brakes and suspension . I change air filter ,spark plugs and leads myself because its easy enough . That way you always know what they are going to have done when you get the car back .

Anyway I digress . Wiper blades are an easy enough job , or if you cant get round and your mother cant do it tell her to go to halfords and they will fit them for a small charge and even they couldn't mess that up .
 
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