So this is a little scary... (loose brake caliper)

[yh125d]

***UPDATED 10-2-15***

So yeah this happened again. Rear driver side this time. Didn't bother to take a picture, I knew what it was before I pulled over. Took it back to the dealer this morning, they said they're swamped and probably won't get to it today. Need to keep it over the weekend. Then the guy asked if I needed a shuttle ride or if someone was going to pick me up. I told them I need something to drive if it's going to be the weekend. He got me a rental and they're waiving the fuel.

This is the same dealer that fixed the first one, and they replaced the bolts on all 4 corners at that time. Going to look at my papers tonight to see if that was documented on the work log anywhere.

Oh, and it has like 37036 miles right now or something, so it's into the CPO warranty which means $100 deductible

Thinking about raising hell, or calling Ford.



*********************

(Original)

I had a flat today about a mile from my house. I limped it home to change it in my garage instead of on the cold wet muddy ground. Pulled the wheel off and immediately knew something was wrong

Took a quick look around, and the lower brake caliper bolt is completely missing, and the caliper is turned up (around the other bolt) by a good 1.5" and seems twisted a bit

With the way the rust around the hole looks, it looks to me like this didn't happen today, that it's been like that awhile. Strangely, the rotor looks fine, and I haven't noticed any weird noises or feeling in the brakes. I only lightly tried to push the caliper back down to see if it would just slide in but it didn't move right away

This is the right rear of a 2013 Focus ST with 10k miles. I've never had to do anything warranty related, any advice? I'm about to call my dealer to see what they have to say. I don't have another car and am 30 miles from the one I bought it from (but there's another Ford dealer in town, 1 mile)

 

[LTC8K6]

Hey, they got 1 bolt in, and it's clearly still providing braking...what more do you want?

 

[herm0016]

take it to the dealer. I wonder if there was ever a bolt in there.

 

[LTC8K6]

http://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/track-tests/2013-ford-focus-st-suspension-walkaround.html

In case they need pics of what each corner should look like.

 

[LTC8K6]

Probably need a new rotor now, too.

The wear pattern may be proof that the bolt was never there?

 

[LTC8K6]

http://media.ed.edmunds-media.com/non-make/fe/fe_1017121_600.jpg

Compare.

 

[yh125d]

Technically I bought it CPO at 5k miles, so I doubt it was never there. Then it'd have to pass factory inspection, inspection upon arrival to dealer (if they do that, not sure), inspection upon being sold to the dealer, and the CPO inspection. I could maybe see it getting past one but not many. And with the way the rust looks it probably just loosened and fell out sometime in the last 5k since I bought it

 

[Zorba]

I'd make them show you the pads/rotor run to prove there was no extra wear. I would think the wear on the pads would be uneven, thus needing to be changed. The rotor could be fine, just missing the little lip on the OD.

 

[smackababy]

I'd make them show you the pads/rotor run to prove there was no extra wear. I would think the wear on the pads would be uneven, thus needing to be changed. The rotor could be fine, just missing the little lip on the OD.

I don't think it would have extra wear, simply only wear on part of the pad. You'd still have to replace the pads at the same interval. That is just a guess though, I could easily be wrong. All I know is that the last place I got my brakes done at would be getting a very angry me showing up now.

 

[DaTT]

Check the other corners. Also, call the dealer and have them pick it up for repair.

 

[DaTT]

Also, I highly doubt a bolt was ever in that hole. Seems very unlikely that it would back out on its own. I would even consider calling or e-mailing Ford head office seeing as the car is a year or less old.

 

[yh125d]

Called the dealer, the person I talked to was kind of flabbergasted and is gonna talk to the manager and call me back


They'll probably do it on their own without my prompting, but they definitely will be doing a full brake inspection and replacing anything with damage.

 

[DaTT]

At the very least, you should be getting new rear pads and rotors.

On a somewhat related note, the brakes fell off an Audi I used to own.

 

[yh125d]

Ok, the small dealer a mile from my house doesn't have their service dept open Saturday, so they wouldn't be able to look at it until Monday, and don't have any loaners available

Called the big dealer in town 30 miles away (where I bought it, open all saturday) and they'll either give me a loaner or rental from the onsite enterprise. Ford Roadside will come tow it in free for me, so we'll see where this goes

 

[halik]

I had a flat today about a mile from my house. I limped it home to change it in my garage instead of on the cold wet muddy ground. Pulled the wheel off and immediately knew something was wrong

Took a quick look around, and the lower brake caliper bolt is completely missing, and the caliper is turned up (around the other bolt) by a good 1.5" and seems twisted a bit

With the way the rust around the hole looks, it looks to me like this didn't happen today, that it's been like that awhile. Strangely, the rotor looks fine, and I haven't noticed any weird noises or feeling in the brakes. I only lightly tried to push the caliper back down to see if it would just slide in but it didn't move right away

This is the right rear of a 2013 Focus ST with 10k miles. I've never had to do anything warranty related, any advice? I'm about to call my dealer to see what they have to say. I don't have another car and am 30 miles from the one I bought it from (but there's another Ford dealer in town, 1 mile)

Wow that is incredible that it's a new car. Wonder if they totally forgot to put a bolt there - judging by the wear marks on the rotor, it's probably the case. Crazy QC...

 

[phucheneh]

Look at the rust on steering knuckle where the bolt would go through. That took a little time to build up- the bolt didn't fall out all that recently. I'm betting it was never there.

If it was the bolt for the slide pin, you would notice it immediately. Since the slides are obviously intended to move freely, the caliper would not be locked down at all, and would swing out and smack the wheel, making some ungodly noise. Seen it.

The factory usually tightens the everloving piss out of caliper bracket bolts, though. Some makes, I can never break them loose for the first time using an impact (with quality impact u-joint and short socket- my preferred method of removing and installing those bolts). I have to get out the 3ft breaker bar and really lean on them.

Point being- I think 'missing' is more likely than 'loose.' The way auto plants assemble things usually means that 'loose' is rather impossible, as the bolts are intentionally driven home very positively with a power tool...it's all about limiting the potential for human error. I've fielded a lot of noise complaints that involved loosening and retightening things like subframe bolts (to relieve some unknown stress). But not much that involved a critical bolt simply not being tight.

The reason it took a while for the caliper to swing out is that there was still a lot of clamping force applied by the bolt that was there. Took a few thousand miles of vibration and whatnot for it to loosen up a bit and allow the bracket to move.

edit: I'd try and get free front rotors and pads out of it. Be nice, but make them aware that this is a major fuckup and you're not going to have confidence in them simply jamming a bolt in there and calling it done.

edit2: Oh, I just noticed that is the rear of the car. Didn't notice non-vented rotor. Derp. Cyling the ebrake is what got the bracket moving.

 

[yh125d]

So the tow will be here in about an hour, so I went to put the spare on, and it won't even fit around the caliper! It's not a donut either, it's a 16" spare

 

[phucheneh]

Disengage e-brake and whack the loose end of the caliper in.

The remaining bolt is still tight enough to be holding it in place and/or the pads are clamped because the e-brake is applied.

edit some more: If this was a very gradual occurance, the pads may be thicker where they are hanging off the rotor. It will need 'encouragement' to shave the pad down and get it shoved back into place. They need to give you pads anyway, so eff 'em up if you have to. I'd rather see that than attempted disassembly to retract the caliper piston (not easy without the right tool). Resist any temptation to simply pull the pads...someone will get in the car, instinctively step on the brake, fuck that caliper up, and maybe neglect to replace it.

 

[boomerang]

What's the inside of the wheel look like? In the second pic, the leading outboard edge of the caliper (not the mounting bracket) looks like it's been rubbing against the wheel.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Also, I highly doubt a bolt was ever in that hole. Seems very unlikely that it would back out on its own. I would even consider calling or e-mailing Ford head office seeing as the car is a year or less old.

Those bolts can back off if not torqued properly, and it is extremely unlikely the bolt was missing from day 1.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Doesn't take any time at all for surface rust to start which is all that is.

 

[boomerang]

Those bolts can back off if not torqued properly, and it is extremely unlikely the bolt was missing from day 1.

They've got threadlocking compound on them from the factory.

 

[phucheneh]

They've got threadlocking compound on them from the factory.

Not always. Actually...more like 'almost always not.' Loctite (or similar) is typically for bolts that receive less torque and may be more prone to backing out over time. Caliper bracket bolts are big and get a lot of torque, which generally negates the need for such.

You won't see it on subframe bolts either. Or most A-arm bolts. Ect.

One place under a car where it's common- driveshafts. Bolts for u-joint caps and axle stubs often have it because they have a very important job and lots of stresses, but are not very large.

And on the rust thing- look at the caliper bracket, though. Aluminum does not oxidize very quickly, and the spot that mates up to the iron would've initially been shiny. It didn't start taking on the same dull grey as the rest of the aluminum until it slid out of place. You can see how dull those those threads look, too. That bolt has been gone a while.

 

[exdeath]

Should have taken it to the pros....


Oh you DID?


Well then... Uhm....

 

[shabby]

Class action lawsuit!