I had my car MOT'd in February, it failed on the exhaust and a rear suspension coil. Got it sorted and then it passded the re-test. Last week when I was breaking I heard a grinding noise coming from the back of my car, when I check it out the brake pads where completely run down and metal was grinding on metal, the pads on the other rearside where also in the same condition. Should I make a complaint about the garage that passed the MOT with the brakes being in such bad condition?

Unfortuantly the MOT is only really valid on the day of test

Had this happened a week or so after the test, maybe, but a couple of months....???

Have you checked for sticky rear brakes - that would wear down your pads, and they may not have been sticking at the time of the test.

I wouldn't complain, id visit the garage and ask them to replace the discs and pads for free otherwise you'll be "forced" to report the garage for the mot:) They might do it, to save getting in trouble

TBH they are a service item, and Id be surprised if they cost more than £50 in parts to replace. Had they pointed then out, you would only have had to spend the money at MOT time.

Its also impossible to prove the milage between MOTs - you could have changed clocks etc....

As I said, days after the test maybe, after this sort of time there really isnt any comeback.

have a look at how mmany miles youve done since the MOT,that way youve got more of a case if youve hardly done any!!

Blackmail could result in a smack, wrong way around things pal.



The guy has no case, the brakes would have been working sufficiently on the day of test hence why it passed, he has even admitted "only just" noticing the grinding noise.
General wear and tear, there is no case, topic over.

The car has done a maximum of 200 miles since February as it is not a primary vechile as I drive a van for work. The legal limit i've read is 1.5mm and there is no issues with the calipers. Surley you can not loose 1.5mm thickness from break pads in a month and a half with such little useage?

The problem is that you can't prove any of this, and as STE says, the MOT is only "valid" at the time it was done, once you drive down the road you have no comeback, except maybe in areas of clearly visible rust/holes in places covered by the MOT that they should have seen.

They could quite easily say that as the car has been "stood" the brake pads have bonded to the discs and were ruined when you used it again.

An MOT isn't a service, and it shouldn't be the only time your car gets checked over each year.

Your brake pads are worn out, you know it, they need replacing, it's not a major job, and if you intend to keep the car both Kwik Fit and Halfords do a buy them once replace for free forever deal.

The MOT doesn't check the thickness of your brake pads (especially if you have wheel trims on, they're not allowed to remove them), but again, there are places that will measure them all up for you for free. The MOT just checks on the rolling road that you brakes work within set limits, and these will be stored on the MOT computer so easily checked back on.

I don't think you're going to get anywhere with this unless the garage want to make a goodwill gesture, but this is unlikely after all this time.

As previously said the MOT refers to the condition of the car at the time of the test and nothing else. You say the minimum is 1.5mm and in 200 miles you may well go from above that limit to below,depends so much on how hard braking is done. Sorry but you would stand no chance of winning any discussion and of course had they failed the car that would have been another complaint.Just get the car sorted as mentioned, won't cost the earth and you will be safe and legal.

I've already replaced these at the weekend, I was just after some advice about somthing I thought should have been picked up on. Thanks guys.

if you feel strongly enough then there is a no for you to phone vosa on the actual mot certificate ,to complain !!

although im with everyone else on this mate they are servicable parts and could potentially wear out if they are low over 1-2 days depending on how much of a tailgater/heavy breaker you are mate ...

and iirc isnt it only a fail if they are below 3mm of pad left , meaning they could have been very low anyway but passed due to still having the correct efficiency when doing the brake test ??

although i would have thought you would have got an advisory if so

A car is virtually impossible to fail on brakes especially the rear ones as they are not visable with the wheels on so you can't judge it. As long as the car passes the roller brake test with no noise there is nothing you can do.

Former mechanic/MOT tester.

mis-read the original post, didnt realise it was back in february:/

not really got a leg to stand on, its down to you to have the car serviced, checked over, for maintenance regularily

if you complained they could insist you have your mot done again now

Bad mot lol , buy some brake pads they are cheap enough anyway, its nothing to do with the garage and tbh i think they will lol if you went in to complain

The MOT test only tests the brakes on a rolling road by there stopping power. They DO NOT check the pads for wear at all on the MOT. What they do check is only by visual inspection but if the discs have shown not to have much of a lip or scoring then they will pass. But if they have had the rear wheels off then really they should have had a look to check the pads but again if its not had that problem on the test then they would not need to check as they passed,then i dont think you could complain.

This is true, they can do a visual inspection - normally the discs are visable, but if you have wheel trims / dust covers on the inside of the disc, it can be hard to see the pads. If they can see them, they pass the test, but appear low, they can advise that they are low, but this is only if they can see them, and they are not obligated to advise them.