Nct re-inspection fail

Ardent

Car failed test due to corroded brake pipes. Had the pipes replaced and booked the car in for the re-inspection of the pipes and braking.

Car just failed again - this time parking brake imbalance of 80%. They tell me it's due to the work mechanic carried out.

Am I right in thinking these are separate issues? Hand brake is operated by cable right?

Car is a BMW E60 523i.

Thanks!

CiniO

They are right.
After a fail on braking system they retested it and discovered too much imbalance on handbrake. That's why it failed.
Indeed most likely hand brake is operated by cable but is still part of braking system

rebel.ranter

Yep, handbrake cable on an e60. It's a simple thing to adjust so poor enough on the mechanic[s part. You just need to release the tension under the handbrake lever itself, two screwdrivers needed here to press back spring and engage the little lock tab. Then remove the rear wheels (or just one wheel bolt if you're really good), and use a screwdriver to flick the little star wheel inside the drum centre on the rear discs to push the handbrake shoes out until they lock the disc from spinning. Then ease it off, do the same on the other side. Refit the wheels and you're done. Load on videos and how tos out there.

Stoolbend

Mechanic shouldn't need to touch parking brake mechanism to replace corroded pipes.

What were the parking brake readings in the first test?

porsche boy

CiniO wrote:

They are right.

No CiniO, They are wrong. Replacing the brake pipes will have zero affect on the handbrake as it operated by cable, not hydrolically. There is a possibility one of the cables is seized.

CiniO

porsche boy wrote: »

No CiniO, They are wrong. Replacing the brake pipes will have zero affect on the handbrake as it operated by cable, not hydrolically. There is a possibility one of the cables is seized.

No porsche boy, they are right.

I was answering if Nct were right to include handbreak test during retest, and they absolutely were.

Fact that handbrake is operated by cable and has nothing to do with brake fluid pipes is irrelevant.
Both are part of braking system.

Ardent

Stoolbend wrote: »

Mechanic shouldn't need to touch parking brake mechanism to replace corroded pipes.

What were the parking brake readings in the first test?

46%. Anything under 50 is a pass. 3 weeks later mine somehow became 80%.

So annoyed.

rex-x

To be honest they were very bad to begin with and its not beyond the realm of possibility that something has completely seized or given up the ghost in those 3 weeks. No work the mechanic has done should have affected the parking brake results

kilianmanning

Handbrake results should have been checked from the first nct sheet.

Ardent

Didn't realise there was an issue with the handbrake. It passed first time around and there was no advisory on it.

JohnBoy26

rebel.ranter wrote: »

Yep, handbrake cable on an e60. It's a simple thing to adjust so poor enough on the mechanic[s part. You just need to release the tension under the handbrake lever itself, two screwdrivers needed here to press back spring and engage the little lock tab. Then remove the rear wheels (or just one wheel bolt if you're really good), and use a screwdriver to flick the little star wheel inside the drum centre on the rear discs to push the handbrake shoes out until they lock the disc from spinning. Then ease it off, do the same on the other side. Refit the wheels and you're done. Load on videos and how tos out there.

How is that, when it was not an issue flagged in the original nct and wasn't a job that the mechanic was tasked to do?

rex-x

Also at 80% imbalance it's not an adjustment issue, something has broken/seized

Ardent

My mechanic looked at the car this morning. The handbrake shoes on one side have disintegrated. So that explains that.

The other side is starting to crack as well. It seems this is a common complaint on these cars with a bit of mileage on them.

Need to somehow to get them replaced before a full re-test kicks in.

Thanks all for your help.

jca

That was unlucky. I think the problem stems from the handbrake test being done on the rolling road causes them to disintegrate, the shoes are rarely used on a rotating wheel in normal day to day use. No harm that it was spotted stop you getting a locked wheel in a car park somewhere.

khaldrogo

CiniO wrote:

I was answering if Nct were right to include handbreak test during retest, and they absolutely were.

But that's not the question the OP asked so therefore you are wrong.

khaldrogo

Ardent wrote:

Car failed test due to corroded brake pipes. Had the pipes replaced and booked the car in for the re-inspection of the pipes and braking.

Ardent wrote:

Car just failed again - this time parking brake imbalance of 80%. They tell me it's due to the work mechanic carried out.

Ardent wrote:

Am I right in thinking these are separate issues? Hand brake is operated by cable right?

Once a tester notices any fault with the brakes, in this case corroded pipes the rest of the brake test is not carried out. Any results that may appear on the NCT fail sheet should NOT be used as a guide for how the brakes are. Had the pipes been fine it would have failed on the hand brake issue

barneygumble99

khaldrogo wrote: »

Once a tester notices any fault with the brakes, in this case corroded pipes the rest of the brake test is not carried out. Any results that may appear on the NCT fail sheet should NOT be used as a guide for how the brakes are. Had the pipes been fine it would have failed on the hand brake issue

This is wrong. The brake test is fully completed before lift inspection is carried out whee he corroded brake pipes were noticed.
Had the pipes been fine it would not have failed on the hand brake issue.

khaldrogo

barneygumble99 wrote:

This is wrong. The brake test is fully completed before lift inspection is carried out whee he corroded brake pipes were noticed. Had the pipes been fine it would not have failed on the hand brake issue.

The brake test will say NA in the scenario where the brake pipe fails. Any section that says NA should not be taken as correct where a retest is due.

rex-x

khaldrogo wrote: »

The brake test will say NA in the scenario where the brake pipe fails. Any section that says NA should not be taken as correct where a retest is due.

Thats not how it works, all brake results are valid and accurate even if the car fails on a brake pipe. The brake test is done BEFORE the visual inspection is.

khaldrogo

rex-x wrote:

Thats not how it works, all brake results are valid and accurate even if the car fails on a brake pipe. The brake test is done BEFORE the visual inspection is.

I have seen it many times where the car does its retest and the values are not the same on parts untouched since the first test. I would not assume the brakes are good based off the first test and its an easy money generator for the nct.

barneygumble99

khaldrogo wrote: »

I have seen it many times where the car does its retest and the values are not the same on parts untouched since the first test. I would not assume the brakes are good based off the first test and its an easy money generator for the nct.

A brake test only has to have values good enough to pass. It doesn't mean that the maximum brake force is reached every time a brake test is carried out, just the readings are good enough to pass therefore no need to keep on pressurising the braking system.

iamtony

The handbrake test can also vary based on the strength and will to get it to pass on behalf of the tester. It may not be the case here but that's from the horses mouth.