MOT Fail - Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i)) how to fix

[jrobinson15]

Hi

My car failed its MOT yesterday on the following issues:

• Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))
• Offside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))
• Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))
• Offside Front Upper Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))
• Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))
• Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))
• Offside Brake pipe excessively corroded Front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

A few of those, I will sort myself. I haven't replaced a ball joint or a dust cover but I will have a go after watching a couple YouTube videos.

The first problem though ( Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))), the guy said this would have to be a troubleshooting job as they won't know what's causing the issue without investigating. Is this something that I could? Maybe the brakes need bleeding or maybe it could be related to the brake pipe corrosion?

Any pointers that you guys may have will be extremely beneficial.

Many thanks for your help

J.

 

[econoboxrocks]

If the brake lines are corroded, that's probably the problem. Your guy is right, though. You'll have to inspect everything to make sure it's fixed right.

 

[Handy Andy]

Lights, yes, better get some new ones - verify the sockets and wires are working so they can see you tooling down the road like you know what you're doing.

Ingress of dirt? Where to they come up with this stuff? Just get a new seal installed - be done with it. Or just replace the ball joint.

They think it's a clap trap - your have other things in mind - you have to convince them it's working and worth keeping together.

Try bleeding the brakes - most of the time it's contaminates and low fluid doesn't hurt to pull the old stuff left in the cylinders at the wheels and offset or displace the older fluid with newer fresher stuff still caught further up the line to help restore their (SIC) confidence in your vehicles brake system.

Have you replaced the brake pads and shoes yet?

Which, if you check the the reservoir and its' low to start, remember that brakes do wear, and those calipers and pistons in the brakes will retract, but a little less retraction each time because some of the brake pad is consumed during the braking action. This adds up in a level of volume that is displaced from the pads, for the fluid still left to use - you lose pads but keep the fluid.

So maybe they see older lines, but if it just needs a brush to loosen dirt and get rid of old tar, road kill and other debris - they can then see the lines are not damaged or cut it should pass.

They might have seen that the older brakes were wearing thin and possibly gouging the rotors - better fix it fast before it gets too expensive to replace or repair what else could fail along with it.

Back to those pads, shoes and The Brake Reservoir -

Every time you apply brakes - some of those shoe and pad material gets used up - that means you lost some "distance" or volume of brake material to use.
Each time, when you release the pressure in the line - the volume of the material used for braking is less, remember the fluid transfers the pressure to the material - the fluid is not used up, the brake material is.

So - that means that not all fluid can return back to the master cylinder - it stays in the line and fills the closed system even back to the pads and shoes themselves. Meaning the pistons and calipers retain some fluid that the pads lost to wear. So the fluid back at the reservoir will drop. You don't need to add fluid, just add back what the pads and shoes -lost. Meaning: Replacing the Pads and Shoes - your' vehicles' Brake Master Cylinder reservoir will have magically refilled with fluid

That equates to a type of conservation of systems one displaces the other, when you change-swap out the old pads and shoes for new, those new pads and shoes will offset in volume, that which the fluid took up to take it place - and the fluid level will return to nearly full (nearly - not exactly) so don't refill, because you can overfill - if you haven't done so already.

Now, you mentioned you have a Z-tec motor, that means it's 'prolly about 10 years old or more - so we're in the USA - Wonderfully, the British are always ahead on certain things Which also equates to age, so I'd look at after trying to bleed the brakes - even change the fluid - if leaks are discovered or otherwise it systems' conditions appears too old to continue service - then a serious investment has to be made in the vehicles' braking system.

Nothing is foolproof and lasts forever at the same time.

 

[scotman]

It looks like basic maintenance issues that any average ten year old car might have. Brakes, lower ball joints or new control arms, front anti sway bar end links, some bulb replacements. And the possibility of needing a brake line or two replaced.
I think the "service brake" issue is what we call the emergency hand brake or parking brake. So, that would need to be adjusted after the brake service anyways.
If it were my Fiesta, I would be very critical of the shock and strut condition given the age of the car and the worn end links and ball joints.
Probably not going overboard with new front wheel bearings either! It's going to be taken apart for ball joints anyways.
That Fiesta will drive like a new car without spending much money.

 

[Handy Andy]

In a nutshell..

That Fiesta will drive like a new car without spending much money.

I agree!
+1