Civicnoobie

Hows this for maintenance?



Her brakes were squealing and tires were run bald with about 30% tread for the past 3 months. The rotors were actually giving off sparks cause they got so hot, so thats when she finally decided its time to do a brake job.

She, like a lot of people, doesnt maintain her car at all outside of the commonly known oil change.

Car is 11yrs old, a Toyota 4 runner.

- still running the stock trans fluid, powersteering fluid and brake fluid the day she bought it 10yrs ago. Never once changed it. Doesnt even check levels so its probably all dried up now.
- still running the stock air filter
- still running the stock cabin air filter
- still running stock struts, way worn out
- still running stock timing belt, water pump and serpentine belts
- bald tires for 3 months including in the winter (she only has all seasons, doesnt believe in Winters cause her mech told her they make no difference).
- brake pads were literally at 10% like the rotors.
- never had a wheel alignment
- hasnt washed the car in over 4yrs, paint is dull as hell
- her last oil change was in 2010 and still running same oil filter from 2009. She changes the oil filter every second oil change, and oil changes every one or two years (drives 15-20k km, not miles...a year)
- just under 300k km on the car

I dont know how the car still runs, though mind you ive been in her car and hearing it run, it sounds like absolute ****. Sounds like a starving engine bay. Shes pretty much driven the poor thing into the ground from when she bought it. Pedal to the medal 24/7, always hard on the brakes, takes super fast sharp turns, slamming and running over curbs and sidewalks and 6 inch potholes.

But her hubby drives the car now cause she bought a new car couple months ago (08 hyundai Santa Fe) and sad thing is, shes gonna do the exact same thing to that poor car. Except this time its a Hyundai not a Toyota.

MindBomber

Wow, that's actually pretty funny.

MindBomber

Play nice, it's entirely possibly that Civicnoobie has simply benefited from his time on the forum and become more proficient at mechanics.

Seriously, I can't get over the picture.

lowlife9

this is a good thing think of this as a good way to test the quality of these new hyundai's in the real world. get back to us on the hyundai.

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

why do you have her hot brakes?

Shift-E

the reason its still running is simple. Its a toyota. As for the tranny fluid, many people never ever change it, and it doesnt give them problems. Just wanted to say that. Cabin filters are also something that is not needed for maintenance, its just for cleaner air from your vents.

ezone

It's an APPLIANCE.
She is an APPLIANCE USER.

If she can still put gas in it and the car can pull itself under its own power, then all must be great.

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

hate to disagree, but toyota makes cars. Honda did make CARS, at the least until the 6th gen.

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

and tp reinforce my pal comment, until proof on contrary, someone is an "obesessed with APPLIANCE" USER - sorry, could not hold myself anymore again.

04 Honda Civic

iTrader: (2)

- brake pads were literally at 10% like the rotors.

Where do you see 10% left in the rotors? lol

There are no inspections where you live?

04 Honda Civic

iTrader: (2)

What?!

If the car rolls then it should be ok right?

Dont fix it if its not broke.

I generally wait till a small fire starts to change my brakes.

Whats a few sparks anyway.

lswartz

Looks like some sort of ninja throwing blade. She needs to find a mechanic who she can trust to do an annual inspection. More often would be better but I doubt that she would do it.

Thanks for posting an unbelievable picture.

ezone

I know I have seen a rotor go from the first "metal-to-metal" contact, all the way to "OMFG it looks like a fan blade" in less than a week (IDK how many miles or brake applications though).

Kinda like this

Civicnoobie

I dont, my friend did her brakes and was shocked and emailed me that pic.

She maintained it for a bit (has a mech) when she got the car but over time she got careless. Shes like this with all her stuff, ive seen her computer and its a mess.

Shift-E

Toyota Helix. Greatest truck EVER. Indestructible. Toyota knows how to make trucks.

MindBomber

What would cause a brake rotor to turn into... that.... ?

ezone

A loud stereo.

lazlong

Not true. Don't change your filter for a couple of years and there is definite change in air flow when you put in a new one.

MindBomber

I shall resort to google then..

ezone

You were serious?

This is what happens after pads go metal to metal, and the horrendous grinding noise continues to be ignored.
The steel backing plate of the pad wears down the cast iron of the brake rotor.

MindBomber

That's what I thought, but for someone to ignore the screaming sound of metal against metal and the increasingly strange feeling of the brakes for so long...

wow

MindBomber

New Zealand requires cars to undergo a mechanical safety inspection every six months to be insured, this thread makes me almost want the same system in North America..

ezone

This is why I said the loud stereo causes it.

Again with my appliance comments from my earlier post too.

lowlife9

we use to have vehicle inspection in my state a long time ago i remember waiting for hours for them to inspect my moms 1981 civic. i believe some states still have inspection.

04 Honda Civic

iTrader: (2)

NY does.

But somestimes shops want to change **** thats not broken so you can pass inspection. Kinda stupid.

BlueEM2

iTrader: (1)

I don't see what's wrong with those rotors.

lol

lazlong

@ Civicnoobie:

Showed the guys at work that pic and while they all are jaded about the lack of maintenance on most vehicles that pic blew them away. I think the best comment was "That's a lawsuit waiting to happen when it lets go and causes a wreck."

ezone

And who gets sued?
The last person to touch the brakes before they went metal to metal.....

lazlong

The vehicle owner for not properly maintaining the vehicle. The precedent was set decades ago.

BTW: I don't think anybody ever touched those brakes before this.

lswartz

Now this is getting downright scary. We are on the road with vehicles like this, sure hope they aren't in MD. Now you got me wondering, do medical doctors have forums too?