Laptop to change brake pads?

[RonA]

As well as my own vehicles, I look after my daughters run abouts hopefully saving them & me money in the process. I've been fixing cars for over 51 years but things are getting out of hand. When ECU's became more common I bought a code reader/resetter costing £220.
My daughters now both have insignias with electronic handbrake knowing nothing of these a quick read up on the net suggests you need a laptop to replace the handbrake pads.
Does each car manafacturer have a man whose sole job is think of things to include on their cars to screw even more money out of their customers.
RonA

 

[ajlelectronics]

It's all part of the push to exclude independants from being able to do them. The "breach of trust" action forced manufacturers to give details and parts etc, so they responded by making everything reliant on software. Now they are insisting that an update is needed after every service etc and of course they are obliged to make the software available. However, they charge so much for the software that it makes it uneconomic to handle. So the main stealers get away with it again.

 

[Fazerruss]

You can buy handbrake release plug in tools ( like the small code readers) rather than using a laptop.
I've also heard its possible to get around this problem by leaving the engine running so the hand brake is released while changing the pads at the same time.
Tools required: a long hose to extend the exhaust out of the workshop

 

[AndyStobbs]

You're daughters didn't have to buy Insignia's.

Its the consumers fault, not the manufacturer. If nobody wanted the gadgets and they couldn't sell the cars because of it, the gadgets would soon be in the bin.

 

[RonA]

You're daughters didn't have to buy Insignia's.

Its the consumers fault, not the manufacturer. If nobody wanted the gadgets and they couldn't sell the cars because of it, the gadgets would soon be in the bin.

From what I've seen of the modern cars (of whatever make) it seems to an almost universal fitment, heralded as the "future".
Ron

 

[ajlelectronics]

Not only that, how is the proverbial "Mrs Jones" supposed to know any different so to be able to make an informed choice? The colour and number of doors is likely to be the main areas of interest.

 

[Rudi McAnichal]

Its the consumers fault, not the manufacturer. If nobody wanted the gadgets and they couldn't sell the cars because of it, the gadgets would soon be in the bin.

How many consumers actually want an electric handbrake rather than a mechanical one? To date, I have not met anybody who said they did.

I am ignorant about the technology, so please educate me. If an electric handbrake goes wrong, does it lock “on” leaving the car immobile, or does it remain “off” so that you cannot safely park on a slope or change a wheel?
Is there any sort of manual over-ride control?
In the event of an electrical failure, can the car be towed home?

 

[AndyStobbs]

How many consumers actually want an electric handbrake rather than a mechanical one? To date, I have not met anybody who said they did.

I am ignorant about the technology, so please educate me. If an electric handbrake goes wrong, does it lock “on” leaving the car immobile, or does it remain “off” so that you cannot safely park on a slope or change a wheel?
Is there any sort of manual over-ride control?
In the event of an electrical failure, can the car be towed home?

Yeah, they put the back wheels on the spec lift!

ajelectronics:
It is upto the customer to do the research. You wouldn't buy a listed building if you wanted to put a 3 storey extension on it.

RonA:

Still plenty of cars out there with manual brakes.

 

[T0rnado69]

I've also heard its possible to get around this problem by leaving the engine running so the hand brake is released while changing the pads at the same time.

indeed, a friend a few houses up from me had a ford focus, think it was a c max...
had electronic handbrake,
so he had the keys in the ignition and it switched on, so the handbrake would release it self.
took the caliper off and took the old worn pads out.
he then said **** the pads are in the boot.
so took keys out the ignition to open the boot.......
opppsss big mistake..... and im sure you can guess what happened next.

 

[Rudi McAnichal]

Yeah, they put the back wheels on the spec lift!.

Does that mean my beloved towrope, faithful friend that has accompanied me for over 40 years, is (like its owner) now virtually useless?

 

[AndyStobbs]

No, because if it was me, I would find a way of making the car towable.

I've never had a car arrive with the back wheels locked on due to EPB, and FWIW I have had more trouble with sticking shoes and cylinders on the traditional brake systems. Also shoes mangled up becuase stready pins have snapped/rusted through.

I'm not saying I love EPB and all the other extra's, it is a con, but its a con we've set ourselves up for, and lets not get all dewy eyed about 'the good old days of motoring when nothing went wrong'.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

lets not get all dewy eyed about 'the good old days of motoring when nothing went wrong'.

Like so, you mean......?

 

[outofthefire]

If you like tinkering with cars buy a classic that's easy to work on.

 

[colnerov]

Hi, There's a thread on another forum I use, of a breakdown recovery guy and he relates some of the breakdowns he has. Electric handbrakes usually fail in the on position and 90 per cent of the time he ends up attacking it with a hammer and chisel and recover it to the main stealer or customers garage of choice, or as said a suspended rear tow.

Some of the problem is manufacturers put these computers in the car for the engine management but they have more capacity than is used, so they keep adding other gimmicks to use this spare capacity usually things that are not essential but look bright and shiny for the gullible.

Colin

 

[octo0072000]

Hi, There's a thread on another forum I use, of a breakdown recovery guy and he relates some of the breakdowns he has. Electric handbrakes usually fail in the on position and 90 per cent of the time he ends up attacking it with a hammer and chisel and recover it to the main stealer or customers garage of choice, or as said a suspended rear tow.

Some of the problem is manufacturers put these computers in the car for the engine management but they have more capacity than is used, so they keep adding other gimmicks to use this spare capacity usually things that are not essential but look bright and shiny for the gullible.

Colin

should be 4 wheel lift
can imagine what some customers would say after getting a bill for his damage
as well plus hand brake repairs

 

[colnerov]

should be 4 wheel lift
can imagine what some customers would say after getting a bill for his damage
as well plus hand brake repairs

Hi, I was simplifying it a bit for brevity. He is trying to knock the friction material off the shoes or pads. The suspended rear tow is actually a 4 wheel lift, he has RDT (rapid deployment trailer) in the back of the van and dolly sets for the rear wheels. Most of the time there's some sort of warranty in place but checks with the owner first. He operates in Scotland and the owners just want to get back in the warm.

Colin

 

[the snooper]

I've done rear pads on insignia no electronic gear needed at all. It's straight forward and simply wind pistons back in as normal

 

[Rudi McAnichal]

Worst bit of hi-tech nonsense I saw on a car involved a luxury model designed to lock itself a short time after the key is removed from the ignition. Owner got out, put key in jacket pocket, laid jacket down in the boot, absent-mindedly closed the lid. Heard the “clunk” as it locked. Sunday afternoon, a long way from home. Couldn't risk leaving it parked for long because the boot contained shotguns and cartridges. Breakdown services tried and failed to get into the car. Called out locksmith, who also failed. Eventually loaded car onto breakdown truck and carried it to the owner’s home, nearly 100 miles away, where there was a spare set of keys. Hope his breakdown sub had been paid up to date, otherwise rather costly.

I wonder how many customers really wanted that self-locking feature.

 

[daleyd]

Worst bit of hi-tech nonsense I saw on a car involved a luxury model designed to lock itself a short time after the key is removed from the ignition. Owner got out, put key in jacket pocket, laid jacket down in the boot, absent-mindedly closed the lid. Heard the “clunk” as it locked. Sunday afternoon, a long way from home. Couldn't risk leaving it parked for long because the boot contained shotguns and cartridges. Breakdown services tried and failed to get into the car. Called out locksmith, who also failed. Eventually loaded car onto breakdown truck and carried it to the owner’s home, nearly 100 miles away, where there was a spare set of keys. Hope his breakdown sub had been paid up to date, otherwise rather costly.

I wonder how many customers really wanted that self-locking feature.

I've done this..... Twice

Once was an Alfa Romeo hire car and I was in Essex working at a customers site. Called the RAC out and they managed to prise the top of the door open enough to pull the handle from the inside with a long pole (No deadlocks).

The second time was in my VW Jetta and I was working in Tralee, Ireland - brand new, I'd only had it about 2 weeks. It had a button to release the boot on the key. I reached into the boot, the keys dropped out of my pocket into the boot and I remember looking at them as I closed the boot and then the central locking clicked!!

My wife was with me for a few days as she was off work at the time, we had to get her mum to post us the spare keys and luckily they arrived on the Friday morning, our ferry was first thing Saturday!

 

[the snooper]

Yeah 1 set of pads only, hand brake is only electronic actuation auto adjusters are still the same