Renault Megane RN Paris brake problems

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Mon 13 Mar 2006 19:13
Renault Megane RN Paris brake problems - aligirl
Hi,

I've just bought a 1996 R reg Renault Megane 1.4 RN Paris. The brakes are making a really loud scraping noise and when I apply the brakes the pedal goes almost to the floor with no braking then the brakes seem to slam on fully. As a result, it feels really difficult to brake in a controlled manner. I had a mechanic (a friend of the guy who sold me the car) have a look and he said the brake pads looked new but there was rust on the brakes. He said he had cleaned them and for a day the scraping noise was gone but then returned. Do you have any idea what this problem is?
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Mon 13 Mar 2006 20:06
Renault Megane RN Paris brake problems - piston power
it is very hard to pin point from here but why not take the car for a free brake check to kwik fit? you don't have to have the work done but you will know the problem, with brakes you really don't want to be driving around with a fault,
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Mon 13 Mar 2006 20:24
Renault Megane RN Paris brake problems - Civic8
As bigtee said,but could be if its rear drum brakes, shoes have worn to metal,have the rear brakes been checked at all?
--
Steve
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Mon 13 Mar 2006 20:52
Renault Megane RN Paris brake problems - aligirl
As bigtee said,but could be if its rear drum brakes, shoes
have worn to metal,have the rear brakes been checked at all?
--
Steve

Thanks for your prompt replies. :)
The mechanic I mentioned above looked at the brakes and said the brake shoes and pads looked new. If, however, worn pads or shoes were to blame would this account for the brake pedal going almost to the floor before the brakes slam on?

I didn't know Kwik Fit did free brake checks - I'll take my car there tomorrow.

Thanks for your help.
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Mon 13 Mar 2006 21:08
Renault Megane RN Paris brake problems - Crinkly Dave
Not familar with the Megane, but excess free movement of pedal often due to self-adjusters not working correctly.

Beware of Kwikfit (and others) finding very extensive work required, even on well maintained vehicles
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Mon 13 Mar 2006 22:03
Renault Megane RN Paris brake problems - Civic8
Would not hesitate in taking to any kwik fit type place as long as problem sorted,Something does not sound right in comments made.

rare any brake pedal would drop without failure of either Master cylinder or wheel cylinder/Caliper seal failure,as for sound on braking suggests as I mentioned, though problems could be on wider scale,as in whole system needs looking at which I suggest it is looked at ASAP
--
Steve
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Tue 14 Mar 2006 20:51
Renault Megane RN Paris brake problems - piston power
if the pads/shoes are all ok sounds like master cylinder problem if pedal goes to the floor, you may have a leak on the master cylinder to the servo seal at the front, still take the car in for a free check before you have an ACCIDENT!!!.
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Mon 13 Mar 2006 21:12
Renault Megane RN Paris brake problems - Dynamic Dave
I had a mechanic (a friend of the guy who sold me the car) have a look and he said the brake pads looked new but there was rust on the brakes.


How well do you know this mechanic? As he's a friend of the guy you bought the car off, he *could* well be telling you what he's been told to say by the bloke who sold you the car.

As others have already said, get an independant view from someone else.

In the meantime, if the brake pedal goes almost to the floor, DON'T drive it until the problem has been identified and rectified. Not only for the sake of your safety, but other people's as well.
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Mon 13 Mar 2006 22:49
Renault Megane RN Paris brake problems - aligirl
How well do you know this mechanic? As he's a friend
of the guy you bought the car off, he *could* well
be telling you what he's been told to say by the
bloke who sold you the car.

>>
It certainly looks that way! In hindsight I can't believe I've been so naive.

I won't be driving the car again until it's fixed.

It certainly seems to be a more dangerous and extensive problem than I imagined.
Do you think I'm facing seriously expensive repairs?
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Tue 14 Mar 2006 07:41
Renault Megane RN Paris brake problems - Collos25
On the absolute worst case scenario you would be looking at replacing front brake discs and calipers, rear drums and brake cylinders ,brake master cylinder,pads,shoes and the pipes but I very much doubt if you would need all this work doing it may be any one or all of the parts max say £1000 min £50.But it needs to to taken to a responsible person not a so called mechanic who lets you drive in a car that is obviously dangerous.Let us know how you get on.
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Tue 14 Mar 2006 14:08
Renault Megane RN Paris brake problems - Mike H
I have a 1996 Megane RT. I had a problem with the handbrake jamming on. The garage took the drums off, dusted the shoes, but the problem came back a few monhs later. I subsequently investigated myself, and found that the brake linings were coming unstuck from the shoes. Frightening, when you consider that a really hard emergency stop would probably have broken the linings away. The net result was that they replaced the rear shoes and wheel cylinders, and everything has been fine since. One of the subsiduary (sp?) symptoms was a bit of an on or off feel to the brakes, rather than a progressive "the harder you push the more you stop" type of feel, which are similar to your symptoms.
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