Bad start to the day.....

[lettucegrow!]

...but it's getting better
Lots of snow today so pulled off very carefully in car only to hear awful grinding when I used brakes We knew brake pads were going but what with christmas expense and all have been putting it off. So canceled visits I had to do, limped home to call garage. Just walked 40 mins home and bought grow your own mag on the way.Now going to make porridge for the chooks, feed the birds and have coffee and cake that I made last night( sugarless recipe so it is good for me!!) Might even have a little snooze as I now have days annual leave

[Incy]

Sorry to hear your day started badly but really pleased for you that it's getting better. coffee, Cake and a copy of GYO sounds like a lovely recipe for an unexpected day off

[Glutton4...]

Well, half a day left, anyway! Enjoy!

[OllieMartin]

Sounds like a good end to the day to me! (New brake pads aside.)

[snuffer]

Just a thought. Is your car fitted with ABS brakes? Are you sure it was worn pads making the grinding noise?

If you were braking in icy conditions the ABS could have been activated. This can sound like a very bad case of grinding brakes.

[lettucegrow!]

Yes car does have ABS, snuffer, but the sensor warning light was on on the dash board and we knew we had about 10000 left on them well before christmas. Why would the ABS sound like a grinding noise? If it was that- oh, well. I've had a nice snooze now and am going to walk to town to look in Wilkies now and we have had work done which needed doing.

[RedThorn]

abs would release and re-engage the brakes to prevent the wheels from locking up makes a juddering and noise.
Metal on metal is a very distinctive sound!

[Nicos]

Hope it doesn't turn out to be too costly!!

My warning light is saying I need coolant before I drive it further. Good job we've been snowed in!. Naturally it needs special coolant from VW in the local town 1/2 hr away!
(Thankfully I've made some lovely friends over here!!!)

[lettucegrow!]

Hope it doesn't turn out to be too costly!!

Well, pads weren't too bad - £82 with the new sensor. Trouble light hasn't gone of on the dash indicating something else wrong It does do this strange pulling thing from the back of the car when you brake. Previously had that looked at and told there was nothing wrong with it and it was safe. I think they thought 'silly girly what do you know!' But anyway, described it to this garage who test drove it and he doesn't think it's safe. Have to drive to another garage AM and he will diagnose and hopefully do it cash.Fortunately, mechanic is friend of son - handy!
I wish I'd stayed in bed

[RedThorn]

is it pads all round? perhaps they're binding at the back.... hence the pulling and with the fancy electronics now days, who knows

[Hilary B]

We have occasionally had problems with the handbrake refusing to fully release one of the rear wheels. The answer turned out to be a new caliper (well that is what they sold us). It's only ever happened in really cold weather, and the first time it turned out to be 'set off' by wet mud freezing on part of the mechanism, but apparently the caliper being about to fail is why frozen mud (or just plain ice I suppose) can cause this to happen.

[lettucegrow!]

We thought it might be the calliper but mechanic looked today and it's a bush that needs replacing -( Don't know if it needs a new Japonica or maybe something more up market . It is a BMW!!!!) too much 'play' makes it swerve. It's a very unnerving feeling. Anyway, being done tomorrow,£90 all in (friend of a friend) Not half as bad as we thought it was going to be.