Ray Butler
Rosana, Vic
Q
I was told the rear brakes on my Ford Mondeo had worn down to nothing and required new pads and discs, even though it has only done 22,000 km. I made a warranty claim, but was told that it is normal wear and therefore not covered. I don't believe it, have other Mondeo owners had the same trouble?
Graham Smith
Ask Smithy
A
Your experience is not unusual; it's quite common on European cars. Brake wear isn't normally covered by the warranty; it is lumped in with other things under the banner of 'wear and tear', which is why your claim has been rejected. However, if you apply a 'fair wear and tear' test it can hardly been said to be fair and I believe brake wear should be reconsidered and a 'fair and reasonable' wear rate should be applied to cars today.
