How critical is to replace brake and rotor

1000islands wrote: ↑ When I took my car to install winter tires in Canadian tire, I was told my rear brake and rotor need to be replaced. it was checked as 'suggest'. I was told it was badly damaged because I don't drive my car often. but they were too busy to do it for me then. I was thinking maybe I can get a second opinion when I get my summer tire install, but now I really feel the noise and shake.

I only drive my car to the gym each day about 3km away, and twice a week to skiing, which is 25km one way. That's all my driving.

If I delay the replacement until April, is it OK? Thanks.

considering that it is the mechanism to STOP the car ... hmmm ... i don't think it should even be questioned ... especially when the title of your thread is "HOW CRITICAL ... " .... to each his own....

The better question that gives you an answer is: How long ago was your brakes serviced/changed?

No way knowing your driving style, but if the car stops like new, wait. If it don't stop, get it changed.

I personally don't put much weight in advice or suggestions from Canadian Tire

1000islands wrote: ↑ When I took my car to install winter tires in Canadian tire, I was told my rear brake and rotor need to be replaced. it was checked as 'suggest'. I was told it was badly damaged because I don't drive my car often. but they were too busy to do it for me then. I was thinking maybe I can get a second opinion when I get my summer tire install, but now I really feel the noise and shake.

If you feel the noise and shake after the tire replacement, you could have a loose wheel.

If you wait till it self destructs then at best it will cost you more than it would now, at worst it could cause an accident.

My advice would have been get a second opinion but if you are hearing noises you need it done now.

billford wrote: ↑ If you feel the noise and shake after the tire replacement, you could have a loose wheel.

This was my first thought as well.
Or a wheel needs to be rebalanced.

OP, when in doubt of CT recommended servicing, which RFDer would not recommend to bring car to servicing. Get a second opinion from another trusted garage.

Lol, Canadiantire… I’m surprised they didn’t suggest the front brakes, all the filters and fluids at the same time.

OP proper functioning brakes is very critical.

With that said, since this prognosis was provided by Canadian Tire, I would highly suggest getting a second opinion as soon as possible from a reliable mechanic.

Then based off of that, you can determine whether it's work that needs to be done now or can wait until later.

Unpopular opinion - rear brakes aren't as important as front brakes. As long as you're not leaking fluid and you're not down to the metal it's not that big a deal.

But yeah get a second opinion from somewhere other than Canadian Tire

Do not trust CanadianTire #1. However it sounds like your brakes have some rust on them because the car is not driven a lot which makes sense. However that would not be something that needs to be replaced ASAP because technically you do still have pads left and it is stopping just that it may not be smooth.

Either way you should get a second opinion but NOT from Canadian tire. You need to go to a good honest mechanic and they will tell you what if anything is actually wrong. I recommend you post the area in which you live in and we can suggest good mechanics where you can go there for a inspection and they will tell you if anything needs to be replaced. I highly recommend you stop going to Canadian tire there are multiple bad stories where they rip people off and even cause damage.

cheaper_than_cheap wrote: ↑ Unpopular opinion - rear brakes aren't as important as front brakes. As long as you're not leaking fluid and you're not down to the metal it's not that big a deal.

But yeah get a second opinion from somewhere other than Canadian Tire

So, you would be ok with 2 wheel brakes instead of 4?

Sounds like the mechanic noticed rust on the rear rotors and wrote the inspection report up as "suggest", if something serious was wrong the mechanic would have recommended immediate repair. The counter representative, who you talked to, could have looked at the suggest and decided to try and sell you a full brake service.

The mechanic should have also noted brake pad thickness., which is an indicator of remaining life of pads.

You could try driving the car a doing a repeating pattern of acceleration, braking to see if this wears off the surface rust.

Depending on your wheel type you may be able to easily view the rear rotors to see the amount of surface rust.

Second opinion would be a good idea, just be aware that any shop advertising free brake inspections will not the rust and try and sell you a brake service

Edit

That said if you have shaking when braking then you may have warped rotors and then you are looking at replacement of the rotors.

cheaper_than_cheap wrote: ↑ Unpopular opinion - rear brakes aren't as important as front brakes. As long as you're not leaking fluid and you're not down to the metal it's not that big a deal.

But yeah get a second opinion from somewhere other than Canadian Tire

Not sure about Op’s car but a lot of newer cars have electronic brake force distribution that evens out braking better than it used to be when everything was front brake biased. Rears are a lot more important now than they used to be.

If you hear squealing sound when applying brakes, it means time to change brakes as there is a brake squealer indicator on the pads.

sickcars wrote: ↑ Do not trust CanadianTire #1. However it sounds like your brakes have some rust on them because the car is not driven a lot which makes sense. However that would not be something that needs to be replaced ASAP because technically you do still have pads left and it is stopping just that it may not be smooth.

Either way you should get a second opinion but NOT from Canadian tire. You need to go to a good honest mechanic and they will tell you what if anything is actually wrong. I recommend you post the area in which you live in and we can suggest good mechanics where you can go there for a inspection and they will tell you if anything needs to be replaced. I highly recommend you stop going to Canadian tire there are multiple bad stories where they rip people off and even cause damage.

Good idea. Thank you.

I live in Ottawa, close to central town.

Yes, I didn't notice my car has any problem, noise or shake, until after the swapping of tire in Canadian tire.

so that's why I suspect they caused the damage, but it's so unbelievable. I can't believe this either.

thebluegoat wrote: ↑ Not sure about Op’s car but a lot of newer cars have electronic brake force distribution that evens out braking better than it used to be when everything was front brake biased. Rears are a lot more important now than they used to be.

It's 2015 Honda civic

billford wrote: ↑ If you feel the noise and shake after the tire replacement, you could have a loose wheel.

I asked them to give me a tightening up(called wrenching?) after a few weeks. I think that's their standard practice, after 100km.