Looks like pad flew out whilst driving!!! New brake setup needed

[ahiggins_1]

On the way home from work tonight, heard a loud bang whilst driving, looked out the rear view mirror, sparks on the road, couldn't stop at the time so carried on (thought it was a screwdriver I couldn't retrieve from the engine bay from last week), got closer to home and the brake pedal went flat to the floor with really bad braking efficiency!!! Luckily I discovered this whilst at the traffic lights!

After a closer inspection it looks like a pad has come flying out of the rear caliper! Brake fluid all over the inner wheel. I must admit my dash light were flickering which highlighted to me there might be an issue with the brakes, checked the fluid and that was fine. So anyone who gets flashing dash lights...check your brakes!

Anyway...I was planning on upgrading the brakes so it looks like the day has come! Can anyone advise me on a good set up as I have no knowledge with regards to brakes. I won't be going on any tracks so won't be wanting anything special, ideally something cheap.

Can I use standard discs with braided hoses and uprated pads? Will this work?

 

[MikeClio172SPT]

You say you dont know much about brakes....... least you said. If you had brake fluid all over your wheel, but you said you checked the fluid and that was fine..... it cant be fine...... a leak with that much fluid, your brake fluid reservoir level would drop with every pump when your pedal went to the floor. If you say the pad flew out..... the piston in the caliper will have popped out hence your pedal dropping to the floor.

Anyway check it out straight away, you are sure the pad flew out??

 

[ahiggins_1]

I checked my brake fluid last week when the dash lights were flickering not last night, the level seemed fine then.
Obviously seeing all of that fluid on the wheel has led me to believe that it was brake fluid...I should have checked this morning but rushed out for a lift to work! When I had a look last night at all four corners after the incident I could see the pads in the first three then the last looked like the outside pad wasn't there and the caliper was directly up against the disc.
From what you described, that was what happened...the incident happened about 4 miles from my house and I had brakes right until I was 500m away (I was extremely lucky considering the roads I drive on!) when the pedal went down in stages. Im guessing the brakes eventually got worse as the fluid managed to leak out!

 

[mr.pink87]

You wouldn't be the first to have a rear pad fly out of the caliper. Happened to a few guys on here iirc.

 

[peanuthead]

Yep happened to me before

 

[ahiggins_1]

I noticed it had happened to a few others when I did a search last night. Seems pretty dodgy like, haha.
Overtook a boy racer in a corsa when it happened, poor lad probably got a pad to the bonnet!! Just glad I got back safely.

 

[DrR]

lol at continuing to drive your car with obviously fault brakes, and lol at leaving a screwdriver in the engine bay.

Seriously idiotic!

 

[Badgerman85]

thought it was a screwdriver I couldn't retrieve from the engine bay from last week

madness....does that mean the screwdrivers still in there? I dread to think what kind of damage that would do if it managed to get caught up in a belt!!

 

[Sam@NP]

You have loose tools in your engine bay?

 

[JamesBryan]

Mobile Snap-on van innit.

 

[sporty-bloke]

:clown:

 

[clio ph1 Belgium]

I also found tools in my car . Snap on allen key .Happy times, free tools.
Also lost my mapping cable for the lpi because I forgot it onder the bonnet.