Ask Pete

[#1]

In the spirit of the season—with Thanksgiving right around the corner—I wanted to personally thank all of you, our blog visitors and contributors, for your great topics, questions, comments and opinions. I enjoy engaging in the conversation that stems from your questions, and I truly appreciate that you look to AAA as your trusted automotive resource.

The sources of my blog or article topics frequently stem from my own personal experiences, but most often they come from you. So in addition to being thankful for my awesome family and friends, I am also very thankful for you, the bloggers and visitors to our Community and the readers of the “Ask Pete” column in Going Places.

As one of the many responsibilities that I have here at AAA, this part of my job gives me a wonderful opportunity to share our dialog and pass along my years of automotive experience. But the part I like most of all is that I get to use my skills and expertise to help people! So I thank YOU for this awesome opportunity; I am truly honored that through your questions you are entrusting me with one of your most valuable possessions. 

Keep the questions and comments coming!

[#2]

Pete...I signed up for a AAA VISA card, and have used it exclusively.  In the last month extensively while traveling.  I just visted 8 states by automobile.

Unfortunately, I missed the due date by a day or two (it's in the mail)....and I was cut off w/o noitice.  I was embarrased when it was refused at my dr's office.  I had just paid my full monthly balance ($4900)...and had plenty of room on my $20K limit.

In speaking to the BOA customer service person, they've told me they will cut me off again in the future if I don't make prompt payments.  Unfortunately, I could again be on an extended trip....so that doesn't work for me.

We debated the reason for high percentages on unpaid balances...and an incentive to maintain them, but he would not budge and I am now uncomfortable with Bank of America.  I'm moving back to my previous Visa Card immediately.

[#3]

Thanks for sharing your comments. While my area of expertise is strictly automotive repair and maintenance, I have shared your situation with folks from our Financial Services area for their review and follow up.

[#4]

It has been a long time since we talked Pete, But I wish for a Happy Holidays for you and everyone in the office. Stay safe and continue to put out the great advice.

[#5]

Thanks Mike! And thank you for all you to help our troops overseas!

[#6]

Hi Pete!

Is there anything a driver can do to avoid having brakes worked on so often? I have a 2004 Chevy Impala, soon to have 85000 miles, which I have owned since Jan. 2005. I bought it when it had 18,000 miles on it, a virtual baby. I keep a running log on repairs, and the one thing I am concerned about is the brake work I have had to have done in the last two years.

I had no trouble with brakes until 9/3/2009, when I took my car in at 64883 mis, for "squishy" brakes to a national chain of brake repair.They did the front disc pkg: Installed "guaranteed" brake pads, cleaned and lubed caliper slides, & reconditioned front rotors. Brake fluid replacement too.

The brakes began to act up again, so 11/30/2009 was the day I took the car back to the"M" people. I thought some part might have been defective, since it had only been 3 months! They reconditioned both rear brake rotors, rear caliper slide service & removed & replaced both front rotors.

A year later, 12/14/10, I took the car to my regular trusted mechanic, with brake sounds and some vibrations. He machined the rotors.  OK for awhile. On 5/27/11 I took the car to my former mechanic in Sarasota, also a trusted individual, with sounds and vibrations going on.

He resurfaced front and rear rotors for the smallest cost so far on the brake work I have had done.

A couple of days ago I took the car in to my regular trusted mechanic again, with a vibration going on when I braked, almost reminded me of a tire out of balance, but only happened when braking in city traffic. I do a lot of city driving. When my mechanic determined that it was indeed the brakes again, I asked him to put on two new front rotors rather than resurfacing them, because at this point, several hundred dollars later, I assumed that the rotors that the "M" company installed in 2009 were defective.My mechanic recommended NAPA rear disk brake pads and he removed, machined and reinstalled the rear rotors, inspected the rear calipers, and bled the lines and adjusted the brake fluid level. I come from a family of mechanics, so none of these things are foreign to me. I used to help my brothers and Dad work on the family car as a young person.

I drove away from the mechanic this time with no vibrations, good smooth brake response, and a feeling of perhaps at 84,759 miles, the brakes are in good shape.Do I dare believe?

I wonder if I use my brakes too much in  city traffic. I learned to drive as a teen, with a stick shift. So I do not ride the brake with my left foot. Oddly, my brother does. Bad habit, that one. Is there anythng I can do to lessen the wear on my brakes? Was this just a case of defective rotors? How often should a person have their brakes checked?  Living in Florida also adds the factor of humidity, and I have been told that humidity, salty air, and other factors can affect brakes here. Thank you for your advice. Happy Holidays!

Judy B

[#7]

Happy Holidays, Judy! It sounds like the first place may have used inferior brake rotors from the start. Brake vibration or "pulsation" is typically caused from the rotors being out of parallelism and this condition is usually caused by the sudden changes of temperature of the metal. For instance if you are constantly using your brakes in stop and go traffic and the brakes are good and hot and then you go through a mud puddle, that sudden change in temperature warps the metal thus creating the vibration while braking. Being as this scenario is easily recreated there is no way to be completely rid of the possibility of the vibration returning. The best thing you can do to "reduce" this potential is to always use OE, OE equivalent brake materials.

From a driver habit perspective, avoiding heavy braking if possible will help as well. This can be done by increasing following distance and trying to coast more to a stop light versus applying the brakes at the last possible moment.