My brakes failed yesterday on 200 Honda accord out in the desert. They seized up and burned up scorching the rotors badly. I had the pads changed and the rotors turned 6 mo's ago by Honda. The mechanic that is now fixing my car said that anti-seize was applied directly to the pads and that this is unusual: "not supposed to be there" and he believes that it caused the problem. He said he can't prove it, but he said that the anti-seize heated up and got between the pads and the rotors and caused things to heat up and go south from there. I saw a video online where a guy was talking about using anti-seize this way like it was normal. Is it? Do I have anything on Honda since they did the work? This could have been a nasty situation with my 13yr. old daughter in the car! Help would be appreciated.

 

Honda doesn't use anti-seize on the brake pads. They use Molykote grease between the brake shim and brake pad, not between the pad and rotor. It is used to prevent squeaks from the brake shims and to reduce vibration from the disc pads.

I kind of doubt it was due to the grease incorrectly applied between the pads and rotor, as Honda changed the brake pad over 6 months ago.

 

Someone would have to be clinically retarded to put the grease on the front side of the pads lol.

sounds like maybe the sliders were seized and he didn't fix them.

 

Yes, they would have to be an idiot to put the grease between the pad and the rotor. Even if this was done (highly unlikely), it would not have went 6 months and then cause a problem now, as he should have notice something before that. There would also be rain and car washes within 6 months too.

 

They didn't put it between the pad and the rotor. He said it heated up, leaked and then maybe got between the pad and rotor. I could see the gunk from the lubricant. I don't really know anything about this. I just want to understand why it happened 6 mo's after the work. There were no warning signs at all. Can I expect Honda to do anything in recompense for me aside from a complementary oil change. Is it their fault? I doubt it. I guess the guess about the sliders might be on target. I've had them stuff before.

 

Were there signs of problems when the brake job was done (sticking sliders, bent pins, corroded calipers)? Who knows? It would be hard to prove now, especially since you say there were no warning signs before it happened. Did the dripping lubricant getting between the pads and rotors cause the brakes to heat up, or did the brakes heating up cause the lubricant to liquefy and drip? Also hard to prove either way. Tell them to go light on the lubricant this time, ok. I think, since you paid them for a brake job only 6 months ago, they should be willing to help you out with the repair bill now.

 

Thanks!