An auto mechanic has questions after another mechanic’s repair left a customer’s brakes wearing into a wedge-shape.

In a video with over 5,000 views, mechanic and TikTok user David Kolep (@deth93_) reminds viewers that they should “be careful who you let work on your vehicle.”

The reason for this reminder, he says, is a recent visit from a customer. According to Kolep, someone came into his shop saying that they had their brakes done in March. At the time, something about the repair didn’t seem right.

“The guy that did them said, ‘Oh, I don’t normally work on these kinds of vehicles ‘cause I don’t like them,’” Kolep recalls the customer saying.

“That’s weird,” Kolep continues. “I would never trust anybody that says that, because most modern brake systems — depending on if it’s German, American or Japanese — they’re all very similar. So, somebody says they don’t normally work on these kinds of vehicles ‘cause they don’t like them, especially doing something as simple as brakes, I wouldn’t let them touch your vehicle.”

This customer, it seems, did not feel the same way. Now, they’re having an interesting problem with their brakes.

Uneven Brake Wear Causes Issues

According to Kolep, the previous mechanic’s repair left the brakes “clunking” and “grinding.” Eventually, the issue got so bad that the customer simply parked the vehicle.

Finally, Kolep took a look. What he discovered was that, somehow, the brake pads had become worn at an angle. While brake pads tend to wear evenly across each other, these pads wore diagonally. This meant that portions of the pad completely wore through while others remained largely untouched.

“The guy [who] did the brakes, he did not tighten the caliper bolts tight enough,” Kolep summarizes. “Every single time my customer hit the brakes, it was stopping like this.”

He then shows the brake pads being pushed toward each other at an angle.

“It created this wedge effect,” he explains. “We had to redo all of them.”

Is This A Common Problem With Brakes?

This should not be a problem if your brakes are properly installed and maintained. 

However, if there are issues with your caliper bolts, uneven wear of the kind shown in Kolep’s video isn’t terribly uncommon.

Usually, this is not due to a mechanic’s error. Instead, it’s typically the result of a stuck caliper slide pin.

To summarize, a brake caliper slide pin helps press the pads against the rotor. If the caliper gets stuck — which generally happens due to rust or a lack of lubrication — it can cause a host of problems. Some of these problems include imbalanced wear, where one pad wears more than the other; clunking or grinding brakes; or, as shown in Kolep’s video, tapered or wedge-shaped wear.

Depending on how early this problem is detected, one may be able to simply replace the slide pin or properly tighten the calipers, then carry on safely using their brakes.

However, one typically doesn’t notice the issues until it’s a problem beyond simple repair. Consequently, most mechanics recommend replacing the brake pads in addition to fixing whatever caused the issue.

Are There Other Issues That Can Cause Uneven Brake Wear?

As previously covered by MotorBiscuit, there are a variety of reasons why your vehicle may be experiencing uneven brake wear.

After checking the calipers and slide pins, one should make sure that their brake pads are properly aligned. This is another error that can quickly result in uneven wear.

Second, one should ensure that their rotors aren’t warped. Even a minor warp can be enough to have a dramatic impact on one’s braking ability. Usually, this can be detected if you feel a pulsing sensation in the pedal when braking.

Finally, your car’s brake system could be sending more pressure to one side due to a bad hose or master cylinder issue. Alternatively, you could have suspension or tire issues that are causing brake force to be distributed unevenly. 

If you’re not sure what’s causing the issue, take your car to a mechanic and ask them to look at your brakes. AAA estimates the cost of brake pad replacement at $100 to $300 per axle. 

But, if your mechanic says something like, “I don’t normally work on these kinds of vehicles ‘cause I don’t like them” before beginning work, it may be time to find another mechanic.

@deth93_ #mechanic #automotive #funny #fyp ♬ original sound – deth93_

We’ve reached out to Kolep via email and Instagram direct message.