30/07/2026
🚨 THIS IS WHY YOU NEED TO KNOW WHO YOU’RE TRUSTING WITH YOUR CAR. 🚨
We’re not interested in naming and shaming anyone — but when we find workmanship like this on a vehicle that has already been back on the road, we feel it’s important to show exactly why quality workmanship matters.
This car came to us after having rear discs and pads fitted only a matter of weeks ago.
The customer also reported a knocking noise from the front end and asked us to carry out an inspection.
What we found was genuinely concerning. 👇
🔴 REAR BRAKES — RECENTLY REPLACED
The rear brake work had been carried out to a very poor standard.
The caliper pistons had been wound back without properly checking the dust seals were free from the piston. The seals had been torn as a result.
Once a dust seal is damaged, water and contamination can enter the caliper, potentially causing corrosion, piston seizure and the brake to bind on.
We also found the caliper carriers had not been properly cleaned.
Brake pads need to move freely in their carriers. Corrosion and debris can cause the pads to stick, leading to uneven braking, overheating, premature wear and potentially reduced braking performance.
For something that had only been done weeks earlier, this is simply not good enough.
🔴 NOW FOR THE FRONT…
This is where things became seriously concerning.
The vehicle had recently had:
🔧 2 new shock absorbers
🔧 2 new springs
🔧 2 new drop links
The standard of installation was, quite frankly, shocking.
OSF — OFFSIDE FRONT:
❌ Shock absorber-to-hub bolt completely missing.
This is not a minor issue. This bolt secures the suspension strut to the hub assembly. With it missing, the suspension is not correctly secured and can move when it shouldn’t.
That can affect steering, suspension geometry and vehicle stability — with the potential for catastrophic failure.
❌ Brake flexi hose not clipped into its retaining bracket.
A brake hose is not something that should be left loose. Incorrect routing can allow it to stretch, chafe or become damaged during steering and suspension movement.
Damage to a brake hose can result in brake fluid loss and potentially a serious loss of braking performance.
❌ ABS wiring routed incorrectly and left hanging.
ABS wiring needs to be correctly routed and secured away from moving components.
Leave it hanging around and it can become stretched, chafed or damaged — potentially resulting in ABS and stability-control faults.
❌ Coil spring rubbing against the inner wheel arch at full lock.
This should never happen.
The spring should have adequate clearance throughout the suspension and steering movement. Contact can damage the spring, bodywork or surrounding components and can potentially affect the safe operation of the suspension and steering.
🔴 NSF — NEARSIDE FRONT:
❌ Shock absorber not fully seated into the hub.
The suspension assembly needs to be correctly positioned and securely clamped. Leaving it incorrectly seated can allow unwanted movement and compromise suspension stability and steering behaviour.
❌ ABS wiring incorrectly routed AGAIN.
And this time…
❌ The ABS wiring was actually rubbing against the wheel.
A rotating wheel can make very short work of wiring.
The cable could be chafed through or completely severed, resulting in an ABS fault and potentially affecting associated electronic safety systems.
🚨 THIS IS NOT JUST “A BIT ROUGH.” THIS IS DANGEROUS. 🚨
There is a massive difference between a job that doesn’t look pretty and work that has been carried out incorrectly on safety-critical components.
Brakes.
Suspension.
ABS.
Steering-related components.
These are the things that keep your car on the road and under control.
A vehicle should NEVER be sent back out like this.
Thankfully, the customer noticed something wasn’t right and brought the car to us for inspection.
It could have been a very different story if these faults hadn’t been found.
This is why we always say:
👉 Don’t automatically go for the cheapest quote.
👉 Ask questions.
👉 Ask what parts are being fitted.
👉 Ask who is carrying out the work.
👉 And most importantly, make sure the work is done properly.
Your car isn’t just another job — it’s what you, your family and other road users are trusting to get you home safely.
At RJG Automotive, we take that responsibility seriously.
📍 RJG Automotive – Moorfield Garage
Gatehead Road, Kilmarnock
KA2 0AH
📞 01563 621981
🔧 MOTs | Servicing | Repairs | Diagnostics | Brakes | Suspension