How is it possible to have a Brake Pad fall out?

[K11Andy]

I had a bit of a shock at the weekend. I thought my Brake Pads had worn down as I when I braked heavily the other day I felt the car squirm to the right under braking and the horrible sound of metal on metal. I bought a new set of pads and went to fit them at the weekend only to find that the outer brake pad on Passenger side front was completely missing and the metal on metal was the calliper on the disk!!!!! When checking the Pads on the Drivers side they were almost as good as new. Assuming that they were replaced in pairs (have only owned the car 6 months so not sure when last replaced) somehow one of the pads must have fallen out but I can't see how as the Calliper looks fine. Anyone got any ideas what could have happened as I am concerned that when I fit the new ones the same thing could happen? Not sure if relevant but had driven through Ford a few minutes before so not sure if somehow the pad was hot and then got cooled very quickly. Has anyone come across this before? Hope you can help.

 

[h701micra]

Only thing I can think of... retarded previous owner
No plausible way a pad can fall out

 

[SuperUno]

The metal backing plates get very hot with no pad material, after the ford it will have cooled very quickly which probably caused it to crack and break apart and fall out.

Is the caliper sticking ?

 

[Magpie42]

Either it wasn't fitted correctly in the first place....

...or it's haunted.

 

[davyboy]

Happened to me many, many years ago. My fitter at the time thought the anti rattle springs were not fitted correctly, causing subsequent vibration to either loosen, or, break the pad. He thought this as the springs were missing.

 

[Paul Smith]

Had a passat 2 weeks ago. The pad was worn away and had been metal on metal until the brake piston fell out and metal part of the disc was thin and pushed out the caliper.

 

[Paul Smith]

Metal part of the pad lol not disc

 

[K11Andy]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I noticed that the Brake Disks were solid but I was told by a Motor Factors that they should be Vented if the Car has ABS. I thought that the problem could be because someone previously had fitted the wrong replacement Disks so the pad were being pushed out much further than they should be and the pad had been pushed out of its mounting under heavy braking. I called a local Nissan Dealer and gave him the VIN no. thinking that he would confirm they should be vented disks and therefore fatter but he confirmed that the part number that came up wasn't for Vented disks. Having fatter disks appears to be the only logical explanation that I can come up with!!!!

 

[Huggy444]

I have abs, and solid disks. I'd guess they were fitted wrong

 

[mrcheese]

Yeah seen it a few times where the pad lining comes away (ebay Chinese pads) as u had wrong disks the lining prob came off due to hot/cold....then spat the backplate out.