Bad brake job?

[Matrixra]

About 4 days ago I took my truck, 03 Silverado 4.8L LS to a new mechanic who was recommended by a friend. I asked him for an oil change, and to check the brake pads for wear and replace if needed.

He supposedly replaced rear pads, turned rotors etc.

I smelled burning brakes immediately upon driving the truck home but attributed that to new pads.

Now 4 days later and about 300 miles later the back passenger wheel is squelling, and still smoking and suddenly my brake pedal is much softer than it was even yesterday. Brake fluid levels are fine. What's the problem here?

I'm slightly mechanically inclined but don't know exactly what I'm supposed to be looking for.

[MikeNH]

Sounds like the caliper is locked up. The back passenger caliper on 99-04 trucks is notorious for the slide pins seizing because road debris can get into the caliper and ruin everything.

[gmtech4]

take it back to him ,not your problem ,,,,,its his problem

[Matrixra]

Thanks for the responses. I do plan on taking it back when they open in the morning, but wanted some type of idea of what may be wrong.

Also, my oil pressure gauge has been acting crazy since the oil change. Goes up to 80 when i first start the truck in the mornings, after driving for awhile, it bounces back and forth between 0 and 80 causing the alarm to sound for low oil pressure. After tons of research, I'm attributing this to the gauge problems these trucks tend to have as I used to hear the noise all the time under the dash. Am I mistaken here or is it possible he screwed up a simple oil change as well?

[MikeNH]

I'd say check the oil level to be safe but chances are one of the stepper motors is toast. Just bad timing.

[Matrixra]

Thank you again for your reply. I've checked the oil level and its right where it needs to be so I'm betting on the stepper motor issue you described and I have read about.

One last quick question on the brakes though, the soft pedal came out of nowhere. The previous 3 days since the brake job it seemed normal, but today it became softer and softer to the point where by the time I made it home from a 40 mile drive from work, it went almost to the floor before starting to slow me down. Pumping the pedal a few times brought it back for a second but then it would go back soft. My basic worry is, it's about 20 miles to the mechanic and I don't want to have it go all the way out and smash into someone. Is this problem something that will stay the way it is for a few more miles or should I get it towed to the shop?

[MikeNH]

If the caliper is dragging badly enough you may be boiling the brake fluid in that caliper or causing some other overheating related malfunction. If you let the truck sit and cool it should return to normal but it's going to be something you want to be careful with obviously.