Wheels appear to lock up when not driven for a day or so

[jimothy]

Whenever I park up and leave the car for a day or two, the wheels seem to seize up. It takes a bit of power before I get a breaking type noise and the car moves. I've heard about brakes seizing up in this weather.

Can anyone shed some light on this, and what I can do to avoid it?

[PetrolTed]

Parking the car in gear with the handbrake off would do the trick.

[Red V8]

Could be handbrake, but could also be brakes generally needing attention and a good dose of copperslip!

[aaandy]

My guess would definitely be the handbrake. Will happen on most cars if given enough time and if the climatic conditions are right. Try leaving the handbrake on the lightest setting and also leave in gear for a bit of security.

[tvr keith]

Bricks in front of the wheels would do!

[shpub]

Nothing to do with this. More to do with the pads sticking to the disc itself. Occurs more in damp wet conditions when the disc surface starts to get a surface coating of rust and this seems to stick to the pads. Nothing wrong at all but I generally leave the handbrake off when I garage the car but leave it in gear and this helps stop it happen. The clunk can be daunting. Have experienced it on the front as well. The real best cure is drive the car everyday...

[jimothy]

shpub said:

The real best cure is drive the car everyday...

If only! Downside to taking the train to work...

Thanks for all your advice guys, I'll be leaving it in gear with the handbrake off I think. Must reember to leave it in reverse so it doesn't jump forwards and hit the garage wall if I forget...

[Nuggs]

I leave the handbrake off and still get this. I think it's a case of TADTS!

[tvrbob]

Nuggs said:

I leave the handbrake off and still get this. I think it's a case of TADTS!

Me too. I leave it in gear with the handbrake off on a flat garage floor. I always let the car coast the last few inches so that I know that the pads have lifted from the discs. After a few days the rear pads have stuck to the disc both sides. As shpub says the cure is to drive it every day but I find that hard to achieve in winter. If I'm in the garage I sometimes give the car a push just to free the pads off because the problem seems to get worse over time.

[bevbo]

Hi,

I've been getting this while the roads have been damp and I found that if I left the handbrake off then the problem disappeared.

Bevan.

[225]

Mine stick a bit when first moving off if i have washed it recently and not driven it afterwards. All cars tend to do that though.

[eowen]

Good jestwash of the brakes helps too - salt build up....

[bigdods]

My P&J lives outdoors on a drive with a small slope - I got this a few times as she doesnt get run every day so now I just leave her in 1st with the handbrake off. In fact the only use I have found for the handbrake is to lock the rear brakes on when shes left for a bit...it doesnt stop the car from rolling back. I rediscovered how useless the handbrake is the other day when I came home late and tired, parked her up and for some stupid reason (I claim brief insanity brought on by a big traffic jam) I decided to put the handbrake on and not leave her in gear. Cam out an hour later to find her parked hard against the front door and a scrape on the bumper where she had slowly rolled past the garage wall grrrr....

[damnfinechim]

Unfortunately, im in the same boat as you in that it's a weekender only. Roll it in a flat garage handbrake off and out of gear (too tight to get in and out once inside). Pop a rock under either side of front wheel for piece of mind and roberts ya mothers brother - never have any issues with brakes sticking (hand or foot).

Kempy

[V8 Archie]

I'm in the TADTS camp. Mine is always left chocked with the handbrake off and always rolls to a halt in the garage but the brakes often feel stuck when I move it a week or so later.

[Bomber Denton]

I get the same and it is most certainly due to the pads bonding to the rear discs when left for a while, not a lot you can do to stop it.

When i reverse the car into the garage I generally leave the car in reverse and put the handbrake on partially just for piece of mind.

[just_william]

how about driving with the handbrake on 1 click for 500 meters or so just before you arrive at home and put it in the garage. Just warms the pads up a wee bit and takes some of the moisture out. Especially if you have been out in the rain?? Just a thought