Sticky brakes - just a muck build up from Winter driving?

[Greenwich Ross]

Hullo,

Very recently, when using my car for the first time each day, the brakes seem to stick and make that horrible 'clunk' noise as they unstick as I pull away. Could this be down to a build up of crud from the roads or something more serious? The disks are pretty grotty too and grind on braking for the first mile or so.

Thanks,

R.

[HellDiver]

Road salt + bare steel discs + steel filled brake pads = rust.

Pretty normal this time of the year.

[solidlad84]

Sorry I can't come up with an explanation, but I wouldn't worry too much as my runabout makes the same noise since the snow when I first use it, and has just passed its MOT with no advisories.

[Greenwich Ross]

HellDiver said:

Road salt + bare steel discs + steel filled brake pads = rust.

Pretty normal this time of the year.

So, to cure this, I just need to give the brakes an 'Italian tune-up'?

Edited by Greenwich Ross on Tuesday 4th January 12:02

[GKP]

An Italian tune up will only cure it until the next time you leave the car overnight on a slightly damp evening. Then, next morning, clunk - scrrrr for a mile or so.

Only way you'll ever fix it will be to never ever park. Just keep driving.

[Greenwich Ross]

GKP said:

Just keep driving.

That would suit me but have you seen the price of petrol?

[Deva Link]

Greenwich Ross said:

Hullo,

Very recently, when using my car for the first time each day, the brakes seem to stick and make that horrible 'clunk' noise as they unstick as I pull away. Could this be down to a build up of crud from the roads or something more serious? The disks are pretty grotty too and grind on braking for the first mile or so.

Thanks,

R.

Is this on your Boxster? My neighbour has one that he doesn't use much and I'm amazed by how little the disks corrode. Mine look terrible after a couple of days of non-use.

If I know I'm not going to use the car for more than a day I try to make sure I release the brake pedal just as the car comes to rest so it's not parked with the pads jammed on. I leave the handbrake off and the car in gear, but it's on a level drive - I'm aware that it's illegal to leave the car with the handbrake off.

Even with doing all that, there can sometime still be a tremendous clunk on first moving if the car hasn't been used for a few days.

[Greenwich Ross]

Deva Link said:

Greenwich Ross said:

Hullo,

Very recently, when using my car for the first time each day, the brakes seem to stick and make that horrible 'clunk' noise as they unstick as I pull away. Could this be down to a build up of crud from the roads or something more serious? The disks are pretty grotty too and grind on braking for the first mile or so.

Thanks,

R.

Is this on your Boxster? My neighbour has one that he doesn't use much and I'm amazed by how little the disks corrode. Mine look terrible after a couple of days of non-use.

If I know I'm not going to use the car for more than a day I try to make sure I release the brake pedal just as the car comes to rest so it's not parked with the pads jammed on. I leave the handbrake off and the car in gear, but it's on a level drive - I'm aware that it's illegal to leave the car with the handbrake off.

Even with doing all that, there can sometime still be a tremendous clunk on first moving if the car hasn't been used for a few days.

Yep. Usually they're fine. I think it's the road salt that has pushed them over the edge (I've done hundreds of miles during the past few weeks). Trawling through the Porsche forum I came across a post which rather suggests they're prone to this due to there being more iron than's normal in the discs (gives them a better feel, apparently).

[Patrick Bateman]

My handbrake was increasingly sticky.

Tried to drive away last night and I was at about 1200 odd revs for a few seconds before it released with a loud bang. (yes the handbrake was off!)

Just parking it in gear and leaving the handbrake off for the time being.

[Mastodon2]

My rear driver side brake has started squealing on braking until it's warmed up, after a couple of applications, the noise stops. My dad reckons the shoes might be worn down as the car has drum brakes at the back, I suppose we'll find out when it goes for it's service. Whether it's a case of winter weather creating more costs on my motoring of just an inevitable bit of maintainance remains to be seen.

[Deva Link]

Mastodon2 said:

My rear driver side brake has started squealing on braking until it's warmed up, after a couple of applications, the noise stops. My dad reckons the shoes might be worn down as the car has drum brakes at the back, I suppose we'll find out when it goes for it's service. Whether it's a case of winter weather creating more costs on my motoring of just an inevitable bit of maintainance remains to be seen.

In normal use rear brake shoes will last for many years but drum brakes really do need cleaning and lubrication on a routine basis. For many cars it's not part of the service schedule though - a good indie would do it, but a franchised dealership following the manufacturers service sheet wouldn't.