Brake noise after a bath

[RnDM5]

Hi All,

I have owned my '08 5 for 4 months now and am really happy with it!

I am having trouble though with the amount of brake "groan" after washing it. I get into every crack and crevase on the wheels with a brush and make them sparkle. Afterward though, when I go to put the 5 back in the garage the stupid thing makes the most awful sounds when I touch the brakes. So loud in fact, that my wife can hear it in the house over the noise of two screaming kids! It does go away after a few hard brakes out on the street but I have never had a vehicle do this before.

I called the dealership and they said this is common on both the 3 and the 5. Does anyone else have this happening?

Thx.

 

[J.P.]

Some cars are louder than others, but pretty much any car does it to some degree. Any time after washing the car, I always take it out to dry the brakes. When I come home from driving on a really slushy or rainy day, I usually try to make a few harder stops (check your rearview mirror first!) before I pull into the driveway. It will not stop the discs from rusting, but I find it helps to put the car away with the brakes hot (water evaporates before the rusting process starts). My 5 is probably the loudest car I have owned in this respect.

 

[flcruising]

It is probably because of a few different reasons. The wheels are under the rear cabin allowing you to hear them more, the suspension is tight for sporty reasons, and this vehicle has more rear brake bias than others. I've only really noticed it when backing up after washing, this transfers more weight to the rear, causing the rear brakes to work harder than the front in that situation. Water is unavoidable, and I don't know of anything you can really do to change this.

 

[5phreak]

it's a 5 thing. pretty awful sometimes. my neighbors will turn their heads and look if I'm backing out of drive and they're outside.

 

[jimp]

I have a 3 and a 5 in the garage, and its a common thing. Drive in the rain, overnight the discs will be rusty. Wash the vehicle, and the discs will be rusty the next day. I do disagree about the comment made about the 5's brakes are more rear biased than others. Most vehicles have better/stronger brakes in the front since you are trying to stop/slow something moving forward at a higher rate of speed than when going backwards. The suspension is sporty for a van/kids hauler and you will hear a few more noises than those with the "plush" ride. If the brakes are making that much noise, you might want to see if you need new brake pads, etc., since you indicate you've owned an 08 for 4-5 months for piece of mind.

 

[dfskinner]

Only happens when I'm backing..... Never noticed it after a wash and going forward........

Same things happens with our Infinity FX35........ going in reverse....

 

[5for3]

Hi all,

I am new here, first post actually, and this issue is what brought me searching through different forums online. I was so happy to find this website. My 2008 Mazda5 makes this aweful sound when it gets washed or driving on wet roads. It's embarrassing really, I think people expect to see a 20 year old Chrysler car groaning when they turn to look and not a 2 1/2 year old Mazda. LOL. 2 dealers say nothing wrong with it, no problems found, no fix available. I love the micro van anyways.

 

[skyhawk]

It's A mazda5 thing. comes and goes. Actually I like it. Makes the initial ride less boring as you'll be 'feathering the brake as you back out' and overly conscious of what the neighbors might think. Then later in the day when you back up again. the sound is gone! where is it now? You will end up missing the sound.. It comes when you least expect it. .

 

[Sounbwoy]

Can happen on any vehicle. As long as it stops and I know I have brakes, I'm good!

 

[cclngthr]

It is due to the type of brake pad used. The harder the pad material, the more noise it will create if the rotor is rusty. The MZ3 and MZ5 use a ceramic based pad on both front and rear. Ceramic is a hard material and will make more noise than softer pads.