Major brake problem

[Pro5Lani]

Alright, don't know if any of you other P5 owners out there have experienced this but here I go...


My brakes are severly acting up on me!! They have been for a while I just never knew it was my brakes until now. While driving, running errans, stop and go, here to there style of driving my calipers will gradually lock up on me. And my brake fluid will come out from the caliper(not sure exactly where) and burn which causes smoke to come from the brakes (pissed) . I'd have to pull over and let the car sit for about 30 mins. or more to allow the calipers to release(?)...so I can make it back home where I'd have to bleed the brakes. I've bled the brakes over and over because that's the only way to get the problem to stop, unfortunatly it only lasts, for about a week or until I do more stop and go and here to there erran running. My brakes felt spongey in the winter time but now it's summer they just lock up.

Weird thing is, at night, I don't have this problem as badly. It won't get to the "smoking point". Put the pedal will get hard.

Anyone know what's going on? I thought it was a hole in the lines but I see nothing leaking. And it only seems to happen in the front.


I really need help with this, I'm planning on selling the car and want this problem taken well care of before I do sell it (If I do).

 

[evilmonkeyMSP]

when is the last time you flushed the brake system? if recently did you put the correct brake fluid in there?

the pedal would feel spongy due to air in the lines...

 

[ChopstickHero]

time for some new calipers.

 

[aMaff]

yeah, I don't care what happens...if there was somehow THAT much water in the lines and you were somehow cooking the brakes going to the grocery store (ya, right...), it would fill the overflow bottle and if anything come out there. And like evilmonkey said, if you were boiling that water, you'd get air pockets, and your pedal would feel really spongey. You need to get those checked, sounds like one or more of your calipers are fuxx0rd...

but then again, I could be totally wrong (shrug)

 

[Pro5Lani]

time for some new calipers.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I'm just hoping that's not the problem. It's really pissing me off 'cause I can't drive around too much.


I haven't exactly flushed the system. But, I did drain the system and refill it back again unless that's what you meant. I'm using Valvoline Syn Power brake fluid, but it started with the stock fluid.

 

[ChopstickHero]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I'm just hoping that's not the problem. It's really pissing me off 'cause I can't drive around too much.


I haven't exactly flushed the system. But, I did drain the system and refill it back again unless that's what you meant. I'm using Valvoline Syn Power brake fluid, but it started with the stock fluid.

i'm guessing your calipers are partially seizing somehow. the heat generated by the seizure on one or multiple calipers is causing the fluid to boil.

 

[samm5149]

well my brakes wernt that bad but it felt like some one was hold the hand brake.....and i read somewhere on here about some one else haveing a similar problem......all i did was put some grease on the screws the calipers slid on and its stopped....the grease was like $2. and it took about 30 min if you do a search on it you can find a cheap how-to

 

[Black_Protege_5]

Well if you need new calipers I will be selling mine soon.

 

[funktownp5]

I have my old P5 calipers (have about 50K miles before i switched to

Mazdaspeed calipers) that i could sell u if you find out that yours are bad for

cheap.

 

[asifmbadar]

Bleed your brakes PROPERLY first. If that does not work then take a closer look at the calipers and what they are doing. Have a friend sit in the car and apply the brakes and see how the caliper behaves. If it leaks, find out where and why, if you cannot it is most likely an internal caliper problem meaning that your calipers need to be replaced.

How many miles on your car?

 

[Diehonda]

How long has this been happening if you say now that it is summer? You need to replace the calipers that are seizing, check the rotors to see if they are warped and possibly replace those, and flush the crap out of your lines to make sure that all of the air is out. Get some small rubber tubing to fit over the bleed valve so that no brake fluid gets on your caliper, it is easier to see the bubbles(air) that comes out of your lines. Don't stop bleeding them until your pedal is stiff as hell to press while the car is off, then drive it a very short distance(maybe twenty feet foward and reverse) to make sure that the car and pedal are on the smae page.

I had two calipers seize and one rotor warp. It was no fun but as long as you take your time and read up on the rear brake how to you should be fine.

 

[Pro5Lani]

well my brakes wernt that bad but it felt like some one was hold the hand brake.....and i read somewhere on here about some one else haveing a similar problem......all i did was put some grease on the screws the calipers slid on and its stopped....the grease was like $2. and it took about 30 min if you do a search on it you can find a cheap how-to

Yeah, I was thinking about that today. My dad told me before to always check that when I do a pad change. I forgot to check on it on my recent pad change. (I use to do it all the time on my 1st gen). I'm thinking of checking on it today and posting the results.

Bleed your brakes PROPERLY first. If that does not work then take a closer look at the calipers and what they are doing. Have a friend sit in the car and apply the brakes and see how the caliper behaves. If it leaks, find out where and why, if you cannot it is most likely an internal caliper problem meaning that your calipers need to be replaced.

How many miles on your car?

I've had a friend pump the brakes while I look all around the caliper and nothing leaks, it only seems to come out when it heats up like ChopstickHero mentioned. I'm going near 70K miles.



Thanks for all the info and the help, guys. It's much appreciated.

 

[P-Funk!]

When it heats up - the metal expands - a sticky pin or caliper could begin to bind.

Good advice (above) - remove the calipers inspect, clean and grease the pins. Re-install and have a friend hit the brakes and release. Are the pads releasing? Go for a drive. Stop a lot. Feel the wheel for hot brakes. Still hot? - replace calipers and flush. Not hot - good to go...

 

[Jack Daniels]

I agree with what the guys are saying here, but do it now. Don't want to F with faulty brakes. Get it fixed before you drive it anymore.

 

[Pro5Lani]

Just got done greasing them and rebleeding them. It seemed to have worked for now. But, I won't truly know until, atleast, a week from now or until I do some stop & go, here and there erran running.



I will update you all if the problem persists or not after about a week.

Thanks again for you help and offers.

 

[Diehonda]

Clean the inside of the wheels and claipers where the brake fluid has dripped on. Use a degreaser. That way if more leaks you will be bale to tell faster.