Reverse Failure?

[Kevz321]

Gud day all....after washing my car I did not drive my unit for about a week. Then today after warming it up, I put the tranny in reverse and the car wont move (headshake ...then I put it back to park then to reverse position but still wont move, so I pressed the accelerator and I heard a thug and I thought I just run over something so I went down check the garage but there's none. I drove it forward and then to reverse and everything was normal. I wonder what could have caused the thug..could it be that the break pads got stuck coz it wasn't use for a week???

 

[slippin3]

That's likely all it was. Keep an eye on it the next few times you put it in reverse, but probably just a pad stuck

 

[Kevz321]

That's likely all it was. Keep an eye on it the next few times you put it in reverse, but probably just a pad stuck

Thanks slippin3, yup...I hope that's what it was coz I didn't notice anything unusual after driving it for a while and no warning flash on my dash. But this is the first car I had that the pad stucked. I wonder if it will be like that again if I dont drive it for a week or more? (gah) I wonder if there's a TSB for this...I'll just report it to my dealer on my next maintenance schedule.

 

[slippin3]

Having the pads rust and grind a bit when sitting is common and normal, never had a pad really stick though.

 

[mtvon2]

I wouldn't worry too much about this. A car I owned before, a Porsche did this all the time. The condition is a little rust forming on the brake disc and seizing the brake pad. You will be able to replicate this again if you were to wash the car and not drive it for a while.

 

[Kevz321]

I wouldn't worry too much about this. A car I owned before, a Porsche did this all the time. The condition is a little rust forming on the brake disc and seizing the brake pad. You will be able to replicate this again if you were to wash the car and not drive it for a while.

Thank you, I will just spray the brakes with WD-40 then after washing and the car wont be use for a while.

 

[jjw6455]

Did you use your emergency brake when you parked it ? Typically the pads will only rust to the surface when the brake is applied because that is the only time they are in close contact to the rotor, other wise there is typically enough of a gap not to bond.

 

[MikeM.]

Thank you, I will just spray the brakes with WD-40 then after washing and the car wont be use for a while.

I would not spray WD-40 on the brakes. It will absorb into the brake pads and reduce braking performance.

 

[SayNoToPistons]

Thank you, I will just spray the brakes with WD-40 then after washing and the car wont be use for a while.

WD-40 on brakes? Serious?

 

[mtvon2]

The last thing you want to do is to introduce a lubricant to any braking surface.

 

[Kevz321]

The last thing you want to do is to introduce a lubricant to any braking surface.

Thank you all for the advice....I just thought that would be the right thing to do since WD40 displaces water, but never thought it is also a lubricant. Thanks again!

 

[Kevz321]

Did you use your emergency brake when you parked it ? Typically the pads will only rust to the surface when the brake is applied because that is the only time they are in close contact to the rotor, other wise there is typically enough of a gap not to bond.

I've always used the handbrake when I park the car even when in the garage. I might have applied the handbrake while I am also pressing the foot brake during parking.....umm.....could that be the cause of the "thug sound"? I dont know much about mechanical stuff.

 

[MikeM.]

I've always used the handbrake when I park the car even when in the garage. I might have applied the handbrake while I am also pressing the foot brake during parking.....umm.....could that be the cause of the "thug sound"? I dont know much about mechanical stuff.

No. You can park in a level garage without applying the handbrake. That should eliminate the brake pad rusting to the disc.