Unusual friction vibrations when applying breakes.

[Diomedes]

This only started after a couple incidents with breaks not coping with very slippery ice/snow conditions. Was braking a little on a decline and then it felt like all hell was breaking lose, the violent rumbling/friction when the breaks went down was crazy. I assume this was some feature on the breaks kicking in on a slippery surface emergency?

Anyway, after that happened a second time, when driving normally I noticed a pretty slight rumbling friction whenever I apply pressure to the brake in general driving conditions. It's not unlike what I described when they the above. But it's very slight, my wife says she has noticed nothing, but I drive it 80% of the time. It also occurs on the accelerator pedal too, when putting mild pressure too.

It's all very slight, enough to make me wonder if I'm imagining it, but I think I'd notice a new sensation like that since I drive it so much. We bought it used at 95k, and the car lot said they put brand new aftermarket brakes on it just then. It's now at 108k.

 

[Ty07allstar]

I had the same experience. Wondering what it is?

 

[Chefsp0t]

It's not the ABS is it? You can definitely feel it when ABS is doing its job.

Not sure if 06 models had optional traction control or not but that could be another thing.

 

[Diomedes]

Well, it sounded/felt very violent when that braking occured. It makes sense that ABS would kick in under those conditions, but I'm not entirely sure what ABS should feel like. Driving for a couple more days now, i'm increasingly confident that it's not just in my head.

Honestly though, could it be something related to weather conditions and wear they put on the brakes? It's a fair bit warmer here now, I need only to warm up the car for about 1 minute before driving, last week I was warming it up almost 10 minutes (the stick shift was stiff and frozen even longer than 10 minutes, it's crazy).

 

[Chefsp0t]

ABS is probably most likely to come on during cold months when the roads are slippery. When ABS comes on the brake pedal pulses up and down real fast and it makes a nice vibrating sound. It is somewhat violent but just because the brakes are pulsating very quickly to keep the tires from locking up.

If it hasn't happened again and the roads were slick that night I would put my money on nothing being wrong.

 

[Sean2010]

def ABS. It's a scary feeling when you feel it for the 1st time I know it gave me a fright. Sounds like your brakes are grinding. But, I would say, since you heard that grind, in the back of your head you may have thought you broke something and now your brain thinks that there was aftermath from it.

Just inspect your system....it shouldn't take to long...

 

[fam]

The abs feels like your brakes are falling off and its letting go and grinding but magically your wheels arent locking up and its coming to a stop. It feels the same on all the 3's and 5's ive owned. Dont freak out.

 

[Diomedes]

Fair enough, ABS it is. May or may not be related.

But....

Just last night I had to drive our other car, the Corolla, and it had no such sensation as the new symptom I described above on the brake pedal, so that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Should I just bring it in to the garage and get them to check the breaks, or should I discuss and describe it to them as well?

 

[fam]

This is a mazda ABS grinding noise...no other brand of car I have driven sounds\feels like this. If youre concerned take it in and give us the details on your findings to save us the $$$.