182 Brake Problem - Sounds like ....

[Rich]

... a few threads on here of late talking about lack of performance from the brakes.

Out and about in the 182 this morning, drove to halfords 10 odd miles no real brake use, and from there across town to the shell garage and filled up, again no real use of the brakes. I would say 12 miles driving - but no real brake use at all.

Left the garage after filling up get onto the dual carrigeway and a set of lights changed to Red, car in front goes through on Amber, press the brakes not alot happens, brake harder the car is slowing down very slowly, stops over the line, if it had been a person I had needed to stop I would of hit them. As hard as I could on the brakes, no bite at all, no ABS no nothing! I really did'nt think I was going to stop, and that was from 40-50 mph max! It was rather worrying TBH.

Dual Carrigeway was clear so continued on my way, and decided to try the brakes 2nd stop really hammering the pedal brakes felt like they still had no bite/abs another 2 or 3 hard stops and they started to get better, by the 4th hard standing on the pedal, they seemed sharp and the ABS was cutting in.

My only thoughts on this are:

Cold - are the brakes really bad from cold. As soon as they seemed up to temp they bite really well, ABS cutting in on dry roads?

Lack of car use - I all honesty I had'nt used the car since well before Xmas either it has just been sat in the garage (probably a month!!!!) ? Can Pads and Disc's become glazed over and with lack of use and the first really use has showed up the problem? Also possible overspray of tyre dressing on the disc from last weekend and not being used, possible causes?

I havent done many miles in the car (1800 turned over earlier today) and this is the first time I have noticed it. Those on here with the brake problems are they getting this everytime they brake? After the inital non stop they seemed ok, some useage from higher speeds earlier and they seemed to work.

The ABS light does this only show up when you turn the ignition on, or should this flicker like the ESP light does when its doing it thing?

Cheers

Rich

 

[Turkish]

I'd guess a combo of lack of use and frequent cleaning and possibly contamination from cleaning products. I've noticed on mine once cleaned it takes a few moderate uses of the brakes for them to bite better due purely to the surface corrosion after wash.

 

[john.med]

if you're saying there could be overspray and probably rust on the discs (from bad weather while unused), then i imagine this would reduce the friction on the braking surface. I've got the mk2 172 and the braking power is immense; 100-0mph is something like 4 secs, better than a ferrari 360! when cold they aren't wonderful though.

I'd give 'em a whirl, even try and do some high speed stops, where safe to...

As to the ABS, the light doesn't flash when in use, it will kick in on dry roads though; if the wheel has locked/skidding. ABS even works on bumpy roads too.

If the mileage is low on the car, then I wouldn't suspect the pads were worn to excess; when your pads wear away the remnants of the pad is a metallic base, so you have metal on metal, not much braking but a horrible noise you wouldn't miss or confuse.

Hope this helps...

John

 

[Rich]

After washing I always drive it round the block before garaging as I had noticed that. Did lots of hard stops this afternoon after washing it lol!

But am just hoping it was lack of use and possible overspray of tyre dressing, wheel sealant from the other weekend and not been used after. Going to be much more carefull now with products, no point having clean wheels and no front end...or worse.

 

[Turkish]

Probably the best bet, I would imagine s**t would be difficult to get out of alcantara.

 

[Rich]

if you're saying there could be overspray and probably rust on the discs (from bad weather while unused), then i imagine this would reduce the friction on the braking surface. I've got the mk2 172 and the braking power is immense; 100-0mph is something like 4 secs, better than a ferrari 360! when cold they aren't wonderful though.

I'd give 'em a whirl, even try and do some high speed stops, where safe to...

As to the ABS, the light doesn't flash when in use, it will kick in on dry roads though; if the wheel has locked/skidding. ABS even works on bumpy roads too.

If the mileage is low on the car, then I wouldn't suspect the pads were worn to excess; when your pads wear away the remnants of the pad is a metallic base, so you have metal on metal, not much braking but a horrible noise you wouldn't miss or confuse.

Hope this helps...

John

Yeah I tried some higher speed stops after and it seemed ok.

ABS was kicking in in the dry to under real hard pedal pressure, so that seems to work.

Yeah 1800 miles total on the car, they still have lots of meat on them. Teaches me for neglecting and not using it for a month I guess. Had been used at least once a week up until Xmas.

 

[Rich]

Probably the best bet, I would imagine sh*t would be difficult to get out of alcantara.

LOL, Lucky I have a snap on seat cover! But yeah it was a bit of a brown moment!

 

[Leeshez]

This happened to me coming of the motorway, I took the car in for some work and told them and they said nothing wrong with them.

 

[Rich]

This is what worrys me!

 

[Justin182]

Exactlly same thing as me mate... renault didnt do feck all and said they were fine and tbh, i cant be bothered arguing with them anymore as they are blooming useless and do my head in!!! lol

Have put some new ds2500s pads in and flushed it through with some new brale fluid and seems ok so far. Just letting the pads bed in before really testing them.

 

[Rich]

Justin - Where they bad all the time, or just occasionally?

 

[Justin182]

Justin - Where they bad all the time, or just occasionally?

Just occasionally.... and at the time i needed them most too. lol

 

[Rich]

Oh dear Let us know how it goes with the new pads.

Mine seemd fine when warmed up?

 

[Grandpa Munster]

Exactly the same thing happened to me last week as you describe r-jay.

Brakes were doing a great job as usual, then suddenly a brown trouser moment. Thereafter, the brakes just did not seem as effective, and I lost all confidence in the stoppers.

The car has just under 4000 miles on the clock, and I don't thrash it.

So I decided to take all my wheels off, clean them inside and out and gel the tyres.

Whilst the fronts were off, I took the pads out and de-glazed them with some emery cloth. I laid a large piece of emery cloth on a flat surface, and rubbed the pads on the cloth friction side down, thus keeping the faces flat. Stopping power seems to be back to normal.

 

[Rich]

Cheers Lee, will give that a go to.

 

[Grandad]

Pads seem to harden with use so older pads (even with plenty plenty of pad left) work less well from cold (the backs take longer to warm up and can be hardly working even when ABS cuts in at the front).

The more you cook pads to warm them up the harder they become and more they need heating in the future.

I'm going to try Brembo discs and Red Stuff pads, these worked well from cold throughout the life of the pads on my old Alfa Sprint. Don't know if you can get the Brembo Gold discs for Clios, I'll have to check.

 

[Rich]

Car is 10 months old pads should be okay shouldnt they?