Brakes Failed!

[.Gem.]

Was driving to pick my daughter up from a mates earlier, and had been driving pretty hard all the way (approx 20 miles)

Coming up to a junction I braked from approx 70 mph and my foot hit the floor and pretty much nothing happened! Used the gears and handbrake and stopped in plenty of time.

Carried on gently to my mates, and left car to cool for 20 mins, then set off home , brakes now seem fine :S

Any ideas? The rear discs and pads are nearly ready for changing as are the front pads, but they arent in a state that should cause this. They would definately pass MOT. :dapprove:

 

[dannyh_17]

mine did this a while back after a hard drive pissed me off coz how much worse it could have been, brakes stunk but like u were fine after theyd cooled but just not nice to know it could happen again lol

 

[.Gem.]

yeah when I got out at mates they ponged lol. Quite worrying tho!

 

[kenny172]

brake fade? or u managed to boil the brake fluid?

 

[.Gem.]

:s dont know!

 

[Beef-Mc]

Brakes overheating? Brake fluid boiling?

Oh and if you know they should be getting changed, chage them!

 

[.Gem.]

MOT in few weeks so was planning on doing them anyway! But as said...they arent in a 'critical' condition at all!

 

[ditz]

boiled fluid when was it last changed
needs changing now or your brakes are about as much use as a chocolate tea pot

 

[mikey_172]

or if you know they need changing and here near the end of there life dont drive like a loon?

 

[MRBILLYUK]

A spirited drive = hot brakes = brake fade = twitchy ass moment . It happens lol .

 

[Pettsi]

Sqeaky bum moment!! As above get the brakes\fluid checked!

Glad you and your daughter are ok!

 

[lemonnobby]

Brake fluid boiled i expect

 

[.Gem.]

or if you know they need changing and here near the end of there life dont drive like a loon?

urgh. Once again....they are 'getting ready' but not in anyway near the end!! I wouldnt be risking that...I have a 3yr old in the car with me most of the time! And wasnt driving 'like a loon' either, just a decent drive out!

Will get brake fluid checked!! Was a 'hairy' moment lol

 

[MRBILLYUK]

Brake fluid boiled i expect

I'd say it was more to do with hot pads than boiled fluid .

 

[MarkCup]

Was there nothing, then a couple more presses and you had brakes?

Or had they gone completely?

You still carried on?

If nothing then they came back, the pads might have been knocked away from the disc.

Go over any bumps beforehand?

 

[Barron]

you did press the brake pedal right, not the clutch?





j/k ;D sounds like fluid boiling which is strange if you it wasnt a spirited drive

 

[NIN-172]

What pads are you using? I had a fade problem on my last car from using cheap pads, i.e. the cheap Mintex/Lucas/AP etc.. . I got some Ferrodo's & was fine after that, so now I always use them.
Renualt standard pads are Ferrodo, well the one's I've had from them last two times anyway, so they should be good to go with.

btw, anyone know the Ferrodo standard pad number for a 172, so I can buy oem rather than from the stealer next time.

 

[Mark One]

FCUK!!! that sounds scary.

How often should fluid be replaced? and what with. I may do mine after reading that.

 

[AlexG]

i would s**t myself!

 

[-Leigh-]

In my old 172, I had this happen a few times. On some of the occaisions I had been driving normally before hand, but tried to stop quickly at a junction or something, and ended out in the road.

3 trips to Renault, new fluid, bled, and even new pads and discs never cured it.

It's happened on my 182 once too!! A car pulled out infront of me, emergency stop and the brakes were s**t. I had to just steer around the car. Brakes were fine after that though. New brakes have been fitted to my 182 a few weeks ago, haven't tried stopping quick yet.

 

[Craig]

my brakes are w**k for stopping always have been. but im changing them soon aswell as bleeding the system and getting braided hoses

 

[Ads_172]

I know there are mixed reviews on the effectiveness of braided hoses, bt aren't they recommended for reducing fade after a lengthy bit of driving?

Might be worth the upgrade?

 

[-Leigh-]

lol, I think brakes should be able to stop the car from standard though.

 

[Linsen]

Since some people on this thread have suggested that the problem lies with the pads: No, it doesn't.*

With pad fade the brake pedal doesn't get any longer or spongy or falls all the way to the floor, as described here. Pedal travel stays the same, but you have to apply much more pressure to get any kind of braking power, because the pads are overheated and lost all or some of their friction.

If the brake pedal is long and spongy or goes all the way to the floor, it's fluid fade. Meaning, the brake fluid boiled and you get bubbles in the braking system. These bubbles, unlike the fluid, compress almost completely under pressure. Thus you get a long pedal and little to no braking.

*) Very thin brake pads might however increase the tendency for fluid fade to occur, as they don't insulate as well as thick pads. Thus, more heat will be transfered to the calipers and the brake fluid which as a consequence boils earlier. But I would imagine this to be a very minor effect.

 

[pinky]

OMG..I would have pooped myself..glad you two are ok. Seem like you handled it very cool.

 

[Mark One]

In my old 172, I had this happen a few times. On some of the occaisions I had been driving normally before hand, but tried to stop quickly at a junction or something, and ended out in the road.

3 trips to Renault, new fluid, bled, and even new pads and discs never cured it.

It's happened on my 182 once too!! A car pulled out infront of me, emergency stop and the brakes were s**t. I had to just steer around the car. Brakes were fine after that though. New brakes have been fitted to my 182 a few weeks ago, haven't tried stopping quick yet.

im really worried my car is going to try and kill me now.

 

[Mark One]

Since some people on this thread have suggested that the problem lies with the pads: No, it doesn't.*

With pad fade the brake pedal doesn't get any longer or spongy or falls all the way to the floor, as described here. Pedal travel stays the same, but you have to apply much more pressure to get any kind of braking power, because the pads are overheated and lost all or some of their friction.

If the brake pedal is long and spongy or goes all the way to the floor, it's fluid fade. Meaning, the brake fluid boiled and you get bubbles in the braking system. These bubbles, unlike the fluid, compress almost completely under pressure. Thus you get a long pedal and little to no braking.

*) Very thin brake pads might however increase the tendency for fluid fade to occur, as they don't insulate as well as thick pads. Thus, more heat will be transfered to the calipers and the brake fluid which as a consequence boils earlier. But I would imagine this to be a very minor effect.

that's an important point mate.

 

[vala]

i think i need to get my braking system checked out as well then. mine recently seems to want to give up the ghost and is tbh im not completely confident when driving it in a spirited manner every now and again. the brakes feel as if there, there on occasion however after a few heavy braking moments they just don't feel as firm or sure as normal.

 

[.Gem.]

OMG..I would have pooped myself..glad you two are ok. Seem like you handled it very cool.

There was only me in the car! I never drive 'quickly' when Chloes with me.

I dont tend to panic when things go wrong, so usually manage to get myself out of things!

Well, Ive just been and got a full set of pads, and am going back for brake fluid (lol I forgot) and will get it bled and pads changed! Hopefully that will help anyway!

 

[-Leigh-]

Hopefully!!

But mine never got sorted. When I p/x it for the 182 I told the dealer the brakes were dodgy, and they said "we know" lol.

 

[.Gem.]

Ssssssssssssssssssssssh! Dont say hopefully!! It will be sorted!!!!

 

[Dan 172]

Happied to me 2/3 times in one day when I had my 172.

It was just the first press on the brakes I had nothing, the next press I did.

Made me worry abit, but the dealer couldn't find nothing when I booked it in.

I thought it may of some air in the system, as I had some work done on the suspesion the week before and the caliper may of been moved around.

 

[.Gem.]

All fixed now?? Tis scary thinking brakes can just stop working randomly!!

 

[Rich]

Same happened to mine, went to brake for some lights and nothing happened, came off the brakes and applied them again and it stopped well over the line.

I dread to think what would happened if there had been cars waiting at the lights. Never happened again while I had it.

 

[Vish]

s**t hope were ok hun. You did well to react without losing the plot!

I've had it where brakes seems like they are barely working n then just about slows me down in time once I've put my foot through the floor. Luckily was quiet-ish roads.

Think it was brake fluid issues on mines, pads were decent and then was ok the next time I drove.

Bet you drove like a granny after lol

 

[Dan 172]

Mine were fine after that and I owned the car for a year after with no problems.

Just see how it goes and take it steady.

 

[.Gem.]

s**t hope were ok hun. You did well to react without losing the plot!

I've had it where brakes seems like they are barely working n then just about slows me down in time once I've put my foot through the floor. Luckily was quiet-ish roads.

Think it was brake fluid issues on mines, pads were decent and then was ok the next time I drove.

Bet you drove like a granny after lol

Haha! I took it steady, but went onto a long quiet road and did a 'emergency' stop from speed, they worked ok. Grinding under my feet a bit now, which may be discs, but gonna swap pads and see!

 

[Vish]

s**t hope were ok hun. You did well to react without losing the plot!

I've had it where brakes seems like they are barely working n then just about slows me down in time once I've put my foot through the floor. Luckily was quiet-ish roads.

Think it was brake fluid issues on mines, pads were decent and then was ok the next time I drove.

Bet you drove like a granny after lol

Haha! I took it steady, but went onto a long quiet road and did a 'emergency' stop from speed, they worked ok. Grinding under my feet a bit now, which may be discs, but gonna swap pads and see!

LOL I've done that loads of time just to check they're working.

I remember once was randomly out with my now-ex and although I braked late I had virtually nothing stopping me and I had to use the bus lane to avoid hitting the car infront even though there was enough space on a normal day. I shat it and went back home and told her we're eating in tonight lol

 

[.Gem.]

FLOL!! Nightmare!!! Tis not fun is it!! Least you had a bus lane tho!!! I had a sharp corner and a wall in front lol! Butt clenching moment!

 

[Turner]

pics,lol.