» Site Navigation | | » Recent Threads | | | | | | | | 05-02-2009, 09:13 PM | #1 | Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: MA Posts: 4 | What is wrong with my braking system? Hello all, I've got a bit of a problem I hope you can help me identify. I have a 95ti with 175k. In september I replaced the rotors and brake pads, I drove it problem free for the next 4 months, and since january I haven't driven it at all. So I'd say the new rotors and pads have less than 1000 miles on them. And then the car sat undriven for 3 months. I come back to my car and when I brake it is EXTREMELY uneven. As in, when I brake it's smooth and then all of a sudden a jolt. I can feel the feedback in the car itself and especially the brake pedal. It happens at all levels of brake pedal pressure. While it was sitting for those 3 months the emergency brake was engaged and the car was on a flat surface. Handling otherwise is normal. A quick inspection of the rotors doesn't indicate any unevenness. Any ideas? | | | 05-02-2009, 09:55 PM | #2 | Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Land of the Vikings Posts: 2,700 | check to see if a caliper is sticking? also see if there is any sign of debris between pad and disk lift the car and rotate each wheel independantly, to see if there is any resistance? __________________ Vin Number decode and Retrofit Pdfs Available Free ! Just PM | | | 05-02-2009, 11:08 PM | #3 | Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: asdfasdf Posts: 10,002 | you shouldn't have had the e-brake on if it was sitting that long, that might be part of the problem too | | | 05-03-2009, 07:45 PM | #4 | Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: MA Posts: 4 | Yes, that's why I included that and I meant to expand on it but i must have forgot. I suspect that could cause problems but I don't know what given the symptoms. Any ideas on that? | | | 05-03-2009, 07:50 PM | #5 | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Raleigh/Charlotte, NC Posts: 1,233 | ebrake should have nothing to do with it. It has its own shoes. I would check for a seized caliper. __________________ -Jeff | | | 05-03-2009, 10:15 PM | #6 | Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Land of the Vikings Posts: 2,700 | Until he gets the car in the air to look for worn bushes, seized calipers.. it could be anything if the handbrake is catching, then it may drag on one wheel feeling like something is wrong yes, but there shouldnt be any feel in the pedal, because the handbrake is mechanical, and the regular braking is hydraulic. __________________ Vin Number decode and Retrofit Pdfs Available Free ! Just PM | | | 05-03-2009, 11:22 PM | #7 | Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: MA Posts: 4 | Also, I got my wheels jacked up and they spun evenly. Tho, admittedly I was a bit rushed, may be time to take them off and have a good look. | | | 05-04-2009, 12:54 AM | #8 | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Globally Posts: 1,162 | Take off the rotors and have them turned. Or purchase new rotors. | | | 05-04-2009, 01:41 AM | #9 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Portland Or Posts: 2,666 | Common problem is that the iron embedded in the brake pad gets rusty. I find 3 or 4 miles of red hot braking usually clean it up. You don't describe the action is it a swerve? IE pulling? Or is it a nothing then everything at once behavior? Dave __________________ Dave - PDX 1995 318ti - Active Black and Tan. 2005 330xi - Mtech 1 - 6spd - Orient Blue/Black | | | 05-18-2009, 03:21 AM | #10 | Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: MA Posts: 4 | Just wanted to give an update, because I hate when I search for problems and people seem to have the same problem I do, but never bother to follow up with the fix that worked. I think it was an uneven brake pad, possibly because of the iron oxidizing as suggested. I've driven it for about 200 miles and it feels like it is getting better. I took off all the wheels and checked the calipers, one of the newer pads and rotors and a small section of drag that didn't seem significant but it looks like it was. I expect at this rate the car will behave normally in another 50 miles. Thanks all for the feedback. | | | | Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Thread Tools | | Display Modes | Linear Mode | Posting Rules | You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | |