Braking problem

[zwoemba]

Hey guys,

It's been pretty cold in the past few days, and as the temperatures are getting higher again I'm experiencing a small braking problem.

When I get the car out in the morning there's just no feel in the pedal and there's no 'bite' too from the brakes. Didn't have this before. When I hit the brakes hard for a few times, the bite returns but the feeling in the pedal still isn't what it used to be.

Any ideas?

 

[Willis]

Have you been doing a lot of short journeys or stop/start journeys?

 

[ryan197]

have you checked brake fluid level, you do have to get temperature into the brakes for the bite

 

[zwoemba]

Have you been doing a lot of short journeys or stop/start journeys?

Yes, home to work is just about 6 miles

have you checked brake fluid level

I'll check it! It would surprise me though, because the car was just serviced 2 week ago

 

[Mikeyjp]

are u still running standard pads? performance ones can be really rubbish when cold

 

[zwoemba]

are u still running standard pads? performance ones can be really rubbish when cold

Well, I've bought the car just 2 months ago, with new discs and pads. I know the discs are genuine Renault, but I'm not sure about the pads. It might be that they just fitted the cheapest.

Never had problem though so far, so it surprises me..

Maybe I need to replace the pads & brake fluids, just to be sure...?

 

[Mikeyjp]

could be that the system needs bleeding, hard to say really

 

[furiouspilgrim]

Do you notice one wheel feels hotter than the other after a short while?
Sticking pads and pistons can cause this too. If you get chance, whip the pads out and give the calipers a bit of a clean inside if they have any built up. Check that the pistons are moving freely under a bit of pressure.
Also i'd give the backs of the pads a wipe down and put a bit of copper slip on there.

 

[Willis]

You need to give her a good hiding. If you do a lot of short or stop/start journeys it'll just gum the brakes up on these. Get down the lanes or a nixe quiet stretch of "private" road and do some 70-50MPH braking and some 50-30MPH braking. Basically, if you just bed the brakes back in as if they were new then you'll probably find that will sort it.

 

[furiouspilgrim]

You need to give her a good hiding. If you do a lot of short or stop/start journeys it'll just gum the brakes up on these. Get down the lanes or a nixe quiet stretch of "private" road and do some 70-50MPH braking and some 50-30MPH braking. Basically, if you just bed the brakes back in as if they were new then you'll probably find that will sort it.

If he's having a problem with his brakes, taking his car out for a blast without checking them over first might not be the best idea

 

[BenW]

Probably some cheap pads in there. Some pads just don't work from cold very well, I had this on my old fiesta with cheap aftermarket pads, replaced for standard and the had tons of bite from cold

 

[zwoemba]

Brake fluid level is ok, took her out for a rather amusing ride this evening and everything was perfect like it was before. I'll see what it gives tomorrow morning, gum or just crappy pads...

Cheers for the advice guys, much appreciated!

 

[luke3]

I'd suggest rebedding them in like willis mentioned, I do it every so often as I do a lot of stop start journeys through city centres.

 

[zwoemba]

Problem seems to be gone for now, so I guess it was about rebedding indeed.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Willis]

Try and give her a decent run out once per week at least and give the brakes a strip and clean on an annual basis and you'll be fine. My Dad has an Alfa Romeo Brera with the same setup so we use it as an excuse to go out for a blast hahaha!!!

 

[zwoemba]

Indeed, could be worse