Brakes grabbing???? Help!
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: Oklahoma City Oklahoma
Brakes grabbing???? Help!
Hey guys, I'm having a problem with my 99 coupe. It feels like one of my brakes is grabbing but i'm not sure. I really feel it when i coast, just sort of a jerking feeling. Subtle, but annoying. What is a remedy to this? Should I bleed the brakes, replace the brakes, drive it off a cliff and collect insurance? What? Any help would be apprieciated! My pads are not old at all FYI. My fluid level is fine as well.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,314
Likes: 1
From: Chicago Illinois
I think it may be one of two things. Either a sticking caliper or a brake fluid leak that got on the break lining.Also , although unlikely , a worn break pad with metal to metal contact will grab , but you will hear a grinding noise as well. Good Luck.
If you feel jerking, is it only when you hit the breaks? If so it is a warped rotor.
If you feel jerking, is it only when you hit the breaks? If so it is a warped rotor.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 8,762
Likes: 2
From: Murphy TX
How long since a brake job? If the brakes aren't releaseing due to the slider bolts hanging, it may be as simple as lubing the slider bolts.
Other options are the pad getting stuck or cockeyed in the caliper due to corrosion or other issue on the retaining groove/liner.
Or, as mentioned, if you only feel it undert light braking it could be uneven pad buildup or a warped rotor, but this feeling would go away as soon as you lifted off the brake pedal.
Another possibility is a faulty brake booster. There was a TSB on this I believe but for much later model years (I forget the details). Too heavy of a vacuum can cause the brakes to apply w/o pressure on the pedal, but this would apply brakes at all the corners.
If you can narrow it down to one wheel/corner, just start doing a full inspect of the components. It could always be something loose etc.
Good luck and if you get any more details, please post them and we can probably help even more.
Other options are the pad getting stuck or cockeyed in the caliper due to corrosion or other issue on the retaining groove/liner.
Or, as mentioned, if you only feel it undert light braking it could be uneven pad buildup or a warped rotor, but this feeling would go away as soon as you lifted off the brake pedal.
Another possibility is a faulty brake booster. There was a TSB on this I believe but for much later model years (I forget the details). Too heavy of a vacuum can cause the brakes to apply w/o pressure on the pedal, but this would apply brakes at all the corners.
If you can narrow it down to one wheel/corner, just start doing a full inspect of the components. It could always be something loose etc.
Good luck and if you get any more details, please post them and we can probably help even more.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,275
Likes: 4
From: Vancouver WA
Hey guys, I'm having a problem with my 99 coupe. It feels like one of my brakes is grabbing but i'm not sure. I really feel it when i coast, just sort of a jerking feeling. Subtle, but annoying. What is a remedy to this? Should I bleed the brakes, replace the brakes, drive it off a cliff and collect insurance? What? Any help would be apprieciated! My pads are not old at all FYI. My fluid level is fine as well.
You probably have a build up on the rotor. There is actually a break in procedure for when you put on new brakes. IF you don't do it, then when you stop, the brake pad material bonds itself to the rotor and will actually cause a thicker section on the rotor. Most people think they have warped rotors, but it's actually this.
Raise your car off the ground, and turn your wheels by hand.
Next time you intall new brakes, go and drive to about 60 mph, and brake sort of hard, BUT, DO NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. Do this for a few times to break in the brakes. The trick is, you want to get them hot, but you do not want to let the rotor come to a stop so the pads will bond. You want to bond the break pad material evenly on the rotor.
