did you wash it last night?
First Glitch
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Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
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First Glitch
I have an A8 coupe, bought in Dec.2014. It's been running perfectly until this morning. I started the car for the first time today, and put it in reverse, to back out of my garage. As I fed power, I could hear the engine accelerate, but the car did not move. I tried shifting from drive to reverse, and neutral to reverse, with no luck. I shut off the engine, and again tried shifting gears; all of a sudden I felt or heard a loud thunk, as the car lurched into reverse. I've used the car on and off, all day with no similar occurence.
Has anyone else experienced this? Anyone have any ideas as to the cause? I'm reluctant to take it to the dealer until or unless it happens again.
Has anyone else experienced this? Anyone have any ideas as to the cause? I'm reluctant to take it to the dealer until or unless it happens again.
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Yup, the rotor will rust up like a 50 year old piece of iron! If it "blooms" enough, it'll cause the rotor to freeze up in the caliper pad.
You need to get mean with it to free it up. Better yet, after washing blow the rotors with a leaf blower and then go around the block heating up the rotor and drying everything off real nice before putting it in the garage for the night.
Elmer
Racer
Joined: Jul 2014
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From: Bay Area CA
Yes, the rust created from the wash will lock them up. I'd recommend drive it around the block to remove any water/rust build up before putting it away for the evening.
Good thing is, your transmission is fine.
Good thing is, your transmission is fine.
Drifting
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Melting Slicks
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From: Texas
I understand what the responders are saying, however, I’ve never had anything like that happen and I’ve never paid attention to drying the rotors after a wash or driving it around to heat the rotors.
The worst I’ve even had in decades of disc brake cars is a very slight, very brief “tug” from the rotor and/or squealing on first application. Don
The worst I’ve even had in decades of disc brake cars is a very slight, very brief “tug” from the rotor and/or squealing on first application. Don
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Yup, the rotor will rust up like a 50 year old piece of iron! If it "blooms" enough, it'll cause the rotor to freeze up in the caliper pad.
You need to get mean with it to free it up. Better yet, after washing blow the rotors with a leaf blower and then go around the block heating up the rotor and drying everything off real nice before putting it in the garage for the night.
You need to get mean with it to free it up. Better yet, after washing blow the rotors with a leaf blower and then go around the block heating up the rotor and drying everything off real nice before putting it in the garage for the night.
Had that happen before. I now drive the car after washing it to get the rotors and pads dry.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2014
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From: D/FW Texas
I always drive it around for 5 minutes or so right after I wash it to prevent this very same thing from occurring. Plus, it allows the water spots to bead off the car which means less drying with the towel in the end.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: Upstate NY
The quick rusting of the brake rotors is a PITA. After I was, I hit them with the blaster to get most of the water off. Then before backing into the garage I run the car aggressively forward and backward in my driveway so I can do several hard brake applications. It usually does the trick. I have had a few brake seizures but they always pop loose.
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Racer
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Safety Car
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From: Northern Virginia
If you have to put it away with wet rotors, just leave it in gear, or park, without using the parking brake. (Unless, that is, you have to park on a hill.) The rotors will still get rusty, bat at least the pads won't freeze to the disk.
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From: La Center WA
I never set the parking brake in the garage but my pads still stick to the rotors after every wash.
