Big Scare - Parking brake stuck to rotor?
03-14-2019, 06:18 PM
#21
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St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13, '16-'17-'18
03-14-2019, 06:27 PM
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St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
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4thC4at60 (03-15-2019)
03-15-2019, 02:13 AM
#24
Drifting
I drove my car all winter long and this happened often. When it rained and temps went below freezing over night the pads froze to the rotors. Nothing a little reving couldn't cure.
03-15-2019, 04:49 AM
#25
Le Mans Master
I forgot to set it, but, Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
03-15-2019, 07:19 AM
#26
Pro
Well I never apply my parking brake in my garage. After I wash it and store it for no more than a day it will sort of pop to get going in reverse. Same thing with my previous C6.
03-15-2019, 08:04 AM
#27
Racer
I also try to avoid water washing, usually only have to do it once or twice per summer season. But after a water wash, its really good practice to drive it. Not only to dry the brakes/wheels, but the engine and exhaust heat combined with airflow and bouncing down the road helps to dry EVERYTHING, including all of the electrical connections.
03-15-2019, 10:26 AM
#28
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In my vehicle you have to have set the parking brake to activate the 'programmed' driver seating. If I don't set the brake, when I get in I have to push and hold the 'button' until it goes to 'set' position. If brake activated when I get in and start the car the seating goes to the set position w/o having to push the 'button'.
03-15-2019, 03:20 PM
#29
Safety Car
part-time device
Having the manual I only use the parking brake in situations (hills, etc.) when I feel it is
actually assisting in keeping the car stationary, otherwise it gets little use.
actually assisting in keeping the car stationary, otherwise it gets little use.
03-15-2019, 03:37 PM
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Bill
03-15-2019, 03:48 PM
#31
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St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13, '16-'17-'18
03-15-2019, 04:15 PM
#32
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Two solutions, first IF the car is going to sit in the garage after being washed w/o driving just avoid hosing down the rotors, it can be done.
Second if not take the car for a drive even 500 feet and gently ride the brakes as you do so and return to the garage.
Believe me if you wash and leave the car for an extended period the pads will not JUST release.
Important point you cannot guarantee all 4 wheels will let go at the same time!!
Here is my story from 4 years ago with my 14, wish the pictures were still in that post
I wanted to share an experience this morning which I had a good laugh about and feel free to laugh at this story too!!! I have seen posts of people having to truck their cars to the dealer after washing their cars because the front brake pads rust to the rotors and the car will not move. I have always avoided this until this morning. I'm in Ohio and drive my car everyday. But because of a trip last weekend I washed it, was in a hurry and did not take the time to take a drive around the block. After sitting for a week I decided to take it to work today. It was a balmy Zero at 6:30 so why not? Now my garage has a vinyl floor and to prevent marks on the tiles I park on carpet tiles. A combination for disaster this morning!!!
I had to back out of the garage (thats another story) and as soon as I put it in reverse I felt the drag in both front wheels. But forgetting it is winter and that I don't ever shovel my drive and it has 5 or 6 inches or ice on it I backed out. As soon as I hit the ice the back tires just spin. Tried to go forward but no go. So what to do? Heck get out turn on the hose with hot water and melt the ice under the tires!!! Why not? After I struggled getting out, my door was right against the door frame.... the hot water worked and I dragged the front end into the garage. After several attempt of rocking the car back and forth the right wheel broke loose. Not so with the left because the carpet tile was under it and it was just sliding on the floor tiles. So after going back and forth numerous times I gave up, shut her down and took my AWD car to work. I am sure the neighbors loved me revving the Corsas at 6:30!!!!
Unfortunately I ripped up my tile floor spinning the back tires!!!!
When I closed up the garage and got into the backup car I was smiling and laughing out loud this was so comical!!!!!
Now the solution IF this happens to you!!! I came home from work and attempted to rock the left wheel again. Even jacked the car up and pulled out the carpet tile. Still no go. I took a wood 2X4 placing it against the rotor in three areas around the rotor and tapped it lightly with a hammer. I figured on the edges it would rock the caliper a little and break loose which it did!!!!
All's well and I certainly will always drive it after and I wash it.
Second if not take the car for a drive even 500 feet and gently ride the brakes as you do so and return to the garage.
Believe me if you wash and leave the car for an extended period the pads will not JUST release.
Important point you cannot guarantee all 4 wheels will let go at the same time!!
Here is my story from 4 years ago with my 14, wish the pictures were still in that post
I wanted to share an experience this morning which I had a good laugh about and feel free to laugh at this story too!!! I have seen posts of people having to truck their cars to the dealer after washing their cars because the front brake pads rust to the rotors and the car will not move. I have always avoided this until this morning. I'm in Ohio and drive my car everyday. But because of a trip last weekend I washed it, was in a hurry and did not take the time to take a drive around the block. After sitting for a week I decided to take it to work today. It was a balmy Zero at 6:30 so why not? Now my garage has a vinyl floor and to prevent marks on the tiles I park on carpet tiles. A combination for disaster this morning!!!
I had to back out of the garage (thats another story) and as soon as I put it in reverse I felt the drag in both front wheels. But forgetting it is winter and that I don't ever shovel my drive and it has 5 or 6 inches or ice on it I backed out. As soon as I hit the ice the back tires just spin. Tried to go forward but no go. So what to do? Heck get out turn on the hose with hot water and melt the ice under the tires!!! Why not? After I struggled getting out, my door was right against the door frame.... the hot water worked and I dragged the front end into the garage. After several attempt of rocking the car back and forth the right wheel broke loose. Not so with the left because the carpet tile was under it and it was just sliding on the floor tiles. So after going back and forth numerous times I gave up, shut her down and took my AWD car to work. I am sure the neighbors loved me revving the Corsas at 6:30!!!!
Unfortunately I ripped up my tile floor spinning the back tires!!!!
When I closed up the garage and got into the backup car I was smiling and laughing out loud this was so comical!!!!!
Now the solution IF this happens to you!!! I came home from work and attempted to rock the left wheel again. Even jacked the car up and pulled out the carpet tile. Still no go. I took a wood 2X4 placing it against the rotor in three areas around the rotor and tapped it lightly with a hammer. I figured on the edges it would rock the caliper a little and break loose which it did!!!!
All's well and I certainly will always drive it after and I wash it.
Last edited by Greg00Coupe; 03-15-2019 at 04:27 PM.
03-15-2019, 05:06 PM
#33
Safety Car
Same here. I've never had them get stuck as bad as Greg00Coupe above describes, but they stick slightly. Normally the slope of my driveway is enough that if I put the car in neutral it will roll back into the street. However if the car was washed and sat for awhile (over the weekend for example) I might need reverse gear to actually get out of the driveway since the pads are ever so slightly stuck to the rotors.
03-15-2019, 08:34 PM
#34
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I NEVER leave any parking brakes on for any length of time... meaning never more than over-night, unless there is no other option, and even then never more than a couple days when out and on the road, if necessary. .The latter almost never happens if one pays attention to where parked, if intending to be there longer. Many decades ago I had one stick and said never again.
03-16-2019, 08:58 AM
#35
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C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
I highly doubt the parking brake was the problem. Unless you drove your car into some 8 or 9 inch deep water or on the road or where there was a lot of under car water spraying around the back side of the knuckle you aren't going to get the parking brake very wet or not wet at all. Washing the car and spraying water through the wheel spokes won't do it.
The parking brake is inside a drum that is inside the rotor and the opening is on the backside of the rotor. Water would have to flow down the inside face of the rotor, then back toward the outside to get into the drum and the shoes are probably a quarter inch further in from the drum opening.
The loud popping noise was from the brake pads at each of the 4 wheels being corroded to the rotors, not the parking brake. The parking brake shoes have such a small surface area they really can't generate much braking force even if they are frozen in place. Just rolling the car back and forth a few times doesn't get enough moisture away from the pads to prevent them from corroding to the rotors.
Bill
The parking brake is inside a drum that is inside the rotor and the opening is on the backside of the rotor. Water would have to flow down the inside face of the rotor, then back toward the outside to get into the drum and the shoes are probably a quarter inch further in from the drum opening.
The loud popping noise was from the brake pads at each of the 4 wheels being corroded to the rotors, not the parking brake. The parking brake shoes have such a small surface area they really can't generate much braking force even if they are frozen in place. Just rolling the car back and forth a few times doesn't get enough moisture away from the pads to prevent them from corroding to the rotors.
Bill
my LaCrosse has this issue - I tried parking with the parking brake off and it has the same issue after ten days or so, have to rev it quite high to back out of the garage.