Front-end Locks up
#1
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Bartonville, TX
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Front-end Locks up
Washed the car on Sunday and then it sat in the garage until today, Friday.
Starts up fine, start to gently back out and the car won't move, almost like the wheels have been blocked. Shift to neutral and back to reverse, still feels like something is locked up, give it a little more gas and it starts to move, with a "clunk" coming from from the front.
No problems after that. This is the second time this has happened in the year I have owned it. First time was last summer. Both times after not having been driven for several days. Car rarely sits that long.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Starts up fine, start to gently back out and the car won't move, almost like the wheels have been blocked. Shift to neutral and back to reverse, still feels like something is locked up, give it a little more gas and it starts to move, with a "clunk" coming from from the front.
No problems after that. This is the second time this has happened in the year I have owned it. First time was last summer. Both times after not having been driven for several days. Car rarely sits that long.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
#2
Registered User
Its just your brakes dude, my STI did that all the freakin time. Your rotors basically rusted onto your brake pads. You ever notice that the rotors look a bit corroded after a rain? You washed your car and let it sit, the rotors rusted and adhered to your brake pads.
Short story shorter, it happens and its not really something to worry about. If it happened like everytime you went into reverse... well then worry.
Short story shorter, it happens and its not really something to worry about. If it happened like everytime you went into reverse... well then worry.
#3
definitely not anything to worry about. the same thing will happen if you drive thru rainy weather and let it sit. and someone correct me if i'm wrong, but i think it's actually the rear end that "locks up", from the application of your emergency brake.
#4
I live in Southern Louisiana and my brakes do that after washing the car. I actually have to rock the car back and forth in neutral to get the pads to release from the rotor. And yes, it makes a loud 'squwanking" noise when the pads break loose from the rotors. And from there, a rust colored stain runs down onto the rims. I'm looking into rotors that don't rust, i.e. stainless, or zinc coated. Probably, not many aftermarket rotors offer an improvement unless you are willing to spend HUGE bucks!
#5
It's generally not the fronts that rust up from water or moisture. It's the rears due to leaving the car parked with the ebrake applied. Next time, after a wash, just park it in gear and leave the ebrake off. This will make it less of a deal to snap the pads loose from the rotors.
No need to rock it back and forth in neutral to free up the brakes. Put it in gear (forward or reverse, whichever way you are going) and drive it. The powertrain can move 3000 lbs of car from a dead stop. Cracking a bit of rust free using the car's power isn't going to hurt it.
I think the S2000 is particular susceptible to this sort of thing due, in part, to the semi-metallic content of the pads. It's not a big deal. Just get in and drive it.
No need to rock it back and forth in neutral to free up the brakes. Put it in gear (forward or reverse, whichever way you are going) and drive it. The powertrain can move 3000 lbs of car from a dead stop. Cracking a bit of rust free using the car's power isn't going to hurt it.
I think the S2000 is particular susceptible to this sort of thing due, in part, to the semi-metallic content of the pads. It's not a big deal. Just get in and drive it.
#6
You may want to consider driving your car around the block before you park it after you wash it. When you wash your car, capillary action causes water to wick between the pads and the rotors. If you warm up and dry out your pads, this is less likely to happen.
Parking your car for a long time even if you didn't just wash it will cause this to happen too. If you can avoid it, don't use your parking brake if you plan on parking the car for long periods of time.
Parking your car for a long time even if you didn't just wash it will cause this to happen too. If you can avoid it, don't use your parking brake if you plan on parking the car for long periods of time.
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