Anybody had this problem?? (Help...)

[sheldo86]

I've had a VR commodore for the last year or so and for the whole time I have had this problem. The brakes seem to be sticking on and not releasing. The car seems to be revving quite high just to maintain town speeds (like 2500 just to stay at 60km/h).
When parked and the traffic lights, a considerable amount of throttle needs to be applied just to get the car moving.

The front wheels seem to be covered in a reddish powder that my brother tells me may be brake dust. The back wheels however are quite clean. The brake pedal itself 'tightens up' when this happens and you only have to press it slightly to bring the car to an abrupt stop.

This problem is intermittent and can happen without warning while driving, or the brakes can be stuck on from the moment I start the car in the morning.

My mechanic decided to replace the master brake cylinder about 5 months ago, but it had no effect at all and the problem still exists.
Holden says that it is absolutely impossible for the brakes to 'stick on'. :bang:

Any ideas anyone?

 

[VROCIOUS]

Cars not making power. Air/fuel sensor need replacing, injectors buggered.
Try cleaning out the throttle body and intake manifold with throttle body cleaner and run injector cleaner too. If it's not that check all leads and coil packs, does the car run smooth? if not you may not be firing on all cylinders. place some white paper behind your exhaust then rev you car up, is the paper really dirty and black or quite wet? if so your fuel isn't burning properly so read back above for what to do.

As for breaks, have you got same pads on front and back? if not change pads. Check make sure brake fluid at correct level and hoses in order. There could possibly be a brake bias problem and overbreaking on front but for breaks to "stick" makes me wonder if lines are blocked and holding pressure or there is a problem with the brake boost cylinder sticking and not releasing pressure. Do you have a mechanic or know someone that "knows" (i mean really knows) a mechanic that you can take it to who isn't going to stuff you around? Also check your pads and discs, are your rotors warped or are your pads a too harder compound that they are eating into your discs and sticking themselves in a groove they are creating?

Thats all i can really think of. i don't know where your from but if your in WA pm me and i will point you in the right direction. Hope i have been of some help

 

[larsey_vr]

i had a similar problem with brakes sticking on and needing high revs like 2500 to do 60, my front discs were warped replaced them and new pads and all has been fine since

 

[auc05l]

I'd be leaning more towards the front brake calipers are seized and wont retract by themselves. Rotors arnt machined exactly straight, they have a slight runout in them to retract the piston so the bake pads dont drag, if the piston is siezed it will go out with brake pressure but wont retract by itself and therefor drag the brakes. get it sorted quickly because this will be overheating your tranny (converter slipping) and that will cause you all sorts of grief. BTW ive just had the same problem in my torana, all fixed now!

 

[sheldo86]

Thanks guys...
At least I know i'm not the only one who's had this problem.
I guess I'll take it to a brake specialist and tell them my prob.
So it's either warped disks or the front calipers are stuck due to the piston seizing.
I'll tell 'em and see how I go from there....
Might get a set of slotted rotors while i'm at it

 

[auc05l]

If it is warped rotors you should feel a pulsating feeling under your brake pedal under braking, I dint exactly know the reason but apparently slotted rotors arnt real good on a standard car with standard pads. Anyone else heard this?

 

[ss16]

my VXS had no such problems. 40,000 kms, with slotted police pack rotors. using both Bendix ultimates and Ferodo pads.

city driving and towing. Slotting allows gasses to escape and allows for a gentle clean of the pads. No reason it should cause sticking pads. I would be favouring clogged up calipers. Just put a kit through them and flush the whole system, and use Dot4+ fluid.


sheldo
For holden to say it doesnt happen is weird as it obviously is happening to you. Maybe they meant its not a known problem. but it can be a common problem with older or ill maintainted vehicles.

 

[VROCIOUS]

i've got slotted rotors just make sure the pad compund isn't too high as this is what caused mine to warp before i had them skimmed, the compound was too hard