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pads rusted to rotors?

14K views 26 replies 14 participants last post by  nathancarter 
#1 ·
Didn't drive me car for nearly 2 weeks. It was sitting in an un-heated garage. The car turned on fine but I cant back up or drive forward. The car is stuck as if the E-brake were on, but its not. I looked at the rotors and they are very rusted. I fear that the rotors are rusted to the pads. How should I go about fixing this? WD40/flathead for prying?

I have AAA, but having my car towed is the last resort.

thanks
 
#2 ·
i dont know how good it is for the brakes but PB Blaster is awesome at getting rusted bolts and such unstuck, id wait for someone else to chime in about that idea though :idea:
 
#3 ·
Manual or Auto?

If it's a manual, your e-brake may be suck some how(I assume you'd have parked the car with it on). I'd say just try and drive the car, you should be able to break it free.
If it's an auto, i doubt the brakes could be stuck unless you set the e-brake. You may be screwed.

PB blaster? Why not! what's the worst that could happen :p Just don't try and stop fast afterward.
 
#6 ·
Pads won't be rusted stuck, your pads would have to be pressed on for them to be against the rotors while parked. Ebrake shoes are inside the rear rotors hub. If anything it'd be your ebrake. Put in neutral and rock it loose if you are that afraid. But sounds like it's an automatic and the gear selector sensor isn't catching.
 
#12 ·
PB Blaster is like mega god in a can, it pretty much melts/dissolves rust and unsticks stuck bolts.....but i agree with everyone else just pull and release the ebrake a couple times, and give it some juice....my pads stick to the rotors sometimes after ive washed the car a little bit on the go pedal and it unsticks.
 
#13 ·
how cold did it get? never leave your ebrake on for long periods of undriving time in the cold, the pads freeze to the rotor.............if you dont wana chance pad damage, heat the rotors up slightly with one if those plumbing propane torches, not too much tho, youll warp them, or , put a heater in there for while.................rust doesnt do this =)
 
#15 ·
I had same problem. Here is my story:

1. Drove car to airport in heavy rain on Dec 25 and temp was about +6oC

2. I always use E-Brake since, I already got a speech from mech that when not used, it causes problems (don't remember if it was rusted brake line???)

3. One weeks later (Jan 1st), I come back from trip, and temp was at -20oC, and car was not touched for 1 full week, and parked in outside parking lot.

4. When, I arrived to car, first think I did was clean snow and start motor

5. Since I had a new battery, no problem with start, but engine was really idling rough, I was afraid it was going to stall. I revved it a few times to help, but after 5 minutes no luck

6. At this point, I'm ready to drive car, and my only way out was in reverse. Car was parked in front of me.

7. Car was not moving, and back starting to lift. I also starting to notice a burning smell

8. I waited a few more minutes to think my options, I analyse free space in front of car, and I only had 3 inches

9. Tried reverse again, and still no luck, and back of car was lifting

10. At this point, I had no clue how I was going to drive wife + 3 kids home, not much support on Jan 1st, 600pm.

11. I decided to try anything, played with brake pedal a few times, and also played with e-brake a few times, and still no luck with reverse

12. I take a chance and put car in 1st gear, and was very careful and was able to hear a click and fortunately it moved only 2 inches

13. Put her back in reverse and care started to roll

14. Car was still rough

15. After 15min on highway, rough idle was gone and car started to feel normal again....

What an experience this was....

Good luck!
Sergio
 
#19 ·
two weeks.. no way your pads are stuck to your rotors..it has to be something else... the only way thats possible is if your pads had continuous contact to the rotors.. and once its in P or N and you apply the e brake your pads are no longer in use the e brake is separate system inside your rear hubs.. if anythings stuck its your e-brake...just release your e-brake and give it some gas it'll come undone..
 
#22 ·
I've been parking my cars (3 different BMW's included) in an airport parking lot every week, up to 3 weeks at a time, year-round, for the last 10+ years and have never had the problem you described. Maybe a little grab on the brakes after a long sit but it always breaks free with barely any throttle, I'm thinking you have a problem unrelated to normal use.
 
#24 ·
As others have said most likely the e-brake. Rock it back and forth in nuetral by pushing on the car. If that doesnt work then forward in first and back in reverse a few times. Then if that doesnt work call tripple A. Let us know how it went.
 
#26 ·
you are correct, with drums the shoes (not pads) can be activated hyd or mech and either way use the same spring system to force out (brake)...there are some cars (lambo, etc) that use a seperate caliper (pads) as the parking brake - but again, its mechanical...not the hyd disk brakes
 
#27 ·
The owner's manual includes a procedure for cleaning the parking brake shoes. Do it.

Parking brake inspection and adjustment is part of Inspection II... you haven't been neglecting your Inspections, have you?


... and, didn't we just have a thread about parking brakes a week or so ago?
 
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