[matt21]

I noticed today when leaving a car park a fault with the brakes. i was travelling about ten miles an hour and just touched the brakes and it felt like the ABS was cutting in or as if there was no pads there at all as it juddered and barely stopped. The road was no way slippery and the car didnt skid just hardly stop. Then 2mins later whilst moving in traffic at literally about 2mph and just touching them it happened again.

This is very worrying as the car would barely stop. If I was travelling much faster there could have been a more serious problem. I took the car down some backroads to do some tests and when braking hard it seemed to stop ok but this fault could come back. It happened about 1 month ago, but i just guessed it was the ABS, but this time I know there was no reason why it should cut in and stop the car from stopping.

All the way home it seemed ok although it did it again slightly approaching a roundabout. Maybe it only happens when you touch it lightly but I have lost confidence after that as I have lost the trust in the brakes and it could be very nasty indeed.

The pads, whilst having done 39,000, still seem to have plenty of wear on, about half an inch at a guess, but even if they were going surely there would be a metal on metal noise and also the pad warning light hasnt come on. My car was built Aug 03 and the dealer said a few months ago that I do have it and the handbook supports this so unless that doesnt work in convinced the pads are fine, if not as good as new.

Also i noticed when i went out having not used the car in 48 hours there was a loud grating noise when i first touched the brakes indicating the discs were rusty, happens a lot but cleared up after a few stops. not sure if this had anything to do with it tho

sorry for the long thread but as you can imagine im quite concerned. Havent rang dealer or MINI cover yet will take the wheels off tomorrow to see but worried they wont find anything and it will happen again it may never come back but its not a chance i want to take

any advice or people sufffered similar would be greatly appreciated.

[minicabrio]

You've done well to get nearly 40k from a set of pads..... mine will need replacing at 25k!

Not sure what the problem is, could be a duff ABS sensor, I've had one of those go!

[matt21]

i thought they would need replacing ages ago but just never seem to wear anymore!

yeah could be looks like another trip to the dealers

[minicabrio]

Luckily any faults the car recognises (and there are hundreds) it logs the fault in its system, so when you take it to the dealer they can run a diagnostic and retrieve all fault codes that have occurred!

[matt21]

had the steering angle sensor go again where the ABS, traction control and tyre pressure light came on so wonder if thats got anything to do with it.....

[minicabrio]

Thats the same as what happened to mine!

A new sensor and a clearing of the fault log and she was as good as new!

[matt21]

just taken it out now and its behaving itself again

typical eh?!

[matt21]

Quote: Originally Posted by Max

Just take it easy then and always allow plenty of stopping distance when travelling at high speed - just in case

thats what im doing at the moment but do u reckon its still worth booking it in.

cant drive slow forever

[MINI-Morgan]

Is it a fast juddering?? or is it a slow thumping?? Makes quiet a difference which sound it makes.

In 2002 there was an issue with what was believed to be the Brake Servo where the car would slowly thump under braking but the car wouldnt stop. I useto have the problem at random intervals leaving a dual carriageway in the mornings but as all found the dealers couldnt diagnose the problem. It was too much hit and miss with no logging.

Also check your rear pads for uneven wear. Its quite common to get a stuck rear caliper. Which is what I believe was happing with that cooper I had the other week. A couple of times in the new forest it wouldnt stop or just vibrate under braking and the the car would pull to the left. But if i stamped on the brakes you would feel a thump and and it was alright again for a while. But then the brakes were hot very.....

[roland2003]

Its quite possible you drove over some diesel etc. The ABS sounds as if it worked correctly , and the car slowed as quick as the lack of grip would allow without going into skid. The diesel will stay on the tyre for a while hence no brakes still on the next application. It is very very 'slippy slidey' out there at the moment,any aggressive inputs of steering/braking/gas will lose grip . My car wheelspun out of a roundabout in FORTH this morning. It's never done that before!
Regards Roland GT Tuning

[matt21]

Quote: Originally Posted by BOYR4CER

Is it a fast juddering?? or is it a slow thumping?? Makes quiet a difference which sound it makes.

In 2002 there was an issue with what was believed to be the Brake Servo where the car would slowly thump under braking but the car wouldnt stop. I useto have the problem at random intervals leaving a dual carriageway in the mornings but as all found the dealers couldnt diagnose the problem. It was too much hit and miss with no logging.

Also check your rear pads for uneven wear. Its quite common to get a stuck rear caliper. Which is what I believe was happing with that cooper I had the other week. A couple of times in the new forest it wouldnt stop or just vibrate under braking and the the car would pull to the left. But if i stamped on the brakes you would feel a thump and and it was alright again for a while. But then the brakes were hot very.....

i cant really accurately describe it as i was panniking a bit! but it seemed just that the ABS was cutting in so that kind of juddering.

regarding diesel on the road I dont think it was this. I was barely moving anyway and when it wouldnt stop coz of the ABS juddering i slammed the pedal down much much harder and indeed it did stop. The next time it did it was a few minutes later after it had been ok again and this was literally 2mph and even when i stop on ice i dont get that feeling.

thanks for you input anyway folks think ill see the dealer but i guess i will be flogging a dead horse

[mikeythemini]

Was it a light clicking through the pedal, like abs but not as bad?
Go out & slam on so you know what abs feels like
If it is the above I had this very worrying fault occasionally, new SERVO cured it

[MINI-Morgan]

Quote: Originally Posted by mikeythemini

Was it a light clicking through the pedal, like abs but not as bad?
Go out & slam on so you know what abs feels like
If it is the above I had this very worrying fault occasionally, new SERVO cured it

Wow! Your dealer actually managed to diagnose the fault!

[matt21]

Quote: Originally Posted by mikeythemini

Was it a light clicking through the pedal, like abs but not as bad?
Go out & slam on so you know what abs feels like
If it is the above I had this very worrying fault occasionally, new SERVO cured it

yeah is kinda like that. when it happened i thought woah f*** the car wont stop! so not 100% if it was exactky like ABS just knew it was a similar sensation.

[matt21]

anymore possible theiries before i ring them in the morning

[matt21]

took it to dealers and they want to keep the car

[Becca3003]

Quote: Originally Posted by Matt18

took it to dealers and they want to keep the car

it bad then?

[matt21]

dunno yet the technician heard it on the test drive and said best they had a look at it as its not right.

also commented that one of my discs has gone when the pads arent even worn

[Becca3003]

Quote: Originally Posted by Matt18

dunno yet the technician heard it on the test drive and said best they had a look at it as its not right.

also commented that one of my discs has gone when the pads arent even worn

oooerrr, hope it gets fixed quick for ya!

[matt21]

yeah i hope so got a few big trips coming up and need the thing to work properly.

dodgy brakes could be lethal