Brakes...or something freezing and sticking.

[Byrd91]

Now that its getting cold (freezing temps) when I first put my car and put it in drive or reverse it sticks in place, like the e-brake is on or something. I have to give it a good amount of gas and then it breaks loose (with a loud bang) and everything is fine until the next time I drive it after it has sat over a cold night or something. Actually its only happened once this year, but it happened regularly last year. I was just wondering if its normal for drums or caliper or the e-brake to freeze up, or is this a bigger problem, like the tranny fluid or diff fluid being hard (they shouldn't have water in them, but things happen right). Let me know of any ideas.

 

[Howard]

Probably the rear shoes sticking. Had it once in a VW. Best bet is to take apart clean and fit new shoes. Don't forget to clean the inside of the drums as well. Could also be sticking e-brake cable lub with grease.

 

[ajevenson]

Next time you come to a stop at your house or work, put the tranny in nuetral or reverse to back up just a hair so that the brakes release and then quickly put it in park without touching the brakes. Then they wont freeze on. If you have a manual come to a complete stop with clutch in and in first, release brake roll back and release clutch to fully stop.

Your brakes should only be freezing if the pads and rotors are wet (or drums). A few good miles of hard braking should evaporate everything off there...

 

[Blaine122300]

Try not to set e-brake when your rear brakes are wet and it is going to get below freezing. Yes, that noise is just your rear brakes being frozen. My dad used to carry a 3lb sledge with him when he drove truck in MN. to break the ice off the brakes. Now he's in AZ. and doesn't worry about that anymore.