toysareforboys

Ok, super super strange problem here. Basically, the front passenger side brake is sticking/activating on its own!

10k km's ago I had all of the brake rotors replaced (with power stop cross drilled and slotted zinc rotors) and hawk HPS pads installed (and just FYI at the same time I had to replace the control arm bushings, new sway bar end links, new KYB GR2 struts and bearing mounts, KYB rear shocks, new rear springs cause one was broken, new rear spring bearing mounts). The calipers were serviced/cleaned/lubed and everything has been flawless ever since.

Two weeks ago my front passenger tire exploded on the highway (sidewall ripped in half). I took it in and had the front tires replaced and ever since then I've been having a strange problem with the brakes.

If I drive the car easy (which I don't usually do), there doesn't seem to be a problem. If it's cold or raining, there doesn't seem to be a problem (but generally I'm not driving it hard when it's cold/raining).

When it's warm and I'm driving the car hard and then get on the highway the front passenger side brake starts dragging, so bad to the point that I can't accelerate in 5th gear!! Sometimes it does it if I'm driving hard and just around town too, so it's not just the high highway speeds doing it.

When I pull over, the rim is cooking hot, can't even hold your hand on it. Only seems to be affecting the front passenger rim, all the rest are barely warm. If I sit around and let it cool down for 20 mins or so, I could drive away and drive for 2 hours on the highway and not have the problem again!!

I just had my car into the shop, they did a caliper service, cleaned the slide pins and re-lubed them, checked to make sure the caliper pistons were moving freely and could be retracted easily, etc. They did a brake fluid flush and said everything looked perfect. They took the car for a drive and were unable to recreate the problem.

I picked the car up and drove around trying to recreate the problem. To rule out it being sticky brakes I did all of my braking with the emergency brake cable, drove it easy, took it on the highway, no problems. Then I drove it hard and what I noticed was that if I went wide open throttle right to the top of 2nd gear then just let go of the gas peddle and let it engine brake all the way down when I pushed in the clutch I could feel the front brake(s) dragging!!! Remember, this is having NOT used the front brakes at all!!! I took it on the highway and again started to drag more and more until I stopped and I saw all that new lube they used on the slide pins just smoking off

Once I turned the engine off for a few mins and started it back up, I drove away and the problem was gone. The brakes were still smoking when I drove away, so I don't think it's a cool down thing more so turning the engine off and back on.

Also, if the brakes are dragging/hot and I apply the brakes to slow down, the steering wheel shakes like a ****! This is the only time the steering wheel ever shakes, when I'm having the sticking/over heating problem.

It's going back to the shop tomorrow, they said that they'll replace the flex line from the caliper to the hard line as it might have been damaged when the tire blew, but I'm SURE that's not the problem.

Any ideas on what can cause sticking brakes ONLY when you're driving the car hard?? And turning the engine off and back on corrects the problem until you're driving it hard again??

-Jamie M.
(P.S. I just had the engine and clutch replaced about 1000km's ago, just FYI. 96,000km's on the car currently)

toysareforboys

Got my car back from the dealer today:

Replaced the brake booster. A leaking seal allowed vacuum to apply the brakes when not commanded to.
Replaced the passenger front caliper, damaged boot.
Replaced flex hose, was clogged/obstructed/damaged.

Works great now, just squeals like a ****

-Jamie M.