Brakes bad after cold spell

dnme

I notice the brakes on my car (1998 Corolla Tiltback, 1.3L) are bad after the cold spell. Hitting the brake pedal, the car slows down but nowhere near as efficiently as it did before. I got a bit of a scare TBH.

Does brake fluid congeal in the cold?
Where would you start your investigation?

Many thanks

opinion guy

Don't know about any of this but I have noticed my tires grip less than before the snow

alanmc

I'm noticing this as well. The brake pedal is firm, but it feels like the discs are smeared with (brandy) butter. After some use though, when the discs and pads get warm it does come back to me though.

I've taken to braking lightly and really early for a little while to warm the discs up and remove any crud that has built up on them over the few days.

Sometimes if I don't ride my bike for a while the front discs are the same. The discs get little spots of rust on them (from condensation, etc). This needs to be removed (by careful and early braking) before the discs return to full power. I guess the car brake discs are the same.

peasant

Roads are very manky with greasy salt and dirt residue ...that alone reduces grip. Get that stuff on your brakes and performance will be reduced. Also the rapid temperature rise combined with humidity will have covered brakes in a layer of rust.

When you can (i.e. not when there is other traffic), lightly (very lightly !!) tap your brakes with the left foot while driving at speed to rub them clean.

Captain Slow IRL

The moisture in the brake fluid can be affected - the uncle was complaining about crappy brakes after the freeze earlier on this year so I went about changing the brake fluid for him. What came out looked like thick snot, can only assume the brake fluid hadn't been changed since the car was new. It was right as rain after the new stuff went in.

This is only 1 possibility though, it would be best to check them out or get them checked out to make sure everything's okay.

alanmc

Captain Slow IRL wrote: »

The moisture in the brake fluid can be affected - the uncle was complaining about crappy brakes after the freeze earlier on this year so I went about changing the brake fluid for him. What came out looked like thick snot, can only assume the brake fluid hadn't been changed since the car was new. It was right as rain after the new stuff went in.

This is only 1 possibility though, it would be best to check them out or get them checked out to make sure everything's okay.

Definitely going to change my brake fluid tomorrow so.

dnme

alanmc wrote: »

Definitely going to change my brake fluid tomorrow so.

Is it an easy enough job?

alanmc

dnme wrote: »

Is it an easy enough job?

Quite easy. It is a 2 man job though. You can get brake bleeder kits that work from the air pressure in your spare Tyre. They suck the fluid through.

I do it old fashioned using a clear tubing, a spanner and a beautiful assistant.

ballinue

Not a good idea to take on changing brake fluid unless you know what you are doing, because when you drain old fluid, brake system will have to be bled
of air after replacing fluid,and may not solve your problem.
Possible causes moisture inside brake drum frozen and keeping your foot lightly on brake will heat enough to melt as you drive.
If brakes were ok before should be ok now. I do not mean keeping your foot
on brake for long period as you drive a few of times for about 30 second periods. until you notice an improvement.

Bumpstop

+1 on don't attempt to change the brake fluid on less you know what you are doing.
I have noticed this effect as well, the brakes have come back a lot but still seem a little less effective than before.
I always replace my brake fluid every two years,at the moment the fluid is in there one and a half years, and was clear and a bright yellow.
I usually keep an eye on the colour of it. It has definitly darkened since the cold weather.
I must look into this.

dnme

Bumpstop wrote: »

+1 on don't attempt to change the brake fluid on less you know what you are doing.
I have noticed this effect as well, the brakes have come back a lot but still seem a little less effective than before.
I always replace my brake fluid every two years,at the moment the fluid is in there one and a half years, and was clear and a bright yellow.
I usually keep an eye on the colour of it. It has definitly darkened since the cold weather.
I must look into this.

I actually did my oon brake shoes and pads years ago on my beloved Mazda 323 when I was in London. I had the Haynes manual. Forgot all about that. So yeah I remember bleeding the fluid and needing a guy to pump the pedal after I decided to replace my cylinders.

This time round there is youtube and great videos by the likes of EricTheCarGuy etc. IO have been watching a few and also managed to get hold of a Haynes for my car. I'm gonna do the shoes and flush the old fluid while I'm at it. Gonna wait til weather is dryer and flu is gone tho.

http://www.ericthecarguy.com/videos/

bladebrew

i have the exact same problem in my 00 saxo, in the morning the pads kind of make a grating sound when im stopping, i had assumed it needed new pads,
but after a while it barely makes any noise, its just the brakes are a lot weaker than they should be,

my dad had the same problem in his avensis today, he said the handbrake was jammed on and there was no power in the brakes,

fecking weather!

magooly

The brothers gf ran into the back of mine in the driveway yesterday, she said something about the brakes not working... I only believed her when I lost braking myself on the way to town later that evening. Brakes just wouldnt engage fully as in the pressure seemed to drain even after pumping them. Came back after using them for a while tho.

Esel

alanmc wrote: »

I do it old fashioned using a clear tubing, a spanner and a beautiful assistant.

To tighten your nuts, yeah?

hellyeah

same problem here. jumped in the transit after lying up for 5 days. no power in the brakes at all.:eek:. all good after a couple of miles. just a build up of rust and crap off the roads on the discs and pads.