Just a curious note...having nearly taken out the back of a 32 tonna...

On leaving the office this evening pulled out onto the main road....coming up behing a wagon at the traffic lights...applied the brakes....and....nothing....full pressure....still nothing....ended up using old faithful handbrake...

Now I appreciate that it is wet, foggy and cold....but this is the 1st time this has happened to me....

...they seemed to work fine after that...not undue noise, rubbing etc...until I was parked up this evening...

...again left where I was, headed up the road to the crossroads...aware of what had happened earlier...so a little slower and warey....and sure enough the same thing happened....this time they did eventually work....

Just a little confused and could do with some comments as to whether this is normal....or what...

P1 brakes having done circa 8,000 miles...no track days....not harsh driving...

Cheers

Tom

It couldnt be a faulty master cylinder ?????
Or possibly a leak in the brake system - with brake fluid getting on the discs - hence the initial fade & normality soon after (after the brake fluid has been burnt off)????? I'd get it looked at ASAP !

Gastro...

Will be speaking to the dealers tomorrow....might mean a brake upgrade sooner rather than later *L*...

(P.S. you docs etc went out first class this eve...c/note to the dealer as well....will speak soon...)

Tom

I have also noticed this, only yesterday in fact, and after heavy rain. Just happened for the first few minutes - applied pressure on pedal and not a lot happened! http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/frown.gif

Soon went back to normal after a few applications of the brake pedal.

Hmmm.......

Rum I talked, a few months ago, to another P1 owner that had a problem with his brakes similar to what you have described, but it was early on in his ownership. Seems the car had an ABS sensor problem. Talk to the dealer, I think the guy said it showed up on the select monitor.

Mind you it could just have been the rain producing a layer of surface rust on the disks. Doesn't take much does it?
Mine was a bit sluggish on the brakes when I left work today after it had been pissing it down for most of the afternoon.
( Wales see like http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/smile.gif )

[This message has been edited by Acker (edited 24 January 2001).]

Wotcha Rum.

I was going to ask if you've got the upgrades, because they apparently are a little slow to react until they've warmed up. But obviously you haven't so I don't know why I bothered.............

However, further to Acker's comments, I do notice that the brakes are awful for the first 1/4 mile after I've washed the car, or left it in the rain. Fortunately, because my *@*!# of a broker makes me garage the car at night, I don't notice it too much http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/smile.gif

Josh

Trying to increase our premiums again, Tom?

So was this the first time you'd applied the brakes after starting? Have you done any 'spirited' driving recently - you may have glazed the pads.

Same as Josh re brakes after washing the car (and the garage!) - you may just have got them very wet.

Did you manage to keep it straight when you hit the handbrake then?

Tom,
Probably unrelated, but similar problem, so suggestions may apply:

Rum

Don't know whether this helps but if the pedal is lower on initial application then it could be a wheel bearing. I had this and the dealer took 2 visits to find the problem.

No play was visible/could be felt

I had this start happening over the past few weeks. (MY98 standard brakes and pads.) I've put it down to all the crap they keep putting on the roads to make my car dirty. (I've heard it helps with ice and snow as well.) The salt attracts moisture so if you leave the car standing your disks get slightly damp. The problem doesn't appear in wet summer weather as there isn't any salt on the roads and disks so any dampness caused by driving through water is dried by the heat of the disks when the car is standing. My wifes Pug 106 is the same, so I don't think it is car related. Some light left foot braking for the first 50-100 yards seems to help.
This is a good theory, but it might be complete bullsh1t.

p.s. A good coating of WD40 after washing the car should also help with the moisture problems.....

Thanks Tom ! Now that is what I call quick!
Keep me updated RE the brakes - its got me a little worried http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/frown.gif (did you get your P1 from Bentleys?)
Drop me an email : simoncampbell@hotmail.com

Thanks,

Simon

Just out of interest Tom, are they DS3000's?

I had the same with my STi on Sunday. I washed it (in the rain, as one does) and left it parked in the road for a couple of hours. Then, when I went to pick up the takeaway I had no brakes at the bottom of the road. Not the first time it's happened after a wash, I usually take it out for a quick run immediately after.

No probs due to the fact that it was Sunday and I was just cruisin'(and anyway I don't speed in built up areas).

http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/wink.gif

Try the 218mm brake upgrade, it's vunderbar !! Mine stops very fast now, only problem is watch out for tail gaiters who could end up as part of you boot !!

Tom,

Any news with the brakes ????? what did the garage say ?

Simon

Rum,

Hiya mate. I notice this when I have washed off my car at work using the power washer. I expect it and it is normal until the water burns off.
But whilst driving...The pads are warm if not hot and any water should burn off or spin off the disks.
Check nothing is leaking onto your brake area before you drive it.

Scotty.

This happened to me yesterday! I put it down to the salt on the roads causing more than usual corrosion to the discs. After a moving brake test the problem disappeared and all is well again. It could be something else I suppose but it seems a bit coincidental considering all the salt on the roads at the moment.

Well to update...I have bena dvised that in the wet, misty, foggy conditions....especially when cold that this can occur (????)...basically once the brakes are warmed up...clear of moisture then they work fine http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif....

....just makes me a little more aware than I was....will never set off flat out when the car has just been sitting all day in the fog...thats 4sure.

Hi Rum,

I have had this problem on my old turbo and P1 and all I do is gently warm up the brakes at start each rally sorry journey.

Rich

Stef,

Yes you'd be right, however no prizes this time for the deliberate mistake !!! I meant 288m .... LOL

Rich,

Yup...thats what I'm now doing http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif

Hi Tom,

I to have had this happen to me quite a few times recently. http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/frown.gif

Its scary when it happens. http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/eek.gif
Luckily there hasn't been anything in front of me to hit when its happened.

I have now started to gently warm up the disks when I first start moving off.

Cheers,

Rob

Church Monster.
218mm would be a downgrade!!!!!! http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/confused.gif http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif

Stef.

I remeber this happening with the standard brakes and I just put it down to the wet/damp/cold. Never had it with the AP6s though http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif

..r

Ahhh, AP 6Pots, there coming soon http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/wink.gif
well when i pay my visa off anyway http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif

Tony