Brakes not engaging!

[mazdathree]

So this is what happened to me this week. I was driving to work yesterday at 9am in the morning (rainy weather). My brakes were working fine until I came to an intersection (Leslie/Sheppard). I was making a stop at the red light and I noticed that with my brakes fully engaged (meaning pedal all the way down), the car was creeping very slowly and didn't stop until I slightly touched the car in the front. I tried using the handbrake but no luck. It was freeky as I was just going to take the ramp to hwy 401. This is the first time it has happened. My brakes are stock. My car is 3 yrs old with 64000km. I took the car to MOT and they tried the brakes and said nothing seems to be wrong.

I'm wondering if this happened due to rainy weather? maybe there was moisture between the rotors and the pads?

The service guy did tell me that the front pads are at 4mils and its not something bad that will do such a thing.

However, I did have another incident on monday this week when I was driving to work on 401 and my front passenger tire blew. I couldnt stop anywhere as there was no safe spot to stop as I was on the expressway. I did however manage to get onto collectors and get onto the 400 ramp before I could find a spot to stop. When I had stoped I saw that the whole tire had come off with just the rim on the rotors. I got all my tires changed to new ones (Pirelli P6) as I was told the treads are running out on my RSAs. I had to make a quick decision to get new tires as I didnt have much time. I tried to get Allen at SimplyTire but unfortunately he doesnt work on Mondays!

I'm thinking something got damaged when the tire blew and popped out? Alignment maybe? New tires dont have good traction? MOT does not think thats the problem as the brakes are now working. I Just dont understand what could have happened.

I need help as I'm worried about driving the car with the brake issue.

[Flagrum_3]

So this is what happened to me this week. I was driving to work yesterday at 9am in the morning (rainy weather). My brakes were working fine until I came to an intersection (Leslie/Sheppard). I was making a stop at the red light and I noticed that with my brakes fully engaged (meaning pedal all the way down), the car was creeping very slowly and didn't stop until I slightly touched the car in the front. I tried using the handbrake but no luck. It was freeky as I was just going to take the ramp to hwy 401. This is the first time it has happened. My brakes are stock. My car is 3 yrs old with 64000km. I took the car to MOT and they tried the brakes and said nothing seems to be wrong.

I'm wondering if this happened due to rainy weather? maybe there was moisture between the rotors and the pads?

The service guy did tell me that the front pads are at 4mils and its not something bad that will do such a thing.

However, I did have another incident on monday this week when I was driving to work on 401 and my front passenger tire blew. I couldnt stop anywhere as there was no safe spot to stop as I was on the expressway. I did however manage to get onto collectors and get onto the 400 ramp before I could find a spot to stop. When I had stoped I saw that the whole tire had come off with just the rim on the rotors. I got all my tires changed to new ones (Pirelli P6) as I was told the treads are running out on my RSAs. I had to make a quick decision to get new tires as I didnt have much time. I tried to get Allen at SimplyTire but unfortunately he doesnt work on Mondays!

I'm thinking something got damaged when the tire blew and popped out? Alignment maybe? New tires dont have good traction? MOT does not think thats the problem as the brakes are now working. I Just dont understand what could have happened.

I need help as I'm worried about driving the car with the brake issue.

I would take it back to MOT and have them do a complete re-check of the complete system again as what you described above is definately not normal and rain alone (wet brakes) will not cause this...or take it somewhere else for a second opinion.


_3

[mazdathree]

What other places can I try? Any good recommendations? I did talk to the technician at MOT and he said it is probably due to moisture and I should brake early during wet weather. It still baffles me as I did apply my brakes early. The thing is they could not reproduce this problem after driving in the same weather so I dont have any proof. I also had some help me off the road where I had this issue and he asked me to press both the brake pedal and the gas pedal simultaneously with the car in drive to see whats wrong but nothing happened as the car was standstill with the engine raving

[Donutz]

Try another dealership or Street Performance.

[mazdathree]

Thanks guys. I'm actually going to street performance next week so I'll get it check out then. But would anyone know where the problem could be? suggestions?

[Noisy Crow]

Did the ABS kick in? If the road is slippery enough you put the pedal to the floor and the wheels will still turn.

[mazdathree]

Did the ABS kick in? If the road is slippery enough you put the pedal to the floor and the wheels will still turn.

Surprisingly, the ABS didn't kick in. In snow and ice when the car slips with the pedal to the floor I have had the ABS kick in. The ABS light was also not on so not sure what happened. I'm still baffled. I took the car for a ride today and everything seems normal.

I'm wondering if its possible the guy in the front had a manual transmission and was rolling backwards at the intersection (maybe there is a slight gradient). But when I asked him he said no. The thing is the weather was so bad and rainy it was hard to tell if he was rolling back but I did feel that the distance between my car and his is narrowing very slowly and felt like my cars moving until we touched, and I'm like holy crap wtf? and pushed the pedal all the way to the floor but no luck.

[Noisy Crow]

I'm wondering if its possible the guy in the front had a manual transmission and was rolling backwards at the intersection (maybe there is a slight gradient). But when I asked him he said no.

Might have been it.... very strong optical illusion when the car in front rolls back... and he may have been the one moving... but if so he probably didn't notice or won't admit it....

[mazdathree]

Might have been it.... very strong optical illusion when the car in front rolls back... and he may have been the one moving... but if so he probably didn't notice or won't admit it....

If thats the case than I shouldn't be worried about the brakes, however, I'll still be getting it checked at some other place....

I also drove to the same place today just to see if there is a gradient and yes there is a slight gradient so highly likely that he was the one moving!

[TheMAN]

why don't you spray the brakes down with a garden hose then go for a drive around the block?

[mazdathree]

why don't you spray the brakes down with a garden hose then go for a drive around the block?

I have driven the car over the long weekend and there doesnt seem to be any problem but it not a bad idea to try it...I'm going to get the brakes checked else where just incase but I dont see any problem.