Brakes sticking after wash
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2018 Solarbeam Yellow AMG GTS
Brakes sticking after wash
I did a full detail of my car this Sunday. Washed, waxed, full interior. I washed the car outside and pulled into the garage for the rest.
it poured with severe thunderstorms and flash flooding for two days after. So the car sat in the garage for three days afterwards .
When i I went to drive it, the car won’t budge. When I hit the gas, the brakes let go and it finally moved. The car worked normally afterwards.
I did spray Iron-X on the wheels and calipers. Did this cause the brakes to stick ? Or was it just surface rust on the rotors sticking to the Brake pads?
it poured with severe thunderstorms and flash flooding for two days after. So the car sat in the garage for three days afterwards .
When i I went to drive it, the car won’t budge. When I hit the gas, the brakes let go and it finally moved. The car worked normally afterwards.
I did spray Iron-X on the wheels and calipers. Did this cause the brakes to stick ? Or was it just surface rust on the rotors sticking to the Brake pads?
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From: Relocated
2010 Irridium Silver MB C63 AMG Sedan
This exact thing happened to me. Gave her a big wash and detail, was in a rush, parked it for 5 days and when I came back my iron pads had rusted to the rotors. I went to drive it and reverse out and it wouldn’t budge. Freaked me out. I went into forward and reverse...nothing. Sounded like the wooden hull of a boat creaking. I got out some silicone spray and sprayed all the pads and rotors and waited for about five or 10 minutes and finally the car moved. The rotors are so gigantic that if you rust them they will stick to the pads . If you ever wash your car go back-and-forth a few times immediately after and before parking it overnight .
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From: Dallas Texas USA
2023 AMG EQE 53
I've had that at times just from driving in the rain and then parking even inside but not having driven enough to dry the pads and rotors out. Need to be careful but as mentioned a little more push on the throttle and they break free, just be careful as to what's in front or rear of you. Spraying silicone on the pads and rotors is a big no no. The silicone is made to let things slide and will get into the pad material and effect your stopping power. Never spray anything on the pads or rotors. Surprised you've not had any problems.
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From: Relocated
2010 Irridium Silver MB C63 AMG Sedan
I've had that at times just from driving in the rain and then parking even inside but not having driven enough to dry the pads and rotors out. Need to be careful but as mentioned a little more push on the throttle and they break free, just be careful as to what's in front or rear of you. Spraying silicone on the pads and rotors is a big no no. The silicone is made to let things slide and will get into the pad material and effect your stopping power. Never spray anything on the pads or rotors. Surprised you've not had any problems.
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From: Delray Beach, FL
'18 AMG GTC, '96 BMW 318i, '25 Ram RHO
This is normal and easily avoided. After I detail, I always release the emergency brake to keep the calipers off of the discs. Best way is, while the engine is running put it in park, open the door, pull the emergency brake, then turn off the car. If you do this, you will not have this issue.
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/////PRO
Normal.
Great advice from others on the e-brake.
i will also add, after the wash, before I blow dry and final dry, I go back-and-forth up and down the driveway and use brakes several times to wear off the forming rotor rust after wash.
Great advice from others on the e-brake.
i will also add, after the wash, before I blow dry and final dry, I go back-and-forth up and down the driveway and use brakes several times to wear off the forming rotor rust after wash.
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From: Raleigh, NC
2016 AMG GT-S Edition 1, Superformance Cobra 427, 1970 Mustang Mach1, 1970 Hemi Cuda, !996 Viper GTS
same happened to me- never experienced this with any other car
also freaked me out as I was attempting to back out of garage and throttled up to about 1500 rpm and wouldn't move
did the forward/reverse gear changes to try to rock it loose before it finally let go
also freaked me out as I was attempting to back out of garage and throttled up to about 1500 rpm and wouldn't move
did the forward/reverse gear changes to try to rock it loose before it finally let go
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Joined: Dec 2010
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From: Houston, TX
Lifted G500, GT-S, track Cooper S
it is common with high-metallic content pads (Track pads are the worst, my mini can be a nightmare even with blowing). As mentioned, I would also highly recommend you don't spray anything on your rotors or pads. The pads in particular are extremely porous and a pretty high tech concentration of bonding material and abrasive material, and not only will it suck it right up, it can also degrade the pads.
Best bet is to use a leaf blower and as soon as you are done with your rinse, blow top to bottom onto the rotors/pads to help vacate most of the free moisture. Then move the car rather than leaving it in situ so they don't continue to bond.
CCMs you should be extremely careful as both rotor and pad are extremely porous. I ceramic coated my wheels so that I can just easily rinse off with a pressure washer, and if I do need a bit more, use a hand mit and ph neutral soap. Good news is they don't fuse and have minimal dust.
Best bet is to use a leaf blower and as soon as you are done with your rinse, blow top to bottom onto the rotors/pads to help vacate most of the free moisture. Then move the car rather than leaving it in situ so they don't continue to bond.
CCMs you should be extremely careful as both rotor and pad are extremely porous. I ceramic coated my wheels so that I can just easily rinse off with a pressure washer, and if I do need a bit more, use a hand mit and ph neutral soap. Good news is they don't fuse and have minimal dust.
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From: Overland Park, KS
‘24 BMW iX M60
This is normal and easily avoided. After I detail, I always release the emergency brake to keep the calipers off of the discs. Best way is, while the engine is running put it in park, open the door, pull the emergency brake, then turn off the car. If you do this, you will not have this issue.
No need to do all this nonsense; just pull out on the Parking brake lever as you shut the car down. The Parking brake won’t engage.
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From: LA California
2003 CL55 AMG 2019 C300 Coupe 2017 AMG GTS 2020 A 220
I just had something a little different and hope that is all it was, I washed my car, then drove about 20 mins away to do some shopping, was inside maybe 30 mins, came out drove maybe 3 mins to another spot, was inside maybe 10 mins, here's where it gets strange, hopped in the car drove about 5 mins, while sitting in traffic i got a warning that said Emergency Brake malfunction, something like put in park and release brake. The e brake was released but I could not put the car back in drive, but being the tech nerd I am, I did not panic, just did what i do to my computers when they freak out, turn it off then on, and everything was fine, hope it was just a glitch.
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From: Santa Monica Mountains
2025 Lucid Air Grand Touring, 2022 F-150, 1926 Rolls-Royce SSG roadster
I just had something a little different and hope that is all it was, I washed my car, then drove about 20 mins away to do some shopping, was inside maybe 30 mins, came out drove maybe 3 mins to another spot, was inside maybe 10 mins, here's where it gets strange, hopped in the car drove about 5 mins, while sitting in traffic i got a warning that said Emergency Brake malfunction, something like put in park and release brake. The e brake was released but I could not put the car back in drive, but being the tech nerd I am, I did not panic, just did what i do to my computers when they freak out, turn it off then on, and everything was fine, hope it was just a glitch.
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C63 amg
