STi braking problem ! Anybody else experienced this ?

[torrekens]

I have a problem with a 2003 Impreza STi neither Subaru or Prodrive has ever experienced: brake discs glazing up when driving on wet roads by cold weather.

If you drive down a really wet and cold motorway at night at a stabilised speed (let's say 70 or 80mph or our camera infested roads), you hardly need to brake. If ever you don't touch the brakes for 3 or 4 minutes (i.e. 4 or 5 miles) and then want to brake the first time, there is NO GRIP AT ALL anymore on the discs. You can stand on the brakes and it's as if somebody has taken away the brake assist, fitted 4 drums around and hitched a twin-axle unbraked caravan to your car !

I'd like to know if anybody ever had the problem and has found a cure.

Note: tried Prodrive for cross-drilled discs, but these do not exist there for the STi, if you need to stay on 17" at least. (which I need to as in winter in need studded tyres in Finland...).

[mr freeze]

i've had no probs like that at all mate , my brakes are always there

But then again the weather over hear is totally different from FINLAND :wink: :wink:

[buzz]

Not experienced this either.

Only problem i have had with mine is after washing the car and wheels and hosing off the brakes have been non existant :shock: has happened to me a couple of times, just spray discs with a solvent degreaser and they are fine then.

Hope you find the answer, please keep us posted.



Buzz

[torrekens]

Buzz,

The problem feels exactly as after you washed the car (got the same problem). It's just, I'm not driving out of the carwash at 70mph (although my guess is the animal could )... So imagine the feeling when you hit the middle pedal and nothing happens...

Prodrive guy suggested salt might create a 'slime' that sticks to the brakes. And I assume not having foglamps, but just the classical air intakes to cool the brakes doesn't help either.

Still, somebody must ever have experienced this.

Thanks !

S.

[buzz]

I know what you mean, I drove to the end of my close, applied the brakes and went to meet the curb (stopping just short i add) on the other side of what is thankfully a very quiet lane.

I really would not wish to try this at 70 mph!

Have you though about trying a different make of pad?, not cheap I know, but it may do the trick.


Buzz

[torrekens]

Hi Buzz,

I wasn't aware the pads could make a difference. My idea of swapping the discs all together for cross-drilled ones (evacuating water more easily), would not have been cheap anyway. But then again, you can't choose a car like an Impreza STi and think you'll get away with low running costs.

How do you think pads would make a difference and which pads would you go for ? To me (simple mind) a pad is still a flat piece of material that tries to get grip on the discs and if there is a layer of half frozen water, possibly mixed with dirty or salt, on the disc, it will struggle.

However, I am not up to date with the latest greatest that is available on pads...

Look forward to hear anyones experiences with trying different pads !

Many thanks

Sandy

NB: Buzz, you should try this at 70 or 80mph on a dark road, not on your drive ! It's an unforgettable experience to stand on the brakes the 'Solberg way' for the van that suddenly appeared in front of you and nothing happens... while you cannot overtake it because exactly at that moment, there is that one bloody car (driven by Murphy) coming in the opposite direction... You feel... let's say 'alive' (that is, if you make it !).
(Handbrakes can be very useful things !)

[buzz]

Quote "NB: Buzz, you should try this at 70 or 80mph on a dark road, not on your drive ! It's an unforgettable experience to stand on the brakes the 'Solberg way' for the van that suddenly appeared in front of you and nothing happens... while you cannot overtake it because exactly at that moment, there is that one bloody car (driven by Murphy) coming in the opposite direction... You feel... let's say 'alive' (that is, if you make it !).
(Handbrakes can be very useful things "

Thanks for the offer, but I will decline this time thanks :wink:

Think your idea on the discs my help you, as we dont have the same weather conditions as you I cant commecnt on the pads, I am still running on the oem brembos.

Do you know anyone in the navy ?, I hear they have big Iron things that you could throw out of the window when required :shock:

Buzz

[torrekens]

Quote: "Do you know anyone in the navy ?, I hear they have big Iron things that you could throw out of the window when required "

Navy, unfortunately not (assume the SAS don't use 'em)(unless they also drive STi's of course...) ?

... although... :idea: ! Tthere is a shipping yard in this town making icebrakers... what 'd you think ?

Anyone any idea how big the anchor needs to be to stop a 1500kg car driving 70 to 80mph ?

On the pads, still would like to hear your thoughts as:
1. the problem always occurs when it's 0 or positive degrees (otherwise you wouldn't have water on the road obviously), and that happens often in UK.
2. I DO plan on moving back to the UK later this year !
3. I am a bit of a carnut who likes to know anything about them 8)

Thanks !

PS: Why don't you start by getting out of your drive at 70mph in dry wheather first, just as a first practice ? :wink:

Cheers,
Member no. 555

[buzz]

LOL, i dont like the thought of going through the hedge and the drop down into the field the other side, so I take it a tad slower :wink:


Buzz

[torrekens]

Nah ! Just turn the steering wheel when you come out of the drive. Impreza's are very good around corners, you know...

8)

[torrekens]

UPDATE !

Since Prodrive didn't have any parts, I called the UK-dealer who leased the car to me to ask if they knew of any cross-drilled discs.

The "engineer" of Subaru confirmed the guess of the Prodrive guy: water with salt (and cold air flowing over the brakes) tends to build a "slime" on the discs.

:idea: The solution suggested: " you have to book in your car so we can check your brakes." (visual check of course !) :roll:

Right... now there is a trick to see my car again ! I am getting the car serviced at Subaru dealer in Finland obviously rather than drive to UK and pay over the odds anyway ! So they didn't see my car for a while...

AND... How the f*** is that going to stop the problem occurring in the future ???! :evil:

:?: Solution :?:

:cen

Why are official dealerships in UK only useful to knock money out of our pockets ?

(Got same problem with my Merc. When I lived in UK, it went into a UK dealer 3 times, never to have the problem solved. Since then, I took the car to Belgium where they would charge 1/3, generally be more generous with the warranty (while they didn't sell the car to me) AND ... THEY WOULD ACTUALLY SOLVE THE PROBLEM ! And I would have a nice weekend topping up with beer, wine, etc...) (Same with Scoob in fact)