Brakes Sticking after being parked up for a few days

I drive my 2001 996 C4 every weekend, however during the week it tends to be parked up in my garage. (I know, I know they like to be driven every day). The garage is level so I leave the handbrake off and out of gear. Before shutting the doors I even roll it forwards and back to make sure that brakes are not on. After only a few days when i come to take it out of the garage I often find that I have to break some resistance in order to drive out (as if the brakes have seized on). The Discs seem to be in reasonable condition, they show surface corrosion after a few days but are clean after braking when taken out. Has anyone else come across this issue and can advise how to prevent it happening? Thanks

You are not alone, the same thing happens to my 997. Leave the h'brake off in my garage and still there is a little resistance. Can others explain please. Pete

This will happen in any moist environment, even tucked up safely in the garage. Mine does the same, especially in this wet weather we're having. Don't worry about it. 996 discs are well known for rusting up easily, just look at them 5 minutes after you wash the car. If it bothers you that much you'll need to get one of those dehumidifying cocoons... £££s and time...

So what is actually left touching the disc and why? If you come off the brakes nothing should be left touching. Is it because you tend to drive backwards at first out of the garage. Does this happen to people driving forwards first :?: Pete

Just because you're not applying the brake doesn't mean the pad is not touching the disc. There is nothing to push the pad back into the piston. When you apply the brake the piston pushes the pad to the disc with force. Once you release the pedal there is nothing to push the pad back hard against the piston creating an 'air gap'. The surface rust doesn't need much contact to form a bond with the pad.

Point taken and understood, thanks Stuart. Much much less sticking than if my h'brake was left on. Will have to live with it as I'm not pushing the pistons back after every drive! Cheers Pete

I know your concern though Pete, it's quite a gut wrenching sound when you first move off, freaked me out the first time it happened...

Handbrake doesn't operate the pads on the rear disks does it? I thought there were separate shoes in the rear drum which where operated by the handbrake. Completely agree though that the friction caused when you move off can be caused by light surface rust forming and that the pads are left touching the discs (with very little pressure though). Nought you can do about it and common on most cars all my BMW's have done the same - probably don't notice it though because they are usually daily drivers.

ditto to that always leave the car in gear and almost never use the handbrake when the car is parked up but still moisture creeps between the disc and pad :dont know:

Thanks for all your feedback. In the worst cases it requires revving the engine a bit higher than normal to break the traction. It gives a bit of a sickening "crack" after which it is business as usual after a couple of times progressively braking to clean up the discs.

I have found this with my car as well :evil: After a lot of trial and error I found that it was a lot worse if I hammered the brakes just before putting it to bed in the garage. now I just drive a bit more sensibly a few miles from home and just roll into the garage and it really does make a difference

My 997 does this and is parked on a gravel drive. Amazing how big the trenches the wheels managed to dig in the gravel were before the brakes let go!

Just to add some confusion: I didnt have the loud noise when moving off, but thought I would be good to my pads/discs and so I started leaving it in gear with handbrake off. It was only when I did this did I get the loud noise when moving off. I have gone back to using the handbrake and no longer get the noise. Random, but true.

As the brake disc spins air pushes the pads away from the disc after application. Try braking on the way to the garage/where you stop then use engine braking to slow towards the point where you are leaving the car bringing it to a halt with the handbrake (handbrake uses brake shoes not pads and is separate from brake discs). Pads should now have clearance from the discs.

I too have been suffering with this over the past couple of months so am very relieved to read this thread. I too find that coasting the car in and bringing it to a halt with the handbrake helps a great deal....