Rotor/Caliper Brake Question

[Frosty Power 323CI]

Hi guys,

Driving the other day I notice my car steering wheel voilently shake and I thought it was possibly my lug nuts coming loose so I got out and checked them but they were all on tight. Got back in my car and vibration went away. Then I notice it comes on and off once in awhile. I jack up the front end of my car to have a look and check out the rotors and pads. Pads were fine but I noticed that the passenger side wheel spins freely when I spin it and the drivers side seems to be tight like the brake is slightly on. I took it for another test drive after finding my brake pads were ok. I noticed that when I pulled up to the light, to a rolling stop, my car slows down like the caliper on the drivers side is stuck possible causing the wheel to vibrate and pull to one side. Tested in on a hill, and my car didn't rolls down. AHHH!!!! Anyone heard of the caliper pressure or getting stuck in position??? Do you think this is a rotor problem? I am going to grease up the caliper pistons to see if they loosen up a bit. Any advise would be helpful. Thanks in advance.

Oh, I drive a 2000 323CI w/60K miles

 

[bmwrocks]

If you drive through enough dirt, grime, salt and mud, some of the grit can get past the seals of your caliper pistons causing them to not move freely or even freeze up completely.

Or if the caliper itself is not sliding freely on its slides (for the same posiible reason: dirt, rust, etc), it may not release properly as it is designed to do.

Sounds to me as if one of the above is binding intermittently.

I doubt it is your rotor as you would notice it consistently if that were the problem.

 

[corn fed bimmer]

I just got done putting the winter tires on my 325i sport and had got a good look at the brakes. My front pads were almost all used up and the rear were about half worn. This from a adult driven 2 year old car with 22k miles. Is this normal?

 

[Kirby]

If you drive through enough dirt, grime, salt and mud, some of the grit can get past the seals of your caliper pistons causing them to not move freely or even freeze up completely.

Or if the caliper itself is not sliding freely on its slides (for the same posiible reason: dirt, rust, etc), it may not release properly as it is designed to do.

Sounds to me as if one of the above is binding intermittently.

I doubt it is your rotor as you would notice it consistently if that were the problem.

Agreed. It's more common on older/higher mileage cars, but can happen at any mileage.

 

[Kirby]

I just got done putting the winter tires on my 325i sport and had got a good look at the brakes. My front pads were almost all used up and the rear were about half worn. This from a adult driven 2 year old car with 22k miles. Is this normal?

Assuming you do mixed or city driving, that's not unusual BMWs and other European cars. My Volvo went thru factory pads every 20K miles until I switch to PBR aftermarket pads.

 

[Section_8]

I just got done putting the winter tires on my 325i sport and had got a good look at the brakes. My front pads were almost all used up and the rear were about half worn. This from a adult driven 2 year old car with 22k miles. Is this normal?

I've always been told that on BMW's, pad wear should be consistant at all 4 wheels - this from my mechanic a few weeks ago when I had a full pad/rotor replacement done (even wear all around btw, 57k miles on original parts).

They aren't 50/50 weight displacement for nothing? I dunno the complete reasoning for this, but I've heard it numerous times, and does make sense. (imho)

 

[sly]

They aren't 50/50 weight displacement for nothing?

It's 50/50 when the car isn't in motion. It sure isn't 50/50 when you brake and especially when you brake hard. Hence the rotors on the front wheels are larger than those on the rear wheels, since the majority of the braking comes from the front.

I just got done putting the winter tires on my 325i sport and had got a good look at the brakes. My front pads were almost all used up and the rear were about half worn. This from a adult driven 2 year old car with 22k miles. Is this normal?

It's normal for the front pads to be worn before the rears but I'm surprised that your pads are almost completely worn after 22K miles. Do you do a lot of city driving? I live in the country and I get at least 40K miles on my brake pads.

 

[Frosty Power 323CI]

I realize that the brake pads wear out over time but do we require servicing our brake calipers and getting them greased up and taken apart? A friend of mine owns a Subaru and he said they do that on service intervals under warranty for Subaru on all their cars. Do they do this on warrantied BMW's too?