grahampham

I have had warped rotors for a while now but haven't had the $$ to fix. My front pads wore down so I replaced the pads. After I changed them out the passenger brake side started smoking (quite a bit). I had to drive my car about 45 miles home and noticed alot of shaking off and while driving. I noticed if I pulled over and pumped the brakes hard a few times the shaking would stop. After about 30 min of this my TCS light and check engine light came on. Did I screw my car up by putting new pads on warped rotors?

MOBB

Sounds like a caliper is seized start from there and then back step maybe the installation was wrong. The CEL does not make any sense get the codes scanned and do a reset.

01tl4tl

might have freaked out the ecu by pumping the brakes as described- that takes a lot of vacuum suddenly....cause a CEL

I agree to recheck your work first

caliper not on correctly?- somethings stuck, or the caliper didnt like being compressed and extended,,they do that when about to fail,,long time between fluid changes-
wiki hygroscopic
hows the fluid in caliper look? (open bleeder and helper pushes pedal down partially)
ever change the brake fluid? -flushed all the way thru each caliper?
needs to be done every few years

you can test the caliper operation as you remove it from the bracket- look for torn rubber boot on its piston- place a 2x4 wood block in caliper so helper can push brake pedal and extend the piston- the 2x4 keeps it from popping out of the caliper.
Examine piston sides for pitting, then push piston back in- be sure its flat as you push in- use old pad or wood, so it doesnt get crooked= thats really bad!

01tl4tl

did you prep the 2 metal parts on the bracket- where the pads clip into place?
those must be clean and relubed--all the motion in and out takes place on that small piece as the end tabs on the pads move across them to contact rotors

Carbuff

When installing new brake pads, they should literally FALL out of these stainless steel clips. If not they will bind the new pads.

I've had to file aftermarket pad's tabs because they were too tight, even after removing the rust under the SS clips (pad guides).

fsttyms1

I usually take them out and take the dremel and a nice little grinding shank and make the caliper all nice and new so that the ss clips fit the way they should.

Carbuff

^^^ Different method...same result!


And you get to use MORE POWER!!!

:bubbarubb

01tl4tl

kris--you are grinding the pad end tabs?- you typed caliper

mine clip into place but have movement available, always make sure they can move up and down and some side to side, and same with caliper installed -
When you see brakes in action- the pads go thru a lot of different forces

Carbuff

Whether you grind the rust off the caliper under the SS guides, or make clearance by grinding the pad's end tabs, you achieve the same result... THAT'S the important thing.


EDIT: I prefer the file because, you know...someday I might be in jail and it's easier to hide a file in a cake, than a Dremel motor.

01tl4tl

must be an east coast problem on rust??
when I pop the slider plates off to clean- all has been ok underneath.

Maybe we should put a dab of grease under them to protect?

Carbuff

It's a Rust Belt problem....caliper rust could occur on any Honda brake in an area where road salt is used. Problem is more severe in our area since road departments started using Calcium Chloride (liquid ice-melter) rather than granulated sand and rock salt. That stuff leeches into and corrodes EVERYTHING...yuk.

There are several DIYs on other Honda/Acura boards about brake problems due to rust.

On some models, Honda has issued TSBs about the problem (one, for the CR-V, is where I learned to coat UNDER the SS edge guides).