The other day I had washed my car and did a bit of work on my motorbikes. When I went to move the car and park it up against the garage door I had a scary moment. I started the car, put it into drive and let my foot of the brake pedal so the car would crawl forward on its own the 6 or 7 foot it needed to go to the garage door. it didn't quite work that way the car lurched forward and I jumped on the brake pedal but it was like I had zero brake power like there was no servo. Anyway I just stopped the car before it hit the garage door. A little shocked I put it in reverse and it did the same again!!! so very gingerly I put in drive and it was fine. did this 6 or 7 times with no further issue. Obviously my first trip in the car was a bit nervy but all appears fine now. Has anyone else had issues like this? I occasionally get a noisy jerky set off when reversing out of my drive which I believe is a "characteristic" of the car.

I sometimes initially get 'sticking' brakes after giving the car a wash.

Me too, especially on the Hyundai's we've had in recent years for some reason, then they grind for a bit when the rust is being rubbed off the disc.

 

Edited 11 February, 20188 yr by RoscoPColtrane

11 hours ago, john999boy said:

I sometimes initially get 'sticking' brakes after giving the car a wash.

 

I have noticed this, when I've been to the car wash, I don't wash it nowadays 

 

The other time's are after driving through a flood, a country lane near work floods quite often at this time of year. When I get back in the car after work the brakes are usually stuck on, a good dab on the accelerator in D normally frees them up. 

The lack of braking performance will likely be just the brakes being wet. I've made that mistake before when setting off just after washing the car and gone to brake and initially nothing happens! 

I know that brakes are not at their best after a wash but I was pressing the brake pedal with everything I had and I only just stopped, never had this issue before after washing it or driving through 1 foot of flood water. What made the car lurch forward? It was almost like the accelerator being stuck full on. lets not forget the car only need to move 6 feet yet as soon as I released the hand brake and my foot off the pedal it shot forward and I had next to zero braking. Similar to ABS in the snow but without the pedal pulsing.

I think you're maybe comparing apples and oranges here.

 

The brakes will 'stick' a little/lot after you've washed the car and to overcome that sticking you have to press the accelerator more which could then give the impression that the brakes aren't working 'as normal'? This could also happen in wet or freezing conditions too.

 

Presumably everything is fine after the intial problem?

Yes but I wasn't pressing the accelerator at all just letting the car creep forward in drive on tick over. Normally when releasing the brake pedal they stay on for a second or two to stop it rolling back and then the car starts to move. This time as soon as I released he pedal the car lunged forward at pace. The brake pedal felt solid when pressed but felt like there was no servo. I have had several automatic cars and many manual ones. Never experienced anything like this in over 23 years of driving and well over 400k miles. I was literally 1 inch from going through the garage door. It was the same when I put it in reverse, fast set off with no accelerator and then minimal braking. After that the car has been fine with normal setting off

 

First you need to check the brake servo pipework for vacuum leaks. That would explain brakes but not the surging.