rear wheels brakes seized up issues

[Bing_Bai]

Hi everyone,

I don't know if it is just my luck, or this is a general problem with Mazda.

My 1.5 yrs Mazda 3 with only 15,000 km, the two rear brakes seized, pads are constantly grinding the rotors and surface got scratched. The dealership said you have to change both pads and rotors.

Now my 3 yrs old CX5 with 40,000 km has the exactly same problem, both pads and rotors have to be replaced.

The dealership said to me that I did not service the brakes according to the schedule. I meant I DID the annual service at an independent garage, just not paying $300 to Mazda to do it.

It makes me wonder if this is just cash grab by Mazda because brakes are not warranty items. The original brakes from the factory were made such way that you either cough up $300 to do the annual brake service with Mazda dealership or expect to pay$500 to change pads and rotors.

I have never had to replace rotors and pads this frequently with other car make, (Toyota, GM, Honda), and those are 2nd hand, really old cars.

Any opinions? Many thanks.

[ottoyu34]

What exactly did that independent garage did for $300?

[Jackal]

Get a second opinion and get it fixed somewhere else. They may or may not need replacing.

[Cab0oze]

Mazda uses good quality slider pins unlike a lot of other manufacturers so I'm guessing either the garage is bullshitting you or you're doing something very wrong. There is no way that should be happening so quickly.

-edit-
Btw brake CALIPERS should be warranty items (if you're within your bumper to bumper) as they are not wear items. If the calipers fail and cause the pads/rotors to need to be replaced (which would normally be wear items), then that should all be out of Mazda's pocket.

[SonicBoy]

From the mileage quoted in the original thread, sounds like your vehicles are very low mileage for their age.

If the car sits idle more than it is driven then yes, you can have brake issues as the brine they use on the roads are horrible and metal parts rust quite easily.

The routine service schedule published by Mazda is every 24,000 KM or 12 months to inspect and clean brake discs and pads front and rear and lubricate caliper rails/pins.

I've found if you wash your car and just park it without taking it for a spin to dry out the discs/brake components, rust tends to build up quite quickly especially if you engage the parking brake as recommended.

[Bing_Bai]

many thanks for your replies. my question is why the caliper rails/pins seized up so easily for ky situation. the dealership did show me that pad are wear out and rotor scratched

yes, both cars has low milages, and we are realy careful drivers, never so hard on gas and breaks. i live and work in the same town, my commute is really short about 7 km. usually i drive M3 mon to fri work and back, CX5, once or twice short trip in the town and a long trip 100 km at weekend. I do wash both cars once two weeks, after wash, usually 5,6km back home. both cars are paked outside and parking breaks engaged.

when i replaced both pads and rotors for m3 two years ago, Mazda never told me that Caliper is warranty items. now my cx5 is just out of 3 year bump to bump warranty, so they won't cover either way

[ottoyu34]

You need to go talk to your garage and see exactly what they did.

After your calipers are serviced annually, you should see lube around the pins and sliders on the calipers.

[Shawn]

The rear caliper slider design corrodes the bottom hole under the rubber that the pin slides in. As it corrodes it gets tighter until it seizes.
You can fix this by removing the caliper and then carefully removing the rubber insert (Mazda sells them separately) and use a file or a Dremel motor tool to remove the white corrosion in the slider hole.
Then lube the Sh#$ out of it, inside and out, repeat ever two years. I don't believe Mazda does this cleaning and lube either for the $300. They never did on my cars.

[Cab0oze]

The rear caliper slider design corrodes the bottom hole under the rubber that the pin slides in. As it corrodes it gets tighter until it seizes.
You can fix this by removing the caliper and then carefully removing the rubber insert (Mazda sells them separately) and use a file or a Dremel motor tool to remove the white corrosion in the slider hole.
Then lube the Sh#$ out of it, inside and out, repeat ever two years. I don't believe Mazda does this cleaning and lube either for the $300. They never did on my cars.
Really?? That's my first time ever hearing about that. (although not saying it's not true)
Would you happen to have a picture?

[brucewayne]

The rear caliper slider design corrodes the bottom hole under the rubber that the pin slides in. As it corrodes it gets tighter until it seizes.
You can fix this by removing the caliper and then carefully removing the rubber insert (Mazda sells them separately) and use a file or a Dremel motor tool to remove the white corrosion in the slider hole.
Then lube the Sh#$ out of it, inside and out, repeat ever two years. I don't believe Mazda does this cleaning and lube either for the $300. They never did on my cars.

1

[Shawn]

Sorry. But here is one on the internet. The lower one is always getting the salt and crap. Salt and aluminum = corrosion. So in between the metal and the rubber bushing with this guys fingers are is where you need to clean and lube.

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb167/lovswr/Brake%20Caliper%20Tool/Mazda3iBrakeCaliperToolSet007.jpg (http://s205.photobucket.com/user/lovswr/media/Brake%20Caliper%20Tool/Mazda3iBrakeCaliperToolSet007.jpg.html)
Source http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123661210-HOW-TO-Change-Rear-Discs-Pads-on-Mazda-3