Mazda5 Brake Questions

PF_Flyer

Discuss brake issues with your Mazda5 here.

drvm5

When first driving my M5 each day, the brakes have a very loud squeaking noise (backing out of the driveway, stopping at the end of the street). After a minute or so, the brakes do not squeak anymore.
Has anyone else had this problem, or know what the problem is? This has starting happening in the last month - could it be related to the cold temperatures?

isda65

I have started noticing this too exactly as you have described - backing out of the driveway. As I live in a complex where I had to go over 5 road bumps at 10-15 intervals before getting out on the road it takes me the first or second bump to go over before the squeak disappear. Today I didn't notice it though even though it was about 0-1 degree centigrade. At this point, I'm not too sure what to make of it. I figure I'll give it time until summer maybe to see if it persists.

hifive

I have noticed this too since the weather turned cold. I am sure it's related to the cold. I had my Five for five months before winter, and no problem until it got cold.

HiFive

david6

We have the same initially squeaky brakes on my wife's Mazda3 - I just figured it is the brake pad material developing a bit of rust on them overnight. It is annoying, though, and makes my wife wish for her old Honda Accord, since she has convinced herself that the Mazda will not be as reliable. The squeaky brakes are not helping me convince her that the MZ3 will last.

nissmazlover

YES!!! It has been happening sporadically for me, but this morning when I was taking my kids to school, as I was leaving my parking spot of my building's garage and driving up and stopping at the garage door, the brake squeal/screech happened very loudly. So much so that my kids asked what was wrong with "Max" - our car's name .

So, yes, it has happened to me just as you have described; and yes, I also put the blame on the cold temperature; and yes the noise stops once I drive my car a few seconds/minutes and brake a couple of times; and yes, I didn't notice this at all when the weather was warm; and no, you are not alone. I also notice that, in addition to squealing, the brakes become very grabby when you use them after the car sits parked for a couple of days.

Anyone know if this could signify a problem?

Also, my ABS worked for the first time last night when I stopped at an intersection that was covered with black ice - it's been cold here in NYC - and I actually got excited and clapped.

rdrr

My 05 Mazda 3 does the squeaky brake thing in the morning also from 600KM. The 04 Mazda had the same problem and Mazda said they fixed the problem for 05. 05 owners are also having this problem, i am not alone. And now the 06 Mazda 5. Come on Mazda get it together. Is this a free Mazda option or a standard built in feature. :mad:

elmo33

It happens sporadically but always during the first time I drive off in the morning, after the ~1st mile it's QUIET. But the last time it happened, the squealing sound was so loud I may have awaken the dead.

Also, i'm not sure if it's connected to the squealing issue but whenever i have some weight(2 people) on the back. It sounds like it's groaning sometimes sounding like the back is dragging on the road. This issue also ONLY happens during the first few minutes of the drive.

I'm a newbie and if anybody can recommend what I need to tell/ask the service guy to check it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for any input!

blynmazda5

I've had the car for 3 weeks and noticed that the brakes squeal/grind the first time I drive the car after it rains. The noise stops after the first two or three times I use the brakes.

I was worried the first time I heard the sound, but then someone at work said the noise was related to the brakes being wet. I haven't given the noise much thought since
a) the sound always stops, and
b) I've noticed the noise only happens after it rains.

I'm curious to see if others have similar experiences, or if I need to have my brakes checked ASAP.

David

andy75

Hi, I just bought my 2007 Mazda 5 (Touring trim) and my wife loves this car. But I do have some complaints on the brake. The pedal is high and hard. For example, when I stop at the traffice light, I have to keep pressing down hard to stop the car. Does anyone have the same problem? Thanks.

kw_da

Bring it back to the dealer and have them look at it. On our Mazda5, the brakes are almost too sensitive - they'll stop on a dime.

David

andy75

David: Thanks a lot for your feedback. I just want to make sure the brake is not some common problem from the design of the car (which will make it very hard to fix). I will bring it back to my dealer and have them to take a look. BTW, how do you rate the driving experience of the car, say on a 5 scale? Thanks again.

kw_da

Hi,

Well, I think that how you rate the driving experience depends on what you are used to. Compared to the 94 Villager that this car replaced, it has more power and handles better. (but the Villager has more room and has approved towing capability) The Mazda does have the occasionally hesitation under acceleration that others have mentioned. I'm in California, so I don't have to deal with snow as others have complained about. These brakes are so sensitive compared to my other cars, that I have a bit of problem getting used to them when I switch cars.

I actually haven't driven the car that much since my wife uses it the most - others on the forum may have more info. Many have complained about the lack of power, but it's enough for us.

Regards,

David

da1nonly

I've had my mazda 5 sport (automatic) for just over 2 weeks and I'm noticing something with my brakes that I'm not accustomed too...

majority of the time when I apply pressure to the brake pedal, I get resistance from the pedal all the way through... i can ease into the brake pedal and the car slows down to the amount of pressure i put on the pedal... great!

but once in a while when I put my foot on the brake pedal, I'll get no resistance for about 1/3 of the way down and then suddenly I get resistance and the brakes abruptly start to slow or stop the car...
this tends to happen when i slow down with the brake pedal, release the brake pedal, coast for a second or two then immediately press the brake pedal again... and it also happens when I try to park the car using the brake pedal to slowly ease into the parking spot (not pressing gas pedal at all just using the brake pedal), sort of looks like a jerking motion of the car each time i release/press the brake pedal and try to inch into the parking spot...

I find myself searching for the point when the brake pedal should provide the proper resistance to my foot so that the car slows down and/or stops accordingly...

can't seem to find that sweet spot on a consistent basis...

sorry if I'm not describing this properly... but does anyone know what might be the issue...

castg1

Hi, My first experience with such 'behaviour' was when nearing the stop light, at slow coasting speed, the car ahead of us suddenly braked. With my foot off the brake pedal I quickly stepped on it and there was almost no resistance, but the brakes did get applied to the maximum.
Saving us from a fender bender.

Reading the manual, I learned that the 'emergency brake assist' or some sort or feature detects the speed of pedal travel. Based on this the brake system will assume you need
immediate brake application and acts accordingly.

da1nonly

Thanks... actually I think I remember reading something about emergency brake assist as well... i hope that's the case...

I'll have to read on that again... does anyone have anymore info on how the emergency brake assist works or similar experiences???

I like having some sort of brake resistance against my foot when I hit the pedal so I have some feedback that the car is actually stopping... even if the brakes do get applied to the maxim the lack of resistance doesn't seem right...

sam80

As I stated in another post, I too experience the same issue. Spoke to the dealership and was told not to worry about it. The service guy said it's just the result of the materials Mazada used on the brake pads.???? Not sure if I am convince though

barney16

Has anyone noticed any Disc rotor grooves at all?
Seeing one on my right rear rotor @ 1000 total miles.
Rotors will obtain surface rust after they become wet(rain)while setting for as little as a day which probably attributes to temporary noise.

nola1

I also had the groaning when I had big people in the back. After several trips to the dealer and them taking pictures and sending them to Mazda they found the solution and fixed it. They had to change the suspension to stop the tire from rubbing against the tire well.

rsolomon

I bought my Mazda 5 ten months ago in Israel. The weather is quite hot here and I do a lot of highway driving. I took it in the other day for the 30 000 Km check (actually 34 000 Km) and was told I needed new front brakes. The dealership is very reputable and said this is quite normal, but doesn't sound normal to me. Has anyone else had to change brakes so soon? Remember, that's 34 000 kilometers which is about 21 000 miles. Thanks for any help.
Ron

yellowcat

I have one groove on my front passenger side. I only have 1800KM on mine.

nissmazlover

Hey, all:

According to my Mazda Full Circle service report, my brake pads are at "yellow", which means about half or slightly more of my brake pads are worn. They do not, necessarily, need to be replaced until I reach "red" status. Anyway, I recently had my tires aligned, but at about 60 mph on the highway I hear, more than I feel, a slight shimmy. Before the alignment, I slightly FELT the shimmy through the steering wheel, but after the alignment, I just hear it - no feeling. So, I think I may need tire balancing, as well.

In any case, my Full Circle Mazda dealer quoted me a price of $100 for a 4-wheel tire rotation and balancing. They also quoted me a price of $200 for replacing the brake pads in the front, and another $200 for replacing the rear ones. If I want my rotors "shaved", then they would add another $100 to the price of each set of brakes ($200 more for both front and rear). So, getting my tires rotated and balanced, and getting my brake pads change would cost me anywhere from at least $500 to $700 (should I choose to get my rotors shaved). What do you all think of this?

I, most likely, WON'T get my rotors shaved, since I don't see a need for that. So, it would come out to about $500 plus tax for brake pad service and the tire rotation and balancing. Is that a fair price? Should I shop around? Please advise. Thanks.

BTW - I have almost 25K miles on my 2006 Mazda 5 (that I bought in July 2005) and my tires are just fine.

kanata

Here in Eastern Ontario the snow is deep. After driving in the snow and having stopped for a while we are experiencing functional brake failure. The symptom is that the brake pedal feels as though there is a brick under it, that is, pressing the pedal does not cause it to move down, and the brakes are not applied. There has been an occasion where the brake and abs lamps lit up as well. I suspect that any collected snow is melting in the heat from the brakes, and solidifying into ice, thus literally freezing the brakes. I have never experienced this before, either in this car (although last winter, my first in the 5, there wasn't much snow), or in other cars. Is this a known problem with the Mazda 5? What can be done to prevent this from happening?

zoolook

Did you ever get this fixed? I am experiencing exactly the same thing on a two week old Mazda 5. Also, the brake pedal seems a bit high and somewhat hard to press. Took it to the dealer, who replaced master brake cylinder - but the car still is not 100% right. Anyone else with these problems?

athenasius

I also live in eastern Ontario and have only had this happen 2 times and both were when i drove through the heavier snow getting onto a recently plowed road. Both times i just drove a bit more causiously and after the car had sat for a bit the packed snow had melted and was fine. light and funny feeling peddle and all.

I still love the car, just hate how they messed up the transmition when they 'udated' it after the idiots had driven in 2nd gear for hours at highway speeds. They did not fix the issue(update) as it can be repeated on what was then new 2007 cars so they put in the 5 speed from mazda 3 also increasing the mpg at the same time. If you want to duplicate the issue try slowing down, when car is in 3rd, as if for a stop light and then having the light turn green put your foot on the gas there is a hesitation and then it grabs-thud. You can also see it as the dash gear display does not change as the exact same time as the actual transmition. I spoke to one of the engineers and he said they 'dumbed' down the transmision and as not enought people complained they were not bothered fixing it.

cecily

I live in hilly San Francisco, and find my automatic 2007 Mazda 5 and have great difficulty w/ my car rolling backwards when in gear. When I'm stopped at a traffic light on a hill, if I remove my foot from the foot brake to begin acceleration, the car will roll back indefinitely until I am able to apply the gas enough to get the car moving forward. My previous car was a manual transmission, so I'm new to an automatic, but this strikes me as incredibly odd and unsafe. I'm forced to use both feet when accelerating from a stand still on a hill, keeping one foot on the brake, while accelerating w/ the right foot until there's enough speed to send the car forward. Is this common on the model, or just a fluke w/ my car? Has anyone has luck getting this remedied?

maltb

If the automatic is unsafe where you have the same number of pedals as you have feet (I'm making a big assumption), how did you manage when your feet were outnumbered 3-2?

With that out of the way, you have to figure that the car weighs ~3,400lbs and it's powered by a 2.3L engine that makes very little torque at idle. If the engine is required to hold the vehicle against an incline, the fuel consumption would need to be increased to support the vehicle. Of course, you'd wonder why your mileage was reduced.

Say, does Subaru still make cars with the hill-holder feature? Steve_host would know that one.

coolmazda5

I'm not sure if San Francisco is common for any model :surprise: , but it should be normal to see that. Now, if you used to drive manual tranny, driving an auto on an incline should be much easier to control, no need to juggle with the clutch

The other option is to get a Nissan GT-R, but it is a little bit pricy

Drivetrain
• ATTESA ET-S All-Wheel Drive (AWD) with independent rear-mounted transaxle integrating transmission, differential and AWD transfer case.
• Rigid, lightweight carbon-composite driveshaft between engine and transaxle.
• Electronic traction control plus 1.5-way mechanically locking rear differential.
• Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC-R) with three driver-selectable settings: Normal (for daily driving, controls brakes and engine output), R-Mode (for ultimate performance, utilizes AWD torque distribution for additional vehicle stability) and Off (driver does not want the help of the system).
• Hill Start Assist prevents rollback when starting on an incline.

mdchachi

That's normal behavior for an automatic. I can see how that might be bothersome if you used to use the handbrake to prevent rollback and you no longer have a handbrake. Anyway, if this bothers you, look for a vehicle that has "hill start assist" in your next vehicle. It might be a useful feature in SFO.

andydico

Try it in a car with 800cc engine, manual tranny and 5 people inside. I have to rev the engine and use the handbrake to hold the car from sliding backwards.

cecily

Thanks so much for all the info about rolling, and hill assist--definitely a great feature for SF! I'm still concerned, as it seems odd to have to keep my foot on the foot brake while I accelerate to get up the hill. It's actually MORE difficult to get up a hill than in my previous manual VW Jetta GLX. Perhaps it's just because this car does not have a powerful engine. My husband's Ford Taurus does not do this, and I don't believe he has hill assist. Does an automatic switch into neutral when stopped, or is it in first gear?

mrbwa1

It really depends on the car/transmission. All traditional automatics have a fluid pump to circulate the transmission fluid through the torque converter and through the passages to shift. Newer cars have replaced fluid pressure shifting with electronics. Also, different transmissions will essentially have different pressures depending ont he engine they are mated to. The traditional large American car has enough pressure at idle to hold the vehicle stationary. Newer, and especially smaller cars don't have this pressure. I would attribute it to both less horsepower in an engine to have to cope with (well technically less torque to multiple in the torque converter) but also it is a side effect of more efficient pieces meaning more power goes directly to the wheels and int he long run a little better fuel economy.

If nothing else, you can always use the old parking brake trick. It'll wear the parking brake pads sooner, but they have to be cheaper then a pair of new bumpers from a roll-back!

cecily

Thanks so much. You're all wealths of knowledge!

maltb

That's not really correct, but if it makes cecily happy it's good enough.

Shifting in Automatic Transmission is still done by fluid pressure but the directing of the fluid on newer cars is done by computer controlled electrical servos, and not a mechanical valve body.

Also, the pressure is not what holds holds the car. Rather, it's basically the amount of slippage that the torque converter allows at idle that "holds" the car. This slippage is allowed up to a certain RPM (stall speed). While this stall speed is mostly part of the TQ's inherent design, it can be overridden by a fluid servo that will do nothing more than lock the torque converter (typically at highway speed).

space5

I have a 2006 Mazda 5 that requires new rotors and brake pads after 42000 kms. The Mazda dealership tried to suggest it was our driving habits that were causing this problem. After it was mentioned that we have a 1999 Honda Civic with 180000 kms on it and we have changed the brake PADS twice since new and the rotors are original they did concede that it was very low mileage for this kind of problem. I doubt if we will get anywhere with warranty but Mazda Canada will be hearing about this issue.
As an aside they also mentioned that the left front strut was in need of replacement as it was deemed unsafe to drive the vehicle. I will be sending a complaint to Transport Canada as this is definitely a safety issue.
I will keep you posted as events unfold.
Brian
:mad: :sick:

velveteendad1

Has anyone found a solution for the brake squeal in reverse that seems to be somewhat common for Mazda 5s? Our dealer's tried to solve this twice already, and their attempts have been unsuccessful - the brakes still squeal when we back out of the garage.

Thanks for any suggestions!

vg33e power

Mine actually hum/screech sort of like a rusty sound from time to time, specially if they are wet and I am sort like softly riding the brakes when backing up. Dont know why it does it, but it seems to be a common thing. If anyone has a solution, please chime in.

coolmazda5

What squeal? I cannot heeeeaaaarrr it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9fpwj2ZQSM

It seems to be part of the sediment/layer that sticks to the rotors after they cool down (i.e. overnight after some rain or snow), and it goes away as soon as you step on the brake a couple of times. During the day you can see it like "rust" on the rotor. Would it have to do with the brake pad material used? Who knows...

jon72

HI. What should brake pads for my Mazda 5 cost?
If I don't go to an authorised dealer what make of pad should I fit?

vg33e power

I work for a dealership, so I may be partially biased and the fact that I pay cost plus 10% on all factory parts don't help either.

However, if at all possible stick to original factory parts, they seem to be of a higher quality build and material, plus it is what your vehicle came with from the factory. You can never go wrong with OEM factory parts. If not, I am sure any local auto parts store carries brake pads.

ken3571

I am very concerned that I have been told today, by the service department that the braking system on the Mazda 5 could be at fault after a long journey. What I mean by that is, the garage have told me that the metal on the rear disc brake expand due to any type of heat either a long journey or weather, and when you apply the hand brake and after the disc cool down there is a possibility that they may contract leaves the hand break inadequate for restricting the movement of the cars and the car can be move even when the hand break is on. Can anybody advise me if they have had this problem or anything similar.

vicenac

Oh man this is so bogus!
The thickness of the disk changes with the temperature, but only microns.
If you would get the brake shoes only to touch the disk, then yes, maybe there would be a thin gap.
When the parking brake is applied, there is a lot of tension in the cable. Think of it like a pulled spring. A little change in the thickness of the disk will be accommodated by the tension.
Now there is a way to pull on the hand brake so hard that a bracket somewhere may get bent and the cable then, gets effectively longer. That leads to the brake not being set properly. Like you would only pull it one or two clicks only. Changes in temperature may affect its effectiveness, then. But the change will be more likely due to brake cable expansion or contraction (tubes also) then the disk brake dilatation.
Also keep in mind that disk brakes are made to withstand high temperature (and a lot of variation). Such materials do not expand/contract that much.

Another example of the high qualifications dealership technicians have.

shawr63

My 2006 Mazda 5 needs new brakes at only 30K miles, according to my dealer. This is very low mileage for replacements, but seems to be in line with several other forum complaints (#22, 24, 37). Anyway, the rotors only have about 1mm of wear on each face, so they are not a problem. Does anybody know what the specs are for minimum rotor thickness? The pads are in fact getting low so I will replace them soon. It's been 20 yrs since I did my own brake job, so I'm a little nervous about diving in! Are there any special Mazda tools required? Is there somewhere where the steps are spelled out? Would appreciate any info! Pads run between $60 and $110 for all wheels at auto supply shops, depending on grade. The dealer wants $300 for the job. Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

vicenac

I would not be surprised that the brakes are done at 30k. I mean if you like the brakes performance then expect the pads to wear out. I had many brands of cars, 30k was the number for good disk brakes. Drum brakes last longer, but then again, they don't stop that well.

The only thing that is hard to do when changing pads is compressing the brake piston. It is now extended to make up for the wear of the old pads. For the new pads to fit in (they're thicker) the piston has to be pushed back.
Some parts stores will loan you a press for it. Otherwise you can make a wedge out of two wrenches (big ones) and push hard on the piston. To do it easier, you could open the bleed screw behind each caliper, but be sure to bleed the system afterwards to make sure no air got trapped in the piston chamber.
Other useful things I could think of are to make sure you don't lose the thin copper sheet that sits under the pads - it acts like a spring and also ask the store for some anti-noise paste. It applies on the back of the pads to quiet the squeal.
It's a good idea to take the caliper apart and re-grease it to prevent it from getting stuck.

For some cars it is required to use new screws for the caliper, although I never did it.

Good luck and have fun!

frustrated34

Me too! haven't found anyone who is able to make that mess go away. It's embarrassing sometimes. I had new brakes put in and STILL the same noise.

shawr63

OK, I finally got around to replacing my front disk pads today, and now I have another problem or two. First, when I compressed the pistons all the way back, I was looking for the brake fluid reservoir to fill up. But it didn't. The fluid went somewhere else, and I said Hmmm. And it came to get me when I pumped up the brakes after changing the pads, and got a hard pedal. In fact I can't move the car! So now I have to bleed, and my question is do I have to bleed both calipers equally, and how much? Do I bleed about the volume of the new pads and quit, or is there a trial & error procedure? And do I pump the brakes with the bleed screws open, or just let them bleed without pumping? I really don't want to wind up bleeding the whole system by introducing air.

Second, I couldn't retract the rear brake pistons at all. Does this have something to do with the handbrake function there? And do I have to use the bleed screws to move the pistons, in order to get the new pads in? Thanks for the advice, I need it!

athenasius

I personally do not do my own brakes but I was once told if i did was to buy a plastic tube(single user slit type) that goes over the bleed screw and not to force the fluid back into the reservoir as it is forcing some proportioning valve in the brake system that can wreck it. The plastic tube is to allow one person to drain the fluid with help as it closes back on itself so as not to introduce air if not you need someone to close the bleed value before you release the slowly pressed brake peddle to prevent air getting into the system. every time you press the brakes and bleed them you just need to make sure you are topping up the reservoir so that when you are pressing the peddle you are not drawing air from there.

nahag1

What tool do I need for the caliper screws?
:confuse:

shawr63

I finally figured out that my brake pad change problem (#48) is that the rear pistons will not retract by applying a clamp - they must be the screw type, not the push-straight-in type. The front pistons push in readily and changing the front pads is a breeze. The F pads were completely worn out at 35K but the R pads are down only maybe a third, so I just left them alone for now.

But I have to second the question in #50, namely what sort of special tool is needed to retract the R pistons? My wife's '96 Honda Accord wagon also needs a special tool to retract the R pistons - would that work on my Mazda 5? Thanks!

nahag1

Thank you athenasius for your help, I'm sorry I didn't make myself clear.
What I am asking about is the tool (Hex socket ?) and what size (mm?, in?) for the screws holding the caliper to the pad holder
Thx

shawr63

What happened finally with the hard pedal/locked F brakes after changing the F pads, was that everything relaxed out overnight and the brakes worked normally! No hard pedal or any other problems in F. Maybe there is an internal bleeder which takes care of any imbalance after pumping up the brakes following pad change, and it just takes time to operate. There is a moral here somewhere if we could just get at it......... Anyway, F pads are OK . I would still like to know what kind of special tool is needed to retract the R pistons. Anybody know?