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      12-09-2019, 08:27 AM   #1
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Brakes seizing (wheels jammed)!!

Anyone else having this problem? Three times now, one of my front brakes has seized, resulting in the car being unable to move. The pad is seized to the rotor.
On the first occasion, I had to flat bed to the dealer, where it released of its own accord. However, when it happened to me, I tried hard to release it, dragging the seized tire for a block (likely not doing my tire a whole lot of good).
The second and third times, it took a lot of dragging again, but the brake released.
I have had brakes stick before after washing a car especially, but nothing like this!
Anyone shed some light on this?
Thanks for any input!
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      12-09-2019, 09:08 AM   #2
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The brakes are activated without your input by a number of systems.

Manual transmission? If so, is it happening on declines or inclines? Maybe the hillside assist malfunctioning?

Collision system malfunctioning?

ABS/traction control?
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      12-09-2019, 10:36 AM   #3
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Sorry, I should have been more clear.

They seize after the car has been parked for a while, and then I go to move it.
I am used to this happening with most cars, especially after washing them, but with my M2C, it happens even if the car has not been washed.
With any other car, I just force it a little, and they usually release (with a loud bang). But with the M2C, they remain stuck, and I get four or five different system warning lights.
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      12-09-2019, 10:48 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TTBear View Post
Sorry, I should have been more clear.

They seize after the car has been parked for a while, and then I go to move it.
I am used to this happening with most cars, especially after washing them, but with my M2C, it happens even if the car has not been washed.
With any other car, I just force it a little, and they usually release (with a loud bang). But with the M2C, they remain stuck, and I get four or five different system warning lights.
Is the car getting sprinklered or wet on that side in some way? I have had them be a tad sticky if I don't drive right after a car wash but never stuck completely. To get around that and to get the rust off I just drag the brakes up and down the street once right after I finish washing.
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      12-09-2019, 10:54 AM   #5
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I had this kind of happen to me in my M2c on the rear brakes.

This is what happened. I washed the car, after washing I put it in the garage and I enabled the parking brake. Brakes probably still wet after washing car. Vehicle sat in the garage for 2-3 weeks. When I started the vehicle and wanted to move, there was ALOT of resistance and than I heard a small bang right when the brakes let go and vehicle moved.

I knew it was the calipers that were seized immediately when this happened. Now after I wash the car I DO NOT put on the parking brake. I just put it in 1st gear.

Just give it gas and go, it will unseize when you give the vehicle some throttle. Try reverse and then go forward, etc. Easy to do. No need for a tow.

Have you tried no engaging the parking brake? Do not engage it when parking for a long time.
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      12-09-2019, 11:26 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chmura View Post
I had this kind of happen to me in my M2c on the rear brakes.

This is what happened. I washed the car, after washing I put it in the garage and I enabled the parking brake. Brakes probably still wet after washing car. Vehicle sat in the garage for 2-3 weeks. When I started the vehicle and wanted to move, there was ALOT of resistance and than I heard a small bang right when the brakes let go and vehicle moved.

I knew it was the calipers that were seized immediately when this happened. Now after I wash the car I DO NOT put on the parking brake. I just put it in 1st gear.

Just give it gas and go, it will unseize when you give the vehicle some throttle. Try reverse and then go forward, etc. Easy to do. No need for a tow.

Have you tried no engaging the parking brake? Do not engage it when parking for a long time.
Thanks, but if you read my previous message, I had said that I am used to calipers sticking on other cars - especially after washing. With any other car, I would simply drive (and have to give it some gas), and the brakes would release.
With the M2C, the brakes stuck completely. Literally, I dragged the stuck tire for a block, and it would not release. I tried rocking it forwards and backwards, I jacked up the car and applied heat to the caliper....nothing would cause it to release. I flatspotted a tire trying to release it!
On the other occasions it had stuck, it had released, but only after driving HARD, for up to a block. That's excessive.

It has only occurred on the front wheels. It has happened even when I don't use the parking brake, but that is a moot point, as of course the parking brake involves the rear brakes only.
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      12-09-2019, 11:28 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mosely View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by TTBear View Post
Sorry, I should have been more clear.

They seize after the car has been parked for a while, and then I go to move it.
I am used to this happening with most cars, especially after washing them, but with my M2C, it happens even if the car has not been washed.
With any other car, I just force it a little, and they usually release (with a loud bang). But with the M2C, they remain stuck, and I get four or five different system warning lights.
Is the car getting sprinklered or wet on that side in some way? I have had them be a tad sticky if I don't drive right after a car wash but never stuck completely. To get around that and to get the rust off I just drag the brakes up and down the street once right after I finish washing.
It has happened after washing, and I assumed it was because of rust on the rotor, but on the one occasion when it stuck completely, I had driven the car for at least three days after washing it.
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      12-09-2019, 11:45 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TTBear View Post
Thanks, but if you read my previous message, I had said that I am used to calipers sticking on other cars - especially after washing. With any other car, I would simply drive (and have to give it some gas), and the brakes would release.
With the M2C, the brakes stuck completely. Literally, I dragged the stuck tire for a block, and it would not release. I tried rocking it forwards and backwards, I jacked up the car and applied heat to the caliper....nothing would cause it to release. I flatspotted a tire trying to release it!
On the other occasions it had stuck, it had released, it only after driving HARD, flor up to a block. That's excessive.

It has only occurred on the front wheels. It has happened even when I don't use the parking brake, but that is a moot point, as of course the parking brake involves the rear brakes only.
Dragging the tire and flat spotting it is more serious than I originally thought.

I would think its weather related now since you are in Canada. Do you park the vehicle outside overnight?
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      12-09-2019, 12:43 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chmura View Post
Dragging the tire and flat spotting it is more serious than I originally thought.

I would think its weather related now since you are in Canada. Do you park the vehicle outside overnight?
The car is stored in a heated garage overnight. It had been parked in this heated garage for two solid days, with the temp set at 17 degrees Celsius, in order to dry it out.

I am baffled. I tried to correlate the episodes to weather, or washing the car, but none of it consistently matches up.

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      12-09-2019, 01:30 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TTBear View Post
The car is stored in a heated garage overnight. It had been parked in this heated garage for two solid days, with the temp set at 17 degrees Celsius, in order to dry it out.

I am baffled. I tried to correlate the episodes to weather, or washing the car, but none of it consistently matches up.

Are you DCT or MT? The only thing I can think of maybe your brake hold feature is malfunctioning. I have an MT and when I let off the gas while in first gear the car automatically holds the brakes so the vehicle does not roll back. Highly doubt its that but worth a mention. I am sure the DCT is the same the vehicle would hold the brake prior to moving forward in 1st gear.
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      12-09-2019, 01:51 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chmura View Post
Are you DCT or MT? The only thing I can think of maybe your brake hold feature is malfunctioning. I have an MT and when I let off the gas while in first gear the car automatically holds the brakes so the vehicle does not roll back. Highly doubt its that but worth a mention. I am sure the DCT is the same the vehicle would hold the brake prior to moving forward in 1st gear.
Thanks for your input - I have a stick, all right.

I would think that if the hill hold feature was malfunctioning, then both front brakes would lock up?

It really is strange. I have had cars where the brakes were sticky, but not completely locked up like this!
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      12-09-2019, 02:29 PM   #12
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Can't see how the calipers could have seized up, they're all aluminum. Even with heavy rust on the rotor itself still can't see you dragging a tire to free it, that's nuts. Sounds like you might have a bad wheel hub bearing.
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      12-09-2019, 02:42 PM   #13
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happened to me once

i had to press gas really REally hard for the brake to set lose
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      12-09-2019, 02:44 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tag View Post
Can't see how the calipers could have seized up, they're all aluminum. Even with heavy rust on the rotor itself still can't see you dragging a tire to free it, that's nuts. Sounds like you might have a bad wheel hub bearing.
Thanks for your input! Much appreciated.

Yes, I thought it was excessive as well.

The first time it happened (and the worst), the BMW tech said they could see where the pad was stuck to the rotor, but they couldn't figure out why.

I agree - being able to drag a tire across pavement is excessive!
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      12-09-2019, 03:13 PM   #15
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happened to me once

i had to press gas really REally hard for the brake to set lose
X2....after a wash with the emergency brake.
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      12-09-2019, 07:27 PM   #16
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Get a leaf blower to dry the rims/brakes after washing (that one's probably overkill but it works), avoid acidic wheel cleaners, always ride the brakes for 30 feet or so immediately after washing/drying and defiantly move it the next day because the pads will still stick a bit.

I haven't had them not unseize with some throttle but I did have a nice brake pad imprint on my rotors for quite awhile and a ruined morning when I learned that lesson:
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      12-09-2019, 07:55 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tag View Post
Can't see how the calipers could have seized up, they're all aluminum. Even with heavy rust on the rotor itself still can't see you dragging a tire to free it, that's nuts. Sounds like you might have a bad wheel hub bearing.
I am not saying this is the root cause, but I do believe the pistons are stainless steel on the 2NH brakes (for thermal reasons).
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      12-09-2019, 08:00 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aguy View Post
Get a leaf blower to dry the rims/brakes after washing (that one's probably overkill but it works), avoid acidic wheel cleaners, always ride the brakes for 30 feet or so immediately after washing/drying and defiantly move it the next day because the pads will still stick a bit.

I haven't had them not unseize with some throttle but I did have a nice brake pad imprint on my rotors for quite awhile and a ruined morning when I learned that lesson:
Thanks for your input. I do that already - I use a MetroVac blower (heated, filtered air), and if it's winter and I have to go to a car wash, I'll make sure that I use one with a blower.

I ceramic coat my wheels so I never have to use anything other than regular car wash solution and a gentle brush.

I am somewhat in doubt that it is because of water ingress (although I guess it could still be?), because the time that it locked up the worst, occurred days after I had washed the car, and it had been driven every day, giving it ample opportunity to dry out. On that occasion, the brake stuck so badly that I flatspotted the tire trying to get it to release! (Which it didn't, necessitating a flat bed trip to the dealer).
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      12-09-2019, 08:08 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TTBear View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by aguy View Post
Get a leaf blower to dry the rims/brakes after washing (that one's probably overkill but it works), avoid acidic wheel cleaners, always ride the brakes for 30 feet or so immediately after washing/drying and defiantly move it the next day because the pads will still stick a bit.

I haven't had them not unseize with some throttle but I did have a nice brake pad imprint on my rotors for quite awhile and a ruined morning when I learned that lesson:
Thanks for your input. I do that already - I use a MetroVac blower (heated, filtered air), and if it's winter and I have to go to a car wash, I'll make sure that I use one with a blower.

I ceramic coat my wheels so I never have to use anything other than regular car wash solution and a gentle brush.

I am somewhat in doubt that it is because of water ingress (although I guess it could still be?), because the time that it locked up the worst, occurred days after I had washed the car, and it had been driven every day, giving it ample opportunity to dry out. On that occasion, the brake stuck so badly that I flatspotted the tire trying to get it to release! (Which it didn't, necessitating a flat bed trip to the dealer).
The dealer did not keep and try to replicate the condition?

I imagine something is wrong with the vehicle speed controller, tilt sensor, wheel speed sensors, or collision warning system if you are getting warning lights. It seems to me the system thinks the brake should be applied and with the rest of the wheels moving when the computers are thinking the car should be stopped, there is some malfunction. I would imagine the dealer can diagnose these components via the computer.
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      12-09-2019, 08:32 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TTBear View Post
with the M2C, they remain stuck, and I get four or five different system warning lights.
You are getting 4 or 5 different warning lights? I'd video them.

Can't the dealer pull the fault codes to diagnose the problem?
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      12-09-2019, 08:58 PM   #21
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TTBear, is the location where the phenomenon happens slightly inclining ?

Just brainstorming whether the hill hold feature could be part of the explanation (or malfunctioning).
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      12-09-2019, 09:12 PM   #22
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I now ride the brakes up and down the driveway right after I wash them. It has eliminated them sticking. I do this with my X5 50i M-Sport as well and I believe it was recommended to do this in its manual.
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