Front brakes seized after wash

That, sir, is determination.

Never once in our 2 weeks of winter, have I ever washed my truck. I mean, there is no chance I'm ever going to wash my truck in the frigid 65F weather.

 

Please report back with your findings.

 

This usually happens when it sits for a few days after a wash. There's a high iron content in the rotors and they rust extremely fast, like hours after a wash you'll see rust forming. It gets worse over the course of a few days and the the pads get stuck to the rotor, hence the popping noise when they finally release. After your wash just go for a quick ride to dry the brakes off. It's very common at a dealership where new cars sit a few weeks before being sold and you have to break them free, and that's just from rain and humidity.

 

I have owned my car since 1998, wash it and pull it into the garage where it can sit for a few weeks before I use it again and it has never had seized brakes.

 

Nope

 

That doesn't mean it's not happening to anyone.. hairy could be on to something. Also somebody mentioned checking the abs connectors. Probably not going to find anything hinky with the connectors , theu just watch wheel speed and report to the abs module. The rust could cause this..

 

Mechanically, the truck has enough power to break that surface rust easily. They won't stick as described. I've worked at dealerships and have moved cars that sat outside for months. We have cars at work now that sit long enough, where we need to take a jumper pack to start a vehicle after it sat out for 6 months with serious rust and all you'll hear is the grinding of the rust off the rotors when brakes are applied. No such sticking.

Hank seems to be describing another mechanical issue with actual braking force applied by the hydraulic system with another force actuating them and not his foot on the fat pedal.

 

Totally agree that it is more than likely something like a Sensor causing this and not drums or rotors holding back a 4500Lb Truck because you sprayed some water on the wheels.

 

I'm certain this was a /electrical mechanical glitch of the abs/hill assist and not a chemical reaction of rotor/brake compound, it wasn't fused because of high iron and humidity. This was a caliper holding a rotor with full force.

 

How is a sensor going to hold back a 4500 lb truck?

 

My experience exactly

 

Put your seatbelt on LOL!

 

If it gets wet internally, a short is created, sends erroneous signal to ABS computer/ traction control briefly and causes a brake corner(S) to hold.

 

Full disclose, and my senses could be wrong, but it felt that driver side caliper was holding, just the way the truck was swaying left with throttle input

 

Bs. Owned over 10 vehicles in 15 years and never happened.

 

He would have abs code if sensor shorted

 

He would have a code

 

Not always, some intermittent faults aren't hard codes. These are known as "pending" codes that won't set off a light. Hard codes can set off lights and are stored into the computer and data is logged for event occurance.
Hank, any warning lights that remained on? It didn't reoccur?

 

Of the pads pins/slides

If you felt a thump in the pedal then it's probably something in the brake booster unit under the hood. Like a dump valve hanging up and staying closed too long. Ask the dealer if there are any updates available for the EBS..

 

I'll guarantee it was the drums. You had the emergency brake applied. my guess is you got them too wet and they seized. Quite common. Next time wash it without the emergency brake on