Sticking rear brakes (running out of ideas!)

Hi guys, the rear near side brake of my '06 Tourer i-ctdi is binding despite all my efforts to cure it. I understand this is a common problem, and so far have carried out the following work:

Pads replaced
Calliper overhauled with new piston & seals
Flexible brake hose replaced
Calliper replaced
Sliding pins removed, cleaned and regressed.
Pad carrier removed and de-rusted.
Pads replaced again, filed top and bottom edges to ensure no binding in the carrier.
Brake disc replaced
Brakes bled (several times)

The pads are correct for the tourer (i.e. no pin on back) and the calliper piston moves freely, as do the sliding pins. Yet after a short drive the brakes and wheel are very hot and stinking!

I am now wondering if the abs pump is continually holding pressure on the hydraulic line to the calliper as I can't think of any other reason that would cause the brakes to bind. Has anyone ever found this is the case? I am thinking of temporarily swapping the hydraulic pipes to the rear brakes around at the abs pump to see if the fault moves to the offside brake, confirming the issue lies with the abs pump. I appreciate it will affect the operation of the abs (i.e. if one rear wheel locks up the abs will relieve pressure to the wrong wheel) but it will only be temporary to allow me to see what happens.

Finally, can anyone tell me which hydraulic connection at the abs pump goes to which wheel? The two feeds from the master cylinder as easy enough to spot but it will be a right PITA trying to trace the others!

Many thanks, Pete.

The pads themselves may require the excess paint filing off. Make sure they rattle in the caliper.

edgeoftime said:

The pads themselves may require the excess paint filing off. Make sure they rattle in the caliper.

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Thanks for your reply, I have already done this. The pads were originally a little tight in the carrier so I filed the top and bottom edge of both pads, they are nice and free now. Bar the handbrake mechanism (which is perfectly fine), every part from the flexible hose back has either been checked, cleaned, lubricated or replaced!

Are you certain it is the brake causing the heating and not a faulty bearing?

Have you tried jacking up the rear immediately after driving around and checking which parts are hot , and how long it takes for everything to cool down ?

If this is happening on both rear brakes at the same time, you are correct to look for the cause higher up.

To test your theory, I think you can pull the ABS / VSA fuse in your fuse box. (might be screwed down as it is a heavy fuse) You will get brake and VSA warning lights.

Then take your car for a drive and see if the problem still persists.

If it does, The problem might be the master cylinder. There are 2 springs in there that are meant to return the piston, and perhaps one of them isn't.


edit: I didn't see you said "near side" only. Sorry. It won't be the master cylinder then of course.

Pete, Have you seen this thread ? - 'Rear brakes issue' - the problem was caused by the hoses.

Question are you using genuine Honda pads?

Is there sufficient slack in the handbrake shoes?

Asking because unless mine are backed off more than the usual 1/2 turn, they drone.
The n/s ***embly floats more than the o/s too for some reason.

If of course the disc is blueing at the pad contact track then it's an issue there, however it seems like you've already gone through all of that system.

Squirt a bit of spray paint on the drum and see if that starts to blister from heat generated from the handbrake setup. A dragging show will cook that up in a few miles if it's binding a lot.

Then it's the usual checks on that system, cable adjustment, ensuring that all the handbrake mechanisms move freely, etc.

Channel Hopper said:

Are you certain it is the brake causing the heating and not a faulty bearing?
Have you tried jacking up the rear immediately after driving around and checking which parts are hot , and how long it takes for everything to cool down ?

Click to expand...

Definitely the rear brakes causing the issue. The wheel bearing is fine (although it does worry me what effect the excess heat will have on it!). There is already scoring on the brake disc surfaces and the disc is discoloured due to the heat generated, and the pads are already worn and discoloured (new disc and pads only fitted last week!).

Ned said:

Pete, Have you seen this thread ? - 'Rear brakes issue' - the problem was caused by the hoses.

Click to expand...

I have fitted a new flexible hose in case the original was collapsing internally and causing a hydraulic lock at the wheel.

brett said:

Question are you using genuine Honda pads?

Click to expand...

Not genuine Honda, the brand is Eicher, supplied by Euro Car Parts. I have generally always used non-manufacturer components sch as brake discs, pads, clutches, exhausts, filters etc. and never had a problem before, are the 7th gen Accords more finicky regarding what parts you fit?

Goodluckmonkey said:

Is there sufficient slack in the handbrake shoes?
Asking because unless mine are backed off more than the usual 1/2 turn, they drone.
The n/s ***embly floats more than the o/s too for some reason.
If of course the disc is blueing at the pad contact track then it's an issue there, however it seems like you've already gone through all of that system.
Squirt a bit of spray paint on the drum and see if that starts to blister from heat generated from the handbrake setup. A dragging show will cook that up in a few miles if it's binding a lot.
Then it's the usual checks on that system, cable adjustment, ensuring that all the handbrake mechanisms move freely, etc.

Click to expand...

Handbrake shoes are fine, very little wear on the shoes and no scoring or discolouration on the inner surface, just on the pad contact track.



Gave the brakes a good going over again yesterday, regreased sliding pins, checked wheel bearing and handbrake shoes and adjustment. Ensured pads are loose in the carrier, calliper piston moving freely and re-bled (no air present). Took it out for a run to town and back, brakes still sticking and extremely hot (grrrr!). I am in two minds whether to:

A) Swap the two rear brake lines around to see if the fault swaps sides.
B) Back the pads off slightly and fit a clamp on the flexible pipe and do without that wheel (extreme I know but most braking done at the front and I'm getting fed up of looking at it!).
C) Take it to a garage and pay through the nose for them to do what I have already done.

I will probably go for A) but typically its started to rain so not just yet, think I'll have a cuppa instead!

Did you replace the caliper piston seals?

(Edit - can see that you have from your initial post)

Never had it with a car, but with motorcycles, they get to a point where the seal no longer drags the pad back off the disc when you let go of the brake (as it is shaped to do so). The only solution is to change the seals for new ones.

Alternatively, if you've accidentally fitted a seal the wrong way round, it'll drag too.

Mine was doing that too. But it's a saloon.
The problem was that handbrake lever on the caliper was not returning to the starting point ( where it should be when the handbrake is relased ) and this caused concstant braking.

Jan Accord said:

Mine was doing that too. But it's a saloon.
The problem was that handbrake lever on the caliper was not returning to the starting point ( where it should be when the handbrake is relased ) and this caused concstant braking.

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I'm not sure, and if I'm wrong someone please correct me, but I believe the saloon utilises mechanical operation of the rear calliper as the handbrake, whereas the tourer has separate shoes that act on the inside 'drum' of the brake disc.

Yep, the tourer has a drum in disc setup.

Dubya said:

Thanks for your reply, I have already done this. The pads were originally a little tight in the carrier so I filed the top and bottom edge of both pads, they are nice and free now. Bar the handbrake mechanism (which is perfectly fine), every part from the flexible hose back has either been checked, cleaned, lubricated or replaced!

Click to expand...

How many clicks on h/brake lever? you ought to have 6 at least, I had a "mechanic" do mine he took it down to 3 clicks,I burned out the whole issue in under 100 miles. Needless to say he was suitably admonished and rectified the problem at his expense.

Had the same problem with my 8th gen saloon that shares the same brake setup as the 7th gen tourer.
In the end a recon calliper and new brake lines from euro parts sorted it after 12 months of trying things.
As said you could try genuin pads and disks as the disks fron euro parts are a lot thicker than OEM ones.

When you say the piston move freely can you push back in with your hands and what is it compared to with the good side.

Okay just an update on this sorry saga...

As suggested by Brett I compared how easily the piston could be pushed back into the calliper on both rear brakes. Both could be pushed back by hand, however more force was required to push the piston on the problematic N/S than the O/S. This calliper was a reconditioned unit I fitted a month or so ago, and should have been as good as a new one.

Suspecting I had replaced one duff calliper with another, I purchased and fitted a brand new calliper. Went out for a test drive, checked the N/S wheel afterwards and...hey presto, nice and cool with no hint of binding! Just goes to show you can't take anything for granted.

Thanks to all you guys for your advice and words of wisdom, very much appreciated!

Great to hear it's sorted.