Sensitive brakes

[zabarnick]

I purchased a 2010 FFH two weeks ago and last week noticed a change in the brake behavior. In recent days, the brakes act strangely upon coming to a complete stop at slow speeds. When the car is close to stopping completely, the brakes suddenly grab and stop the car abruptly. At the same time there is a feeling of the brake pedal moving down slightly on its own.

 

Is this behavior normal?

 

My FFH was built in Jan 2010, and I don't know if it has the latest brake software upgrade.

[paulbuck]

I purchased a 2010 FFH two weeks ago and last week noticed a change in the brake behavior. In recent days, the brakes act strangely upon coming to a complete stop at slow speeds. When the car is close to stopping completely, the brakes suddenly grab and stop the car abruptly. At the same time there is a feeling of the brake pedal moving down slightly on its own.

 

Is this behavior normal?

 

My FFH was built in Jan 2010, and I don't know if it has the latest brake software upgrade.

 

More experienced owners can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it is the regenerative braking kicking in. I 've had my FFH since January and noticed the same

thing. Different than my Accord was, but I got used to the new 'feel' quickly.

[ralteredstates]

More experienced owners can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it is the regenerative braking kicking in. I 've had my FFH since January and noticed the same

thing. Different than my Accord was, but I got used to the new 'feel' quickly.

 

Actually that is the regen brakes "kicking" out and the mechanical (pads) brakes kicking in. I have always noticed a slight change at that point but not a full-on "grabbing". Give it a little more time to break in the pads and see if it settles down a bit. If not, have the dealer check it out.

[lolder]

Humid weather and the first stop of the day seems to make the transition to hydraulic brakes more noticeable. I've gotten completely used to it. Reducing your braking as you approach a stop (which is the most efficient way) is the best. The last 5 mph I just coast.

Edited March 29, 2010 by lolder

[spacenomyous]

Humid weather and the first stop of the day seems to make the transition to hydraulic brakes more noticeable. I've gotten completely used to it. Reducing your braking as you approach a stop (which is the most efficient way) is the best. The last 5 mph I just coast.

Coast the last 5 mph? Man I'd wreck into the car in front of me, my FFH coasts like no other car I've ever been in. I slowly apply the brakes all the way down to 0 mph. I've noticed a grab early in the morning or when the temperature is cold / the car isn't warmed up yet.

[mxmastro]

lolder is correct. It has to do with the humidity. If it is humid or raining at night the hydraulic brakes are very grippy for the first few stops. Over time you learn to compensate for the first few stops. Every other car that I have driven does the same thing but the only difference is that typical cars get their brakes warmed up and the moisture off of them much quicker the FFH only uses it's hydraulic brakes for the last 3-5MPH.

[lolder]

I haven't tried it yet but I suspect if you put the brakes on hard enough to engage the hydraulic brakes for a second or so at the beginning of the first stop of the day on a damp, cold day, you wouldn't notice the low speed transition. No real reason to do that all the time, though.

[MarcD]

lolder is correct. It has to do with the humidity. If it is humid or raining at night the hydraulic brakes are very grippy for the first few stops. Over time you learn to compensate for the first few stops. Every other car that I have driven does the same thing but the only difference is that typical cars get their brakes warmed up and the moisture off of them much quicker the FFH only uses it's hydraulic brakes for the last 3-5MPH.

Well that makes sense. When ever it's humid outside (or raining and cold), my ankle gets sore from an old soccer injury. I thought it was just my inability to "feather" the brakes in the morning. So now I'll know. When my ankle hurts, soft on the brakes....lol

 

Marc

 

P.S. New to this site and have read almost all the threads and THANKS to everyone's input, advice, tips and answers. I really haven't needed to post any questions because most of them have been answered (like this on about the brakes).

[zabarnick]

lolder is correct. It has to do with the humidity. If it is humid or raining at night the hydraulic brakes are very grippy for the first few stops. Over time you learn to compensate for the first few stops. Every other car that I have driven does the same thing but the only difference is that typical cars get their brakes warmed up and the moisture off of them much quicker the FFH only uses it's hydraulic brakes for the last 3-5MPH.

 

Thanks for the responses. Yes, it has been wet and rainy lately, which probably explains my observation. I do notice that the brakes get grippy while stopping just as the regen cycle icon disappears, which confirms that this is when the hydraulic braking kicks in. But, I should probably be watching the road rather than the pretty colors on the dash :-)

 

BTW, this car that has a lot of dashboard distractions. Between the Smartguage with Ecoguide, the nav system, iphone bluetooth, satellite radio, and usb drive music, it sure is hard to keep your eyes on the road. And I haven't even tried the travel link yet.

Edited March 29, 2010 by zabarnick

[spacenomyous]

Thanks for the responses. Yes, it has been wet and rainy lately, which probably explains my observation. I do notice that the brakes get grippy while stopping just as the regen cycle icon disappears, which confirms that this is when the hydraulic braking kicks in. But, I should probably be watching the road rather than the pretty colors on the dash :-)

 

BTW, this car that has a lot of dashboard distractions. Between the Smartguage with Ecoguide, the nav system, iphone bluetooth, satellite radio, and usb drive music, it shure is hard to keep your eyes on the road. And I haven't even tried the travel link yet.

One of the things that comes in handy at night is the "DISP" button to turn off the center video screen. Turning it off really helps out the eyes and lets me concentrate on the road. The voice activated sync can do just about anything I want, from phone calls to temperature changes so I don't mind turning off the video screen. Also, I switched from the Eco-leaves to the bar graph on the dash, I found myself distracted counting the individual leaves, and then it became impossible because "half" leaves started showing up underneath the meters.