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Loud pop from start in cold weather

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by chikai, Jan 17, 2012.

  1. chikai

    chikai Member

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    Hi folks,

    We were on vacation for two weeks and came back to find the Prius starting fine. When I initially released the brakes and put the car into drive, I heard a loud pop from the rear before the car would move. At first I thought maybe rear brakes had seized since we were gone for so long. However the last few mornings I have heard the same. Same deal...release e-brake...but car in drive...doesn't move...then POP...then the car moves.

    It has been below freezing in Seattle, but I garage the car. Most mornings it's at least in the high 40's to 50s in the garage.

    Anyone else experience this?

    Best,
    Kai
     
    #1 chikai, Jan 17, 2012
  2. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    Welcome to my world. Cold weather will cause brakes to freeze or tires to freeze to the ground. It's normal for those of us accustomed to real winter weather.

    Tom
     
    #2 qbee42, Jan 17, 2012
  3. Gary Otto

    Gary Otto Member

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    If your garage floor is level, why do you feel the need to set the emergency brake? Why don't you park it without the brake on and see if it makes the noise.
     
    #3 Gary Otto, Jan 17, 2012
  4. chikai

    chikai Member

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    It's a habit...I set my e-brake on all my cars when parked. To prevent strain on the drive train.
     
    #4 chikai, Jan 17, 2012
  5. SlowTurd

    SlowTurd I LIKE PRIUS'S

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    your fraginator needs to be checked
     
    #5 SlowTurd, Jan 17, 2012
  6. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

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    I often get a clunk/pop when I put mine into gear. I believe it is the parking pawl. There is slight pressure on the pawl when it is in the garage (inclined floors). Seems to get louder when the temp is lower.

    You should try to take a video w/sound... it might help to identifier better.
     
    #6 spiderman, Jan 17, 2012
  7. car compulsive

    car compulsive Active Member

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    This has happened to a number of my cars (including the Prius) when parking them for a few days after a washing or driving in the rain. I believe the brake rotors get a bit of oxidation on them and adhere to the brake pads.
     
    #7 car compulsive, Jan 17, 2012
  8. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Do you have much rust on your rear brake rotors? Or do you see several brake pad outlines on the rotor from previous days? If so, the noise may be the rusty contact of the pads and rotors breaking loose.

    My other (outside) car does this often, the Prius much less often. I'm not excited about the addition of salt to the winter road mixture since the controversy with the Seattle mayor and his winter poor road clearing a few years ago.
     
    #8 fuzzy1, Jan 17, 2012
    1 person likes this.
  9. andi1111

    andi1111 Member

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    Move the car by hand before you drive off. You won't be able to move it at first, but after you give it more push, breaks will do a pop sound and the car will move.
    This is normal for the car with little break use and a wet day the day before.
     
    #9 andi1111, Jan 18, 2012
  10. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Good habit!

    It's just the e-brake that's sticking. Happens all the time after I wash the car. Now, I leave the e-brake on, engage Drive, lightly press the accelerator to apply some pressure to the e-brake and then press the brake pedal and release the e-brake. I'm not sure all of these sudden releases is good for the cable.
     
    #10 Tideland Prius, Jan 18, 2012
  11. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    :pound: Seattle / Bellevue / Redmond? Real Winter? :pound:

    We don't get 'real' winter down here in the Puget Sound Lowlands. While we do ice up differently and more quickly than the inland areas, temperatures don't get very low and snow doesn't get very deep or appear very often.

    But because about half the population doesn't prepare for what we do get -- for just a few days of snow, skipping work can be more economical than buying winter tires and snowblowers -- traffic and business can be paralyzed at just 4 inches (1980s) XXXX 3 inches (1990s) XXXX 1-2 inches (2000s) XXXX fear of snow that doesn't materialize (2010).
     
    #11 fuzzy1, Jan 18, 2012
  12. chikai

    chikai Member

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    so I took the car for a regular tune up and had them look at the rear pads. They thought it was related to a recalled shim...but for earlier years. Mine's a 2010, so I didn't know what earlier year he was talking about unless it was for the previous Gens.

    In any case, once they replaced the shims, they still felt the issue, so they replaced the entire rear pad. Thought that was strange as the car had just under 15k miles. Everything was fine for a few days, but the sound came back. In any case, it seems to be temperature related as in the warmer days I don't hear it.
     
    #12 chikai, Feb 24, 2012
  13. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    For the wet coast:
    Water on rotors has O2 in it, which rusts the rotors, sticking them to the pads. It's normal. In warmer temps. the water usually evaporates before it can rust the rotors.

    For the interior of the continent where we get real winter:
    Water on rotors freezes, sticking the pads to the rotors. Unless you park in a heated garage or warmer garage, in which case see above.

    I don't see this very often with Pearl, partially because of drum rear brakes (shielded somewhat from water), and partially because it's often dry here. But it does happen even on Pearl.
     
    #13 David Beale, Feb 24, 2012
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