Brakes are touchy

I think you have to check your rear brake shoes. Possibly have them cleaned.

 

My guess is that your usta-car had brakes that required a little more pedal.
How long have you been in this car and what was your last car???

If my suspicions are correct, you'll get used to the soft-shoe approach to braking and you'll be rewarded with even higher fuel efficiency.
If I'm wrong (happens a lot!) then It definitely would not hurt to get the right shop to look at your brakes.

Sadly....
Too many times these days when a customer says:
"I'd like somebody to check my brakes."

The Service manager hears:
"I'd like to help you with your next house payment."

Good Luck!

 

might be rusty, step on it, put it in neutral to eliminate regen and brake gently to clean the rust off. a long downhill is even better.

 

Brakes are such a safety issue that I hesitate to give any advice to anyone over a brake issue other than go have them checked out. Simply because I fear being wrong. And it's hard over the internet to determine what exactly your problem might be.

I think your best, safest course of action would be to talk to your dealership service department. An evaluation of your brakes and braking system shouldn't be too costly.

 

Are the brakes overly touchy above or below 7 mph? Above 7 mph, the braking action should be mostly or entirely regenerative braking, which should be very consistent. Below 7 mph, it is entirely friction brakes. How does the transition from regen to friction feel as you slow past 7 mph?

 

I would have them checked and drums cleaned.

SM-N900P ?

 

have you owned the car since new? when did the brakes start grabbing?

 

If they are touchy at any speed, I believe that's just how they are calibrated through the brake controller. I don't think messing with the friction brakes will change the feel above 7 mph, and it might just worsen the regen-friction transition.

Try driving a car with even touchier brakes for a while (do you know anyone with an '82 Granada Wagon?), and then go back to yours.

 

The previous posts about possible rust on the disks and the importance of having properly functioning brakes regardless of cost of determining your specific problem are all good. I had a situation develop with my brakes that sounds familiar. I attempted to read "live" OBD/CAN data from the vehicle one time with a Sears reader, and the next time I made the car ready I had CEL and very touchy brakes. Took to dealer and read codes C1203, C1345, and C1392. Required maintenance was re-initialize linear valve offset.

 

okay brinwood, it's been four days, any improvement?

 

I have a very infrequent touchy brake problem. Typically it's just when backing up, just after start up. The disks are clean as far as I know.

It's happened with warmed up engine, not just cold. First time, it was backing up in a parallel parking spot: I touched the brakes and could of swore I'd HIT the car behind, the stop was that abrupt.

Based on my experience it seems to me to be software based.

 

hard to know if the disks are clean. if you've been driving all regen, they can rust up pretty quick, then backing up, it's all brakes.

 

At low speeds, such as backing and parking, that touchy braking is likely caused by a thin layer of oxidation (that can form overnight) on the rotors and drums. It usually wears off quickly. At higher speeds, (above 7mph) the wheel brakes are not usually used much, so then it is more of a calibration issue (or subjective judgement of braking effort).

***uhp, beat me to it, bisco

 

In my case at least, I can't see it. Weather was dry, brakes had been behaving normally. Parallel parked for about 15 minutes. Upon start up, the brakes had no modulation, it was off or locked. The behaviour persisted for maybe a minute, then gone.

 

ghosts?

 

thanks for checking in!

 

My Prius's brakes are VERY touchy when it is humid or raining out. I have read on the site that it is caused by the discs/brake pads that Toyota uses from the factory. Sometimes its very annoying, and at least 1 or 2 times I was certain I had a major problem with the braking system.