New Fiesta - front brakes grinding

[Doggy1]

Bought a new fiesta 1.25zetec 5dr back in october [covered 3500miles so far]. Recently, I've noticed a grinding noise from the front brakes [can only really notice it after applying the brakes and pulling up to a junction or roundabout]. Are there any known brake problems with the new fiesta [misalignment of pads etc..]? I've booked it in at the local Ford dealer for next week as a warranty repair, so it should get sorted then.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers

[Hook]

Bought a new fiesta 1.25zetec 5dr back in october [covered 3500miles so far]. Recently, I've noticed a grinding noise from the front brakes [can only really notice it after applying the brakes and pulling up to a junction or roundabout]. Are there any known brake problems with the new fiesta [misalignment of pads etc..]? I've booked it in at the local Ford dealer for next week as a warranty repair, so it should get sorted then.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers

Mine have been doing this in the cold weather when they first get used. I assume yours is a more prolonged problem?

[DanGull]

This may seem simplistic, so I apologise if it's obvious...but are you aware what ABS feels like?

Grinding is a good description, does the pedal seem to judder under your foot? That's completely normal with ABS.

This seems to tie in with the fact that it happens approaching junctions etc...

[Jonny87]

if this only happens at the beginning of your journey it is quite likely to be your pads rubbing the corosion off of your discs. There is far more corrosion to the discs when the roads are salted. after using your brakes once or twice the rust should have rubbed off and the problem will disappear.

[Doggy1]

Thanks for the responses. It's definitely not the ABS, as it makes the noise even when approaching a junction under very light braking at slow speeds - nowhere fast enough to activate the ABS. As suggested by Jonny87, I thought it may have been the disks with corrosion, but the noise continues even after long journeys - after I've given the brakes a good thrashing. I don't think its affecting the braking performance yet, its just a nagging problem, and I know there's something not quite right with them.

Will let you know what the dealer says.

Cheers.

[MarkyR]

Thanks for the responses. It's definitely not the ABS, as it makes the noise even when approaching a junction under very light braking at slow speeds - nowhere fast enough to activate the ABS. As suggested by Jonny87, I thought it may have been the disks with corrosion, but the noise continues even after long journeys - after I've given the brakes a good thrashing. I don't think its affecting the braking performance yet, its just a nagging problem, and I know there's something not quite right with them.

Will let you know what the dealer says.

Cheers.

I would be interested too in what your dealer says as my car does the same thing and I was told it's nothing to worry about by the dealer?

[DONFRAMAC]

This is a well-known problem with single-piston, floating caliper disk brakes. They don't bother lubricating the sliding parts, or the backs and edges of the pads. (Copaslip used to be the main brand of copper-based grease for brake parts, but keep it off disks and friction material.)

Within 2 months of me buying my new '58 reg Fiesta Mk 6.5, I could feel a wear step on the inside edge of both discs, and the outer faces were only getting a light buffing to clear rust off. My dealer is 110 miles away, so I paid a local Citroen specialist for 1 1/4 hrs labour for him to strip & clean & generally buff pads ( the outer ones were glazed ), and apply the lube.

I should have gone to him earlier, as the work would have been less time-consuming, with less de-glazing req., and the pins the calipers float on needed cleaning & lube.

The poor braking was highlighted when I took the car under complaint for the gear-shift to be checked, as cold-weather gearchanges were very notchy, but the temperature on that day was 13 deg C, so no problem showed up. The loan-car, however, was an absolute dream for braking, -- a 1.6 TDCi FOCUS ZETEC. Two hours with that reminded me of the floating-caliper endemic problem, so the job was done in my home town, at my own expense. (Another full day going to Inverness and back, to a dealer that skimps on a PDI, was too much to argue about, incompetent tw**s.)

In my part if the Highlands, brakes have to have this treatment every year, usually at servicing time.

P.S., now that the car has more than 5,000 miles on it, the winter gear-changes are less notchy, but my Wife's Jan. '09 Toyota Aygo has a vastly better gear-shift, and so did my last car, a Yaris D-4D, owned from new, in Sept. '03, until 30/09/08. Even my previous Rover 25 TD was better, and that 'box was a Rover-improved Peugeot 205 one, that Peugeot adopted themselves to cope with high power/torque applications, as Rover had made it strong enough for the VVTi MG F, and, I expect, the 2.0 and 2.5 V6 K series motors.

Your discs can get rusted overnight, enough to need some hard braking 4/5 times the next day, before they go silent. Leave them a week, and a trip out of town + tramping on the pedal may be needed, a few times, after a look in your mirrors.

( The Rover Dealer did the brake job annually, as a matter of course, but I had to tell the Toyota Foreman to do it, and about descaling discs or skimming them, rather than renewing them :-- there is a simple little lathe for skimming -- childs-play.)

[Forbesie]

Hi Doggy1,

Could you let us know what the service guy found wrong with your brakes please. Were they able to fix them?

I'd really appreciate a response as I'm having the same problem.

Taa

[John Guilbert]

I have exactly the same problem on my 2012 Zetec 1.25 I have just bought. 4,500 miles on clock. I find it unacceptable this is "just one of those things", as I have been told by a dealer. It's very obvious when inside the car as the passenger can hear it as well. It's as though the brake pads are worn down, but they were not. I had garage check to see if there were stones in the pads and they said there were none. I am not going to let this one drop and nor should anyone else as this seems to happen to plenty of this make of vehicle. I have been told it is probably smoothness of pads i.e. glassing? It's only passenger front brakes as well which is strange. Watch this space.

[Jagman Rob]

Hi. I also have the exact same condition on my 2014 MY 1.0 Zetec EcoBoost. I was concerned that the brake pads had worn through on the one side and the noise was the sound of metal on metal. After reading some comments on here I feel it has armed me with some info should I phone the dealership and have no joy. I am due to change the car for a 015 plate in March and don't want any unexpected costs from the dealer's service dpt.

[dmizz93]

Have this problem on my 2014 ST, seems to get quieter throughout the journey but never really goes away - usually the worst when approaching junctions or pulling to a stop.

I just thought that the performance pads/discs would lead to more braking 'noise' or rusting on the brakes with the bad weather but having seen all this I may take it in to the dealership for them to have a look at!

For now i'll just crank the stereo so I can hear the sub! ;)

[Mark76]

Same problem on my 63 plate fiesta. Bought it 2 weeks ago and the breaks sounded awful, took mine back to the ford dealership today to get checked as I suspected it had no inside pads (I could see the outside pads had loads left in them) but they have told me they had loads of life left in them. They have skimmed the discs to try and resolve it but it still sounds really bad, especially when you first take it out. You can also feel the vibration through the stearing wheel so I know its definitely the fronts and not the rear drums. Wondering where I go from here? Maybe change the discs and use some different pads but it seems a waste as the car has only got 15000 on the clock so I shouldn't have to replace them at this age!

[etienne]

There is definitely an issue with Fiesta brakes. Mine started grinding and then vibrating after 12000 miles. Dealer wouldn't replace under warranty so paid for new disks and pads. Now started to grind again after only 2000 more miles. Sound terrible.

[GingerFlame]

There is definitely an issue with Fiesta brakes. Mine started grinding and then vibrating after 12000 miles. Dealer wouldn't replace under warranty so paid for new disks and pads. Now started to grind again after only 2000 more miles. Sound terrible.

Have you tried decent discs/pads ? Mintex for example? Or EBC pads

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[All]

Glad to hear it's not just me. I went through the same diagnosis and found it to be the same cause as it has always been with Ford , the lack of copperslip on the rear of the pads and clips. 

Repeatedly having to strip & clean is a pain so found a solution.

I went to Screwfix and bought a spray can of coppers slip grease which has a tube supplied with the can.  I applied a small amount to the back of pads and by the mounting clips. it works its way down across the piston end face after few operations. it stopped the grinding for several weeks and can be done with wheels on the ground no tools required. It's a bit awkward on the rear pad as you have to crawl under but the outer pad is easy. Just don't spray it on the disc !!.

i dot some on when washing the car wheels particularly in winter time.

[Banana Co]

I've had my 14 plate fiesta since just before Xmas, i'd noticed the grinding too. At first I put it down to the cold weather but eventually realised that it was happening far more than on any other car i've ever owned.

 

I was close to taking it to the garage to get them to check the pads. Seems i'm going to have to either mess around with them frequently or put up with it.

[isetta]

my 2015 fiesta does not do this (16k miles) but my wife's 2010 Mazda2 does. 

[lionofludesch]

Mine (2012 Style 1.25) makes a horrendous sound after a steep descent.   The grinding continues after I've reached the bottom of the hill and continue on the level.  It's so bad that people turn their heads as we pass.  It disappears after a short time and I've put it down some sort of binding when the brakes are hot.  I've had the brake dust cleaned out but the problem's not completely gone away.

[turbohater]

My 13reg Fiesta did this until i changed the pads to EBC,problem cured.

[Marek K]

Had similar problem on my MK7 Fiesta 1.6Tdci but had my brake pads and discs changed and noise was still there so it turned out to be wheel bearing. No noise afterwards.

[All]

On 7 February 2017 at 8:57 AM, lionofludesch said:

Mine (2012 Style 1.25) makes a horrendous sound after a steep descent.   The grinding continues after I've reached the bottom of the hill and continue on the level.  It's so bad that people turn their heads as we pass.  It disappears after a short time and I've put it down some sort of binding when the brakes are hot.  I've had the brake dust cleaned out but the problem's not completely gone away.

This is different issue you do indeed seem to have a pad binding which will usually be worse when hot like a hill descent.

the cure is normally just maintenance as the slider pins are often not greased by some dealers making it harder for the calliper to centre. Not only must all the ears of the pads, anti rattle clips and if fitted anti squeal shims be greased but the slide pins must be removed , cleaned and silicone greased to allow free calliper movement. 

Make sure they have done this as I said many don't. Ensure only silicone grease is used as ( despite me being a die hard copperslip fan) any other grease will cause the rubber boots and the rubber on the  1 pin to swell which alone will cause the pin to seize. Ford made this a service info note but not everyone is aware.

[fiestalux]

I have similar problems with a 2014 Ecoboost. Normally this occurs as when others say, the weather is cold (probably also some dampness) or of the car has been sitting for a while and has not been used. For me I travel for work a lot so normally this is around after 1 week. As it is being used almost everyday right now the problem has largely gone. 

 

 

[Revelyne]

Did you get answer to why and what was it? I bought 2017 and car from new has done this same grinding noise at last braking. Ford dealer has been telling me "that's just normal as Ford put hard pads on". 2.5 yes I've been living with this as they say it's not a problem.

 

[Bigbob5678]

Hi I’ve had similar issues, grinding and bangs on the ramp down to the car park.

looks like calliper sticking issue and ended up with warped disk, so some feed back through the wheel on light braking.

got some EBC disks.

green stuff pads.

cleaned it all up lubed everything with CERATEC ceramic lube, safe for ABS sensors etc.

cleaned back of alloy where it touches the hub and the hub surface.

put it all back together, torqued the nuts up to spec etc.

NEVER BEEN BETTER OR SMOOTHER.

NO ISSUES SINCE better than new.

[karen22]

I bought a Fiesta Zectec 2017 module with 4700 on the clock and it was doing this when it went back to the garage the first time for oxygen sensor but stopped afterward now weeks later it started up again!  When i reverse out my drive and when its warmed up!  I take it out most days for a run as I thought it was dust!  Its going back in under warranty in a few weeks time, does anybody know is it just one of those things or should they be doing something under warranty?