I recently bought an 02 Base model Cooper and noticed the passenger front brake is heating up substantially more than the driver side. I also notice that the drivers rear is almost cool after driving while the passenger rear is what I would consider a normal temp.

I have had many Hondas over the years and they have problems with the brake caliper guide bolts sticking or seizing which results in this type of condition. Or, the brake pads get stuck in their carriage.

Are Minis known for their guide bolt seizing like the Hondas? I'm in the snow belt so there's lots of salt in the winter.

Advice on fixing this? Any special tools needed? With Hondas I get them apart, clean 'em up real well, then lube 'em up and put 'em back together again. As I said most of my experience has been working on Honda brakes. I assume most disc brakes are similar?

Thanks

 

I initially posted this over in the wheels, tires, and brakes section but it seems like this is a better place for mechanical issues/questions.

While waiting for some advice I looked up the parts diagram for the front brakes and it appears that the caliper uses rubber for the outer sleeves that ride on the slide bolts and not metal to metal that Hondas use.

Hopefully I can make some time today to inspect at least the one that's hot.

 

If folks just do a "pad slap" brake change or fail to lube the calipers it can happen....likewise, folks sometimes change to an un-booted brass bolt for better feel... this bolt that needs yearly lubing and cleaning....
These cars also utilize stability control...and can activate the brakes INDEPENDENTLY to aid in turns or stopping straight .or even to limit tq steer on some models......so it might be normal...or even related to a hub/bearing issue ...so don't jump to any of conclusions too fast ...
I would look to see if the pads on both sides of the rotors are wearing unevenly...then lube..
The rears are SIGNIFICANTLY harder to work on ... sometimes it is the parking brake cable or the internal mechanism that adjusts for wear...fix is usually a new cable or new/rebuilt caliper on the rear if the pucks won't retract with the proper tool...twist AND push...

 

Zippy, thanks for your insight. I didn't think of a bearing issue. I'll inspect when I get the wheel and caliper off.

Rears - I watched a youtube video from Mod MINI and he talked about the need to push and turn the rear piston. Hondas just require a turn. Looks like another tool...

Thanks again

 

if you can do Honda brakes, you can do MINI brakes. If anything, I found the MINI easier!

The rears do require a 'push and turn' which is easier (in the opinion of some) with a proper tool. This system is FAR from unique to MINI however. My tool for this came with a dozen adapters to fit different makes .... I don't recall if I needed it on my last Honda job but it is easy to tell. If the caliper needs to be turned there are typically holes for the tool to fit in to! If you don't know what I refer to, I suspect your Honda did not need - OR you successfully got away with not doing it - which IS possible too. I usually find a car specific DIY on line b4 I begin to verify . . .

 

Cleaning and lubing the sliders and caliper contact points should help a great deal. Rock auto has rebuilt calipers for a reasonable price.

About the parking brake - with the rear in the air and the parking brake off, the rear wheels should spin freely. They should be impossible to turn by hand with the parking brake on. Cycle several times to see if it's activating and releasing as it should. A rusted up parking brake cable is very common. ECS tuning sells some decent quality aftermarket ones. I tried a different cheaper brand and found the left and right lengths were unequal so had to return those.

 

Hi Joe:

Check the pads to see if the inner or outer brake pad is wearing more than the other - this would indicate the 'floating caliper' is not floating properly on the guide pins. If the guide pin was not properly lubricated during a brake service, this can happen causing one side to bear the load and potentially overheat (and wear faster).

Are there any check engine lights? If a rotational speed sensor is defective (one at each corner), the DSC may activate the brakes on an individual caliper thinking there is tire slip / loss of traction... This can cause one caliper to heat up.

Assuming there are no check engine lights or any error codes recorded in the computer, I would recommend the following:

- Remove the caliper from each corner and confirm the caliper 'slides' on the guide pin properly.

- Check to see if any inner or outer brake pad is wearing faster than the other.

- You might also service the brake fluid since you have everything aparts - this is not related to this problem but recommended on a recently purchased car. Brake fluid needs to be changed every 2 years.

Let us know if this helps!

Drive Hard. Drive Safe. Keep Grinning.

 

I've been able to turn in Honda rear caliper pistons with this tool. No need for pressure besides whats necessary to keep the pins in the slots on the piston.

 

We finally took the time to inspect the brakes and discovered that the guide pins/bolts were dry. What remained of the small amount of grease that was in there was hard. So we cleaned, regreased, and reassembled them. We have a few more things to replace before a test drive. Hopefully that takes care of the issue. Thanks for your help.

 

Glad to hear it. Let us know if there are any other issues.

Drive Hard. Drive Safe. Keep Grinning.