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Abrupt grinding, bumpy stop, in freezing weather yesterday

Tiny
PAULA FRIEDMAN
  • MEMBER
  • 2004 SUBARU OUTBACK
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 75,000 MILES
I've been driving very very little this year since limited to housebound by danger from pandemic. My car, usually well-maintained, had its last oil change or inspection of fluids, brakes, etc. In October 2018 (1 1/2 years ago). Yesterday I drove about 3 blocks, in unusual cold and light snow here, braked at stop sign, and car braked only slowly, jerkily, and with bumpy/grindy sound. I stopped, slowly backed up, turned very slowly around--using reverse and 2nd gear--then slowly drove home, turned and down another street, turned and drove back, using 2nd and eventually "Drive" gears, drove into my driveway, parked, then opened my garage door and drove, in 2nd gear, into garage. The car braked okay after that first event when it had jerked/bumped/ground.
What could be wrong? Could it be out of brake or transmission fluid? Could those or some other fluid have been frozen from the cold? (It was about 20 or 25 degrees Fahrenheit outside.) Could it be severely in need of an oil change? Could there be a brake or transmission problem? The car had had a big "check-up"/maintenance inspection, new hoses, oil and fluids change, etc. About 4,000 miles earlier, in July 2018, and been all right then.
Please inform as I'm supposed to get my COVID19 first vaccine shot (because of my age) next 9 days from now, but shall have to drive in heavy traffic (either downtown at 40mph or on freeway at 55-65 MPH) to get there.
Thank you so very much for any suggestions. Please know I'm a woman with little "car fixing" skills, and I dare not have anyone work in the driver's compartment of the car, due to COVID19 risk (to me and person I'm doing care of).
Thank you so very much for any information. One big help would be just to know where, in a 2003 Subaru Outback, to check fluids--including under the hood, which hose/reservoir would hold brake fluid, which is the line for adding oil, which for transmission fluid; that way I can see if any is so low their line/reservoir might be empty--though they seem okay at the under-the-hood level. Thank you!
Paula
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Friday, February 12th, 2021 AT 4:37 PM

7 Replies

Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
This sounds like a couple issues but I don't think it is something to worry about unless it keeps doing it.

Let's start with the brakes. This is due to the vehicle sitting and they have what is called surface rust on the rotors. When this happens it makes the brakes feel very odd and will even grab and jerk like you are describing.

The way to fix this is to operate the brakes a number of times at slower speeds so that you knock the rust off or you have to replace them.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-front-brake-pads-and-rotors-fwd

When you drive the vehicle the next time, start at 10 MPH and then brake to a stop. Then 15 MPH to a stop. 25 MPH to a stop and continue this until they feel normal.

If they do not then you need to replace them. Plus it is time to service the vehicle and change the oil anyway. You need to change the oil every 6-12 months even if you don't drive enough to hit the mileage. It is not as crucial to be on time if you have not hit the mileage number but I would not go more then a year.

I attached below the process on how to replace them but let's try this process first. I suspect it will be just fine since you seemed to see an improvement as you pulled back in the garage.
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Sunday, February 14th, 2021 AT 9:24 AM
Tiny
PAULA FRIEDMAN
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Kasekenny1, thank you. You are very kind to give such detailed, gentle answers. One friend said "sometimes when it's slippery, ABS brakes do that, " but they haven't, before, even when I lived several years in the Cascades foothills where there's lots of snow; do you think it might simply the ABS "pumping" to assure a stop on slippery surface, as he suggested? I shall definitely try your suggestion re braking at 10, 15, 25, etc. MPH (after today's imminent ice storm, that is). Thank you so very much.
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Sunday, February 14th, 2021 AT 11:47 AM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
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  • 18,907 POSTS
Were the roads icy? If not then I doubt the ABS was coming on. Did you hear a buzzing noise and did the pedal drop when this happened? If there was no buzzing noise then I doubt the ABS was coming on.

Also, if this does it pretty frequently or at the first part of driving then I doubt it is the ABS. It sounds more like surface rust.

Keep us posted with what happens. Thanks
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Sunday, February 14th, 2021 AT 7:06 PM
Tiny
PAULA FRIEDMAN
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Thank you, KaseKenny1. I sent you an answer a couple minutes ago, but it didn't go through. There was no buzzing noise, and this was early on the drive (only 3 blocks from home); the road had about 1/10 inch of new sleety snow, not what I'd call an icy road. No, I don't remember if anything strange regarding the pedal. The car had not braked so quickly as I was expecting it to, and it was jerking around, so I didn't notice specifically what the pedal was or wasn't doing--so I don't remember about the pedal.
Thank you. I shall try your 10 MPH, 15 MPH, 25 MPH suggestion re trying to loosen off any rust, if there is rust, from the brakes. The car has sat in the garage most of the time for close to a year, but I had been driving it some during the past 2 months or so--not very much.
Thank you again. You are very kind. Wonderfully informative help, thank you. I'll keep you informed, yes.
Paula
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Monday, February 15th, 2021 AT 5:41 PM
Tiny
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Okay, great. That is also good info for others that may visit this website because many people think that the rotors don't rust if the vehicle is garage kept and this is not true. This surface rust that I am talking about is not what most think of when they think of rust. It is almost like a chalky texture that is only on the surface of the rotor and will come off pretty easily once you start braking as described.

Also, if the road was icy then this could have been the ABS but again the way we will know this is to drive as described.

Thanks for the updates. Let us know after you drive it again on how you make out.
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Tuesday, February 16th, 2021 AT 5:15 PM
Tiny
PAULA FRIEDMAN
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
KaseKenny1, thank you so very much. If I can finish digging out the driveway from the garage to the street today, (so I can try running the car at 10, 15, and 20 MPH and applying the brakes at each, and then driving around a bit if they seem okay), then or tomorrow if I can't finish digging it out today, I'll let you know. I so much appreciate your help. Hard to tell you how valuable this is for me. No, the streets weren't icy when the event happened, but there was a very light dusting of new, wet snow on the pavement.
Thank you again.
Paula
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Wednesday, February 17th, 2021 AT 1:18 PM
Tiny
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Sounds great. We just got a fresh covering as well so I totally understand. We will be here whenever you get to it. Thanks again for the update.
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Thursday, February 18th, 2021 AT 4:35 PM

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