We have a 1 year old MX5 RF that is garaged and use monthly, but every time I start it I find the braked have stuck to the discs and have to switch between Forward and reverse to unlock ? Any Ideas (apart from use the car daily 
Thanks
Andy
Would you be washing it before you put it away?
Sticking brake pads is not particularly unusual on any car.
I have a 62 plate Mx5 which is kept garaged and only used on dry days and I have the same issue.
Obviously I cannot move the car when trying to push it in the garage as the pads have locked it but when I drive it out of the garage they free with a clunk.
They donât lock every time but itâs quite common for me.
I just accept it.
If itâs garaged donât put your handbrake on and take it for a short run to dry the brakes off before putting it away.
That makes sense, but I only take it out when the weather is dry.
Sounds silly I know only using it in good weather as itâs a modern car that should stand the rigours of everyday weather.
I use wheel chocs when parked in the garage and never had sticking brakes.
If you wash the car and put it away in the garage with the handbrake on the pads will stick. As others have said take the car for a run after washing to dry out the brakes.
I always leave the handbrake off and place a choc under one of the wheels.
If you wash the car and put it away without drying out the discs then it will still stick even if the handbrake is off.
My wifeâs Polo does this too, the Rav 4 doesnât.
My ND has been in the garage since November bar a couple of short sunny day drives.
I always make sure it is left in gear with the parking brake off to avoid exactly your âproblemâ. Cast iron acquires surface rust even with dew/condensation and that is enough to makes the brakes stick on.
For what itâs worth, if I wash the car and then park it up or put it away then I always dry off the brakes with a short run of a mile or so and a bit of left foot braking to heat them through, just to reduce surface rust.
If itâs garaged you wont need the hand brake on. Moisture gets everywhere and brake pads stick to discs. No handbrake also makes it easier to move the car out of the way to get to stuff.
Worst time Iâve had with the brakes sticking on was after I put my bike away wet. No reverse gear, forward gear just span the back wheel. Took about 5 mins rocking backwards and forwards to get it to come unstuck. That was a sweaty ride!
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My RF is a daily driver, and parked on a steep driveway in gear and handbrake. The handbrake occasionally makes a bang releasing if theyâve stuck on, probably its wetness as described above but then there hasnt really been any MX-5 weather since i bought the car in September!
If yours is an Auto as thread title, why not leave it in âParkâ? That locks up the tranny so it wonât be going anywhereâŚ
I had the same problem with my RF ND, brakes rusted up and got stuck after leaving in the garage for 4 weeks. Humidity of 96% didnât help much!
Remedy:
Bought some chocks and left it in gear with no hand brake. Also bought a dehumidifier which sucks up litres of water each day!
Only problem now is remembering to remove the chocks when driving out the garage. Dooh!!
Leave a reminder on the driverâs seat when the carâs parked in the garage! (I do this for my trickle charger)
Hi Andy. i have a suzi grand vitara auto which has exactly the same issue. its always the rear discs which stick. my cure is never to leave it in the garage with the handbrake on! always leave in park and after parking it rock the car back and forth to free the pads. (with an auto you always have to use the brake to actually stop it before engaging park!). has worked so far on the vitara so worth a try.
good luck
rog
Why not just leave it in gear or in park, with handbrake off, shouldnât be a problem unless your garage is on a slope!
Any car not used regularly will get sticky brakes if left with handbrake on.
Thanks for all your comments etc, but most are missing the point that the RF is an âAutomaticâ, you have to leave it in âParkâ as otherwise wonât switch off, also the handbrake is OFF, and have taken car for a fast run before garaging. Done all the tricks suggested apart from a dehumidifier.
Thanks to all
Andy
Hi A,
All the comments seem to apply, the fact that it is an automatic is not really of any importance to your issue.
Putting the car in Park does not apply the brakes. You can manually release the gear lever from the Park position without starting the car if you want to.
It would appear that damp is the enemy here.
Hi Orange, You cant leave it in anything else but âParkâ, if you switch off in anything but park the dash tells you to put into Park
Does the instructions below help from Page 172 (Section 4-44) of the online manual.
file:///C:/Users/M/Documents/MX5%20Documents/Mazda%20Owners%20Manual.pdf
Without this you would not be able to roll the car if the battery was flat.
My Volvo has a system like this which I use regularly to roll the car in and out of the garage without starting the engine. The only down side on the Volvo is that it will not let you lock the car again until you put it back in P. It may well be the same on the 5.
âShift-Lock Override If the selector lever will not move from P using the proper shift procedure, continue to hold down the brake pedal. Type A 1. Remove the shift-lock override cover using a cloth-wrapped ďŹ at head screwdriver. 2. Insert a screwdriver and push it down.
Cover
3. Press and hold the lock-release button. 4. Move the selector lever. 5. Take the vehicle to an expert repairer, we recommend an Authorised Mazda Repairer to have the system checked. Type B 1. Press the lock-release button with the button pressed. Lock-release button
button 2. Move the selector lever. 3. Take the vehicle to an expert repairer, we recommend an Authorised Mazda Repairer to have the system checked.â
@andy-hayton, if you donât have access to the pdf,
I believe the part of the manual @Mad_Malc is referring to is covered in the Web Manual here.
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