[Scorchio21]

Hi everyone,

I got my first Kia service today and became inspired to make my first post on here.

Shortly after buying my Kia Rio 2, 69 reg last summer, I found it to have a really annoying creaking brake noise. It only happens when easing off the brakes to get the car moving from a stationary position, or when bringing the car to a complete stop, not when slowing the car down.

I took it to Hendy Eastleigh to get it looked at and fixed, and was told “Good news - the mechanic found nothing wrong with the brakes” which of course was bad news to me because I know there is something wrong. I said I’d demonstrate the problem to them but they wouldn’t let me due to covid

Today I took the car to Snows Kia Basingstoke for its first service and mentioned that I want the brake problem to be fixed as part of the service. When I spoke to the guy on the phone he acknowledged that this is something that is occasionally reported with newish Kias but it isn’t a manufacturer’s defect and isn’t actually considered a problem. The explanation he gave was something to do with brake pads sweating - I’m no expert but the wording he used left me totally confused. Surprisingly they then put an explanation in writing and you can see a screenshot below.

This problem is not insignificant, the brake noise is enough to cause any passenger to make comments that I need to get it fixed, and even prompts me to try to use the brakes like an on/off switch in an attempt to avoid the ugly noise when easing on or off the brakes. The car is basically brand new, about 2500 miles on the clock, so it’s nothing to do with wear and tear.

1. Can anyone translate what the below means, and whether this is a known problem?

2. Can anyone please advise how to take things further with Kia because I’m not happy to continue using the car as it is, but the two approved garages I’ve been to have either denied there is any fault or denied that it is a significant problem.

Many thanks.

TL;DR: Creaking brake noise, Snows Kia advised the below, what are they on about?

 

[Jack Daniels]

sweating pads sticking to the drum is a fault, the pads should not stick to the drum or they will make noise and wear prematurely. I wasn't aware that the pads could sweat, maybe you could ask that dealer to elaborate on that explanation.
The shoes may only come into contact with the drum, after you have stopped the vehicle meaning that the drum will rust and not get polished off like the brake disks do when you brake at speed. Occasionally you can apply the handbrake lightly down a hill to rub off that rust.

if you have an EPB then that may be difficult,

 

[phil866]

I'm not sure what they are on about either. The text mentions rear drums and shoes, then later says the pads are sticking to the drum. From what I read the Rio2 has disc's all round, and drums do not have pads, they have shoes. Like Jack Daniels I have never heard of 'sweating pads' and certainly they cannot be sticking to the drum, cos' there ain't any drums. IF the car did have drums I would suggest chamfering the leading edges of the shoes, but as it seems it has discs all round they could try a new set of pads. Is it an automatic (do you have to keep your foot on the brake pedal when stopped)? Hot pads can leave burn marks on discs if they are kept in contact too long.
edit sorry, I forgot the 'Hi and welcome)! 👍

 

[Jack Daniels]

Was the issue fixed by the work performed?

It appears that the rio is available with either standard disks at the rear or standard drums, but not the combi disk with internal drum for the parking brake which some other Kias have.

I assume in your case that the vehicle has drums. You should ask the dealer to write more detail about their findings and post it here, the shoes should not just adhere to the drum by themselves, there may be lack of lubrication somewhere or something sticking.

200 miles/month since new is not a lot that may have something to do with it. You could try some sporty driving over hills, with hard braking, and several hard, but safe, brakings from motorway speeds down to low speed to see if that helps. Brakes tend to be in best condition when they are used a lot especially at hi speed.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Seems to me the dealer is getting his terminology confused. Sweating indicates something, usually fluid, is leaking. As no fault has been detected it rules out brake fluid unless the shoes have been subjected to a leak in the past, which seems unlikely as presumably you have no knowledge of it. The technician defaced the shoes which is something you would do if the shoes were glazed. So it seems to me the receptionist guy should have written "noise is down to glazed pads" sic. (Obviously they employed a non-car guy 😋.) This would also fit your symptoms.

Glazed pads/shoes can be caused by repeated light braking. So as Jack Daniels suggests you need to do some hard braking from time to time to remove the glaze.