Pulsing through brake pedal

tommyedinburgh

We have a 2009 Toyota Corolla Verso. 

It was MOT’d last week and passed no problem. 

The next day I noticed a slight pulsing coming through the brake pedal at low speed. Since then it has started pulsing when applying the brake at any speed. 

It very much feels like it is coming from the front of the car. The pads and discs were changed last year at Toyota and are OEM parts - surely it isn’t the pads and discs. I’ve had the wheel off and checked the discs aren’t warped using a straight edge. 

Can anyone suggest what might cause this?

Belenus

Could it be faulty ABS?

tobygarrod939

It could be a bit of the brake friction material has became embedded in the brake disc, this can happen if you get the brakes hot then sit with your foot on the brake as it cools (ie in traffic, at a junction). Quite often this gets mistaken for warped brakes.

Find a empty bit of road (ie industrial estate at night) and do a few emergency stops, but don't let the car completely stop. If it still persists it probably is not this, but it's an easy way to rule it out.

Just be careful

tommyedinburgh

tobygarrod939 said:

It could be a bit of the brake friction material has became embedded in the brake disc, this can happen if you get the brakes hot then sit with your foot on the brake as it cools (ie in traffic, at a junction). Quite often this gets mistaken for warped brakes.

Find a empty bit of road (ie industrial estate at night) and do a few emergency stops, but don't let the car completely stop. If it still persists it probably is not this, but it's an easy way to rule it out.

I will try this tonight. 

tommyedinburgh

Belenus said:

Could it be faulty ABS?

No, not thinking along those lines. Much different pulsing/movement through the pedal to when the ABS kicks in. 

[Deleted User]

If the nuts are tight, callipers on tight and you are not sure then garage perhaps. 
ie. If you have to emergency brake, what would happen.

oh_really

Still going to go with a rear disc issue.

BOWFER

oh_really said:

Still going to go with a rear disc issue.

Probably drums on the back of a 2009 Corolla Verso.

BOWFER

tommyedinburgh said:

We have a 2009 Toyota Corolla Verso. 

It was MOT’d last week and passed no problem. 

The next day I noticed a slight pulsing coming through the brake pedal at low speed. Since then it has started pulsing when applying the brake at any speed. 

It very much feels like it is coming from the front of the car. The pads and discs were changed last year at Toyota and are OEM parts - surely it isn’t the pads and discs. I’ve had the wheel off and checked the discs aren’t warped using a straight edge. 

Can anyone suggest what might cause this?

Discs can warp at any age.
Manufacturing faults, water getting onto hot discs (always let brakes cool down before washing the car).
Or as said before, standing on the brake when they're hot can make the pad material 'bond' onto the discs and cause localised problems.
You could theoretically warp discs within minutes of fitting them.

tommyedinburgh

Dropped off at the mechanic to be looked at tomorrow. I will let you folks know. 

Robbo66

most likely cause is a warped disc so you would need to replace both discs and pads