C5 front brake caught fire!!

Nick69 · Post by **Nick69** » 16 Sep 2011, 15:23

I was driving around earler, getting well and truly lost looking for somewhere, and I caught a wiff of burning. Quickly pulled in and the front drivers brake was on fire, not a big fire but obviously got really hot. I blew it out and stood there for half an hour before going home.
The drive home was fine, no binding or smell or fires (which is nice).

Anyone offer a thought on what this could have been caused by?

Thanks
Nick

Old-Guy · Post by **Old-Guy** » 16 Sep 2011, 15:34

Is the caliper binding on that side and do the pads move on the pins and caliper? Is the hand-brake sticking on that side?

I had something similar a few years back on a Rover. Towards the end of the long descent into Tavistock off Dartmoor, the front brakes faded frighteningly. My destination was literally a few hundred yards into Tavy and as soon as I stopped, the front of the car was enveloped in stinking smoke. Crappo front pads that had been fitted the previous week-end. Drove carefully back to Gloucestershire and following morning raised hell with supplier. I suspect that they were counterfeit parts.

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 16 Sep 2011, 16:14

Its fairly common on C5s, Ive had it with one of mine, while driving down a motorway. Mine totally ruined the brake disc and so it had new pads and discs.

The lever on the caliper which operates the parking brake gets sticky (often due to the rubber boot splitting and letting in moisture) and so does not release the pads fully.

You might find you get a wheel wobble when the brakes are binding. Mine would come and go. I managed to free off the caliper by taking it off and pouring freeing agent into the handbrake lever arangement on the caliper.

Its certainly something which should be checked and lubricated on a service, in order to avoid this problem.

Nick69 · Post by **Nick69** » 16 Sep 2011, 17:51

Thanks for the replies, i'll get it booked in at the garage.
What an unfortunate problem for C5s.

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 16 Sep 2011, 23:59

Nick69 wrote:Thanks for the replies, i'll get it booked in at the garage.
What an unfortunate problem for C5s.

Well I say common but the Xantia and XM are both set up in the same way.

Its best to have the levers on the calipers inspected and lubricated at service time. Its what I do now.