Irritating brake noise

[THE]

Evening all,

Forgive me if this has been addressed elsewhere: I've searched a variety of places on the interweb (and here) and haven't found anything exactly resembling the concern. If someone has technical parlance which could identify the issue and resolve it, I would appreciate it, particularly before I take it into the dealer (whom I don't entirely trust to get to the bottom of it unless I go in armed with a bit of knowledge first...).

When braking slowly - i.e. coming to a stop but more so in very slow stop/start commuting traffic - a clunk-click noise keeps coming from 'somewhere deep within'. Occasionally near the front brakes, occasionally the rear. It's the sort of thing which sounds intentionally mechanical but it's so loud and intrusive that the first time it happened we all thought the axle was about to fall off, and then every time a new passenger hears it they look over and you have to say 'it always does that' before telling yourself it's the quirks of a car that is unlike the one you had before.

I am very much hoping someone can clearly identify if everyone has it and it's related to either the electrical motors, the 4WD, it's 'brake pad shuffle' (as someone in the past in this forum has said, but the description didn't quite sound the same), or pads/calipers needing simple adjustment etc. The car is less than a year old, with 7k so I'm not expecting the sort of wear that should cause something needing looking at. I'm therefore hoping everyone has 'the weird clunking noise'. No-one's mentioned it in reviews or complaints and, as said, I don't trust the dealer to do much more than fob me off as a 'yes, they all do that', when they don't. So any help is much appreciated. If anyone wants a recording of it I can try and do one without crashing and post it.

 

[Tai626]

It is not normal what is happening with your car. My brake is very smooth. Most of time I cannot tell it is doing regen or heating the disc. There is the auto brake (once I stop, I can take my foot and brake is still on until I step on gas (not really ) pedal.

Go after dealer and give him piece of your mind. You ca also say that this car is embarrassing you and your friends passenger would not consider to look at Mitsubishi if the issue doesn’t get resolved.

Tai

 

[AndyInOz]

I have to agree with Tai, that noise is not normal.

 

[jaapv]

It does not sound like "normal". and they certainly don't all do that.
If you don't trust your dealer why is he still your dealer?

 

[THE]

Thank you all, very helpful, I shall go forth and remonstrate.

As for the dealer, it is the only one where I live, and while I'm yet to have the car looked at mechanically when I transferred the warranty after import I knew more about Outlanders than they did. Which is odd for a Mitsu dealer and given I can't go to anyone else to have its warranty catered to without significant trouble, I'm a bit stuck!

But thank you all anyway, I'll come back with hopefully some resolution and an update.

 

[michael8554]

Tricky to diagnose if it's sometimes front, sometimes back.

Loose exhaust system?

 

[Mitch]

Unfortunately, this break clicks are "normal" for the Outlander (not only PHEV).
I have it and in a German forum, another 10 people have it.

The brake pads move around and make this noise.
You can easily reproduce it but going back, break and then forward break.

But it should go away, will only in forward. if not, you have something different.

 

[THE]

Update:

Dealer was excellent, wanted to come out straight away for a test, and it thankfully did the clicking on cue (we had those discussions about problems never manifesting when you need them to...).

The clicking comes when braking slowly, but crucially when there's been some movement between reverse and drive, as Mitch describes. However, straight away the dealer said it sounds like the pads shifting in the calipers, as per a previous poster raised some years ago. Dependent on the fittings used, this seems to be a known issue, though not everyone has it. So it's now booked in under warranty.

I therefore recommend those others who have them - sounds like a few in Germany too - get it looked at because it's not what should be happening, I'm afraid.

 

[jaapv]

Thank you all, very helpful, I shall go forth and remonstrate.

As for the dealer, it is the only one where I live, and while I'm yet to have the car looked at mechanically when I transferred the warranty after import I knew more about Outlanders than they did. Which is odd for a Mitsu dealer and given I can't go to anyone else to have its warranty catered to without significant trouble, I'm a bit stuck!

But thank you all anyway, I'll come back with hopefully some resolution and an update.

Dealers need to have extra training for their staff to work on PHEVs, but not all do.

 

[michael8554]

Mitch are these shifting pads due to non-OEM replacements, or just how they come from the factory ?

 

[Mitch]

It is from factory.
Some dealers in German change them on warranty, some refused.

Mostly, it is a "cosmetic" thing, not infecting normal use.

I will try to get them exchanged on warranty in spring.

 

[THE]

UPDATE:

Took dealer two days to 'detect' what it might be, despite me taking their boss out for a drive before booking it in and him identifying likely cause immediately. Then they discovered Mitsubishi (presumably UK) doesn't have the necessary parts so they're on order from Japan.

(sigh)

And when I picked it up to wait in the meantime, they'd managed to knacker the rear view mirror so had to get them to fix that!

Anyway, it appears to be the 'brake pad shuffle' identified in a different post, but I wonder if it's related to the 2018 recall of Akebono caliper problems in 2014-2016 Outlanders. You'd hope overhauls in that time would include known brake issues but if not, it's recommended to get it looked at if this noise is appearing. Clicks and clunks appear after transmission changes between reverse and drive, then braking slowly. Update to follow if it's finally fixed.

 

[THE]

Dear all,

As an update: after some toing and froing (happy to go into another time, however), the dealer finally changed the pads. They were reluctant due to Mitsubishi's demand pads and discs don't come under warranty, but both me and the dealer refused to accept that claim for an issue raised at under 7000 miles and clearly a manufacturing fault, not wear and tear. Particularly as the tyres are still fine from new and there was now scoring on the drivers front rotor.

!

Upon changing the pads, the noise has been resolved. I don't have a copy of the work sheet, however the dealer did tell me that they found there were no securing clips on the pads.

!

My own mechanic has said the noise sounds like slipping in calipers, which shouldn't happen, but can with incorrectly-sized pads.

To anyone experiencing this issue, get it checked and don't stand for nonsense as it absolutely shouldn't happen. And Mitsubishi have not answered my requests for information on the matter, despite being told someone would get back to me...

 

[sipaldi]

Very interesting.

My new to me MY19 also does this with 13k on the clocks. Only at slow speed and is certainly the brake pads moving.

I am hesitant to make the 20 mile each way to the dealers again as I have already done so twice in the first 3 weeks of ownership.

 

[vickers7893]

There has been a lot of discussion about the brake "noise"
See my recent post.
It is obvious that it is down to pads shifting in their calipers.
I have the same problem on my MY19 Juro.
Just started after one year and 10,000 miles.
Was booked in for service and warranty claim but unfortunately had to cancel as my wife and me are self isolating from this virus as we both fall within the "at risk" category.

Big John
MY16GX3+
MY 19Juro

 

[THE]

Agreed, car problems have come at the worst time: while there's little excuse for driving about for most people (I'm a key worker...) it means less need of going out, but if something goes wrong or needs fixing, all the garages are shut. As my 12v has just died, taking the rest of the car with it, I'm now hoping a quick charge in the morning from an ICE will kick it back into life. Otherwise I'm stuffed...

On the matter of the brakes, Mitsubishi did ironically ring me not long after I posted my last, to ask if things were sorted. When I said the garage had identified the problem and that it is a cause of concern, the lad on the phone simply wanted to end the call.

There are too many problems with these cars for the price they are and the quality they're not. They're brilliant in so many ways but when you look at the most simple of issues which don't need to go wrong, it proves either cutting corners or not enough real world testing. It leaves the feeling of a great shame that it's not been better thought out.

Keep safe and I hope all's well. My wife had the virus and it's a bastard.

Happy Easter and God bless.

 

[littlescrote]

There should be some little stainless steel clips in between he pads and the calipers to hold the pads in place during assembly and to try and give them a nice surface to slide on. I would imagine that if those clips are missing, you could easily get a noise from the pad going back and forth

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/hella/10413800

 

[StevieB]

I have had this problem since new and repaired twice under warranty.

The brake pad retaining clips basically are weak and snap. This allows slight movement of the pads hence the clunk noise.

Not dangerous, just annoying. Mitsubishi Japan are fully aware and they do FOC under warranty.

It’s a common issue through the industry. Occasionally they are just dodgy batches out there.

Quick fix and the parts are only a £5 ish.

 

[dennis morse]

i have same problem is both front and rear pads that need changing?