Clubjazz - Honda Jazz & HR-V Forums
Honda Jazz Forums => Honda Jazz Mk2 2008-2015 => Topic started by: guest4314 on October 10, 2013, 02:22:58 PM
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Hi
I have a new Honda Jazz 1.4 EX and its a great little car BUT the brakes are something else...
The slightest application causes the front calipers to grab and this makes smooth progress during low speed manouvres impossible. They are like an on/off switch.
I have never experienced anything like this on any car I have owned, there is no way I can modulate the brakes short of tickling the pedal and this requires so much concentration it is actualy a distraction to normal driving.
Please don't say " they all do that " ;D
If any one has any advice to reduce the grabiness I would love to hear it, as its a new car I have let it go on for a 1000 miles and done a few emergency stops to really bed the pads in but it has made no difference, the system just seems rediculously over servo'd ( assisted)
Mike
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As you say its a new car take it back to honda and get them to sort it
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I found the brakes on my 2009 ES difficult to get used to and did not notice a problem when I got my 2012 ES. The Emergency brake assist probably does not help. Ask the dealer to let you try another Jazz to compare with yours. If you are not happy then tell them there is a problem and they must sort it out, brakes are vital to driving safety.
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I know you might not want to know this but......... my 2012 1.4 ES seemed like that when new , but after nearly a year I have either got used to it or the brakes have bedded in. Initially every time I touched the brakes they seemed to be coming full on, digital brakes either on or off, no in between ! I found the handbrake needed a lot of getting used to as well, but as I said earlier neither seems to be so much of a problem now.
If you are worried , as others have said ,go back to the dealer, that's what they are there for.
It's still a pretty good car !
When I drive my wife's Micra the brakes feel like they're not going to work, but she has no problem with it !
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Thanks for the replies
I'm not saying the brakes are unsafe, just really tricky to modulate due to a rapid initial bite that bears no relationship to the pedal input.
A poster def got it right when they described them as digital -- on, off.
It is a good car as I said but the driving experience is significantly marred by the braking characteristics.
I am confident the dealer will report no fault as the brakes actually work.
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Hi Mike 58
Have also just taken delivery of a new 1.4 EX, which is now my third EX since changing from a Landrover Freelander 1 some years ago. I have say that the brakes are no different from my previous Jazz cars. Yes, they are significantly more sensitive than the Freelander, but I soon got used to them and find them no problem at all now.
I suppose it's a case of what you are used to, certainly I prefer them now, knowing that the car will STOP when I want it to.
I remember in my much younger days, I once had a 1930 Morris Minor with cable brakes, which required almost your full weight on the pedal, in order to stop reasonably quickly, now that was hairy!!
I would submit, that in a couple of weeks time you will wonder what all the fuss was about.
Best regards.
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kenneve is spot on, mine were the same, I thought I would never get used to them, believe me you will given time.
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I'm another who found the brakes undesirably fierce at slow speed. It's something I have largely got used to but it still needs delicate control to bring the car to a smooth stop. It helps to wear thin-soled shoes. ;D
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I also found this on my 2009 model with 40000 miles! I am now used to it and like another poster said, my first car was a MK2 ford escort and with 4 people in going down hill I was trying to push the pedal through to the road to get a bit more braking! That was scary!
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Well 2000 miles on and the brakes are no better, my wife is having to concentrate every time she brakes which is ruining the ownership experience for her.
I will take it back to the dealer but unless there is some magic fix that can totaly alter the feel of the brakes then its bye bye Jazz and trade in time
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We bought a brand new Jazz this year. Both my wife and I are finding the brakes unpleasant to say the least. This is our 15th car so we both know how to use a brake pedal (before any silly remarks), we have done 6000 miles and there is no improvement. Its that bad you tend to resist the need to use the brakes as firmly or quickly as you should - dangerous ! Not enjoying owning this car as much as I had hoped.
Going to speak to dealers but not confident of a good outcome. :o
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Being an OAP but not yet ossified, I have modified my driving style to suit my brakes..
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Think of the brake pedal as being a deceleration control rather than a pedal where braking force is in proportion to the pressure on the pedal. I find that soft-soled shoes facilitates more delicate use of the brake pedal.
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After more than four months we are still not quite used to the way our Jazz responds to the brake pedal.
One angry look at it and the Jazz throws the anchors...
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I find the brakes on our cars are very nice to use, progressive and nicely weighted, but they are an 05 and an 06. I used Mintex pads last change.
For those who find the brakes too sharp, why not try a different pad compound/maker, ask at a factors for a more progressive smoother pad.
It might change the car for the better for less than 50 quid.
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Hi to everyone been reading about everyones brakes yes I agree they can be a little bit sharp but I have had no trouble adjusting to them ,as with most aspects of driving I work on gently gently method Im not pretending to be a goody goody or a slow coach but unless something occurs that cant be anticipated I really cant see a problem, sorry if I upset anyone but ive been driving 56 years and not a mark on my licence or a fine of any description
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I have noticed sharp brakes on my Jazz, but after driving an assortment of vehicles for 49yrs I have adjusted my driving style to suit the vehicle I drive, plus reading the road ahead of the car in front of you helps as you then are aware of what's happening. Also I was taught to drive in a driving course with a glass nearly full of water placed on the dash and was told to drive without spilling the water, after a while you brake and accelerate smoothly.
Not having a dig at anyone but it can be done with practice, failing that drive with a slipper on the right foot! :P
Dave
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I found the same problem when I first got the Jazz however it took me very little time to sort the it out. If you sit too close (which many people do) then you may have the problem so all I did was to move the seat back one notch at a time (don't forget that seat height affects the leg angle) until the problem vanished.
My wife did exactly the same thing and she no longer has the problem either. Just takes a little patience using the trial and error technique. :D :D
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I've come to realize that giving the calipers a good clean helps a lot. Changed to winter tyres a week ago and the brakes are much less grabby after giving everything a good brush and clean while the wheels were off. I can't think of a clear reason why this would be so, but it's been my experience both back in the spring and now in the winter.
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I too think Jazz brakes are snatchy, you do get used to it if you drive only a Jazz, but when you also drive other cars the snatchiness remains noticeable in comparison. Have you considered that perhaps the front/rear brake balance is incorrect and that most of the work is being done by the front brakes. This might give the feeling of the brakes grabbing as soon as they are applied, try applying the handbrake on the move and then braking, if the brakes feel smoother it would indicate that when the rear brakes actually do some of the work it gives a better feel to the overall braking. I've noticed rear disks corroded on Jazz's, maybe due to poor quality steel, sticky calipers or just very light usage that never really puts the rear disks under much pressure, however the bigger front disks, carrying more of the cars weight will remain clean and eventually you can get effective front brakes and less effective rear brakes. Don't really know why Honda think the Jazz needs rear disks, wonder why other similar size cars stick with simple and effective drums at the rear.
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Don't really know why Honda think the Jazz needs rear disks, wonder why other similar size cars stick with simple and effective drums at the rear.
Much better to have drums on the rear, but unfashionable in todays market with see-through alloy wheels. Drums much better for handbrake and perfectly adequate braking force available, and they last a lot longer can never remember having to replace a brake drum, and only normally replace shoes after 100K+.
My wifes GD has gone through 3 sets of front pads and a set of front discs - rear drums never been looked at (because they just keep on working fine) :D
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Possibly getting to the stage now where rear discs may be as cheap to fit because of common production volume.
The rear discs end up seizing and discs rust out because they see only 25% braking. They also seize on the sliders and pads stick with rust. Remember that manufacturer don't assemble with anti-seize everywhere like a good mechanic would. I reverse car down steep drive and cadence brake to try keep rear discs working.
I would check that the discs and brakes are working to Honda spec. Pads should be able to move slightly in their fitting space and greased on the ends and main contact areas (copper grease) Sliders should be free and easy. No warping on discs by brutal wheel tightening.
I have no idea if silcone brake fluid would help as a last resort for you. I have found in other cars that it gives a more spongy pedal. Consider your warranty and Honda compatibility before embarking on that one though.
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I thought I would never get used to my snatchy brakes... and now I don't need to get used to them anymore!
Two weeks ago I was at the dealer to have my 15" winter tyres (complete wheels) changed for the 16" summer set.
Being at the dealer I (again) mentioned the snatchy brakes and when all four wheels are off anyway... :?:
A little more than one hour later I drove home with my wife, four winter wheels and a big :D
Our Jazz has now normal, not "snatchy" brakes, so it can be fixed. Tell your dealer!
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Only got my Jazz yesterday & already got used to the brakes.
Got it instead of a 2.0 TDCI Ford C-Max,the jazz is much easier to drive as the brakes on the max were ok,but nothing special.
My wife drove the jazz today for the first time & found the brakes very sharp.after 15mins drive about she was getting a good feel for them.
Even on the test drive I found they were sharp at first but just compensated with a little less pressure on the pedal.
Now I don`t have any problems at all.
Mike
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I have just read in a motorbike forum that the rust from discs that gets embedded in the pad surface can make brakes snatchy and hard to control. I have noticed this on my wifes Jazz now it does not get used every day and light rust gets onto the discs.
Anyway the Jazz is a light car with pretty good brakes so the brake to weight ratio is good.
I use Honda pads on our cars and never noticed snatchy brakes when car was used daily, wonder if the OEM pads are more suited to car than aftermarket ones.
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I have just read in a motorbike forum that the rust from discs that gets embedded in the pad surface can make brakes snatchy and hard to control. I have noticed this on my wifes Jazz now it does not get used every day and light rust gets onto the discs.
Anyway the Jazz is a light car with pretty good brakes so the brake to weight ratio is good.
I use Honda pads on our cars and never noticed snatchy brakes when car was used daily, wonder if the OEM pads are more suited to car than aftermarket ones.
I changed front and rear pads to Brembo as the rear pads were shot and the fronts not much better. I greased all the slides and contact points and cleared all the rust from the lips . A much more pleasant braking experience resulted.. mainly I suspect as all mating joints were devoid of any lubrication...
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I have just read in a motorbike forum that the rust from discs that gets embedded in the pad surface can make brakes snatchy and hard to control. I have noticed this on my wifes Jazz now it does not get used every day and light rust gets onto the discs.
Anyway the Jazz is a light car with pretty good brakes so the brake to weight ratio is good.
I use Honda pads on our cars and never noticed snatchy brakes when car was used daily, wonder if the OEM pads are more suited to car than aftermarket ones.
I changed front and rear pads to Brembo as the rear pads were shot and the fronts not much better. I greased all the slides and contact points and cleared all the rust from the lips . A much more pleasant braking experience resulted.. mainly I suspect as all mating joints were devoid of any lubrication...
Been using this TRW brake grease on slide pins and seals for quite a few years, slide pins get done at least every time new pads get fitted and sometimes more often (depends if I am at a loose end), maybe that is why my wifes Jazz brakes are fine and only seem a bit sharp when discs get a bit of rust on them sometimes.
http://www.partinfo.co.uk/files/XZS120GB.pdf
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Possibly coincidence BUT when I bough the Jazz despite it having full service history, I found that the brake fluid which is recommended to be changed at 3yrs, had not been done. The car was 4 yrs old when I bought it and after a word with the dealer, the fluid was changed FOC at a year and four months late. It seemed to calm the snatching brake problem down. Now that I am used to the brakes, the snatching is no more.
As I say, it may be coincidence but given that brake fluid is hygroscopic? and the previous owner lived on the Lizard where humidity would be high, perhaps the take up of water was greater. I know not.
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Our Jazz is three years old, and still has snatchy brakes,very poor from Honda.
Plasma.