I have a 01 Tibute LX-V6. With my new job I am now a commuter in daily stop and go traffic where my old job was 15 mins away. I've been scared a few times as when the traffic is moving and suddenly comes to a screaching halt, my Tribute comes to a leisurely stop when I jam on the brakes. This has happened a few times now. I used to be able to lock them up.

I did notice that I had a leak from my master cylinder, as I saw the fluid traces and the brake light indicating low fluid came on and went off when topped up. I had my mechanic replace the master cylinder this past weekend. We then bled the brakes and there is absolutely no air in the lines (bled all four wheels). A test drive showed still no panic stop. So we jacked up the rear end and adjusted the rear brakes. I rolled back and applied the e-brake handle to stop the vehicle to adjust the brakes.

The brake pedal in normal driving/stopping feels better now, nice and tight and normal stopping is fine. However I still can't lock them up and there is still too much distance to panic stop.

What might be the problem?

I've seen some on here complain about rotors. I have 81k on the Tribute and am on my second set of rotors. I don't know if they're Mazda or aftermarket as I had my local shop change them. My front pads are fine and the rear pads are good and better now that they're adjusted.

My mechanic doesn't know what else it might be and asked me to reasearch it.

Thanks in advance.

 

New pads and rotors/ drums and shoes need to work themselves in to mate properly. So that will take a bit of time.
The drums and the shoes may have slightly different diameters. In the olden days they "arced" the shoes to better match them to the drum's diameter. In today's brakes that should not be necessary.

I suppose over the next 2 weeks or so you should see an improvement from the mating process.

One more thing: there is a brake booster that uses vacuum from the intake plenum. You can check for vacuum leaks or simply replace the brake booster hose to see if it helps.

 

Thanks for the reply. That's interesting what your saying about the intake vacuum hose. I'll have that looked at.

I should mention that the only thing I had replaced recently was the leaking master cylinder, and we adjusted the rear brakes. The rotors were replaced once a few years ago, but the pads were ok so they were left. Today the pads still have life left on them. I'm not sure if the rotors were Mazda parts or after market. I had them changed at my local garage I go to not Mazda.

I've seen some people comment on online elsewhere about rotor recalls, and some others have gone through multiple sets already. Others say the Mazda rotors are throwaway and not able to be cut.

Could my rotors be shot?

 

It's possible (your last question,) but more likely the pads are glazed over.
Putting on new rotors using the old pads is a very bad idea. Pads need to wear into the rotor and old pads simply will not do that.
I'm glad you replaced the master cyl because my first guess was that only half the split system was working correctly, and that may still be the case if the proportioning valve has been affected.
Also, brake fluid is hygroscopic, meaning it is capable of absorbing moisture from the atmosphere. By rights, the system should be completely purged of old fluid about every two years and new fluid installed... worse if you live in a humid climate.
And the last "guess" I can offer is that another member here states he owns a Ford Windstar or Areostar van of the same era. He's recently discover that the ABS computer (PCM) is shot and needs repair. That too might be a problem since the Tribute is actually a Ford Escape in Mazda clothing.

 

Thanks for the reply. When we swapped out the master cylinder we effectively replaced about 90% of the fluid between bleeding the cylinder, removing the resevoir and bleeding the brakes afterward. I know we went through about a pint of DOT3 and a half of another bottle with the resevoir topped off at the end. (The smaller palm size/soda can size bottle of Dot3.)

My Tribute does not have ABS btw.

I'm thinking it was 3 years ago during inspection when the shop said I needed front rotors but the pads were fine. Baffled I said, really? Well just cut the rotors? He said todays rotors are made so thin at most they're cut once if your lucky. So I got new rotors and after all this time am still using them and those same pads. I'm thinking now just get new pads and rotors.

Nice Mazda 3 BTW!!! If all goes to plan I only need another year out of the Tribute and then want to get either a MAzda 3 hatch or a Ford Focus hatch.

 

I'd think that an excellent idea. If the pads are so hard that they wear the rotors out it's time for both.
BTW: That's the way a lot of brake shops, like Midas can offer you a lifetime warranty on their pads... because they know their pads are so aggressive that they will be selling you new rotors at the same time as they "give" you new pads.

I have to say that I have been seeing a lot of new Focus HB's around here and I LIKE 'EM!! They are pretty HAWT!!