Brakes freezing on

[rileyjo]

I'm having a problem with my little Ford Focus. The brakes at the rear right are staying on when it is very cold out. About a month ago, I blew a tire on the coldest day of the year. Last night I had the same problem. I could hear the tire squealing as I left work. I pulled over 3 times and started again and finally I heard a loud pop and the tire was free again.

Farmer Man from next door was over and I had him watch the wheels as I drove down the laneway. He said the tire isnt turning even tho the car was moving.

Other than praying for spring, what can I do? Should I let the car warm up longer? Is there anything I can spray inside the tire to reduce moisture? I drive home late at night and I worry about getting another flat tire a long way from help or home.

[Rocky Fields]

Hey.

The brake shoes are locking up inside the drum.

Check to make sure park brake is completely off. I have found on some Fords the cable doesn't retract all the way(hangs up) even though the release won't disengage anymore. The cable can be disengaged from the park brake lever that attaches to one of the shoes inside the drum as a temporary fix.

You need to remove the drum and see if anything is out of place,hung up,broken,etc.

You may have to back off the starwheel thru back of backing plate to get the drum off.

There is a good chance the drum is deeply grooved and the shoes are shot...$$$

RF

[tamsam]

I never set the park brake in the winter just or that reason. A little water in the drum and it freezes. Also they might sweat a little and freeze up but it usually happens to both wheels. Sam

[clovis]

I agree.

Any chance you can park the car in a warm garage overnight to see if it is snow or ice?

[MushCreek]

A car that new would probably have disc brakes in the rear. It could be a sticking caliper (you need to grease the rails it slides on). Ford used to have a weird problem where the rubber part of the brake hose would swell shut. The pressure of stepping on the brakes could force fluid past the tight spot, but it couldn't return, and the brake would stay on. My old Bronco II used to do that until I replaced the rubber brake line.

[Yankee1]

I would Jack the car up pull the tire and drum off. Then push the brake pedal with someone watching for any sign of sticking. Then I would use a spray lubricant at all contact points careful not to get it on the pads. If you are parking it with the E brake on I would stop that and just leave it in gear. until you have time to check it out and you have a stuck tire try backing up and pulling forward a few times to free it up.

[pred]

If it is drum brakes, It is time for new springs and have the drums turned.
A mildly out of round drum will cause this issue especially if you reverse out first.
Peter

[edzz]

Focuses (except for the SVT models) have rear drum brakes. They are a real pain in the rear to work on, as you must remove the drum by unbolting the entire drum bearing etc. from the axle. I would take it to a shop if you have never done drum brakes before. As your life and the lives of others depend on you having good brakes.

[foxtrapper]

Most likely you've got moisture inside the parking brake cable and its' freezing, holding the brake on. So stop using the parking brake.