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Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Fiesta1234

Hello, I was on a motorway today and a hgv pulled out in front of me in the outside lane and I had too put my brakes on hard, as I was doing this the car felt like it was skidding or like it was on ice. Very weird feeling. I didn't go out of my lane or anything but I felt like I had too adjust my steering too countersteer it. I then went onto a b road and tried braking from high speed again and it feels the same. Almost like the wind is pushing against one side of the car and its making me countersteer against it. It only does this when braking hard at high speed (60mph+) the abs is working properly as I did an emergency stop the other day and I heard the pump activate and no skidding. Any idea why this is happening at high speed? Is it anything too worry about?

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - sammy1

Driving like you are a F! driver you may have flat spotted a tyre or indeed all of them. Your last posting about brake pads made no sense to me either!

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Fiesta1234

What do you mean? Why do most people feel they have too insult rather than actually help.

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - sammy1

"""Hello, I was on a motorway today and a hgv pulled out in front of me in the outside lane and I had too put my brakes on hard"""

That was very inconsiderate of him seeing that you have dodgy brakes!!

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Fiesta1234

Another great comment

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Railroad.

If your car is 2012 or newer it will have Electronic Stability Program (ESP). It's a system to help prevent skidding. You most likely activated it.

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Fiesta1234

Hello, it's a 2006 with abs. The wheels aren't locking up it's just feels like a shimmy under hard braking at high speeds

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - elekie&a/c doctor
Your brake pads are no good . They haven’t got any “bite”
Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Fiesta1234

Funny

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - catsdad

If it’s not brake pads or tyres then it could be failed shockers. I had an odd floaty feeling under braking on a Saab 9-5. It turned out both rear shockers were shot.

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Fiesta1234

Hello, thank you for the reply. I had a look the shocks earlier and did the bounce test and they seem to be good. The rear shocks are only about 1 year old so would be disappointed if they need ski g again. Will have another rlook though. Could bad rear axle/beam bushes cause this aswell? I have noticed that the rubber looks perished and has loads of little cracks.

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - catsdad

Re bushes, sorry I don’t have any direct experience but presumably anything that is part of the structure between the road and the body shell could affect handling if it’s deteriorated.

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Fiesta1234

Will get it booked in at a a garage too get them looked at. Cheers for the help

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Andrew-T

Will get it booked in at a a garage too get them looked at. Cheers for the help

Can you do anything about your spell-checker, which clearly has not heard of the small English word 'to' ? :-)

Sorry ...

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Fiesta1234

Bell

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Bolt

Funny

I wouldn`t discount what the doc said as non oem pads have different characteristics to oem pads and is a possible cause...

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Big John

I remember you posted about a soft brake pedal a while abo - was this fully resolved? After brake work it's sometimes possible to get a little air trapped in the ABS unit and there can be a special procedure to bleed this out. If there is some air left trapped then on the affected circuit braking could be diminished. This could put braking out of balance across axles. Could be worth getting the brakes tested at an MOT garage?

On an older car check anything between the road wheels and the main body as failing bushes or any corrosion could cause "a weird feeling" - check subframes, suspension attachment points etc. Cars still rust.

I noticed you've also had an exhaust sealing issue -could be a clue re engine and subframe mounts - I mention as a few years ago I had a similar issue with my Octavia sealing the exhaust permanently which turned out to be a failing engine/gearbox mount allowing the engine to move excessively. Worth checking everything as it might be relevant to this issue.

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Fiesta1234

Yeah, the brake pedal has been resolved. All it needed was for the pads too be bedded in properly which was giving a soft pedal. After doing some hard stops and getting them hot, the pedal is firm now and braking power is brilliant.

Got the car booked in too have the bushes checked too see if any need doing. The only bushes on the car that haven't been replaced recently are the rear beam bushes and front sway bar bushes. Everything else is relatively new. I also get a weird feeling at high speed where I need too make correction too the steering too stay straight because it feels like I'm in a crosswind. Just had an alignment done so doubt it's anything too do with that. More than likely some bushes need doing and hopefully it's the rear ones because they are old.

My engine and gearbox mounts have all been replaced. It was just the joint for the new rear silencer that wasn't sealing properly but I took it apart and reinstalled it, now it's sealed brilliantly and can't feel any air or hear and exhaust leak.

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Bolt

I also get a weird feeling at high speed where I need too make correction too the steering too stay straight because it feels like I'm in a crosswind.

Does it occur on fast tarmac roads where artics and lorries travel ? as that might be tramlining ie following the dip in tarmac caused by heavy vehicles tyres, opposite to railway lines where the rail is embedded in the tarmac ?

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Fiesta1234

Yes it's mainly at high speed on motorways and dual carriageways. It's not too bad on B roads but then again B roads have loads of potholes so you struggle too keep the steering straight when driving. My tyres are thin low profile ones which don't help but I'm getting the bushes checked anyway.

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Big John

My tyres are thin low profile ones which don't help but I'm getting the bushes checked anyway.

Has the suspension been lowered ?

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Fiesta1234

Yes it's got 35mm eibach springs. I fittes new shocks and wishbones etc when I put them in.

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Bolt

Yes it's got 35mm eibach springs. I fittes new shocks and wishbones etc when I put them in.

Anything else you`ve done to it to -so called- improve handling as it doesn`t sound like they have improved, apart from looks?

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Fiesta1234

No I haven't done anything else to "so called" improve it

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Bolt

No I haven't done anything else to "so called" improve it

I wasn't actually being funny by saying that, sometimes having stiffened and/or lowered springs or anything else suspension wise can have a negative effect on a car with our potholed roads and differing road surfaces

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Fiesta1234

Fair enough, the way some people have replied on this post I thought it was to make fun. But in that case I apologise. My car does get a lot of bump steer on potholed roads. I read a forum about Renault clios and under hard braking apparently all of them do what my car does so it must just be a hatchback thing because the back gets light under braking. I'm still going to get it inspected just in case but it seems to be common for small cars especially at high speed.

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Bolt

I read a forum about Renault clios and under hard braking apparently all of them do what my car does

My nephew bought the Clio sport some years ago, he wasn`t happy about its handling though he used its acceleration and hard braked a lot, he got through 2 sets of tyres in 12k miles, so, that as well as handling, made him sell it even though he knew not many people wanted one, took ages to sell, then went back to standard car, his fuel consumption is much better as well....

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Fiesta1234

I do like the clios tbh. Was relieved too see that other cars do the same thing as mine.

Must just be because they are so light and the fiesta only weighs around 1 tonne so think it's the back getting light under braking and losing a bit of grip. Other than that everything is alright as far as fiestas go. When it's windy or driving past a lorry, it gets blown around a lot but that also sounds as if its normal. Like I said, I will get it looked at but if they can't find anything then the general consensus seems to be that it's normal. Must admit though, the mintex m1144 pads are awesome :)

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Bolt

I will get it looked at but if they can't find anything then the general consensus seems to be that it's normal

Put it this way, if they dont look in the right places they wont find it, so as BJ said it may need the camber and other settings checked, as said lowering can cause other problems...

Ford fiesta - Car feels like it's skidding under hard braking - Big John

Yes it's got 35mm eibach springs. I fittes new shocks and wishbones etc when I put them in.

It's worth doing a 4 wheel alignment then - lowering can upset numerous suspension settings inc camber, castor etc. That is why I asked the question. Sometimes after lowering you also might need other parts to match - droplinks ,anti roll bars, tie bars etc.

My experience comes from building a kitcar a few years(er decades) ago - took a lot of work for me to be happyish with the front suspension and even them I was never 100% happy with the front wheel camber.

Edited by Big John on 16/08/2021 at 22:39