Brakes grinding and hard to stop on 2017 Kia Optima LX... emergency brake light on

Kia Models Forum Optima
1

Hi everyone, my 2017 Kia Optima LX is having issues with the brakes. They’re grinding, and it’s very difficult to stop the car. The emergency brake light is also on. Has anyone experienced this before? Could it be related to the emergency brake system or something else?

2

Grinding brakes usually mean the pads are worn down. If they’re too thin, they can damage the rotors, so you’ll want to get those checked ASAP.

3

carmenpratschner said:
Grinding brakes usually mean the pads are worn down. If they’re too thin, they can damage the rotors, so you’ll want to get those checked ASAP.

Thanks! I’ll check the pads and rotors as a first step.

4

The emergency brake light being on might indicate an issue with the electronic parking brake (EPB) system. If it’s not disengaging completely, that could cause the grinding sound.

5

zack said:
The emergency brake light being on might indicate an issue with the electronic parking brake (EPB) system. If it’s not disengaging completely, that could cause the grinding sound.

Good point. I hadn’t thought about the parking brake. I’ll have that inspected too.

6

Also, check your brake fluid levels. Low fluid can trigger the emergency brake light and affect braking performance.

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Amelia said:
Also, check your brake fluid levels. Low fluid can trigger the emergency brake light and affect braking performance.

I’ll check the brake fluid level when I inspect the brakes. Thanks for the tip!

8

If the EPB is stuck or malfunctioning, it might also be causing the brakes to drag. That could explain the grinding and difficulty stopping.

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Mia said:
If the EPB is stuck or malfunctioning, it might also be causing the brakes to drag. That could explain the grinding and difficulty stopping.

That makes sense. I’ll have the EPB checked along with the pads and rotors.

10

I had a similar issue with my Optima. It turned out to be air in the brake lines, which made braking less effective. Bleeding the brakes solved the problem.

11

KiaTalker said:
I had a similar issue with my Optima. It turned out to be air in the brake lines, which made braking less effective. Bleeding the brakes solved the problem.

Interesting! I’ll ask the mechanic to bleed the brakes if needed. Thanks!