Just purchased a 3 for my daughter. 101,xxx. Bought it from a local Mazda dealer and it's pretty clean and tight. They put new shocks on the rear and overall it runs and handles well.

My wife decides to drive it to work and is unaware that the parking brake is on! She claims she only drove it a 1/2 block before catching her error?

Parking brake still works well and holds the car on slope and the brakes seem fine. I thought at first it was a heat shield rattle but it goes away with slight brake pedal pressure or a very slight application of park brake. Pulled the right rear wheel this morning and everything is in place.

My question (no manual available) is: Would a very slight adjustment of the park brake cable at the rear caliper take up what I think is some slop in the cable or is it something more serious like maybe she toasted the pads?

thanks, bill

 

You dont have a reference for how much slack there should be, its hard to diag something like just based on words someone would have to be there to give a more accurate answer, my best guess is that the rads are fried, that or somehow the retaining spring is missing

 

Retaining springs are in place. I just don't have a reference as to how much end play or tension there should be on the cable. Calipers seem to be secure. Backing plates are good. But definitely brake related.

Old school sound is like someone had put rocks in the hub cap until the brakes are applied. Rotors seem to be ok, no kick back or pulsing @ speed, just an incredibly irritating rattle in the car and that you can hear from 15 feet away while driving down the street. Not good but the radio covers it up pretty well

 

Next guess is the pads slapping the rotors due to a partly stuck caliper piston

 

I thought about the stuck piston but both sides? Equal. I realize an 05 with 100K is getting up there but I don't have a good reference for this brand and what tends to wear and when.
thanks again, bill

 

and they can be a pain, my car is an 06 and its about to hit the 100k mark as well, my rears have only been replaced once and they are due (a long time ago) for replacement or resurfacing