1996 Brakes Locking Up in the Morning

I just married into a 1996 Dodge Pickup and don't understand a problem I'm having. Each morning when I start up my wife's truck the brakes lock up. This occurs for about 5 minutes or 4-5 taps on the brakes. She said it has been in the shop numerous times to be fixed but the same thing keeps happening. Any recommendations on where to start..

Is it like the vehicle won't move at all? Are you setting the emergency brake at night and it's not releasing?

Thanks for the reply... I don't set the emergency brake at night, good thought. After I start the truck, then place it in drive, drive off and then just touch the brakes they lock down, just as if I slammed on the brakes. It is bad enough that when I'm traveling relatively fast I skid on the gravel. Any ideas.. It has been reviewed by the Dealer and they dont have a clue...

Couple things I'd check, first would be the brake fluid. If it is contaminated, that might cause part of it. But the main thing I'd consider is the master cylinder; problems there can cause alot of weird stuff to happen with brakes. If it's 4-5 minutes into running the vehicle, that might be at the time it's warmed up and switched from warmup to normal operation, and there might be a vacuum change which might cause a funky master cylinder to do that. My 2 cents, but that's what I would check out.

Oh yeah -- and is it the front brakes, rear, or both?

I will go check if its the front or rear...

...or both? Interested to see which. And it only does it the once each time it's started? Does it do it if you stop in a store for a couple minutes and re-start, or just when you start it up from cold?

Sorry for the delay I had a Horse issue take care of.. Its the rear brakes only and it will stop after about 10 minutes of driving.. It's only seems to happen when it stats up cold...

When my truck sat all winter it had rust in the drums by springtime. Couple brakestands later everything was good as new.

My truck does this sometimes. So far, it's pretty much only happened in the parking lot at school after it has sat all day. I think i've only noticed it once or twice at home. But mine only does it when i'm traveling at very slow speeds (suck as parking lot speed) and i tap on the brakes. After getting speed and using the brakes, they work fine.

Well with only the rears and only after sitting, and if temperature has no effect on it, (plus LTJG having same problem) it may be a symptom of the model you have. Do you drive through water much? That might help cause it, too. I'd still check the master cylinder, it's just not right for the brakes to do that.

I actually haven't experience it much lately. Although, the first time it ever happened, it was raining really bad. In fact, school was called off early that day because of the rain and that's when I first noticed it. But it did it again on a dry day as well. Oh, and I don't drive through water.

Funky problem. I'll be interested to see if the master cylinder is the source.

Yea, it is weird. Like I said, I don't experience it all the time. My original thought (and still my main theory) is that it's just the ABS computer. Like, when it has been sitting maybe sometimes it will reset itself. It's not an unbelievable explination.

I have a '96 indy and have the same problem from time to time. I wash my truck at work, kinda nice being able to do that at quarters, and also after a heavy rain. I lightly break and it's like I slammed them on. I just hold my foot lightly on the brake for a couple of seconds as I am slowly accelerating and no problem. Never had it happen when it was dry. Dunno?

Like I said, mine only does it until I run the wheels a little bit. After that, no problem. It could just be where sometimes the truck might be shut off with pressure to the brakes.

Does your Ram have rear Drum brakes or all caliper brakes? Something that a lot of chrysler products suffer from with their drum brakes is with time the actuating cylinder in the brake will actually start to fail causing either the brakes to no longer work or to work in odd spurts. If its an all caliper model your calipers may be seizing up and the entire part needs to replaced. Also, I cannot remember if your truck has ABS or not, but the ABS pump unit may be going out, causing a boost in line pressure periodically. My Ram is old enough that its ABS is all connected to a I think what is called a "single-line" actuator pump, most newer rigs have more complicated units that handle your wheels independently.

Yeah LTJG, the ABS does make sense and if a sensor was going bad or needs some "warm up" time that could make that happen. O, for the good ole days when there diagnosis was easy, when there were no computers in cars

Well, I have a 1992 GMC Safari van that is supposed to have ABS, but the ABS and brake lights came on so we had out mechanic disconnect the ABS computer. Works great without ABS! And it has for about 10 years now.

ABS is overrated most of the time.

Yes it most certainly is. I mean, granted it does come in handy, but if you know how to drive and don't have a tendancy to smash the brakes, you shouldn't have a problem driving a car without ABS.

Yep; and most people don't bother to slow down in 3" of slush and wonder why they crash their new beemer. wah.

All it means to me is "anti-braking system".

"Anti-braking system" sums it up pretty good. It's just a luxury for lazy people. I mean, no matter how much you mash the brake pedel, the wheels on an ABS equipped vehicle won't lock up. And that's the point. Now on my 92 Safari, if your not used to driving it, the wheels will lock up on the snap of a finger. I actually have trouble sometimes driving it down my gravel road because I don't drive it all the time (the Ram is so much better).

The problem your experiencing is very common on dodges and s-10s,it's the material that the shoes are made of causes your truck to "DYNAMITE".Replacing these with aftermarket shoes as Raybestos or other quality product will gaurantee the fix.Don't use dodge or noname brand.I have fixed many of these and my 2003 matrix does the same,wet conditions make it severe.

What do you mean, "Dynamite"? You saying the brake pads, after driving a short distance and applying the brakes, are locking up enough to skid the tires?

I have a 2000 1500, with the same problem. I've asked everyone I can think of.
No joy, yet.

The term used is Dynamite as when you apply the brakes its like dynamite going off,rear wheels will actually skid on graviel or almost put you through the windsheild on pavement.

Heh, who'd a thunk it? Have you found a glaze on the pads that you replaced?

Yea, it is weird. Like I said, I don't experience it all the time. My original thought (and still my main theory) is that it's just the ABS computer. Like, when it has been sitting maybe sometimes it will reset itself. It's not an unbelievable explination.




I have had the same problem on my 2001, clean your brakes and drums with brake cleaner and sand the drums with emery cloth. adjust your brakes and it will go away.

My truck was doing this,a simple bleed of the brakes fixed my problem.