Loud pop and loss of brakes

[engelaugen]

I have a 92 Toyota Previa that I just bought used a week ago. I had a horrifying experience in it this morning. I went to stop at a red light. Put my foot to the brake, heard a loud pop, my brake pedal went to the floor and I did not so much as even slow down. Pulled up the emergency brake and it didn't work either! Went flying through a red light at 50 mph and almost slammed into a school bus! Put the van in neutral, coasted to a slow down and rolled off into the grassy median. Had the car towed to where my SIL could work on it. My SIL got in and drove it around the block without the first problem from the brakes! The van stopped fine and the emergency brake worked. Help! He did say the front rotors need to be turned and the pads are low, so he's taking care of that, but I'm petrified to drive it now! Any ideas, anyone?

[engelaugen]

So......I found out what happened. Hit the brakes, clamps that hold brake pad to caliper pop off, brake pad falls off, dry rotted boot leaking fluid and allowing air into system, rotor damaged. End result: 2 new brake pads, 2 new rotors, 1 new caliper, 1 new set clamps, 1 new boot.

[DeltaP]

I sure hope you didn't buy this from a dealer. If you did they shouldn't be in business! Dry rotted boot my ass! I'd like to 'mike' those rotors.

[ricebike]

glad you & others were ok

had a similar problem with a boss' van but with a rear caliper

1st noticed rear parking brakes didn't hold vehicle (1st sign that the rear brake pads were thinning out)

noted low fluid; he just topped it off

expressed that he should get the brake pads checked; will do at the end of the month

one day, POP! and loss of brake pedal, almost t-boned a mom in a suv... immediately shifted to N and coasted to the shoulder of the road.

found the brake pad on the road, along with a trail of fluid.

now, instead of a set of brake pads (~$30-$50), he had to buy a new rotor, caliper, and pads

(i don't work for him anymore if he keeps neglecting his fleet like that)
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back to your topic: what boot?

all i know is the caliper dust boot, which should have came with the new brake caliper



and the caliper piston seal behind of that dust boot holds the fluid in the system...

it popped out because the combination of thin brake rotors and thin brake pads forced the piston out of the bore...