2003 Windstar, no Driver's side front brake
DageonYar
03-17-2012, 09:50 PM
Hi all. I'm trying to diagnose an issue I have with my Windstar. I noticed the braking distance is terrible, and pulls to the passenger side when braking harder. I had it up on the jack this weekend, and noticed that the front driver side brake does not brake at all. All the other 3 brakes are working. I pulled the line off the caliper, and when depressing the brake pedal, no fluid comes out of the line. Just not sure where to look next. The van does have ABS, so could that be the culprit? Not lights are lit on the dash.
TIA.
TIA.
tempfixit
03-17-2012, 10:27 PM
Hi all. I'm trying to diagnose an issue I have with my Windstar. I noticed the braking distance is terrible, and pulls to the passenger side when braking harder. I had it up on the jack this weekend, and noticed that the front driver side brake does not brake at all. All the other 3 brakes are working. I pulled the line off the caliper, and when depressing the brake pedal, no fluid comes out of the line. Just not sure where to look next. The van does have ABS, so could that be the culprit? Not lights are lit on the dash.
TIA.
Disconnect the brake line on the top side of the brake hose to see if you have fluid pressure there, if so colasped brake hose.
TIA.
Disconnect the brake line on the top side of the brake hose to see if you have fluid pressure there, if so colasped brake hose.
wiswind
03-21-2012, 07:42 PM
My personal experience with my '96 was that I was not happy at all with the braking performance.
Very long story short.....it turned out to be the front brake hoses that connect to the calipers.
While my pictures are of my '96, all years will be very similar in this regard.....and I have pictures that show the replacement process.
It is VERY EASY to change these hoses, and they are not expensive.
I bought mine through the RockAuto website.
For something like this.....I try to get the best quality that I can.
You don't need the fancy metal covered hoses (at the price I have seen many of those, I don't know that they are really any better, or even as good as the Raybestos brand original replacements).
Mine were nowhere near as bad as you are indicating, but I was amazed at the improvement in braking by this easy and cheap repair.
Of course, make sure to have a big bottle of brake fluid on hand to top off the system.
Very long story short.....it turned out to be the front brake hoses that connect to the calipers.
While my pictures are of my '96, all years will be very similar in this regard.....and I have pictures that show the replacement process.
It is VERY EASY to change these hoses, and they are not expensive.
I bought mine through the RockAuto website.
For something like this.....I try to get the best quality that I can.
You don't need the fancy metal covered hoses (at the price I have seen many of those, I don't know that they are really any better, or even as good as the Raybestos brand original replacements).
Mine were nowhere near as bad as you are indicating, but I was amazed at the improvement in braking by this easy and cheap repair.
Of course, make sure to have a big bottle of brake fluid on hand to top off the system.
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