Braking problems

Short Version
At some point during driving, the brakes do not work well anymore, and at one point did not work when I pressed it the whole way in. I have medium brake fluid, no leakage.


Long Version
The university my girlfriend goes to has this long freeway like pass that has you going 55... after that there's a stoplight. I tried to stop behind the person in front of me, but I failed. I mean... I was watching and all and I was braking normally, but for some reason I had to push it in extra hard or something. For the first few days I thought I was just dozing off and blamed it on myself.

One week later (today), one brand new hood and slight body repair later, I'm back again driving her to school. A mile away from the school, I notice my brakes aren't working 100%. It's fine when I started the car... but this time I had to push very far in to stop behind the car. This time around, driving again I was careful and tried to stay two imaginary cars behind the car in front of me. But even after trying that, I only successfully braked 3/4ths a car behind the next car.

I kept going...and then there was that freeway like pass, which has a slight incline and decline... after that, there was a stoplight. But nobody in front of me, thank god, because the car wouldn't stop at the yellow light. I came to a yellow light and released my foot off the gas and then onto the brake...but no brake...Even harder, as hard as I could and no sign of a push. I floored the yellow and got past it okay. Aint that scary to happen?

Now what can you tell me is going on? Thanks in advance for helping!

This can be several things. It can be a hydraulic problem with the brake master cylinder. It can be a problem with the vacuum brake booster. It can be a frozen brake caliper stuck in the on positon and actually making that brake so hot it is actually boiling the brake fluid; if boiling occurs the brake fluid can be compressed causing the brakes to fail. An emergency brake cable could also be dragging and constantly applying pressure to one of the rear brakes and again causing boiling of the brake fluid from all the heat generated. There is no way of telling what is actually happening without driving the car and being able to test it's various brake componets. This is something too important to just ignore. Please take your car ASAP to a professional and have them check out the entire brake system.

Mike

Thank you very much good sir.

hencook - I understand your frustration but, would you mind editing the language in your post. Thanks.

What do you mean by "medium brake fluid"?

I apologize for the obscene language.

I mean that we checked the amount of brake fluid by opening the hood and the fluid's can was medium... One other thing I forgot to mention was that my E-Brake was still up when I was driving the car... I just forgot to put it down and the little braking accident happened while it was still up.

An emergency brake cable could also be dragging and constantly applying pressure to one of the rear brakes and again causing boiling of the brake fluid from all the heat generated.

Mike


One other thing I forgot to mention was that my E-Brake was still up when I was driving the car... I just forgot to put it down and the little braking accident happened while it was still up.


Having the lever pulled has the same effect as cables "dragging", except worse.

You need a brake fluid flush, new e-brake shoes, possibly rear calipers if you have discs in the rear (might have messed up seals if it got too hot), probably new rear discs/drums. Hopefully you didn't create any leaks in the brake system, but you very well might have.

Take this in somewhere, soon. If you have NO brake, you should probably get it towed.

Hencook,

I was not trying to be sarcastic when I made my first reply. I'm sorry if that's the way it came accross.

"One other thing I forgot to mention was that my E-Brake was still up when I was driving the car... I just forgot to put it down and the little braking accident happened while it was still up."

May I quote myself:
"An emergency brake cable could also be dragging and constantly applying pressure to one of the rear brakes and again causing boiling of the brake fluid from all the heat generated."

The brake fluid probably boiled when the emergency brake cable was left on while driving. The boiled brake fluid can cause the brake pedal to go right to the floor when depressed, without producing any braking action. Let me try to explain further. Normally, when you step on the brake pedal the brake fluid, in it's liquid state, is forced by the master cylinder throughout the rest of the hydraulic system. This liquid fluid pushes on all the other hydraulic system component and applies pressure to them. The components are calipers in the case of disc brakes and wheel cylinders in the case of rear drum brakes. (Rear brakes may be disc or drum brakes.) The brake fluid will actually boil from the heat of constant brake pressure being applied, as in the case of the e-brake being left on. It forces the rear braking mechanism (usually brake shoes against some kind of a drum) to get very hot. It get's so hot it boils the brake fluid in the brake lines near it, and the brake fluid turns to a vapor instead of a liquid. This vapor can be compressed and therefore will not push the other hydraulic system components. Without this pushing force, the brake components will not apply pressure to stop the car. It takes the liquid brake fluid to apply the pressure needed to move the brake hydraulic components and stop the car. When the fluid cools down the braking action should return to normal.

Has the problem returned since you released the emergency brake? If so, the car needs to be inspected by a professional. If the braking system is now working properly, you will probably be OK, but I still recommend having the brake system inspected by a professional.

Good luck.

Mike

if this is an import car then i might be able to help, i had a similar problem and thought it was the booster, then thought maybe the master cylender.

honestly this sounds kind of DUH but give it a shot if you havent fixed it already. my rear brake shoes and drumbs were so worn out that the wheel cylenders where fully extended and just holding tons of fluid. car atopped fine, but after cruising around a bit i would loose everything. had to down shift and pray that i could stop in time. after changing my rear drums and while i was at it i changed the wheel cylenders the brakes came back to life. hope it helps!

Well, the brakes are performing okay and feel good now, I haven't done any of the things you guys suggested with all the replacing stuff because I don't know how yet... but how do you guys think of the situation now that the brakes perform okay? Still a definite take to the shop huh?

Thanks for all your help everyone.

i would say yes, definitely, and I bet Mike agrees. This is a big safety concern, don't sit back on this. Find some shop that does a free brake check. Don't know where you live, but I'm sure there is one nearby. It's already bit you once, thankfully with a not so serious result. It could get a lot worse if you don't get it looked at.

hencook,

You've already had one accident because of these brakes. If I were you I would not even drive it any further until it was thoroughly checked out by a mechanic. Next time you might not be so lucky and severely injure yourself, your girlfriend or someone else. You may even kill someone. Imagine what your life would be like if this happened? It would change it forever.

dave mc

i would say yes, definitely, and I bet Mike agrees. This is a big safety concern, don't sit back on this. Find some shop that does a free brake check. Don't know where you live, but I'm sure there is one nearby. It's already bit you once, thankfully with a not so serious result. It could get a lot worse if you don't get it looked at.


Yes, I definitely agree.

Mike