I am so frustrated with this car please help!

[Amerz]

I have a 2001 Cavalier LS and the brakes have been giving me super problems. I have changed them twice in one year because they keep sticking. I have also changed the calipers twice and the car still has the brakes stick. Now to top that all off once in awhile I will lose steering control and the oil pressure light and battery light will come on. I have to stop the car and turn it off then when I start it again the warning lights are gone and the car is fine. What is wrong with this hunk of junk?

[Airjer_]

Which pad wheres out first? Inner, outer, left side, right side, or they all wear out evenly but just really fast?

[Amerz]

they all wear out equally but the the front set seem to wear out the fastest but the main problem is they stick. I have to constantly pump the brakes to get them unstuck but most of the time it is not working and it is causing me to have absoultly no power, i have to fight with it to go up hills and it is the brakes because u can smell them

[Airjer_]

if you take the cap off of the reservoir on the master cylinder there is a rubber seal under the cap. Does it look bloated?

[Amerz]

yes...how much is this going to cost me or can I just go to a wreakers and grab another cap?

[Airjer_]

If its bloated than at some point somebody added power steering fluid to the master cylinder instead of brake fluid. This is very bad. You will likely need to replace the calipers, wheel cylinders, all the brake hoses, and the master cylinder. The entire brake system will need to be well bled in order to flush out the powers steering fluid otherwise you'll end up replaceing one or more of the above more than once.

Granted this will be necessary if the rubber seal on the cap is indeed bloated. Swing by a brake shop with the cap and ask them if it is if you are not sure what i'm talking about.

We usually see a couple of these a year. The price tags usually run into the thousands.