brake problem!!!

[doodad]

hi,

l have a 97 firebird formula supercharge. my girl's brake's iis so hard.. l almost can't stop the car in emergency stuation.. my wife has a 2005 mercury sable sl, sometimes l drive her car, the car's brake is so soft.. l can stop it whereever l want.. but my girl is not like that.. is it fixable?? could l make it softer?? would it cost so much??

thank you..

[skibum1111]

Check the vacuum line going from the brake booster to the intake, sounds like either the line is pinched or the booster diaphram has a hole in it. Does the car run any differently when you press on the brakes?

[doodad]

hi skibumb1111,
thank you very much for your reply.. no my girl doesn't run different when l hit the brake.. it just hard to stop. the pedal is hard.

thank you

[mobil_12]

I agree with skibum - it sounds like a booster problem.

See if you have vacuum going to the booster, I have seen the check valve at the booster go bad and not let any vacuum to the booster. Check that first.

[doodad]

l am sorry, it is gonna be stupid question but l need to ask. where is that vacuum and booster?? when l open the hood, where are they?? l have no idea about it.. if you could help me, l would be glad..

thank you guys..

[blindeyed]

Did you check your brake fluid?

[doodad]

yes l checked.. it was full..

[skibum1111]

The booster is that big black round thing bolted to the firewall of your car on the drivers side. The brake master cylinder is bolted to the booster. Look at the tank where you checked the brake fluid, look back towards the firewall, the booster is right there...

[doodad]

thank you ski...

l will check it and than l will be back and let you know.. l already added you to my buddy list..

take care

[hazzzmattt]

you may wanna stick your head up under the dash on the drivers side by the brake pedal. if you hear a hissing sound (booster leaking vacuum) you got a bad booster. its a pretty easy repair on that model.

[doodad]

thanks man..

l am in FL right now.. tomorrow l will be back to home.. as soon as l get home, l will check it..

l appriciated..

[blindeyed]

Originally Posted by doodad

yes l checked.. it was full..

Yeah, sorry if it seemed like a stupid question. But sometimes people tend to overlook simple things like that. I know once I couldn't get my car to start, turned out it was out of gas. I didn't even expect that would be the problem since my gas gauge read about 1/8 above empty. Figured I had enough to get me to the gas station but apparently not.

[doodad]

hey skibumb1111,

l checked, and lwanna ask.. l saw a black round metal thing.. is that booster?? it s piece of metal. how can l understand if there is problem?? and also l wanna ask this.. tomorrow l will go to autozone, should l call them and make an appointment first and should l take my girl and just go?? if l go without calling them, are they gonna scan my car for free anyway??

thank you..

[skibum1111]

Yup that black round thing is your booster. Yes, autozone will scan your car for free, you just might have to wait for someone to be available to do the scan on your car, sometimes they get busy, and I dont' think they take appointments.

[doodad]

Thnaks buddy,

could you please tell me.. where should l look on the booster?? l tried to look but l couldnt see anything.. l will take my girl back to the dealership, which l bought from. they told me that they will make me happy.. l got the car almost a month ago, and l just drove it like 185 miles. l am scared to drive my girl. because if something would happen immediately, l would definetly have an accident.. because l cannot stop my girl, whereever l want. l hope you guys understand me.

thank you so much..