Author Topic: Dodgy brakes  (Read 784 times)

Offline Daddycool

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Dodgy brakes
« on: 01 August 2007, 12:54 »
Right need to pick your brains as to whats happend to my brakes as somethings amiss!!

My brake pedals been getting a little soft over the last couple of days (nothing major) but on my way to work this morning it got a lot worse!
Now I can press the pedal all the way into the carpet & at only just manges to stop the car! it does improve slightly if I pump the pedal but the strange thing is if I turn the engine off & pump the brakes the pedal goes hard as a rock? but then turn the engine on it sinks straight to the floor again!? help!

Oh & theres no brake fluid leeking from anywhere.
« Last Edit: 01 August 2007, 12:59 by Daddycool »

Offline bomp

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Re: Dodgy brakes
« Reply #1 on: 01 August 2007, 13:27 »
When the engine is off, the brakes won't work, so the pedal being hard to push down when the engine is off is normal.  It's a bit hairy being towed behind another car, having one hand on the handbrake and leaving it in a high gear, and lifting the clutch as a brake.

Make sure that the fluid reservoir cap is on tight

Check your brake pads to see if there's enough of them left.

There may be a pocket of air in the brake system, get it sorted quick sharp. The brakes need bleeding for sure.

If you get no gains from doing the above then you may have a faulty master cylinder or brake servo.
Life is like a skid mark on a toilet bowl.  Sooner or later someone\\\'s going to pi$$ you off.

Offline Gambit

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Re: Dodgy brakes
« Reply #2 on: 01 August 2007, 17:35 »
when the engine is off the brakes will still work, they are just not assisted so you need to push harder!!

as for your brakes either there is an airlock or one of the rubber brake pipes has a bulge in it. either way if your not confident around brakes id take it to somebody who is. as they are a life & death matter!!!