John G

I really need some help........... My brakes are terrible.!!!!

When I got the car you could press the brakes and nothing would happen but if you re-applied them they were fine.!!!!

Here's the list of what I've done now.......... New discs and pads front, New pads rear, New Brake servo, Front and rear calipers freed up

It's still the same..... Not quite as bad but still doing it...... There's nothing worse than having no brakes at silly MPH.

Is this related to the ABS???? Sometimes the ABS thingy in the front left of the engine bay makes a strange noise but if you give it a little tap it stops and the ABS light goes out.

I think that I've bought a real lemon of a car but other than this the car is awesome. It's a 95 Turbo Wagon and all the brakes are standard.

Please help cos my laundry bill is getting silly now

Cheers JohnG

John G

Anyone??????

"MADDOG"

iTrader: (3)

are all the wheel bearings ok ?

regards "MADDOG"

Nezz10

Are you saying that you have to pump the brake pedal before it bites? Does it do this more after going round corners?

Do you get vibration when braking, or clicking round corners?


If so check the wheel bearings, if they are worn or shot it allows the stub axle to wiggle about and since the brake disc is attached to this it forces the brake pads back into their holders. This means that the first time you press the brake pedal it pushed them back to where they should be and the second time it uses them!

Nezz10

ABS sensors maybe another one to look at, if they are faulty and think you are locked up they will play silly buggers with you.

John G

There doesn't seem to be any pattern to it doing it.!!!! Back to the garage then.!!!!! Cheers for all your help

Andy S.

Have you replaced the brake fluid?

If you have to apply them twice sound like you have air in the system

Cheep option if it is

Also check your rubber hoses

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Are your back discs heavily grooved or lipped? And as above wheel bearing play will also cause pad knock back, which is why pedal travel decreases on the 2nd application immediately after the 1st application.

Fizz

iTrader: (1)

I had a wheel bearing go and took the top off the ABS sensor because of the movement in the wheel... the ABS light came on and went out intermittantly... the pedel was inconsistent and would feel all over the place.. get yourself to a dealer and he'll be able to tell you by looking at his computer what the ABS light is coming on for.. that will be a good start as to where the problem is i.e. wheel it is.. then start investigating... a good one apparantly is that the ABS sensor wiring under the back seat can come undone or loose or even damaged... if you've had your rear seats out recently could be a place to start... but I would say go your dealer...

John G

My rear discs are quite heavily scored but my mechanic said they should be ok for a bit. Will they make a big difference???? I think I'm gonna have to take the car to a specialist or a main dealer ain't I???

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

They can make a difference, especially when accompanied by any runout and having new pads which are yet to bed in (500-100miles of gentle stop-start driving) which could compound the issue.

I better clarify - if the pedal travel the same distance on both applications, or does it travel further down before hitting resistance on one application of the pedal?

Or is you have the same pedal distance and pedal resistance just nothing happens first time?

I should add, if the fluid hasn't been bled and changed in 2years, it'll need doing. For the sakes of it, it may as well be done if its not known how old it is, as any air will make any problem seem worse. No need for the expense of fancy fluids, just a good a quality DOT4.

John G

I don't know when the fluid was changed so that will have to be next ...... As for the pedal..... When it's first pressed and nothing happens it's really solid then when pressed again it's normal and moves further. Sometimes when nothing happens it makes a wierd grinding noise. It never does it when I take it to the Garage so I'm a bit stumped????

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Hmmm maybe still a servo assitance problem, first I would check is the vacuum hose to the brake servo.

For that year of car, I believe that the valve is located in the flexible section that fits to the servo, there will be a one way valve built into the hose - you can't see it, but you feel it somewhere in the middle. First, make sure its there (incase the hose may have been repalced - people fitting aftermarket hoses make this mistake quite often). Also make sure the vacuum hoses haven't collapsing under vacuum (engine running at idle) or are kinked.

Secondly, if you've loacted it, make sure it works, this means the hose will have to be removed. You should be able to blow through it in one direction, but not the other. If you can blow in both directions, its sticking and needs replacing.