Brake Pedal Sticking

I do have some bad news for you: your brake system is shot. When the pedal goes straight to the floor and you have to pull it back up to reset things are, indeed, telltales that your system is broken.

It might be a leaking master cylinder or it might be a leak at one of the wheels through the brake cylinder. Or, it might be leaking brake lines.

This is something you can’t let go. Without your brakes, well, you car will have a very tough time stopping, if it stops at all. Let’s assume it stops and let’s assume that before you get behind the wheel you are determined to get the brakes fixed. What do you check. Quite quickly, you should:

Look under your car and check to see if there are any red or red-brown stains. The stains are brake fluid. If you have easy access to the lines, open the hood and see if there are any weak or wetspots. Of course, wetspots are a giveaway that the brakes are shot because the fluid is actively leaking through hole(s). There should be an especially large brake fluid stain here because it is a nexus of sorts as the brake lines either run through or next to the exhaust manifold output.

Next, check the rigid brakes line that lead to the cylinders in each wheel. If there is a red or red-brown stain on the ground and wet areas on the inside tire walls of you car, it is a good indication that there’s a leak.

There is one other item to check, the brake reservoir. It’s the source of the brake fluid. It can be damaged and not only act as drain, but also act as a source of contamination and other issues.

Normally, the brake fluid is has a solid color that rarely changes. If there is a problem, you will see bubble in the master cylinder. This is because as the brake pedal travels up and down in your travels, you are pushing small amounts of air into the system that have to go somewhere and the result is the bubbles in the master cylinder. Also, the brake fluid may look dirty to your eye. If it does then the chances are good that you will have to replace the master cyinder and related systems.

How much will this cost? The cost can run up to $1,400, depending on the location and experience of the technician.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 2 months ago by mstern001.