HELP!

[hondagirl]

The other day I was driving up hill, when suddenly at a busy intersection my brakes went out. My fluids are all full, recently took it in for a checkup and they said everything was fine, but when I put my break on it went all the way through the floor and I still went through the intersection, I was only going 35 so speed wasn't an issue. Not only that, but when I went uphill to get home my acceleration wasn't working, and I kept shifting gears to see what was going on and nothing worked. I might as well have been walking home at the speed I was going at, and I would have had less people honking at me. What could be the problem?

 

[LTC8K6]

Well, everything is clearly not fine and any decent mechanic should be able to see that.

Sounds like maybe your brake master cylinder is bad.

 

[Vic Vega]

...

 

[satyajitmenon]

You need a mechanic to diagnose this.

You can PM me to find out where to send my iPod.

You're going to send her your iPod?

 

[hondagirl]

You need a mechanic to diagnose this.

You can PM me to find out where to send my iPod.

Vic, I tried pm'ing you and I got a message saying I can't.

 

[JCH13]

Well, everything is clearly not fine and any decent mechanic should be able to see that.

Sounds like maybe your brake master cylinder is bad.

I agree with this. You almost definitely need a new master cylinder. Sounds like the piston seal in the MC has failed, and once an old MC has over-traveled the other seals are likely to be destroyed too.

Vic, I tried pm'ing you and I got a message saying I can't.

You don't have enough posts as a new user. Just post in this thread.

 

[_Rick_]

The reduced performance may be the ECU realizing that the brakes are shot and putting you in limp mode.

 

[Vdubchaos]

Master Cylinder failure

 

[JulesMaximus]

The reduced performance may be the ECU realizing that the brakes are shot and putting you in limp mode.

I don't think cars are really that smart.

Still, we need pics of the hondagirl to make a proper determination. :biggrin:

 

[LTC8K6]

Well, a big vacuum leak would reduce the braking power and the engine power, too.

 

[JCH13]

Well, a big vacuum leak would reduce the braking power and the engine power, too.

But it would result in a VERY stiff pedal, not a pedal going to the floor.

 

[LTC8K6]

But it would result in a VERY stiff pedal, not a pedal going to the floor.

True.

Well, I was thinking the MC failure might also be accompanied by a vacuum leak.

 

[JCH13]

True.

Well, I was thinking the MC failure might also be accompanied by a vacuum leak.

A failed MC can squirt brake fluid into the booster and kill things, I would imagine anyway. That might be the vac leak. The puzzling bit is that there isn't any missing brake fluid.

 

[AMCRambler]

A failed MC can squirt brake fluid into the booster and kill things, I would imagine anyway. That might be the vac leak. The puzzling bit is that there isn't any missing brake fluid.

The puzzling bit is how Hondagirl still hasn't posted pics yet. With my fantasies running wild how am I supposed to think and diagnose?

Along with everyone else I'd guess a bad master cylinder as well. If fluid level in the masters reservoir is where it's supposed to be, no fluid showing up on the wheels or pavement then it's the most likely answer.

 

[Zenmervolt]

when I put my break on it went all the way through the floor and I still went through the intersection, I was only going 35 so speed wasn't an issue. Not only that, but when I went uphill to get home my acceleration wasn't working,

So, let's get this straight...

First, your brakes went out and you sailed through an intersection. Then, after that, you continued to drive the car and had problems with it not being able to accelerate?

The problem here is that you didn't stop immediately when the brakes went out. If you're not aware enough to know to stop driving the car when the brakes stop working, you're not going to be aware enough for anything we say here to help you.

ZV