Intermittent brake failure

[Bannerkerry]

hi can any one help me with this. I bought a Hyundai i20 13 plate about 8 months ago to learn to drive in. The first time I pulled it off my drive, using first gear and just the clutch, as I got to the top and applied the brakes, my foot was flat to the floor and it didn’t stop, just kindve grinded to a stop. Immediately I told my partner who tried the car and found no problems. This has happened a few times so I took it back to the Hyundai garage who said the only problem was I needed new brake pads which I immediately did. Since then the problem has still happened, once when I stalled the car going up a hill and had to apply the brakes where it carried on moving back about a meter. Then today, I pulled off my drive very slowly as per usual then the brakes completely failed until I applied the accelerator and tried the brakes again and they stoppped perfect. I tried to pump the brake when it wouldn’t stop but this didn’t work. My partner could not find a problem with the brakes.I have booked the car into a garage but wondered if any one could shed some light incase the garage tell me that there’s no problem again. I don’t know if this is relevant but I always put my foot on the brake when I start the car which feels kindve spongey but when the car starts my foot then lowers much further to the floor. When this problem happens it’s like there’s a block of wood under the pedal. I will not be driving this car until it’s sorted . Thanks in advance ....kerry

 

[Rifter]

check the brake booster.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Without actually driving it I'd say master cylinder is going bad. I've had a car in the past that had intermittent master cylinder issues. The brakes would work perfectly fine but very rarely you would hit the pedal and foot to the floor and nothing, pump the brakes and 100% fine again, scary. Popped a new master cylinder on there and never had an issue again.

The block of wood under the pedal part of your post just sounds normal to me but again it is hard to say exactly without driving it. Before the car starts your brake booster isn't helping, no power assist, so your brake pedal should be harder to push. When the car starts your brake booster starts working so with the same amount of pressure applied to the brake pedal it should move much further down.

 

[jonivanart]

1. The first time I pulled it off my drive, using first gear and just the clutch, as I got to the top and applied the brakes, my foot was flat to the floor and it didn’t stop, just kindve grinded to a stop...
I stalled the car going up a hill and had to apply the brakes where it carried on moving back about a meter.
2. completely failed until I applied the accelerator and tried the brakes again and they stoppped perfect. I tried to pump the brake when it wouldn’t stop but this didn’t work....
No3. I don’t know if this is relevant but I always put my foot on the brake when I start the car which feels kindve spongey but when the car starts my foot then lowers much further to the floor.

I quoted 3 different sentences separately because they are 3 different symptoms.
No1. Would be the pads. Grinding would be metal to metal and stopping would be bad also with the pads gone the pedal would go to the floor
No2. This would be the brake booster and possibly loss of engine vacuum to the booster unless its electric. That would be a power issue but applying more gas pedal points to the booster or vacuum.
No3. The spongy feeling is air in the lines. The system needs bleeding of air and most likely a fluid change.

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DaTT

 

[Raizinman]

What size shoe do you wear? Sounds like you might be stepping on two pedals at the same time, which is why it only happens to you.

 

[Bannerkerry]

What size shoe do you wear? Sounds like you might be stepping on two pedals at the same time, which is why it only happens to you.

Lol I’ve got little feet couldn’t be that , though I am female

 

[Bannerkerry]

Without actually driving it I'd say master cylinder is going bad. I've had a car in the past that had intermittent master cylinder issues. The brakes would work perfectly fine but very rarely you would hit the pedal and foot to the floor and nothing, pump the brakes and 100% fine again, scary. Popped a new master cylinder on there and never had an issue again.

The block of wood under the pedal part of your post just sounds normal to me but again it is hard to say exactly without driving it. Before the car starts your brake booster isn't helping, no power assist, so your brake pedal should be harder to push. When the car starts your brake booster starts working so with the same amount of pressure applied to the brake pedal it should move much further down.

Thankyou for your reply. Very scary experience for a learner driver I tell you lol