Brakes failed!!! SCARY!!

[rude_life]

So im on the freeway doing about 85-90mph and i get off to get gas..Im pulling into the gas station and my brake pedal sinks to the floor!!! No resistance on the pedal and the car keeps rolling..No braking power whatsoever...I pull my E Brake and roll into a space and theres a puddle of brake fluid and a trail to my car..I open my hood and check my master cylinder..The float is all the way at the bottom.
So now I am just waiting until I get enough time off work to fix it but please..any suggestions or ideas would be helpful!!

Thanks

Kris

 

[urban96]

find out where the fluid came from and replace that part

 

[69clark]

+1 lol

That sucks!

 

[94gts]

ive had my car shut off on me twice at 90+mph on tiny backroads, so i know the feeling

 

[Engel]

how well did the e-brake work, mine barely seems to do anything..

 

[Bosko5.0]

usally its a hose same thing happened to me in my volks brakes went rear metal line and when i took the brakes apart the ebrake cables were badly frayed i mean there was less then 4 strands on each that was going 55 to a stop light yikes.

glad to here you and the car are ok

 

[urban96]

i thought i read somewhere that the front and rear use seperate systems so that if one went you would still have the other anyone shine some light on this?

 

[Pokageek]

Xactly...isn't that why many cars have that separater in the middle of the plastic reservoir atop the Mast Cyl?..so 1 stays full if the other leaks?

 

[HISSIN50]

The actual seals on the MC leaking is possible. Look for a snail trail of fluid around the MC.

Urban, they do use a bi-set-up as I recall. But as you know, with no fluid, neither works.



Kris, I applaud your ability to think clearly and calmly and have faith in the E-brake. Seriously, you did well and I'm glad you and your ride are ok.

 

[milewsky80]

my e-brake wont even hold my car on a small hill, i wouldn't even bother with it if trying to come to a stop

 

[Guero]

Man quick thinking!!! Glad to hear your ok. I know some people would panic and hit something

 

[HISSIN50]

Man quick thinking!!! Glad to hear your ok. I know some people would panic and shoot something

Bold = fixed.

 

[Guero]

Ahahahahaahahhaah!!!!!!! Nice fix!!!!!!

 

[94gts]

lol hahahha

 

[Mustangless]

same thing happened to me, but was only going like 15mph. Did not think about the ebrake though.

Had to replace one of the rear lines, it had a hole in it.

 

[ProKiller]

my first thought was you lost vacuum until you said the trail of brake fluid. good to hear you made out okay though.

 

[1TallMF]

Loss of vacuum isn't fun either. The pedal gets real hard and you press it with all your might, but only manage to slow down a little. If there was ever a time I needed a change of underwear in the middle of the day, that was it.

 

[STM1965]

Sounds like a hole in one of the lines, you'll need to replace the master cylinder as well. I had a master fail on an old Grand Prix in company parking lot which wasn't bad, and I've had a wheel cylinder blow out on an Delta 88 on the fly. Not much fun trying to stop....Darn winter beaters

 

[99FiveOh]

Sounds like a hole in one of the lines, you'll need to replace the master cylinder as well. I had a master fail on an old Grand Prix in company parking lot which wasn't bad, and I've had a wheel cylinder blow out on an Delta 88 on the fly. Not much fun trying to stop....Darn winter beaters

No suprising at all considering they were both GM's..lol I've never had my brakes fail and I pray I never do. You all got me thinking maybe it's a good idea to replace the entire system as a precaution.

 

[STM1965]

No suprising at all considering they were both GM's

Well I did say I drove them as winter beaters , other then the brakes, and odd stuff both those junkers did alright as beaters they more then paid for themselves. You don't get much for a few of C-notes these days and a few can's of bondo, I really liked using stove piping & pop rivets to fill in the holes in the lower doors & rear 1/4 panels. They at least started, just didn't like stopping! Man I glad I don't have to drive junk anymore!