Something's wrong with my brakes. Help?

[erok81]

What you are hearing is the power/boost(assist) vacuum leaking. It's what the master cylinder is attached to. Between your foot and the master cylinder.

http://www.cardone.com/English/Club/Products/Brakes/Protech/Images/930393e.gif

This would have been my first guess as well...but that doesn't explain the e-brake not working well.

Unless one came before the other? Or they both happened at the same time, but that is a bit unlikely.

I may have missed this, but did they both happen at the same time? Or was the e-brake like that before and maybe you didn't notice because the rest of the brakes were working fine?

 

[Newai]

This would have been my first guess as well...but that doesn't explain the e-brake not working well.

Unless one came before the other? Or they both happened at the same time, but that is a bit unlikely.

I may have missed this, but did they both happen at the same time? Or was the e-brake like that before and maybe you didn't notice because the rest of the brakes were working fine?

I've had the car for about four years. They have both always been like that the whole time I've had it.

 

[dlgoff]

This would have been my first guess as well...but that doesn't explain the e-brake not working well.

I've had the car for about four years. They have both always been like that the whole time I've had it.

Well, most emergency brakes I've seen only apply to the rear wheels. And they aren't really meant to stop your car like the hydraulic system is designed to.

 

[turbo]

Well, most emergency brakes I've seen only apply to the rear wheels. And they aren't really meant to stop your car like the hydraulic system is designed to.

Yep! Maybe I'm really used to older vehicles, but most emergency brakes in my trucks/cars were cable-operated tensioners that engaged the rear brakes mechanically. Not really enough to stop you if your vehicle has any momentum, but enough to stall out your engine if you dump the clutch with the EB engaged.

 

[AlephZero]

I've had the car for about four years. They have both always been like that the whole time I've had it.

Doesn't the US have any mandatory safety inspections, like the UK "MOT test". The name is an anachronism now, because the Ministry of Transport doesn't run they system any more - it's an annual inspection of the safety related components for all vehicles, starting at 3 years old.

You wouldn't be able to tax or insure a car more than 3 years old with faults like that in the UK, and if it was picked up by a numberplate recognition camera while being driven untaxed/uninsured you would probably get a visit from the police not long afterwards.

 

[Newai]

Well, it's been fully inspected at three different places so far.

 

[lisab]

Well, it's been fully inspected at three different places so far.

Have you had your leg inspected?

 

[Newai]

Have you had your leg inspected?

Only my head per the demand of several coworkers. I don't have any cats around handy, so the leg inspection will have to wait.