No brakes!

1. Little-Butch Regular Poster Joined: Nov 2009 Ipswich Posts: 287

   #1 19th April 2010, 16:58

   Picked my mate up on Saturday and all was fine, on the way home I sudenly had no brakes, none at all!
   
   The Handbrake light on the dash had been playing up the day before but didn't notice a change In the brakes.. Checked the brake fluid and It was pretty low so topped It back up and that fixed the Handbrake light which makes sense but the brakes still don't work! I thought It must have been a burrst pipe but I've looked and I can't see a leak anywhere!
   
   Butch
2. manta Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Jun 2009 Jonathan Tonk's yard. Posts: 4232 '85 Opel Manta '88 Manta GT/E '87 Rayleigh Roadi

   #2 19th April 2010, 16:59

   bleed your brakes
   
   air prob entered the system
3. Little-Butch Regular Poster Joined: Nov 2009 Ipswich Posts: 287

   #3 19th April 2010, 17:03

   But the pedal goes straight to the floor with no resistance at all? Wouldn't they be spongy If Air was In there?
4. Little-Butch Regular Poster Joined: Nov 2009 Ipswich Posts: 287

   #4 19th April 2010, 17:45

   Anybody? Need to get these fixed..
5. Woods Infrequent Poster Joined: Oct 2008 Posts: 246

   #5 19th April 2010, 17:49

   What saxo/brakes have you got?
   
   Sounds similar to what happened to mine, rear drum brake cylinder broke suddenly, lost all the fluid.
6. manta Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Jun 2009 Jonathan Tonk's yard. Posts: 4232 '85 Opel Manta '88 Manta GT/E '87 Rayleigh Roadi

   #6 19th April 2010, 17:49

   mmm very strange. You prob have a major problem with your brakes.
   
   master cylinder or slave cylinder may have broken. Is it leaking fluid from anywhere?
7. Little-Butch Regular Poster Joined: Nov 2009 Ipswich Posts: 287

   #7 19th April 2010, 17:51

   Couldn't see any leaking fluid, Handbrake works fine and It doesn't pull to one side whne braking so both of the fronts aren't working..
8. Richy-VTR- Regular Poster Joined: Nov 2009 Gosport- Hampshire Posts: 302 99 saxo vtr

   #8 19th April 2010, 18:33

   That to me sounds like an air pocket,
9. Little-Butch Regular Poster Joined: Nov 2009 Ipswich Posts: 287

   #9 19th April 2010, 22:16

   Going to bleed them and see what happens..
   Butch
10. Morgzc Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Oct 2009 Colchester/Coventry Posts: 2809 92 Mx5

    #10 19th April 2010, 22:31

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Little-Butch Couldn't see any leaking fluid, Handbrake works fine and It doesn't pull to one side whne braking so both of the fronts aren't working..

    Have you got a vt? If not the handbreak uses a cable so will not be affected by loss of fluid ect.
11. maraalfap Infrequent Poster Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 112

    #11 19th April 2010, 22:40

    Sons VTR has cable handbrake pretty sure they all are so thats a red herring. So fluid in reservoir but pedal straight to floor if the fluid levels not dropping/dropped then definitely you need to bleed the system.
12. Stevo123 Established Member Joined: Apr 2009 Redcar Posts: 1971 2000 Posi Blue vtr

    #12 25th April 2010, 09:36

    The handbrake light "playing up" as you say was the warning that your brake fluid was low. Now you have air in the system, the pedal goes to the floor because you are compressing air (which is compressable) as opposed to brake fluid which is not. As above handbrakes must be mechanically opersted on road cars.
    
    The advice given to bleed brake system completely is correct. However you will need to investigate the reason for fluid loss in the first place stll.
    
    I think you may be best getting the car to a garage and letting someone who knows what they are doing have a look over it for you.