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Braking system, what's the problem?
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digrides
Anonymous Poster
Nov 4, 2007, 11:21 PM
Post #1 of 2
(1219 views)
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Braking system, what's the problem?
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Hey everyone. I am so frustrated with my brakes. I have a 96 Nissan Sentra GXE standard brake system, no anti-locks. My dad is really good at fixing on cars. A month ago he fixed my front callipers and rotors and my brake pedal was so firm and my stopping distance was greatly reduced. I was very comfortable and confident driving/braking. Well a week later I had to come to a hard stop to avoid running a red light and then, my brake pedal became soft/spongy/travel to the floor again, my stopping distance was back to the same, having to stop way in advance.
I've taken it to a few places like Midas and CarX and they are saying they dont' see anything wrong, maybe I needed my backs adjusted. Well we did that too. So now, my dad has also replaced my callipers, pads, rear drums and did some adjusting in the back, replaced my master cylinder, we bled the brake lines a good 4 times top, front and back and my pedal is still spongy and it goes down to the floor. I am really upset because I spent money I didn't have on the master cylinder and that wasn't the problem and he assured me that was definitely it. he's thinking now maybe it's the brake booster, but my pedal would be hard, not soft, right? Any suggestions or guesses on what the problem could be? thanks
To add, This happened all of a sudden, not gradually, after I made the hard stop (which mind you was not a screeching stop, just a firm, hard press), the firmness was gone. Now I have to pump the pedal a couple of times to get a better stop. Can there be a stuck caliper possibly? Is this something that can be seen by compressing the brakes and having my dad look at it?
I really don't want to waste anymore money buying parts that are functioning properly and unfortunately diagnostics is not finding anything.
Thanks guys!!
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Nov 5, 2007, 3:29 AM
Post #2 of 2
(1208 views)
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Re: Braking system, what's the problem?
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This still suggests a blown master cylinder new or not. I suppose a flex hose could be soft and expand but not break and there is another post with some strange thing like this going on right now. I have only known of the flex hoses to fail by leaking, blowout, or lock pressure unseen inside them dragging a brake and never be a baloon but I guess it could happen causeing these symptoms unseen while checking unless you are look at them with someone pressing fairly hard on the brake.
It has happened to me that an entire batch of NEW not rebuilt master cylinders failed. May not matter but the manu was AutoSpecialty (no doubt parts get reboxed under other brands) and it took about a week for me, parts warehouse owner and then the company to isolate the problem down to a single place in Italy that had a problem with the setting on a boring/milling machine making the parts!
Scary stuff and they did recall the whole batch. If your car doesn't go it's one thing and really your own problem. When you can't stop it becomes a problem to you AND everyone else on the road!!
T
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