gwittman
Well-Known Member
I can't get my Coupe on my lift right now but thought I would describe what happened to see if anyone has a good idea what happened. I was driving from Huntington Beach to Costa Mesa on the 405 freeway. As I got close to Costa Mesa, I felt a little vibration like a wheel slightly out of balance. I slowed a little because I remembered I had not retorqued the lug nuts since installing new front suspension bushing. The vibration did not get any worse, so I continued at a slower pace.
Then, I began to smell friction material burning and thought someone must be burning their brakes or clutch. The smell stayed with me as I continued on, and I began to wonder if it was coming from my car. I felt no dragging resistance so I didn't think it could be my car. Eventually, I had to use my brakes, and it pulled to the right. That is when I realized it must be my brakes that I am smelling. I slowed even more but did not want to stop on the shoulder of the freeway. I came to an exit pretty quick and tested my brakes to see if I could trust them. I also had my hand on the parking brake in case I needed that. The brakes began to work but slowly the pedal stared to compress to toward the floor. I then used the hand brake to slow the car more.
I creeped to a safe place to stop at a parking lot. Once stopped I stepped on the brake pedal again and it went all the way to the floor. There was some resistance but the second time no resistance. I tried pumping but it would not pump up. I got out and looked at the brake fluid reservoir, and it was full. I looked under the car for any sign of fluid leakage and found no sign of leakage. There was some smoke drifting out, but I could not tell which side it was coming from. I checked both front wheels to see if they were hot and neither was excessively hot. I could not tell for sure, but both rotors appeared to be slightly blue.
I didn't have far to go so I drove slowly home using my parking brake and first gear for slowing and stopping. I made it without any problems. It is now parked in the garage waiting to get on the lift.
I thought our Coupes had a dual brake system. So, I either had a catastrophic master cylinder failure, or I don't have a dual brake system. I can't quite figure out how a master cylinder could apply the brakes while drive down a freeway without the use of the brakes. I replaced the flexible brake lines around ten years ago when one had the interior collapse. It did not have the same symptoms as I experienced this time. I think they are new enough that they would not be the cause.
I rebuilt the calipers about three/four years ago when I installed new brake pads. I doubt they would be sticking and would lose fluid if they failed when the pedal went to the floor. I believe they are not the problem. That leads me back to the master cylinder as the only thing left to consider as the failure. I hope they is still available or there is a rebuild kit for it.
Any ideas as to what else could be the problem?
Then, I began to smell friction material burning and thought someone must be burning their brakes or clutch. The smell stayed with me as I continued on, and I began to wonder if it was coming from my car. I felt no dragging resistance so I didn't think it could be my car. Eventually, I had to use my brakes, and it pulled to the right. That is when I realized it must be my brakes that I am smelling. I slowed even more but did not want to stop on the shoulder of the freeway. I came to an exit pretty quick and tested my brakes to see if I could trust them. I also had my hand on the parking brake in case I needed that. The brakes began to work but slowly the pedal stared to compress to toward the floor. I then used the hand brake to slow the car more.
I creeped to a safe place to stop at a parking lot. Once stopped I stepped on the brake pedal again and it went all the way to the floor. There was some resistance but the second time no resistance. I tried pumping but it would not pump up. I got out and looked at the brake fluid reservoir, and it was full. I looked under the car for any sign of fluid leakage and found no sign of leakage. There was some smoke drifting out, but I could not tell which side it was coming from. I checked both front wheels to see if they were hot and neither was excessively hot. I could not tell for sure, but both rotors appeared to be slightly blue.
I didn't have far to go so I drove slowly home using my parking brake and first gear for slowing and stopping. I made it without any problems. It is now parked in the garage waiting to get on the lift.
I thought our Coupes had a dual brake system. So, I either had a catastrophic master cylinder failure, or I don't have a dual brake system. I can't quite figure out how a master cylinder could apply the brakes while drive down a freeway without the use of the brakes. I replaced the flexible brake lines around ten years ago when one had the interior collapse. It did not have the same symptoms as I experienced this time. I think they are new enough that they would not be the cause.
I rebuilt the calipers about three/four years ago when I installed new brake pads. I doubt they would be sticking and would lose fluid if they failed when the pedal went to the floor. I believe they are not the problem. That leads me back to the master cylinder as the only thing left to consider as the failure. I hope they is still available or there is a rebuild kit for it.
Any ideas as to what else could be the problem?
