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        General >> Problems >> Sudden loss of brakes
        
(Message started by: brewer on Jun 11^th, 2005, 4:28pm)

Title: Sudden loss of brakes
Post by brewer on Jun 11^th, 2005, 4:28pm

Everything was working well until I stopped for a few minutes.When I returned to the car everything appeared OK but there was no assistance to the brake pedal and I has to press very hard to stop.All the warning lights went off so no clues in this direction.Any ideas-could it be a relay or fuse gone?
Car is a 95 24v Cossie.

Title: Re: Sudden loss of brakes
Post by scorpio_man on Jun 11^th, 2005, 5:10pm

hi there

has it sorted itself yet?
could be the master cylinder or abs module.
http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/brakesmanual.htm

Title: Re: Sudden loss of brakes
Post by brewer on Jun 11^th, 2005, 5:26pm

Haven't checked it again - I had to leave it on someone's drive.
The ABS light goes out , does that mean anything?

Wonder whether or not to call out the RAC!Perhaps they might know.
Luckily I have parts&labour breakdown insurance.

Title: Re: Sudden loss of brakes
Post by scorpio_man on Jun 11^th, 2005, 6:00pm

hi there

check to see if the level has dropped. if it has, then a seal might have went or a pipe has a hole in it.

Title: Re: Sudden loss of brakes
Post by brewer on Jun 11^th, 2005, 6:16pm

I'll do that next. I had a quick look under the bonnet this morning and levels looked OK. The brake pedal is firm but there is no servo.
Would I hear a hiss with the engine running if a pipe had a hole in it?
What surprises me is that it happened all at once - this to me suggested an electrical fault but I'm new to the car.

Title: Re: Sudden loss of brakes
Post by scorpio_man on Jun 11^th, 2005, 7:55pm

hi there

i'm not sure what to say/do now. ???
this is a link to the brake section of the
main site.....http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/brakerepairs.htm

hth

Title: Re: Sudden loss of brakes
Post by brewer on Jun 11^th, 2005, 8:00pm

Thanks. I just went to look at it - there wasn't anything wrong that I could see (or hearwhen I started the engine).The warning lights all came on and went out again as they should. Fluid levels are fine.

Title: Re: Sudden loss of brakes
Post by bigmaltwo on Jun 12^th, 2005, 1:53am

very easy to test the servo! just pump the brake pedal a few times whilst stationary to exhaust any vacuum in the system. then keep a steady pressure on the brake pedal whilst you start the car up. the pedal should move down a little. this shows the servo and its pipework is ok! If the pedal doesn't 'sink' a bit, then the servo is not doing it's job!

Title: Re: Sudden loss of brakes
Post by brewer on Jun 12^th, 2005, 7:35am

Thanks. I'll try it.
As the brakes themselves work under heavy foot pressure and the ABS self-test works well,am I correct in making the servo my first suspect?

Title: Re: Sudden loss of brakes
Post by Ultima_Alan on Jun 12^th, 2005, 9:35am

Ah good info bigmaltwo

I always wondered why it done that, as you can tell i know nothing about cars other then how to drive them.

Alan

Title: Re: Sudden loss of brakes
Post by martin_rowe on Jun 13^th, 2005, 9:13am

you say you can here an air leak, if so thats your problem, servo picks op vacuum from minlet manifold on passenger side, its a black plastic pipe that pushes in to the side of the manifold, if its fitted, trace it along the bulkhead behind the engine to the servo if theres no leaks in the pipe, check around the servo for your leak, most common is the seal where the master cylinder bolts oon to the servo.
Martin

Title: Re: Sudden loss of brakes
Post by brewer on Jun 13^th, 2005, 10:47am

Thanks.I now have a problem - when I tried it it worked fine again! I would much prefer to have a fault which stays a fault so that it can be identified and sorted.
Anyway,I was at least able to drive it to a repairer and leave it there.Thankfully I have breakdown/wear&tear insurance!
Thanks again to everybody for their input.

Title: Re: Sudden loss of brakes
Post by admin on Jun 13^th, 2005, 11:56am

If the problem was permanent that I would suspect a leaking servo (it has a rubber diaphram inside that can eventually leak although they usually last 20 years) however given that it's intermittant then I would suspect the one way valve in the feed pipe from the inlet manifold to the servo. Not an expensive repair.

Title: Re: Sudden loss of brakes
Post by brewer on Jun 13^th, 2005, 12:30pm

Thanks.I prefer inexpensive solutions :-)

Title: Re: Sudden loss of brakes
Post by brewer on Jun 16^th, 2005, 9:41am

Thanks everybody - I took it to the garage and a faulty servo pipe was diagnosed,replaced on the spot and all seems OK now(fingers crossed!) Cost £48 inc labour and VAT.