Every time I press my brakes on my car their stiff and my car doesn't completely stop.?

Question

I've had a little trouble with my car brakes. At first I had to pump my brakes two times in order for it to completely stop. If i didn't pump it two times my car wouldn't stop..Then my dad got a master cylinder brake thing for my car and he took it to a shop. I just drove it today and every time I press my brakes, it's stiff and it's hard to press down all the way and now my car doesn't completely stop. It just rolls a little. I don't even think the mechanics test drove it or something? Cause clearly they did they would see that it wasn't even fixed right. I told my dad and he got all mad. I don't even know if my car needed a master cylinder in the first place. Please help I'm kinda hesitant to take it to a shop now since my dad wasted all that money at the last one. Would it take some time for my brakes to adjust or do I need brake fluid. I'm a girl so i don't know nothing about this. Any advice you have would help. Thanks in advance.


My car's a 2003 Hyundai Accent.

Answer 1

Okay, let me first say that my brakes went out while i was on a main street and i almost crashed in to a semi. I could have been killed! My brakes were making a grinding noise and my whole car would shake. That was metal upon metal rubbing together to get my car to stop cuz the stuff that was supposed to be there had worn out. I suggest you take it to a better shop, and get it fixed or either stop driving beause i would hate for you to get hurt or die. You might need brake fluid, but there's something else going on with your brakes.

Answer 2

Check the caliper. In the brake caliper, there is a piston that should retract as soon as the pressure applied is released. If this piston is stuck as a result of corrosion or dirt it won't return and possible cause this kind of problem. Don't tamper with the more complicated stuff yet.



You can take off the tire of both front legs and take a look into the caliper where the pads are located while some else applies the brake. If the pads tighten and relax easily relative to the pressure applied then its not the problem. If otherwise, it is. Then you would have to oil the piston manually or take it to a mechanic.



Also, verify that the current brake pads and fluid are the right spec for the car. An incompatible fluid can cause this corrosion problem if it's a German (most use Ate).

Answer 3

First of all , did someone actually diagnose the vehicle and come to the conclusion that the master cylinder was at fault? If not , it sounds like the master cylinder was a guess at what was wrong. Now if you have got a brake pedal and it is not dropping to the floor,but it feels like it is very hard to push and get brake response..... it might have something to do with the vacuum brake booster. Either it has failed or there is a vacuum leak in the supply to it. This would make the brake pedal feel very hard and take a great amount of effort to get the brakes to respond.



Call the shop that replaced the master cylinder and ask them if the technician felt that there may have been other problems noticed during the repair. They may have done just what was asked of them and replace the master cylinder, but without paying for diagnosis or asking them to look into the issue, you may not have fixed the actual problem that has been there all along..



Hope this helps

Answer 4

Hi, I'm Randy. I reviewed your question, and wanted to provide information that might help.



If it seems to take a long time to stop the car when applying the brakes, where you have to push the pedal down hard to come to a complete stop:

* This condition is often due to ‘brake fade,’ which occurs when the linings become too hot. It may be caused by linings that are too thin or brakes that are overworked.

* This condition may also be caused by air in the hydraulic system, a fluid leak in master cylinder, a hose or line leak in system, and/or if the brakes misadjusted.

* This may also be an indication that the rear (or front) brakes that are not operating as designed. This requires the front brakes to work harder resulting in overheating and longer stopping distances.



Thank you for the opportunity to discuss your question. Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Answer 5

Stiff Brake Pedal

Answer 6

Brake Pedal Hard To Push

Answer 7

This Site Might Help You.



RE:

Every time I press my brakes on my car their stiff and my car doesn't completely stop.?

I've had a little trouble with my car brakes. At first I had to pump my brakes two times in order for it to completely stop. If i didn't pump it two times my car wouldn't stop..Then my dad got a master cylinder brake thing for my car and he took it to a shop. I just drove it today and...

Answer 8

I'm having the same exact problem! But my dad is the same, he'll get mad at me. But I'm being told the same, that there might be air in my brake lines... Or they need to bled out. I'm a girl too, so I have no idea about this brake situation when my boyfriend was telling me about it. I hope you find a solution!

Answer 9

Sounds like three problems. 1) after the master cylinder was installed, it was not properly bled. 2) Power brake canister is bad or not getting vacuum.( hose off?) 3) brake pads, rotors, rear brakes shoes, drums, any or all amy be defective.

Answer 10

I am not a mechanic, but I wonder if they forgot to bleed the brakes. That is , they need to let air out of the brake line, so that that the brake fluid, from the master cylinder, will work properly.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgxMfQUMdJY

Answer 11

sounds like your brake booster is failing, have it looked at or try this. pump the gas with the engine off, about 10 times. it should get harder and harder. now stand on that pedal and start the engine. if that pedal drops, ten you are fine there. if it does not fall, then the booster is bad.