Firstly, I just want to let you know that I know absolutely nothing about cars but I'll try and explain the problem as best as I can.

I got a 97' Cinq 898cc in September. It passed the NCT (Irish MOT) in January and I've had no problems apart from the brakes. It happened a few times in the past but for the past 8 weeks or so it's started happening every time I drive the car so now he's stuck on the drive until I can get whatever's wrong fixed.

Basically, the brakes stick on. Everything will be fine then I'll start slowing down and the brake pedal goes really hard until I finally stop. I took it to the garage in October after it happened a couple of times and the guy cleaned the brakes, checked the brake fluid and put new brake pads on and told me it would be fine. But it's not! When it happens, I have to stop the car and leave it for up to half an hour sometimes until the brakes free themselves.

What do you guys think could be wrong? I don't want to take it back to the garage and have the guys over-charge me or not fix the problem.

Thanks! Gail =]

sounds like a sticky caliper to me!

Ming

When its happened jack each wheel up individually and check which of the wheels have stopped turning.

You might not actually need to jack it up, get a cup of water and spray water at each brake to see which is roasting hot.

The flexible brake pipes can break up inside preventing the fluid returning to the reservoir.

If you only have one really hot brake, go for that one first.

When was the fluid last changed?

Cheers

SPD

It's the front drivers side that gets boiling hot. It got so hot that the hub cap's popped off a couple of times and it smokes.

I'm pretty sure the fluid was changed in October whe I took it to the garage.

Could it be the brake pipes, then?? All this car talk is like double Dutch to me!!!

I would say the caliper piston is siezing, its holding the pad onto the disc for too long instead of releasing. if its getting that hot, i would replace the whole caliper tbh.

Change the flexi and bleed the system.

Go from there.

Cheers

SPD

Dude this happend on my cinq and it was the master cylinder, get yourself one from a scrappy and bleed out the system...

EEZA said:

Dude this happend on my cinq and it was the master cylinder, get yourself one from a scrappy and bleed out the system...

Click to expand...

Unlikely unless the rear one on the opposite side is also sticking.

Release the bleed nipple once the brake has jammed on. Will soon tell you its the flexi thats gone wobbly.

Cheers

SPD

Got a set of working caliper . pm

Ming