Technical 2003 seicento front brakes jamming on.

[Mru]

Hi,
I have a seicento 1.1 sport life and recently the front brakes jammed on to the point they started smoking.
So I have replaced both disks and pads and checked the calipers, the calipers return smoothly when off the car ( disconnected from the flexi pipes ) but when replaced they don't seem to be releasing. While they were off I had fluid dripping from the passenger side flexi but not the driver side. And as soon as the brakes have cooled down they release. When driving you notice when they are getting jammed as when you push the clutch the car instantly starts to slow down like you have put your foot on the brake.
Also the brake pedal goes solid and won't budge. Flexi pipes don't look damaged and I can't see any damage on the copper brake pipes.
Any ideas?
Thanks

 

[chris3234]

Did you clean the calipers up throughly?
Rusty calipers can often cause the pade to stick and not retract fully especially the slide pins

 

[Mru]

Yes cleaned them both very well. I checked the travel without pads in and they dont seem to retract far enough. When connected to the brake lines they won't go back even under pressure from grips or g clamp. Disconnected they return smoothly and cleanly with no leakage around the piston.

 

[chris3234]

Long shot but get your foot under the brake pedaland try lifting the pedal see if it travels any further up

 

[Mru]

No upwards travel in brake pedal at all. It feels like its right at the top.

 

[portland_bill]

Three possibilities.
Old brake hoses can delaminate internally and act like the valves in our arteries, restricting the return of the fluid. Might benefit from two new hoses.
Second, the brakes operate with a linkage inside the car, across to the passenger side. The pivots can get a bit sticky, preventing the brakes releasing properly. Need to get upside down under the dash, both sides. Make it all operate smoothly.
Third. There have been a few issues of the brake light switch preventing the pedal from returning properly. If a switch is removed, it needs resetting with the correct procedure. (I think a search in Stilo may be a good place, but not sure.) Might need to remove the switch and give it a try, but remember, you now have no brake lights, so don't go far and beware of following traffic.

Post 17 of this thread mentions resetting the switch. Might be of benefit to you. Might be other threads but a lot to trawl through.
https://www.fiatforum.com/stilo/76727-discussion-thread-brake-light-switch-replacement-2.html

 

[Mru]

I will check the hoses and linkages tomorrow when I put it in the garage.

 

[timmycm850]

Hi Guys

I looked at the symptoms and realised my 1992 Tipo 16v did exactly the same quite a few year ago and it turned out to be the brake hoses were disintegrating on the inside, just replace the hoses and rebleed.

I hope this helps

Tim