Technical Breaks spongy and engine light on.

[jacobocaj]

Hello!

I was just driving home and suddenly my brake pedal became light and I could press it all the way to the floor. I have since checked on it and now the engine light is showing.

Could anybody give me some help/advice on what to do?

Thank you!

 

[jackwhoo]

Do not drive car at all as sounds like total brake failure.

 

[jackwhoo]

Rac aa etc membership?

 

[There all puntos]

Most modern cars (and small to medium vans) share the fluid hydraulic reservoir, both brake circuits are there and the clutch (if it's hydraulic) also is supplied.

If the brake circuit has failed then so has the clutch, only thing is the more fluid you lose, the more control over the car you lose.


Normally the clutch circuit failing you have both brake circuits. As the supply for the clutch is taken from highest part of the resisvoir. So you cannot drain it with a leaky slave.

Massive loss of fluid from one circuit will affect the others.

This is why you have a manual lever to control the rear brakes.

But it will be hard to drive the car, if it's manual not a preselect. As the clutch can't operate. Although, with a manual, you can start it in gear (or push it, to gain some momentum) then crash/time your changes to get it anywhere

Unadvisable, if you have no brakes!!!!!! I have done this on a motorway in rush hour. As the traffic wasn't moving much, because of me. But the resisvoir was filled with tapwater, as I never carried any hydraulic fluid in my Uno or Punto got me off the motorway and salvation. Then recovery

 

[jacobocaj]

Thanks both. Upon further inspection, the car is losing break fluid. There is a leak near the drivers side wheel. Hopefully I can get it patched up. Have attached a photo of where it is leaking!

 

[There all puntos]

Normally leaking brake components are flagged up during your yearly MOT. If bulging or increasing in size during it. Instant failure any leakage also a fail. Do.not. allow vehicle to drive out or leave unless taken away on the back of a flatbed lorry.

Your quite lucky this never happened at speed, is the car quite old? As modern systems would have at least two systems in operation.

So you could at least stop at anything under fifty without getting that 'brown trouser moment' of being a passenger of a car whilst driving one.

It has managed to paint strip your wheel arch, and any other panels within wheel movement

 

[jacobocaj]

Normally leaking brake components are flagged up during your yearly MOT. If bulging or increasing in size during it. Instant failure any leakage also a fail. Do.not. allow vehicle to drive out or leave unless taken away on the back of a flatbed lorry.

Your quite lucky this never happened at speed, is the car quite old? As modern systems would have at least two systems in operation.

So you could at least stop at anything under fifty without getting that 'brown trouser moment' of being a passenger of a car whilst driving one.

It has managed to paint strip your wheel arch, and any other panels within wheel movement

Must’ve been pretty recent as it passed MOT in October with flying colours.

It’s an 06 plate so about 17 years old at this point.

Luckily it happened at about 20mph and I was still able to brake, just not particularly well.

 

[vexorg]

Hopefully I can get it patched up.

Not a term I'd ever hope to see when talking about brakes.

 

[jackwhoo]

Get it repaired correctly.
If it turns out the flexible hose has failed under the rubber sleeve ,Make sure both front flexible hoses replaced. We have seen catastrific hose failure caused by corrosion to part of the hose fitting that retains the hose.

 

[There all puntos]

From your photo the flexi is peppered with bulges they normally have lines embossed in the flexi, if they aren't complete or look like a earth worm Instant fail. How the tester (or his powder monkey) cannot see this is beyond the pale.

I too used to replace most braking components as pairs, even if I had replaced them under two years.

You can get away with most vehicle faults, but not your brakes, as they affect much more than just the owners life.
Or in this case death.

 

[mcf1lmnfs]

In the provided picture looks like at the left the break hose isnt held in place as it should be - cant say for sure cuz this detail inst fully shown and maybe in this picture is like this because its getting serviced - but if it was loose or not held in place correcly its high chance that it touches the rotating wheel and the wheel eats it and you have your leakage problem. Many of these problems comes from improper service when a guy forgets to put it back in place correctly and then while driving it touches the wheel... Check this carefully every time you doing any job around there.