Brakes not releasing

Lunar-Eclipse · 12-14-2013, 06:21 PM

I'm having a really weird issue with my brakes. I haven't moved the car since I came home from work yesterday. A couple of hours ago I went out there to adjust my RJM clutch pedal. When i finished I fired up the car and drove it to my apartment complexes office. The brakes were really touchy. The second time I pushed the brake pedal my seat belt had to stop me from eating the steering wheel. I parked the car and went into the office. When i came back out a few minutes later the brakes were fine. Until the second time I touched the brakes again. Then they clamped down. I was approaching an incline so i put the car in nuetral and tried to let it roll downhill. I could feel the brakes engaging and car came to a stop. I had to give the car a lot of gas to get it into my garage. Once in there I turned the car off and on and the brakes released again because the car rolled back while in nuetral.

I can't think of anything I could have done to affect the brakes while I was adjusting the clutch pedal. I also checked the brake fluid and it's clean and full.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Lunar-Eclipse · 12-15-2013, 12:41 AM

So after poking at this problem for the last few hours I have determined that the brake booster is intermittently failing. Every 8-10 times I turn the car off/on the brakes work normally. The rest of the time the brakes clamp down after I push the pedal the second time. If I disconnect the vacuum line going into the top of the brake booster the brakes work correctly but I practically have to stand on them to get the car to stop. They're way too dangerous to get on the highway to drive to the dealer. So I'm going to see if they want to act normally when I start the car in the morning with the vacuum line connected. Otherwise I have to have the car towed to the dealer and shell out a few hundred dollars for a new booster plus labor.

Grrr... I was supposed to have my springs installed tomorrow. I guess that's not happening.

12-14-2013, 06:21 PM	#1 (permalink)
Lunar-Eclipse Base Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Florida Posts: 125 Drives: '10 40th Anniversary Rep Power: 14	Brakes not releasing I'm having a really weird issue with my brakes. I haven't moved the car since I came home from work yesterday. A couple of hours ago I went out there to adjust my RJM clutch pedal. When i finished I fired up the car and drove it to my apartment complexes office. The brakes were really touchy. The second time I pushed the brake pedal my seat belt had to stop me from eating the steering wheel. I parked the car and went into the office. When i came back out a few minutes later the brakes were fine. Until the second time I touched the brakes again. Then they clamped down. I was approaching an incline so i put the car in nuetral and tried to let it roll downhill. I could feel the brakes engaging and car came to a stop. I had to give the car a lot of gas to get it into my garage. Once in there I turned the car off and on and the brakes released again because the car rolled back while in nuetral. I can't think of anything I could have done to affect the brakes while I was adjusting the clutch pedal. I also checked the brake fluid and it's clean and full. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Trunk not releasing on first try	eraserize	370Z Technical Service Bulletins (TSB) / Recalls	7	12-10-2012 08:07 PM
delay when releasing clutch?	homeryansta	Engine & Drivetrain	6	04-20-2011 09:04 AM
sport brakes painted akebono brakes	kensin0429	Exterior & Interior	6	08-23-2009 11:06 PM
Touring Brakes vs Base Brakes	hey32g	Brakes & Suspension	7	07-19-2009 12:55 PM

12-15-2013, 12:41 AM	#2 (permalink)
Lunar-Eclipse Base Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Florida Posts: 125 Drives: '10 40th Anniversary Rep Power: 14	So after poking at this problem for the last few hours I have determined that the brake booster is intermittently failing. Every 8-10 times I turn the car off/on the brakes work normally. The rest of the time the brakes clamp down after I push the pedal the second time. If I disconnect the vacuum line going into the top of the brake booster the brakes work correctly but I practically have to stand on them to get the car to stop. They're way too dangerous to get on the highway to drive to the dealer. So I'm going to see if they want to act normally when I start the car in the morning with the vacuum line connected. Otherwise I have to have the car towed to the dealer and shell out a few hundred dollars for a new booster plus labor. Grrr... I was supposed to have my springs installed tomorrow. I guess that's not happening.