Panic with brakes

I've done some 50km on the highway without braking and when approaching the exit a sorprise expected me. Brake lever was hard and braking effect almost none!!!! Fortunately i slowed down enaugh before to manage to stop just before the gate with the help of the hand brake! The weather was cold, just below freezing with the road wet and full of salt. Once stopped i tried to pump the brake lever that seemed obstructed and strange noises were coming from the system - crushing and bubbles... I slowly proceded later in a downhill with a lot of braking, without problems!?

What happened? It's possible that the brake fluid or something else freezes in such conditions, can salt affect the disc someway?

FoFo TDDI ghia caravan, 2000 model, 95.000km bought recently

Thanks, Jan

Reply to
Grafy
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Jan. Take your car to a mechanic, NOW!

Rob

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"Grafy" wrote...

Reply to
Specter

The pads froze to the calipers, it´s known to happen occasionally.

Reply to
Kjell Harnesk

If calipers were at fault then you would not have heard any crunching or bubbles, and not all the wheels could have been effected. Brake fluid can not possibly freeze. In fact I have never seen disk brakes that did not generate some heat, thus preventing freeze up.

I think the problem is closer to the passenger compartment. I think it is the vacuum power brake booster. It is connected to the intake manifold, and could possibly ice up if the crankcase vent is throwing out too much water vapor. This is a very common problem for all cars in cold weather. (Although it usually effect the airflow sensor more than brakes.) If this is it, the solution is to add a condensation chamber and water trap to the crankcase breather hose.

Reply to
maat333

Do you have ABS/Advance Trac/Traction Control? I do and (if you do) that's what it sounds like when it engages. Yellow Advance Trac light flashes on dash and red ABS light flashes also.

Hmmm, guess you don't or you would have mentioned the lights...

Frozen/iced up calipers (up front) most likely, as you say your hand brake was OK. Aluminum wheels?

Salt will take longer than 50km to affect your discs... ;-)

Reply to
Rapid Rick

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