1. Home
  2. SAAB Cars Forum
  3. '95 900SE brake issues

'95 900SE brake issues

Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone can tell me what might be wrong with my brakes on my auto '95 900SE(V6). The basic problem is that the brakes are very low and very soft -- I have to push down quite a ways to get the car to stop. I asked the dealership on a couple occasions about this, but was told that "brakes are brand new & there's nothing wrong!" (and perhaps they need to "wear in" ... but that was a few thousand miles ago now).

So, I'd be happy to believe that, but the other day backing down a steep driveway I was unable to hold the car using the brakes -- no matter how hard I pushed. I had to use the hand brake to actually get the car to stop rolling backwards.

Also -- and perhaps this is unrelated -- I can't seem to engage the ABS. I was trying a bit this evening to come to a very sudden stop. I'd go about 40-45MPH & slam on the brakes but no squealing or ABS shudder, just soft pedal and car slows quickly (but doesn't slam to a halt). Oh, and last I looked (pretty recently) the brake fluid was at the right level (certainly the problem has been there since I bought it 6 mo ago & fluid level has been checked several times). I haven't owned this car that long, so I don't know what was done to it. Clearly the brakes have been serviced recently (pads are new). Perhaps they didn't bleed it properly or something (what would be the symptoms of that?).

Anyone have any suggestions of ways I can narrow it down? I'm gearing up to bring it back to the dealership for the 90k service, so at worst I'll have them look at it again then. It doesn't feel quite safe now, knowing that i can't bring the car to a seatbelt-snapping halt.

Thanks in advance! Hans

Reply to
Hans L
Loading thread data ...

I don't know the effects of ABS but leaving that aside you can have a number of possible problems (in order of likelyhood):

Air in the system ... which will result in a soft, long pedal. Try quickly pumping the pedal if it rises and gets harder there is air in the system. (You don't have to have the car moving to do this)

Master cylinder is on its way out and its piston(s ?) is leaking. It means only a proportion of your braking gets through to the pads. This would also result in a soft long pedal. The only time I had one fail was doing the brakes on a classic 900 ... after pumping and pumping it eventually got to the floor.

Contaminated disks (rotors) and/or pads. Would explain the car not stoping but you would have a normal (hard) pedal.

... all sorts of other things I can't think of. Try the first test and if it is not that then the problem is on the master cylinder.

Regards Charles

Reply to
Charles Christacopoulos

I think the biggest problem is that your dealer is an idiot. Find an independent mechanic or another dealer to fix your brakes properly. If the other dealer just worked on them, talk with the new folks who actually fix the problem and decide if you should send the bill to the previous dealer.

Reply to
Bob

The biggest clue is "The brakes are brand new." You have air in your brake lines. Bring it to be fixed somewhere else before you kill yourself and some other innocent person.

-Fred W

Reply to
Fred W.

Thanks, Fred :) My explanation might have been a little dramatic (they do feel low, but certainly in normal street traffic they stop the car fine), but I have been driving my '91 900S (with very good, working brakes but unfortunately non-working a/c) instead.

I will make an appt to have it checked out ASAP at a non-dealer shop nearby. The only thing is that I did try the "pumping the brakes" test and it did not seem to make make the brakes any higher/harder. There's also a hissing noise when I push in the brakes (when car is on) -- sounds like i'm using a foot pump. I'm assuming that's a normal part of the system, though.

My first assumption was air, though, because of the newness and air as an explanation just "feels right" given the way the brakes behave.

Thanks everyone for the tips. It's off to the shop....

Hans

Reply to
Hans L

Hans L was seen penning the following ode to ... whatever:

This may be normal (I haven't driven a GM 900 for quite some time) but then again this may indicate a vacuum leak which would effectivly disable the brake servo.

Reply to
Timo Geusch

I would have thought the pedal would be hard (not long) and the car would be still difficult to stop.

Reply to
Charles Christacopoulos

Yes, good assumption. That's the power assist you are hearing.

Air in the lines is best described as causing the brakes to feel "spongey." It's as if you have to press the pedal progressively harder (and further) in a non-linear fashion to get them to work harder. Versus the normal linear action and response. Hope that helps...

-Fred W

Reply to
Fred W.

Thanks everyone for the helpful suggestions.

This morning I brought the car into an independent, local repair place that specializes in Saabs & Volvos (I assume that's more of a "we love Sweden" than a "these cars have common parts").

At first they also claimed that they were unable to reproduce the problem. That the behavior seemed "fine" in the test drive & that maybe it was an intermittent failing master cylinder. They did notice some pitting on one of the rear rotors, however, which they thought might have been caused by a seized caliper (or the other way around?).

A couple hours later I got another call. Apparently in proceding with analysis the technicians discovered that both rear calipers had seized and they had also somehow confirmed that there was a slow leak from the master cylinder. Upwards of $1200 for the parts & labor; now glad I bought that extended warranty...

Hans

Reply to
Hans L

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.