Hey guys - finally back from san antonio - did ya'll miss me?!?! LOL

How do you know if your master cylinder is going? I know it has something to do with the brakes...

The reason why I'm asking is because every once in a while my brakes feel like theres no pressure in them and that I can almost (not quite but almost) push them down to the floor - which is pretty dam scary when your driving around in snow! But then sometimes they feel pretty normal.

In any case the brakes always work and my car does stop without much force...but it just freaks me out that the pressure seems to be lost and then come back again - I dont want my brakes to just plain not work one day

So how do you know if your master cylinder is bad?

Can temperatures affect how your brakes feel? I noticed that they seem to lose pressure when its very cold outside, like it has been...

Thanks everyone - you all ROCK!

 

I'm having the same issue....

Refer to this thread for some more info

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=371318

 

keep an eye on your brake fluid level because the possibility is very much there that the master is failing.

 

check the fluid level. if it's falling then find the leak. when the MC seals go you can see the leak between the break booster and the MC...there will be a oil stain at 6 o'clock of the brake booster.

 

Hey DanNy (or anyone else for that matter) - My brake fluid is fine (now) but you probably dont remember, but a while back when i first became a member I posted about my E-brake light coming on - it turns out i was low on brakfe fluid, but I couldnt figure out why - I didnt notice any leaks on the ground or anything like that....so you think maybe thats where it was leaking?? I havent had to refill my fluid since..and its been about 2 or 3 months now.

Where exactly is the brake booster? does anyone happen to have pics of this area? I would like to check this out and see..
thanks!!!

 

http://www.newshampark.org.uk/bignis.../enginebay.htm

this should show you where the booster is
*this is on a UK car so it'll be on the driver's side of your car, but it'll look just like that picture

this is from another one of the sites listed in the stickies