as i was on the highway on my way to work today (gridlocked almost bumper to bumper) I thought i noticed that the brake pedal had more travel than it normally does before the brakes would bite. i figured i was just imagining things and kept going... gradually over the next 15 minutes the problem became worse and i now have to jam the pedal to the floor to slow down at all. the brakes seem to have only a fraction of their normal stopping power.



luckily i was at my exit and it was a very short drive to the parking garage. the rotors and pads are maybe 10,000 miles old, at most. no lights on the dash, brake fluid level is normal and the ebrake works perfectly fine.



is it a brake booster problem? maybe a vaccum leak? i've got a 30 mile drive home ahead of me, so i'm a bit nervous.



any help would be greatly appreciated since i'll be on my way home in a few hours.

 

1) master cyl
2) brake booster
3) fluid leak

its one of those two you can eliminate the fluid leak fairly easily just check the resevior. honestly if its too bad and you cant stop get her towed....be safe brakes are easy to fix a crashed car isnt....

 

i couldn't see any leaks when i parked and the reservoir level is perfect. you're right tho, if it's unsafe i'd rather have the hassle of not being able to drive my car for a day or two rather than never again

 

Brake booster or Master cylinder.does it brake like normal when you stap the brakes?

 

Sometimes when people bleed the brakes, they are afraid to re-tighten too much. And rarely, the nut works itself free. If it did, you might experience this. But then again, you'd also experience some fluid leakage (unless it is just slightly cracked enough to lose pressure). I'd say master. Let us know what it is..

 

If fluid level is staying constant at the normal level and there are no signs of leaks then I agree with what others are saying. Master cyl or brake booster

 

it was the brake booster hose. i couldn't see it in the afternoon because it was dark, but when i came back i saw that it was shreded.

i unwrapped a battery label, superglued it around the fray and zip tied it both ends. works fine!


thanks for all the help, guys

 

I would replace the hose before it goes bad on you at a bad time

 

bump nevermind.

 

Your Master Cylinder has failed.

A bad booster will give you a hard pedal.
Air doesn't just appear in the system, his fluid level is good so there is no leak.

That leaves the Master Cylinder at fault.

 

i dropped by an autozone on the way home. can't beat restoring your brakes for $0.48

the booster itself was not bad. there was a large tear in the brake booster hose. if the master cylinder is at fault, why is everything back to normal after just replacing the hose?

 

my maxima used to shake ..literally shake when i hit the breaks a lil harder than usual ...i took it to a shop n they changed the back break bads