Everything is ok, but on my drive home from work, while stopped with my foot already on the brake, the pedal suddenly fell to the floor. I quickly set the emergency brake and pumped the pedal a few times, but it never responded. Instead, there was a loud grind and vibration. I drove about two more miles in bumper to bumper using the e-brake. What is the problem and solution?

Thanks for your help.

 

master cylinder or brake booster went bad, lost hydraulic pressure....

 

Also check all your lines for leakage, that can cause it too, one weak spot and it can disable your entire system....

 

hasn't happened to me. Most likely your brake master cylinder.

 

I have yet to have a total brake failure, but durring a brisk downhill run (really steep and windy road) in my old '91 Infiniti Q45 I did get a bit of brake fade. At the bottom of the hill I pulled over and saw smoke comming from my wheels. When I inspected them, the rotor was slightly glowing and the brake pads were smoking heavily. I was mere minutes away from a brake fire.

 

I had the brakes fail on a 89 civic approaching a red light doing 45mph. My ebrake failed when I pulled it and I blew through the intersection. Luckily it was a stick and I kept downshifting till I stalled it. Not the funnest time of my life but exhilerating.

 

nothing like unexpected brake failure. My brakes were stiff, similar to when you pump your brakes when the car is off my pedal was acting the same way. Had to engine brake and e-brake. . . turned out my brake boost vac line was off

 

ive had my brakes not stop on time due to the fact that they were hotazfcuk. almost slammed into the back of a tow truck...i had to pull off the road into the grass median. when i did....a police officer pulled up behind me and was like "wtf is ur problem"

but other than that...no total failure for me.

check ur master cylinder and check for any fluid leaks.

 

thanks for the replies. I'm probably going to have to take this to a garage as I'm leaving town Friday and will need my car when I return

 

Put off brake work for too long (yep, I was an over-worked dumba$$), and eventually had a similar problem - backing out of a parking space in a crowded mall [the night before I finally decided to put it in the shop], the pedal went to the floor and only the emergency brake saved me. Had it towed to the shop the next day.

DOH!

 

my brake line just simply exploded left me with no brake fluid in less than 3 seconds, that was a nightmare!!!

 

Power Booster?

 

IIRC if the booster goes bad, you can still stop the car. It just requires alot more pedal effort. Sounds like he has a shot MC or a cut line someplace.

 

The brake line was cut because the person who installed my front shocks left the brake line out of place so that it was beening pinched every time I made a turn.