1987 Ford Tempo Break Problems

Driving home yesterday i seem to have partially lost my breaks…scared the shit out of me (not to mention almost caused an accident involving a school bus) ---- Sooo… this is the scoop… while driveing - If i gently press the breaks they work (slightly) at least catch a little… but if any sort of pressure is applied… they pritty much go to the floor - once all the way to the floor they (slightly) catch again… pumping them does nothing…

While stopped and in park… pumping the breaks does nothing it goes to the floor every time… before if you pumped them it would go to the floor the 1st time then gradually get stiffer each time untill when you pushed the break it barley went down at all… – Cheaked break fluid it was a bit low so i filled it up with new fluid and it made little to no differece… becasue i was driveing when i lost them and had no choice but to continue to drive (carfully) with little to no breaks for another 20 minuts… i have no idea if a breakline burst (i was told theer would be break fluid all over…) does anyone have any ideas what happened or what to do about it !!!

It sounds like your master cylinder is bad. Don’t drive this car until it is fixed.
Have it towed to a reputable mechanic and let him evaluate the situation. I suspect you wil find that the master cylinder is at fault. There may also be other issues to be taken care of in a car this old, but I think that is the primary issue.

Thank you !!!

Sounds like your BRAKE took a BREAK…

I just read up on what happens with master cylinders and it seems to be exactly what im experiencing… thank you much for your help !

I forgot to mention that you should get rid of the car before it hurts you. The thing cost $6,000 when it was new.

I bought this car for $600 dollers with 57.000 orrigional miles on it !.. pritty good deal if you ask me… and i got the breaks fixed for $150 got her fixed up for now… hopefully she lasts me another winter

You did have a choice. You could have pulled off the road and called a tow truck. If you crashed into me because of bad brakes that you knew were bad, the “had no choice” excuse wouldn’t get very far with me.