I have a 1996 Isuzu Rodeo with a little over 100K miles that has some braking problems. I don’t know if the problems are connected or not. I noticed a few months ago that my ABS light comes on after the vehicle is warmed up. About three weeks ago I had only driven my car for a couple of minutes on the way to pick up my son. As I was coming to a stop sign my brake pedal felt funny (like ABS kicking in) and I had a hard time coming to a stop. I did manage to stop. I got the car to do it a couple more times but it has not happened in a couple of weeks.
Last week I started my car outside in the morning (10 degrees F). At my first stop sign I applied the brake and it was hard. I pumped and applied enough pressure to get stopped. I was only going 25 MPH or I wouldn’t have gotten stopped at the T-intersection. After stopping I pumped the brake and it felt fine. No problems this week until todays cold morning. I pumped my brake after starting and it felt fine. I placed the car in reverse and I could feel the brake become hard as my car rolled back. I slipped it into neutral and the brake went back to soft. I put it back into reverse and the brake was fine. No problems after that.
Are these problems related or am I just having multiple brake problems at the same time? Any help is appreciated.
don’t know but it sounds dangerous to drive. Tell us what area you live in so I can stay from there!
Cars with rear drum brakes automatically adjust them when you move in reverse, perhaps that is what you noticed.
My Isuzu has disk brakes all the way around. I’m at the point of taking it to a repair shop if I can’t come up with something soon. I just hate taking it to a repair shop unless I have an idea of what the problem is and what it will cost to fix it.
I believe that your master cylinder is shot. You should replace this right away before it fails completely.
A hard brake pedal usually indicates a problem with the vacuum booster.
I just hate taking it to a repair shop unless I have an idea of what the problem is and what it will cost to fix it.
Being a cheapskate and fairly decent shade tree mechanic myself, I feel your pain. But just think of the potential cost if you DON’T have it fixed properly.
It does sound like the brake power booster is on again, off again, on again.
The brake booster is $150 at the auto parts store. you’d pay the repair garage about $250 for it, and maybe &150 to change it (total of about $400, right?). Now, if you had a neighborhood mechanic …?