# Braking Problems **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [February 20, 2008, 2:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/braking-problems/10920 "2008-02-20T14:24:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lance74](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/lance74/32/680_2.png) [@Lance74](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Lance74)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2008, 2:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/braking-problems/10920/1 "2008-02-20T14:24:37Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Russell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Bill\_Russell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Bill_Russell)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2008, 2:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/braking-problems/10920/2 "2008-02-20T14:45:21Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Lance74](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/lance74/32/680_2.png) [@Lance74](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Lance74)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2008, 2:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/braking-problems/10920/3 "2008-02-20T14:51:39Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2008, 3:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/braking-problems/10920/4 "2008-02-20T15:42:20Z")
I believe that your master cylinder is shot. You should replace this right away before it fails completely. ---
**Author:** ![NYBo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nybo/32/17281_2.png) [@NYBo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NYBo)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2008, 3:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/braking-problems/10920/5 "2008-02-20T15:52:10Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![hellokit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6a8cbe/32.png) [@hellokit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hellokit)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2008, 6:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/braking-problems/10920/6 "2008-02-20T18:17:42Z")
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 …?