# One episode of not being able to push brake pedal to the floor **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** matrix, toyota\ **Created:** [December 15, 2013, 10:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/one-episode-of-not-being-able-to-push-brake-pedal-to-the-floor/82683 "2013-12-15T22:11:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mark\_Cecil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@Mark\_Cecil](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mark_Cecil)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 10:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/one-episode-of-not-being-able-to-push-brake-pedal-to-the-floor/82683/1 "2013-12-15T22:11:08Z")
I have an '03 Toyota Matrix with 98 thousand miles on it. A week ago Friday was the 1st or 2nd day of sub zero weather here. I walk to work so don’t use my car all day. That night I went out doing errands at around 8PM. After about 15-20 minutes driving in my car I was on a side road doing about 40, I stepped on the brakes and couldn’t get the pedal to push down and the brakes wouldn’t work to stop the car. I pressed two more times with my foot and the same thing happened. The pedal wouldn’t press down and the car had no braking action. I let the car slow with my foot off the gas, tried it again and the brake worked like normal. The foot pedal pressed down and the brakes worked. I was near the store I was going to shop at, so I parked and went in for about 20 minutes, then drove home with no problem. I took it in to the Toyota dealer and they could find nothing wrong with the brakes. I later took it in to another place and they also could find nothing wrong. I have been using the car sparingly as I am a little nervous, but things are working like normal. Do you know what the problem could be? Should I be nervous? ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 10:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/one-episode-of-not-being-able-to-push-brake-pedal-to-the-floor/82683/2 "2013-12-15T22:25:53Z")
@MarkCecil If the pedal was rock hard, you have a vacuum problem Vacuum brake booster The hose going to the booster An engine vacuum problem . . . not enough vacuum going to the booster ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 11:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/one-episode-of-not-being-able-to-push-brake-pedal-to-the-floor/82683/3 "2013-12-15T23:05:40Z")
The problem might also be with the vacuum brake booster check valve. Tester ---
**Author:** ![meanjoe75fan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meanjoe75fan/32/552_2.png) [@meanjoe75fan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meanjoe75fan)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 1:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/one-episode-of-not-being-able-to-push-brake-pedal-to-the-floor/82683/4 "2013-12-16T01:10:32Z")
OP metioned inop brakes. A vacuum failure would still allow non-assisted brake function…just more effort. Maybe he’s got a coffee mug or something rolling around… I’d recommend seeing how long vacuum is held after turning engine off. ---
**Author:** ![keith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/keith/32/5518_2.png) [@keith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/keith)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 2:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/one-episode-of-not-being-able-to-push-brake-pedal-to-the-floor/82683/5 "2013-12-16T02:34:01Z")
A bit of a stretch here, but is it possible that the brake fluid has absorbed so much water that some ice formed somewhere in the system and a brake flush would be in order here? ---
**Author:** ![meaneyedcatz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meaneyedcatz/32/692_2.png) [@meaneyedcatz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meaneyedcatz)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 5:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/one-episode-of-not-being-able-to-push-brake-pedal-to-the-floor/82683/6 "2013-12-16T05:10:35Z")
I believe Keith is correct. Brake fluid absorbs water over time and IMO the fluid froze. Have a shop flush the system with new brake fluid. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 5:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/one-episode-of-not-being-able-to-push-brake-pedal-to-the-floor/82683/7 "2013-12-16T05:44:08Z")
It’s possible also that water splashed up and ice formed on something in the brake system which is normally supposed to move freely, but got frozen in place b/c it is so cold, like the caliper slides, which locked the brakes up. I’ve lived in a fairly cold climate before, never seen or heard of that happening though. The truck I drove then (& now) has drum brakes. The moving parts of disc brakes are more exposed to water splashes, maybe that has something to do with it. OP should of course – until this is resolved – test the brakes several times upon leaving home, and to immediately return to driveway and park the car for the day if they aren’t working 100%. Besides the above ideas, esp the one to have a mechanic verify the brake booster function is working correctly, the OP should try the emergency brake, see if that stops the car when this happens. Could provide a clue at least. And as mentioned above, make sure there is nothing obstructing the brake pedal. ---
**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 5:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/one-episode-of-not-being-able-to-push-brake-pedal-to-the-floor/82683/8 "2013-12-16T05:55:58Z")
A vacuum issue wouldn’t surprise me. Unless someone already knows what it feels like to drive without power assist, then feeling could easily be interpreted as “no braking” - when it was really just requiring a whole lot more force than normal. I also wouldn’t rule out the coffee cup rolling around though. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 6:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/one-episode-of-not-being-able-to-push-brake-pedal-to-the-floor/82683/9 "2013-12-16T06:21:36Z")
Are you sure you didn’t have your left foot under the pedal?