No brakes - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

rachel899 · 10-02-2011, 01:57 PM

I have 1999 camry 4cyl. with 168000k. Front brakes started dragging yesterday and were very hot, couldn not touch wheels. So I replacedpads and turned the rotors at machine shop. Now I have no brakes, pedal goes to floor. Jacked up rear of car and brakes dont work neither. I never allowed master cyl. to get low and air enter lines while I was doing job. Any suggestions?

uibalnme · 10-02-2011, 06:56 PM

It doesn't matter if you didn't let the fluid get low or not. Any proper brake job involves bleeding the brakes. Personally, I would have also replaced the brake fluid.

oopssorryy · 10-02-2011, 07:27 PM

Full brake flush and a four corner bleed. Check for leaks in lines while doing this as well.

***Zembonez*** · 10-02-2011, 07:29 PM

You could also have a failing master cylinder.

JungleSuperlord · 10-02-2011, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uibalnme

It doesn't matter if you didn't let the fluid get low or not. Any proper brake job involves bleeding the brakes. Personally, I would have also replaced the brake fluid.

If all that is being done is pads and rotors then there is no reason to bleed the brakes since the hydraulic system remains closed. If the system is opened for pads + rotors then that either points to a problem elsewhere (such as the brake lines/hoses) or somebody who doesn't know how to properly do the job.

rachel899 · 10-02-2011, 09:05 PM

thanks for the responses. over the 40 plus years i have worked on cars i am sure i have done well oner 150 brake jobs, and when i was done the job was done and it worked. this is a first for me. I have never had to bleed brakes unless i changed wheel brake cylinders or calipers. I have always been careful to keep fluid level high in mc. As far as mc going bad which or maybe booster which is more likely? thanks

JungleSuperlord · 10-02-2011, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rachel899

thanks for the responses. over the 40 plus years i have worked on cars i am sure i have done well oner 150 brake jobs, and when i was done the job was done and it worked. this is a first for me. I have never had to bleed brakes unless i changed wheel brake cylinders or calipers. I have always been careful to keep fluid level high in mc. As far as mc going bad which or maybe booster which is more likely? thanks

If the booster was bad you'd have a tough/hard pedal due to the loss of assist, but you said the pedal goes to the floor which usually means its very easy to press. I agree with Zembonez and think you should check out the master cylinder first.

rachel899 · 10-02-2011, 10:26 PM

thanks, I was also leaning toward master cylinder. Is there a way to definitely check that is the problem for sure?

rachel899 · 10-03-2011, 01:06 PM

I tried your alls idea of bleeding the brakes. I cant get fluid to come out of any of them. What gives?

***BMR*** · 10-03-2011, 01:15 PM

Either the lines are FULL of air (extremely doubtful), or the master cylinder is FUBAR. I'd go with the MC.

rachel899 · 10-03-2011, 01:20 PM

I thought the reason for a two chamber system was that you would always have one axle working. And also what would cause it to go out all of a sudden. All I did was replace pads on front axle.

***BMR*** · 10-03-2011, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rachel899

I thought the reason for a two chamber system was that you would always have one axle working. And also what would cause it to go out all of a sudden. All I did was replace pads on front axle.

True, if a brake line or cylinder/caliper fails. But I've read that depending on which seal in the MC fails, you can experience total failure.

As for why it failed now, my guess would be that when you pushed the caliper pistons back in, some crud in the brake fluid went back up into the MC and fouled the seal(s). Good reason to flush 'er out thoroughly.

rachel899 · 10-03-2011, 01:47 PM

tnks BMR. I was just reading that the proportioning valve could cause problems similar to this. Is that possible?