95 Avalon Brake problem...HELP!

[ILWU05]

I have a 95 Avalon that just turned 100k. It runs great, gets outstanding gas mileage and really doesn't look bad at all.

The problem with the car is a really strange one I have never seen before in any make or model. You start driving the car and within the first 7 to 20 miles, the car just stops. The brakes in the front just stop the car without applying the pedal. After it sits for about 10 or 15 minutes, you can start driving again. Usually it only happens the one time but yesterday, it did it a few mile down the road again.

Does anyone have any clues on what I can do to resolve this? I am replacing the front rotors and brake pads today as the rotors are getting warped and causing vibration and it is just getting worse. Is there something else I should be checking while I am in there? This is my girlfriends car and I don't want her to have problems.

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

[ShawnM]

The cheapest thing to start out with would be to replace the brake hoses in front. They can structurally fail internally and act like a 1 way valve. Once the fluid heats up the internally wall of the hose gets soft and collapses. This prevents the fluid from returning after the brake pedal is released. Its not all that common but I have seen it happen a couple of times. They work fine at first and then slowly start to bind the more your drive untill they eventually just lock up. As it cools the pressure releases and they seem normal again till you start driving. Im not saying that its definatly the problem with your car, but it sure sounds like it from what your describing.

[aigochamaloh]

bleed your brakes too. your pistons could be frozen too, who knows...start with the simple first...

[toyomoho]

Next time this happens jack up each tire and locate the one(s) that are hard to rotate.

As TN members have stated one or more brake(s) has a problem.

[shortrun]

Sorry I can't help but you have allready got some good suggestions above.

I do have a question. If the car has traction control which can put the brakes on by itself. Could this be the problem?

[ILWU05]

Well, I found a leak coming from the MC so I am thinking between replacing the rotors and pads and installing a new MC, that could resolve this problem.

A friend of mine works on Audi's and he said they do that all the time and the cause is the MC, so I picked one up while I was out running for parts. Thanks for all the advice, I will post up if it fixes the problem.

[ShawnM]

Traction control systems work through the ABS system. Basically all it does is pullsate the brakes very fast untill the wheel gets traction again, it wont lock them up.

[ILWU05]

Well, I am not done with the job yet. So far I found the MC leaking, the drivers side caliper frozen, the rotors warped and the steering rack is leaking. This is turning out to be quite costly but once it is done, I should have a good car again.

Thanks all for the advice.

[CharmCityES]

i figured a faulty master cylinder and sticking caliper would be at fault....these are all symptoms of both cases
ouch. seems like an pricey repair...hope everything gets fixed and you get your car in tip top shape

[ILWU05]

Just wanted to post up an update. I replaced both front calipers, rotors and pads, the MC was not leaking, it was the steering rack that was leaking so that will need to be replaced. The brakes still had a problem but it turned out to be the power brake booster. Some valve inside gets stuck and causes it to lock up the brakes. The temp fix for it was to remove the vac line and plug it. So now I am looking for a new booster to replace the one that is bad. In case anyone else ever has this problem, they will know where to start.

[CupCate18]

Thanks for the update, glad to see everything is working well for you. I'd still freak out if it happened to me though. I like my car to do as I want it to, no need for extras lol.