Hi there,

I'm having a really mysterious brake problem with my Civic 1.8VTI (Integra GSR engine)........since september I've had my right front brake starting to brake on it's own on several occasions. I can feel it starting to happen when I drive in the city, brake pedal gets harder and harder causing the car to brake erratic....eventually the car will stop on it's own with one very hot wheel......I've learned to act quickly when this happens by opening the nipple on the caliper (only way to make it "unstick").

The left front brake was also hot on one occasion but not sticking at all.......that happened only once up to now.

In the meantime, It's been in the shop for the past week and a half, this has been done to the car:

-Front brake hoses replaced (could have been internally collapsed hose)
-Brakes bled, the front ones, several times.
-Calipers removed and checked (nothing found)
-Brake master cilinder removed and checked (nothing found)
-New pads on the front cause the old ones were fried
-No ABS (anti lock brakes) error codes

Rear hoses have been replaced in july, one of em was leaking

The mechanics are at a loss with this one.........they suspect something is wrong in the brake system itself but can't figure it out

Anyone here with experience concerning Honda brakes or this kind of problem?

Hope someone can help me!!!! I have to drive a VW golf SDI now........arghhhhh.........60 hp, no GOOOOO......

Greets, Arjan

 

You should replace that caliper for good measure, but it sounds to me like the master cylinder may not be allowing fluids to return to the reservoir. Normally that's the brake lines' fault, but you replaced those already, so... It's either a sticking caliper or a bad master. An intermittent problem is hard to troubleshoot. I feel for you man.

 

Thnx man!

The mechanics say that they can't find anything wrong with the master brake cilinder......there is a valve in there, I know.......and it's 220+ euro's for a new master cilinder, arghhhh

Could air in the ABS system cause one brake to misbehave?
Or a proportioning valve?

 

tear down the brake caliper that is the suspected culprit. check for rusts behind the piston, a sticking seal, or anything behind the piston that can cause it to stick.

there's not really much you can do to visually look to see if the master cylinder is gone or not. there are other signs to look for in the master cylinder, but what you're describing might not be visible.

 

Why does the master cylidner cost so much? I think I picked mine up for $40 or something.. dirt cheap.

Only other thing I can think of is the reservoir is overfilled.

 

check the proportioning valve...that sounds the more likely cause of your brake problems to me, the pressure isnt being evenly distributed which the prop valve does

 

I've had the same problem in the rear, after a rear disc swap. Turned out to be the caliper. I suspect that is also your problem.

Good luck!

 

i hate to find a problem that i'm unable to pin-point, but when i do i start replacing things that wear out normally first, & then move up the line going least expencive first! i know this sounds horrible & expencive but start with that calipar.

 

I say rebuild the caliper - a friend's car had same sypmtoms about a week ago, fixed with a rebuild.

 

Hi,

Thnx for the replies!

The mechanic removed both front calipers and took em to pieces...nothin looked out of the ordinary, no rust, no sticking parts...so I don't think the caliper is the cause.

Propotioning valve will be checked too........I heard there's nothing to see whether a master brake cilinder is malfunctioning internally or not..it's not leaking or so.

I had a few replies from guys with the same problem and their problems were solved after replacing the master brake cilinder........guess this could be the cause of my problem as well........I'll just have to wait and hear the new from the garage then.