Help! No brakes on daily driver

[SarahLizzie]

Hi,
I have a 1998 explorer sport 2 dr. The brakes recently failed (went slack and barely stopped me until i pressed all th way down) while I was on a hill, but came back as soon as I was flat. I assumed it was due to angle and made a mental note to take it in ASAP. Then last night on my way home from work the same thing happened again in a flat lot. The brakes work. But only at the very bottom of the pedal. There is absolutely no tension until I get almost to the bottom. The car changed hands thru many family member and had a few minor fender benders but nothing serious. The only mods it has are electrical (extra lights for a firefighter), and the front right tire is the spare currently. For a few weeks there was a tube hanging down from the back between the wheels, but nothing dripping. Someone told me it looked like a brake thing but then someone else told me the brake tube had a pattern or lines on it and this one was smooth. I put dot 3 in last night and it emptied by morning but I never saw any change in tension when pushing down. Also now when I pump the brakes there is fluid on the ground. Please help as this is my daily driver!!
Thanks,
Sarah

 

[Blee1099]

If you saw drippng at the rear axle, then it is probably either your hard steel line that has popped. Do you recall if the line was rubber or steel where you saw it dripping from?

 

[waskly]

you have a leak it should be found and fixed.

 

[SarahLizzie]

I think steel...

 

[SarahLizzie]

Is this something my friends (experienced mechanic a mercedes dealer in nj) could fix do u think? I am going to take it to a Midas or whatever tmrw for an oil change, and to see what they think. I just scared because it is my only car and I can afford another one!

 

[drdoom]

+1 on the rear metal brake line. Pretty easy fix unless air has been introduced into the ABS system, iin which case a scan tool with ABS capabilities would be needed to properly bleed the system. What was hanging down was most likely the vent tube for the rear differential.

 

[waskly]

Is this something my friends (experienced mechanic a mercedes dealer in nj) could fix do u think? I am going to take it to a Midas or whatever tmrw for an oil change, and to see what they think. I just scared because it is my only car and I can afford another one!

if you have a friend that is a mechanic he should be able to find it and fix it.