Brake Pedal Goes to Floor 1996 EB | Ford Explorer Forums

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Brake Pedal Goes to Floor 1996 EB

Phil~

Member
Joined
May 15, 2012
Messages
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City, State
Potomac Maryland
Year, Model & Trim Level
1996 Eddie Bauer
Was coming back from work and I stopped at the gas station. Started the truck back up, and noticed the pedal sunk to the floor as it had absolutely no resistance. Thinking I had a massive leak, I immediately got out and looked under the truck-no leaks or oil, break fluid anything. Again, I tried the brake pedal again while starting the truck up...no resistance. I very slowly drove the truck to an open parking lot (thankfully deserted). I then ran some tests:

The brakes do work....I could stop the vehicle if I stood on them, but I wasn't willing to test how powerful they were at a speed higher than 5mph, as the pedal was sitting on the floor already to stop the truck from 5mph.

When the truck is off, the brakes still have little resistance, but more than when the truck is running. So as the engine starts, the pedal loses all resistance and lies flat on the floor if I press it.

What's more, I hear a very loud "swishing" sound from the rear of the car when I step on the brakes while the truck is running. But still, under the car there is no brake oil or fluid of any kind. I am simply baffled. The brakes worked perfectly fine. At first I thought the guys at Sears could had done something (I had my oil changed there the previous day) but that doesn't make sense for the brakes to lose all the stopping power a day later.

I had a mechanic check the brakes a couple of weeks earlier and he said they were fine. I plan on buying all new brakes along with the rest of my suspension gear coming in, so I guess this gives me even greater excuse to do the upgrade. But still, I am afraid to drive the truck now, as I wont risk an accident if the brakes fail.

I drove the truck home, going 15mph max and the brakes stopped the car, even coming down from a hill on the way to my house. But still, the pedal was hard into the floor. So I am just letting the truck sit right now.

Any ideas on what could be the problem?

It's 4x4 Eddie Bauer 1996 V6 model.
 



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Run your fingers along the inside of your river side frame rail. I'm willing to bet your brake fluid is laying in there from a broken line. Did you check the master cylender fluid level?
 






No I haven't yet. Ill get to it in a few minutes.
 






check your brake fluid level first. if its way-low you have a leak somewhere. assuming there are no leaks (calipers/wheel cylinders or lines) then it sounds like your master cylinder is shot. replace it.

i have no idea what the swishing sound is...
 






sounds like you either have air in the system ie hole in the line somewhere or your master cylinder is failing or has failed.
 






Run your fingers along the inside of your river side frame rail. I'm willing to bet your brake fluid is laying in there from a broken line. Did you check the master cylender fluid level?

I owe you lunch.

2012-09-27_18-56-41_829.jpg


2012-09-27_18-57-42_629.jpg


Bone freaking dry.

*Car is old after all*
 






if i had to guess, the line over the rear, probably is leaking, this is common, it is a 1996 vehicle, if the lines are mad rusty, they will start to leak.

its a 1996 its 2012 alot of years, brake lines dont last this long. nobody cut the lines, my guess is they failed with age and just a coincident.
 






Been looking into it, seems your right. Well another thing to add to the upgrade list.
 






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