Brakes just went out, fluid on the ground

[konaboy]

So pulling my car down the driveway the brake pedal went to the floor and pumping didn't re-engage the pedal pressure. Of course we are supposed to get 4-7" of snow tonight so that's just great.

Backed up the drive very slowly got out and saw fluid spots in the snow,one rather large one on the drivers side. Checked the resevoir and it's just about empty. Drove it to work and home today and it was fine.

So my thoughts are possibly caliper, brake line? Any tips before I try and find a way to get it into a garage so I can get it up on jackstands and take a look. Guess putting some fluid in and see where it's leaking from?

 

[96eb96]

So pulling my car down the driveway the brake pedal went to the floor and pumping didn't re-engage the pedal pressure. Of course we are supposed to get 4-7" of snow tonight so that's just great.

Backed up the drive very slowly got out and saw fluid spots in the snow,one rather large one on the drivers side. Checked the resevoir and it's just about empty. Drove it to work and home today and it was fine.

So my thoughts are possibly caliper, brake line? Any tips before I try and find a way to get it into a garage so I can get it up on jackstands and take a look. Guess putting some fluid in and see where it's leaking from?

Probably a corroded brake line, there is a recent thread here with lots of tips. Not uncommon on these trucks.

 

[BrianDye]

Checked the resevoir and it's just about empty. Drove it to work and home today and it was fine.QUOTE]


YOU DROVE IT!? NOOO!!!!! Lol you have a corroded brake line probably and it needs replacing...

 

[konaboy]

Checked the resevoir and it's just about empty. Drove it to work and home today and it was fine.QUOTE]


YOU DROVE IT!? NOOO!!!!! Lol you have a corroded brake line probably and it needs replacing...

Not with the brake resevoir empty. I drove it this morning to work and back home tonight and it was fine. After I was home wife and I went to switch cars in the driveway (single car wide drive) and that's when it went. There is brake fluid on the ground where the pedal went to the floor then a small trail leading back up the drive.

 

[thumper477]

250-1000 dollars to fix it if you take it to a shop.Most mechanics hate this kind of work and won't do it unless they get paid for their aggravation.If you try to do it yourself you will see why they charge so much for this shi@#y job.

 

[corkey]

research which line it is before you drive it again, if it is a hard line they are not really that hard to change, there is usually a connection inline just down a bit from the abs system, that can be taken apart, and replaced,
, If it is a flex line that is even easier, unless it is all rusted , than just cut off the flex part by the fittings, to make it easier to remove and replace, ,

you never did tell us if the drops were coming from the front or the back, or mid frame,,

 

[Electrohacker]

btw this isnt necessarily a ford issue (a previous post kinda made it sound that way) I drove a 94 saturn for a short minute and on the way home from work the brake lines burst on the highway (luckily it was a manual so I downshifted, or else I'd be dead)

turns out the steel lines had rusted through

 

[konaboy]

Front driver side.

I limped it up to the shop today. Got 4"+ of snow last night more on the way monday and tuesday, temps are supposed to drop and I have no garage. Hated to do it but not really another choice if I want to drive it and it's the car I use for driving in snow! It's become a backup car, hauling car and snow driving car. I'd rather take it out in bad weather than my Jetta.

 

[bisjoe]

I hope you found a good mechanic. That happened to my wife (Jeep Liberty) two days after a brake job at the dealer. The fluid was all over the inside of the left front tire, turns out they failed to tighten up the caliper, so the piston went out too far and leaked. Luckily this was in our driveway too!

Haven't been back since (let them fix it at no cost but then took it to another mechanic for inspection).

Let us know what it turned out to be.

 

[konaboy]

I hope you found a good mechanic. That happened to my wife (Jeep Liberty) two days after a brake job at the dealer. The fluid was all over the inside of the left front tire, turns out they failed to tighten up the caliper, so the piston went out too far and leaked. Luckily this was in our driveway too!

Haven't been back since (let them fix it at no cost but then took it to another mechanic for inspection).

Let us know what it turned out to be.

Yeah it's a mechanic I trust and have faith in for repairs. Been dealing with them for 16 years.

It was the driver side brake line that popped. New Brake line plus Labor $180 that is unless the other brake lines that are rusted don't blow when they get everything back together and filled with fluid. Having them do the sway bar end links at the same time. Bolt head sheared off the drivers side on Monday when my sister was driving it, said she heard a loud pop. I was thinking lower ball joint yesterday by the feel of it when driving it, closer inspection showed the sway bar end link. Something I know I can do but again 4-7 inches of snow, 20* temps no garage and a broken part CRAP!