Brake Hose Ruptured

[XR06T]

.....

The other thing which might of happend is that a rat could have chewed through it. Don't laugh I have seen it happen. If that would be the case there would be small semi circle marks on the hoses. Do you live on a farm or a place where rats could be?

.....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

haha. I couldn't help but laugh at that one

I believe you but, rats can chew through ANYTHING..

they eat the coolroom walls at work, and their aluminium!

[troll]

According to the dealer report, the hose had split near the metal end.

The brakes still in my opinion are not right. I've owned several cars with ABS and none have been like this.

First problem is that the pedal is very spongy. When sitting stopped, the pedal continues to sink as you apply pressure to it. Sitting on a nose-down (not much of an incline) incline like my driveway, to keep the car still, I have to hold my foot to the pedal and it goes all the way to the floor. That's right.... it's touching the firewall.

The other problem I still have is that upon emergency, seriously full on braking, the ABS grind and

vibrates viloently and the pedal just goes straight to the floor.

Now... the serive guy says that "this is normal for ABS". None of my previous ABS-armed cars experienced this kind of normality.

He also said in not so many words that 'perhaps I wasn't familiar with how ABS works'. He wasn't trying to be rude and is actually a great guy. Maybe he's right... so I'll ask you guys.

So... can you guys tell me - for my own sanity (I'm not a mechanic) - how the brake pedal feels on your cars?

1. Spongy or firm?

2. Emergency braking: does ABS grind and vibrate every time - on dry, flat bitumen?

3. How far does your pedal go at stand still? A few inches or all the way to the floor?

[Paradoxx]

I have never had to push mine to the floor... that aint right at all!!

I find my brakes very positive even when I hit the ABS... they do shudder under the foot but it still never reaches the floor. I would definitely get it checked out by another dealer... a second opinion cant hurt!

Do you have any T owners close by that can confirm if there is a difference between your brakes and theirs?

[troll]

Do you have any T owners close by that can confirm if there is a difference between your brakes and theirs?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good point. I don't know. Calling all T owners.... Chatswood or Hornsby (NSW) areas?

I'm going to drop by another dealer this arvo and sit in some second hand ones and try them out I think.

Thanks for the feedback mate.

[Paradoxx]

No worries... good idea too!

[cobrav8]

Reading back on this and your other thread - I think it is time to go to another dealer. Explain your accident, your burst hose - and your general lack of trust of the brakes - and I am sure they will have to place a bit more emphasis on it.

Use phrases such as " I am worried someone could be killed.." etc to drive home the fact that you are really worried about the situation.

I would be expecting a thorough pressure testing of the system and complete diagnostic of pipes,seals, and master cylinder, etc - it is a system on the car you can not afford to fail (again in your case).

[ZAP]

I am in Frenchs Forest and would be happy to have a look at the brakes.

There is something not right as the problems you have described are not normal and should be further investigated.

I gather you have been using Alto Ford ?

If so, there is Titans in Brookvale that seem to have 1/2 a clue.

Also if your pedal is sinking to the floor, one of 2 things is happening. Either there is a leak or there is a pressure drop. Leaks are easy to spot, but a pressure drop would most likely be in the master cylinder.

Let me know if you need any assistance, but another dealer or another mechanic could diagnose the problem.correctly. I suggest you do it sooner rather than later as the brakes are something you want to have confidence in when driving.

[troll]

Guys - thank you for your help.

ZAP_F6: I'll probably take you up on that if that's OK. The car is going in to Alto's tomorrow so if there's no change I'll PM you for a contact number and drive over to see you.

I took the car to another dealership out west today and asked one of the workshop guys to "sit in my car, and have a feel of the brake pedal". He took all of two seconds to say "man there is something wrong here...".

I'll let you know what Alto's say.

I have to say though, I've been quite happy with the level of service I've been getting at Alto Service - after recently moving from Hills Ford which, unfortunately, has recently changed hands and I've been very unhappy with them.

cobrav8: can you elaborate on what you mean by pressure drop at the master cylinder? I've been assured there are no leakes and my garage and work carspace floors are clean of any fluid leaks. But a friend commented that when I was pumping the brake pedal the master cylinder was moving back and forth "a lot more than he'd seen before".

[ZAP]

Troll,

I have Thursday off, so I will have pleanty of time free.

The Master cyclinder is the silver tube under the brake fluid resivior and is like a piston that pressurises your braking system.

What can happen is the piston has several seals along its length that if damaged will allow pressure to pass between the sectors resulting in spongy pedal that can go to the floor.

The other possibility is the system needs a good bleed, but most mechanics can pick this problem over a master cylinder fault as the pedal will squish down but return to the same position. This is because you are compressing air bubbles in the brake lines, not loosing pressure like a faulty master cylinder would display.

[troll]

Well... you certainly explain things well. I understand all of that.

They did say they bled the system after then hose was replaced. They also machined the fronts but didn't put new pads in. I would have thought new pads were a prerequisite after a machining?!?

I'll let you know how I go tomorrow with them... I'm, like, assuming they will have the sense to keep the car a few days but you never know...

Want to PM me your mobile number?