2003 Ford Taurus: brakes & smoke

MSTERYHELL

MEMBER
2003 FORD TAURUS

I have 2 issues:

1. Recently the brakes on our 2003 ford taurus have begun "kicking back" when we're at speeds over 40 mph or so and depress the brakes. What could cause this?

2. On my way to work in the early a.M. I was about halfway there when I stopped at a particularly long red light. A couple of minutes later, smoke came out from under the hood. I threw it into park and the smoke stopped and never restarted. I checked under the hood and saw nothing out of the norm. It had rained the night before and my friend said it could've been steam from water on the engine when it was heated, but it seemed too thick for steam and how would water be that heavy sitting on the engine block anyway? What could cause this, what should I look for?

5 Replies

BLMO

MEMBER
72 POSTS

You will need to remove each wheel and inspect the brakes. The problem should be obvious. Brakes are very unforgiving.

Rain should not be getting into the engine compartment. There is a rubber seal under the hood. Only if you drive into a huge puddle would you get water on the engine. Also, keep in mind, if your engine is at its normal operating temperature (about 210 F), that's barely hot enough to boil water.

Did the smoke have a smell to it? You will have to assume that the smoke was real, and to be prepared for it to happen again. When it does, pay close attention to any details, inside the car and out.

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Wednesday, September 26th, 2007 AT 8:47 PM

MSTERYHELL

MEMBER
2 POSTS

[quote="blm"]
Did the smoke have a smell to it?[Quote]

There was no particular smell and it only happened for a very short time - about half the time it took for the red light to change to green. It stopped before the next light and has never happened again. I hadn't been on the road that long (about 10 minutes) when it did happen and I'm concerned about it recurring, but again its been about 2 months now and I've never had the same problem.

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Thursday, September 27th, 2007 AT 8:37 AM

CANNES432

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1 POST

My car does the same exact thing. If I come to a light for a long time I notice smoke coming out the passenger side front of the hood. The only other thing I notice when this happens is the heat coming from the front of my car is extreme. I may have my hand out the window and I feel like a heat wave go by my hand. There is no smell and this happens each time I am stopped for a long time. If I put the car in park, it will usually stop. Any ideas?

Also, my brake light came on a while ago and the other day I got into my car and it seems like my brakes are completely gone. When I need to stop the car pulls to the left and will not take an extensive legnth to come to a stop. So, I need to be very cautious becuase it will not stop immediately. And if I do press on the brake hard there is a loud skretching noise. Any idea what needs to be repaired and how much it would cost?

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Friday, September 28th, 2007 AT 9:30 AM

BLMO

MEMBER
72 POSTS

I wonder if the smoke is coming from an exhaust manifold leak?

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Friday, September 28th, 2007 AT 8:27 PM

OZBERN

MEMBER
1 POST

My 1994 Taurus GL has all new brakes (calipers, pads, & rotors) - yet they heat up and generate a plastic like smell when excessive sitting at stop signs and stop lights. I have evidenced white smoke rising from rear driver side when sitting at light. It feels like rear driver side caliper is sticking & there seems to be a rusty squeak from that area. The mechanic who installed brakes says the proportioning value is frozen but not the issue. Does anyone have a clue, PLEASE?

Thanks!