While I was driving my brakes stopped working

Tiny
RICKIE PORTER
  • MEMBER
  • 2000 FORD RANGER
  • 3.0L
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 108 MILES
My brakes stopped working while I was driving. I do not know if it has air in the system or if it is the brake booster.
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Sunday, October 16th, 2016 AT 5:02 PM

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Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,699 POSTS
First you have to provide the symptoms so I have some clue as to what is happening. Air does not get into the system unless there is some other cause. A problem with the power booster causes the brake pedal to be very hard to push.
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Sunday, October 16th, 2016 AT 7:11 PM
Tiny
RICKIE PORTER
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
Is there a certain way I have to bleed the brakes on my vehicle?
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Monday, October 17th, 2016 AT 10:34 AM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,699 POSTS
The first wheel I bleed is the one I am standing closest to. I only do gravity-bleeding; never pedal-bleeding with a helper. The danger with a helper is crud and corrosion build up in the lower halves of the two bores in the master cylinder where the pistons do not normally travel. When a helper pushes the brake pedal all the way to the floor, that runs the rubber lip seals over that crud and can rip them. That results in a slowly-sinking brake pedal or a pedal that falls easily to the floor, but does not apply the brakes. Often those symptoms do not show up until two or three days later.

Some people will tell you to bleed the right rear wheel first to get the longest line clear of air right away, and that will make bleeding the shorter lines easier. Some will tell you to bleed the left front first because it is the shortest and is the fastest way to get all the air out of one circuit. Neither of those is right or wrong.
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Monday, October 17th, 2016 AT 5:13 PM

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