Loud banging noise, rear brakes locked, is now leaking fluid.

NFOSS08

MEMBER
1998 HONDA CIVIC
1.8L
4 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
220,000 MILES

I was driving down the highway, and I was getting ready to stop. I pumped the brakes then suddenly, there was a huge BANG that shook the car, and my rear tires had locked up. I lost control and went onto the shoulder. I was then able to push the brake pedal to the floor, no resistance. I saw that there was a substantial leak of brake fluid under the car now. Wondering what may have caused this and how much for repairs?

Sunday, November 23rd, 2014 AT 6:14 PM

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
34,331 POSTS

We don't get involved with costs here because there's way too many variables, especially when we have no idea what's wrong. The typical suspect in this case would be the brake pads were worn down so far that they were grinding metal on metal, and the rotor ground down to the cooling fins. That would allow the piston to come out of the caliper so far that it fell out and the brake fluid leaked out. The pad or the piston can get caught on those cooling fins causing the rotor and wheel to lock up. Often the wheel will turn backward, but not forward.

It's also possible a lining rusted off one of the pads. That could explain the noise and possibly the low pedal, but usually the piston won't come all the way out of the caliper. You'll need to have it inspected before we can determine the course of action.

Was this

answer

helpful?

Yes

No

Sunday, November 23rd, 2014 AT 8:34 PM