Intermittant Brake Failure - Lucida Estima

[cybermagic]

My wife has a rather disturbing problem with her 1996 Toyota Lucida Estima. We bought the car about 6 months ago and after about 3 weeks, for no apparent reason when she pressed the brake pedal, it went straight to the floor. She managed to creep home, pumping the brake pedal each time which brought the pedal up enough to slow down.

By the time she got home, the brakes were working efficiently every time. I thought it was probably some grit caught under one of the cylinder rubbers and it's been fine ever since. Then yesterday, the same thing happened, again by the time she got home it was fine.

My problem is that the local mechanic has looked at it, and can find no definitive problem, but we are due to tow our caravan 300 miles to Cornwall in three weeks and I don't trust the brakes.

Is this something that any of you have come across before, or any suggestions would be eagerly accepted. :-)

Thanks in advance.

Steve

[jonniwal]

[Hi Steve I had this very same problem on my Emina after a check of the entire braking system I couldnt find anything amiss so I put on my thinking cap and I think this was the problem I might add that I am a retired Marine engineer.

When braking on my car I found that the pistons in the front calipers stuck in the off position then became free again the effect of this is that when the brake is pressed the first time you will appear to have a good pedal but when pressed again the pedal will go right down because on that stroke there is not enough fluid to displace the pistons I would recomend having the calipers carefull checked and then I think you should be OK

Best regards

John

yquote name=cybermagic' date='Jul 15 2009, 05:56 PM' post='913849]

My wife has a rather disturbing problem with her 1996 Toyota Lucida Estima. We bought the car about 6 months ago and after about 3 weeks, for no apparent reason when she pressed the brake pedal, it went straight to the floor. She managed to creep home, pumping the brake pedal each time which brought the pedal up enough to slow down.

By the time she got home, the brakes were working efficiently every time. I thought it was probably some grit caught under one of the cylinder rubbers and it's been fine ever since. Then yesterday, the same thing happened, again by the time she got home it was fine.

My problem is that the local mechanic has looked at it, and can find no definitive problem, but we are due to tow our caravan 300 miles to Cornwall in three weeks and I don't trust the brakes.

Is this something that any of you have come across before, or any suggestions would be eagerly accepted. :-)

Thanks in advance.

Steve