Brake Problems!

ImDave

As I left the house this morning, the handbrake wouldn't release, but eventually did, and now doesnt really work. The scary part came when I was braking to turn into work and the brakes felt really spongy, and my foot was almost on the ground before there was any pressure. Just driving around outside now, the brakes are the same, but the handbrake is getting stuck half the time. Its a Peugeot 206. Any help really appreciated. Cheers

Mr.Diagnostic

Sounds like a serious brake failure. It needs to be looked at before it is driven again.

mickdw

ya you shouldnt drive it. sounds like something has collaped at one of the back wheels or one of the brake circuits have failed

noeldublin6

hi i got new front brake pads on nissan almera, the guy just changed the pads and thats it ! they feel very spongy! are they suppose to be bled when brake pads replaced help please,

dont know if i put this in the right place cant seem to find how to add thread

chris85

EI-DAV wrote: »

As I left the house this morning, the handbrake wouldn't release, but eventually did, and now doesnt really work. The scary part came when I was braking to turn into work and the brakes felt really spongy, and my foot was almost on the ground before there was any pressure. Just driving around outside now, the brakes are the same, but the handbrake is getting stuck half the time. Its a Peugeot 206. Any help really appreciated. Cheers

OP, check the level of power steering fluid. Could be a leak in lines somewhere although this doesnt happen often as them lines are steel braided. This would not explain the problem with handbrake as the handbrake runs off a cable.

Only thing I can think of is that something has damaged unerneath your car the last day or two. This could have hit a handbrake mechanism and also may have hit a brake line (although they are usually well protected).

martinr5232

Is the handbrake lever going down if so sounds like you have a rear wheel cylinder leaking and the brake shoes are sticking to the drum when the car is left parked up.
This would also explain why the brakes are spongey because its is low on brake fluid.
This would be a common fault on a citroen or peugoet.

The soft brakes on i think the almera sounds like the pads just need to be bedded in meaning they have to wear into the shape of the brake disks.
Not a problem if there no better in a hundred miles or so bring it back to whoever fitted the pads.
Or if you really want to drive it while braking hard for a while but watch out for brake fade and of coarse other road users.

noeldublin6

how long does it take for the brake pads to be worn in i have put a few hundred miles on them now !

martinr5232

Were they front or rear brake pads.

scotia

As I left the house this morning, the handbrake wouldn't release, but eventually did.
The 206's were bad for moisture getting into the handbrake cables themselves and rusting them, causing them to sieze( i changed many of them when i was an apprentice), this may be causing the handbrake not to operate properly.
The spongy brakes as was mentioned could be the rear wheel cylinders, that operate the rear shoes, leaking, lowering the flluid level and allowing air into the system. Best get the brakes looked at asap.

noeldublin6

martinr5232 wrote: »

Were they front or rear brake pads.

yea front brake pads