Brake Problem

"Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell." (oppisitelock) 06/24/2014 at 19:05 • Filed to: None

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My parents came back from a camping holiday and said the cars brakes were acting up. They say they became very spongy and on some downhill parts they had to pump the brakes. I don't think it's to do with overheating since the inclines werent steep and the trailer they tow is braked and very light since its basically a trailer with a folding canvas top and they say the brakes are spongy all of the time. It also has a wheel wobble that's been there for months I hadn't got round to diagnosing that is getting worse and worse. I was hoping it just needed wheel balancing but it's since had new tyres with balancing.

It's starting to look like tomorrow is going to be a long day...

lone_liberal > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 06/24/2014 at 19:09

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A wobble that you feel when you apply the brakes, like a warped rotor? Because it does kind of sound like the brakes need to be looked at and maybe bled.

Mattbob > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 06/24/2014 at 19:10

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Just bleed the whole system. Its not really expensive, and you would be surprised how much water brake fluid soaks up. That wheel wobble though.....

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Mattbob 06/24/2014 at 19:13

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Yeah either way its getting bled, i feel like there could be another issue though since there isnt much pedal travel at all stationary and it doesn't feel spongy at all at low speeds. My gut says master cylinder issue.

The wheel wobble worries me, the bearings seem fine and the tie rod ends are new and have no play at all. That's all I've checked so far...

Mattbob > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 06/24/2014 at 19:17

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If you pump it, does it firm up? A lot of people don't realize that when it firms up from pumping it isn't the brakes getting better, its actually just the Booster not having enough vacuum to help. Does it feel spongy at a stop?

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Mattbob 06/24/2014 at 19:21

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I havent had a chance to drive it more than just round the block so I wont be able to check it out fully til tomorrow. So I'm just going off what my parents told me. At low speeds its very firm and grabby with not much pedal travel.

Arben72 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 06/24/2014 at 19:36

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First bleed your brakes. It's not hard to do and is cheap, just have your dad help you. (It's easier with toe people). The wobble could be a ton of things though, maybe bearings or maybe warped rotors. Also the place that had it last could have done the alignment wrong. Start with the fluid then come back here if it persist.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Arben72 06/24/2014 at 19:45

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Bleeding the brakes was already on the cards so that'll get done. Bearings have been checked, the wobble is persistent even when not on the brakes so even if the rotors are warped it wouldn't be the cause. Bad alignment is possible it had new tie rod ends not too long ago and i think they were just refitted by counting the turns so probably hasnt been aligned in a long time.