# Brakes make car shut off?280zx



## nizmo559 (Mar 4, 2003)

Went to start my 280zx at my moms the other day. It started fine after sitting for months again. It just needed a batter which I did put it hopefully it wont drain but im sure I fixed the drain anyways....

After I filled all the fluids since they were all gone brakes,steering,water, I pump the brakes and no pressure? Which yea I guess because I need to bleed. I ran out of light outside so I had to quit for the day. But why would the car want to die out from pushing the brake pedal? Everything on the car other than this issue seems fine. Once I fix the pressure will that fix the problem? I also think I may have a brake leak since the fluids were all gone but I dunno it was sitting for a couple months. What do you guys think?


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## B11sleeper (Oct 15, 2003)

something shorting in the tail lights perhaps?


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## nizmo559 (Mar 4, 2003)

hmm yea I diddnt check the lights i'll have to take a look at them.


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

Or possibly pushing on your brake pedal creates a massive vacuum leak in the brake booster. It may need to be replaced. 
As far as the brake lights go, that would affect your car if the battery were in a bad state of discharge or if the rectifier bridge in the alternator itself was damaged. Take a DVOM voltmeter to you battery while the engine is idling and see what you have. If you can, have someone step on the brake pedal while you are looking at the voltmeter. It should show a massive drop or spike when the pedal is pressed.


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## nizmo559 (Mar 4, 2003)

That last thing you said about the battery having a discharge... could that happen with a new battery? I have a volt meter its the one with the clamp. I havent even used it yet but it has lots of different settings. Think that would work to check the battery?


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

nizmo559 said:


> That last thing you said about the battery having a discharge... could that happen with a new battery? I have a volt meter its the one with the clamp. I havent even used it yet but it has lots of different settings. Think that would work to check the battery?


Due to conditions at places that sell batteries, I wouldn't be surprised if it was damaged. Batteries are typically dropped, thrown, dumped upside down on the floor and etc while they are being unloaded from the truck or stocked on the shelves. About the only batterys immune to serious damage are the gel cell batterys, such as the Optima brand. 

As far as DVOM settings go, any setting above 12 volts DC should read the battery with the car running. I beleive there is a setting for 30 volts DC, which is what you should be using. Every brand of DVOM is different, but there should be 2 dials, one with AC, DC, ohms and other settings, and another dial for settings from 3 to 30k depending on the application......


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## nizmo559 (Mar 4, 2003)

Cool i'll try that out. Its a autozone battery forget what brand but i'll see what it reads next time I go to my moms.


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## Marc Z31 (Jul 25, 2004)

autozone batteries suck... mostly remanufactured.

I'd lean more toward the vacuum leak though.


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

Marc Z31 said:


> autozone batteries suck... mostly remanufactured.
> 
> I'd lean more toward the vacuum leak though.


 I've owned cars with both problems, so it really could be either or. A weak battery or alternator will have the same effect when you press the brake pedal. The only real difference being is that with an electrical problem, the car will die the instant the pedal is pressed, where-as with a brake booster leak it will take a second or so after the pedal is pressed.


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## CMS09071987 (Oct 18, 2004)

The same thing happened to my Chrylser Sebring and I had to drive for a 1/2 hour back to my house like that with everything shutting off and coming back on by the tap of the brake pedal. It was the battery but the same night I got my battery I left my headlights on and killed the battery again. Took forever to get it charged again but its probably the battery. The new battery might not be fully charged.


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## nizmo559 (Mar 4, 2003)

You know that battery thing might have had something to do with it. I started the car the other day and took it for a spin around the block. The brakes magically worked again? Crazy car lol. I did happen to put some brake fluid on my last visit i'm not sure if that helped. But i'm happy the car did start right up once again with out a battery drain. When I did the alternator last time the wires looked to be hooked up wrong by the previous owner. Next is power steering adjustment and hopefully a new paint job.


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