# All brakes locked up



## Peanut (Mar 23, 2011)

So after spending a couple of hours working on the new stereo install for my truck, I go to leave the shop and notice my truck is STRUGGLING to drive.

After getting to the other side of the parking lot, I turned around and brought the truck back inside.

I barely tap the brake pedal and the truck slams to a halt and if I'm not revving it hard, it won't drive at all. All the brake discs are burning hot... I drove like 100 yards!!! 

Anybody have any ideas? I did have my ABS light come on two days ago, but it stayed for about an hour. It's 2:30 in the morning and right now I'm basically stuck at my shop. I'm looking at the FSM right now, but if anyone has any ideas what to do to at least let me drive the 10 miles to home, it would be appreciated!


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## Peanut (Mar 23, 2011)

To add insult to injury... Looking in my FSM, the last two chapters of the brake section ARE NOT THERE! Anyone got any ideas here? I can't find anything that tells me what fuses belong to the ABS, and the stickers that identify the fuse box aren't there anymore in my truck. Had to get a rollback to come in last night at 4am and drag my truck out the bay door and bring it home for me. Anyone got anything to help me here? Even the last two chapters in the Brakes section of the FSM would be great!


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## TheRepairMan (Jun 30, 2009)

I guess the first thing I would do is break a bleeder screw loose very briefly at each wheel one at a time to see if that relieves pressure and frees the wheels up. You gotta start somewhere!

-Roger


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## Peanut (Mar 23, 2011)

So I got to thinking about the situation with my brakes... The calipers let go of the rotors after the truck sitting for a couple of hours which to me rules out the ABS. I think it's my master cylinder. The fluid in the dump tank looks like silty water and the brakes simply build pressure as I use them until the calipers have the rotors in a headlock. To me it seems that the piston in the master cylinder simply isn't coming back out to let the pressure off. Is there any chance though that the power booster could also be an issue here? 

1996 XE 2.4L KA24E 2WD 5sp, 178,000miles... 

Also, I've owned the truck for 10 years now. My Stepdad owned if for 4 before I bought it off him. I have personally never had the brakes done at all. I don't think he has either. Since I'm gonna be messing with my brakes, is it worth replacing all the pads while i'm in there? I've never really had any issues stopping the truck, and I'm actually decent at locking up the wheels, though only for a quick second, as the ABS does still work. (I live in Nashville, no one here seems to understand how to drive). Technically, so long as they still work fine, there's no reason to. I'll look in my FSM and check the tolerances, but after this kind of time, does anyone recommend that I go ahead and avoid that headache now since i'm working on it any ways?


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

Hardbodies on had rear ABS, so it wouldn't affect the front brakes, anyway. If they are all locking up, I would be leaning toward the master cylinder, as well. Perhaps the piston is sticking in the bore?


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## Peanut (Mar 23, 2011)

Alrighr, ive got the master cylinder out and dissasembled. Im gonna post a photo and tell me what you think... On the top are the new components for the cylinder. On the bottom are the ones i just pulled out. Honestly... I cant see any reason why it would have stuck. All the rubber is still soft, nothing is bent. I can see no reason for whats going on. Is the brake booster something that can be opened?

Okay, from my phone i cant upload the photo it doesnt seem... Give me a second and the image will follow...


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## Peanut (Mar 23, 2011)

Alright, this photo pertains to the post above... Any ideas? Should I try to pop apart the Brake Booster and see if it's screwed? I'd love to be able to drive home tonight...


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## jdg (Aug 27, 2009)

Internally collapsed brake 'soft lines' (the ones from the frame out to the calipers themselves) could cause the same symptoms (i.e. not releasing).
If both front lines were internally collapsed or damaged in the same way (I know, kinda highly unlikely), they could easily pass brake pressure, but because of the collapse, not release it easily. (had it happen in my Malibu awhile back, step on the brakes, pulls left, release the brakes, pulls right, right/front brake line internally collapsed, wouldn't easily pass fluid either way)
That and the fact the you said the brake fluid looked like silty water would lead me to believe the fluid has wrecked the internals of the soft lines and you mentioned the pressure 'bleeds off' after a couple hours kinda leads me the same way.


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## Peanut (Mar 23, 2011)

Judge, you present an amazingly valid point here. That seems to be the only logical way to me that the fluid could get in that condition in the first place, as anything else would mean dirt is getting into the system. If dirt can get in, air can CERTAINLY get in.

I've got both front wheels off the truck at the moment and the lines don't visibly appear collapsed, but that doesn't mean there's not a piece of rubber broken off in there and lodged. Gonna replace them, the truck has not had brake work in the last 16 years and it's got 177,000 brutal miles on it. 

I did notice though when I put the new cylinder on, that the piston moved ever so slightly better than the original. Felt like a piece of rubber in the original had to flip a lip over to move where as on the new one, I don't get that feeling. I was also able to push the brake pedal to the floor two dozen times where as before I could do it once then by push five, the pedal wasn't moving. Guess I'll have to finish this project off and we'll see.


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## Peanut (Mar 23, 2011)

Alrighty. Didn't get out to the parts store in time to pick up new hoses, BUT...

The new Master Cylinder is installed and I flushed out all the lines. I've got a water bottle's worth of horrendous looking fluid. Everything bleeds out clean now and the brake action is working wonderful again!

Next project: Timing Chain/ Full rebuild, Suspension, or redo the interior... Not sure what direction I want to go now, as everything else on the truck has been replaced!


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## jdg (Aug 27, 2009)

Peanut said:


> Judge, you present an amazingly valid point here.


(I'm thinking of those commercials with the most interesting guy in the world)

I don't often have valid points.....But when I do, they're amazingly valid points.

Stay thirsty my friends...


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## Grug (Aug 20, 2009)

Hey, Peanut. Glad to see you got to the bottom of your problem.

If you decide to dive into the timing chain, keep us posted. I'd like to hear how it goes for you.


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## mobilecitybuzz (May 6, 2015)

*95 Nissan Brake Problems*

I have a similar problem, I was driving my 95 Nissan home one day and the brake/ABS light came on, after driving it for 25 minutes and stopped at a gas station to get gas. After getting gas, I got in the truck to leave and the truck would not move foward or backwards, so I finally had to asselerate the truck to make it move out of the way until it would'nt move anymore. I let the truck there and came bake a few hours later and then I was able to drive it home.
I had the truck checked out at a local shop with the brake/ABS light still on and they kept it for three days and told me just to keep driving it and if it happened again to just losen one of the lines to release the pressure.
This only usually happens when I have to drive for a long drive and need to use the brakes often.
My brakes has locked up three times total, with the last time happing about a week ago 5/1/2015.
Anyone with any ideas about what the problem may be.




Peanut said:


> So after spending a couple of hours working on the new stereo install for my truck, I go to leave the shop and notice my truck is STRUGGLING to drive.
> 
> After getting to the other side of the parking lot, I turned around and brought the truck back inside.
> 
> ...


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## TedGar (Nov 16, 2016)

while the car is off. disconnect the vacuum line to the booster. then plug the line with a screw to prevent vacuum loss. the brakes will be very hard, because the vacuum assist is disconnected. But if the brakes are now free then you have to adjust the rod that connects the brake pedal to the vacuum booster. Loosen the hex nut a few turns, then grab rod with a pair of pliers and adjust rod away from the booster.
sometimes the rod comes out of adjustment and the rod is pushing on the booster, and the brakes lock up. Tighten the hex nut again, put the vacuum line back on, and you should be good to go.


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## CMax03 (Jan 17, 2009)

smj999smj said:


> Hardbodies on had rear ABS, so it wouldn't affect the front brakes, anyway. If they are all locking up, I would be leaning toward the master cylinder, as well. Perhaps the piston is sticking in the bore?


I'm with you! 4 brakes don't just lock up simultaneously...


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