Author Topic: Brakes locked up (Read 11534 times)

1KULSOL · « **on:** February 22, 2009, 11:53:43 AM »

My front brakes locked up on me .... was on the Kerrville run in TX ... had to apply brakes upon seeing state trooper ahead .... brake pedal stayed depressed ... I was stopped in the middle of my lane and couldn't move .... had it towed to dealer ... about an 80 mile trip as we were in the boonies .... so .... any ideas??? DDMWorks installed new rotors/pads/fluid/brake lines about a year ago ... so shouldn't be any problems there ... I didn't see any fluid leaking .... help . ......

Critterman · « **Reply #1 on:** February 22, 2009, 11:56:44 AM »

even slamming them on should not have caused that, what did the trooper have to say?
Slottet rotors? could the pad have gotten jammed in a slot?
Did you talk to dave or randy?

Go-N Def · « **Reply #2 on:** February 22, 2009, 12:00:05 PM »

Sounds like something to do with the electronic braking system? Bad solenoid maybe??? Just a guess...

If it had lost fluid, you would have lost brakes, not locked them.

PubliusE · « **Reply #3 on:** February 22, 2009, 12:11:55 PM »

Quote from: 1KULSOL on February 22, 2009, 11:53:43 AM

My front brakes locked up on me .... was on the Kerrville run in TX ... had to apply brakes upon seeing state trooper ahead .... brake pedal stayed depressed ... I was stopped in the middle of my lane and couldn't move .... had it towed to dealer ... about an 80 mile trip as we were in the boonies .... so .... any ideas??? DDMWorks installed new rotors/pads/fluid/brake lines about a year ago ... so shouldn't be any problems there ... I didn't see any fluid leaking .... help . ......

Wow! At highway speeds, did it destroy your tires? That would have scared the crap out of me. I'm guessing electronic also.

1KULSOL · « **Reply #4 on:** February 22, 2009, 12:56:16 PM »

Quote from: PubliusE on February 22, 2009, 12:11:55 PM

Wow! At highway speeds, did it destroy your tires? That would have scared the crap out of me. I'm guessing electronic also.

we were not going fast but 3 other Solstices in front of me slammed on their brakes quickly ... kind of a chain reaction .... I probably was going about 50mph when I hit the brakes ... there was no skidding involved ... a nice stop ... but no start ... no skid marks on road ... tires are fine ... one of the guys on the run works for GM in Arlington, TX ... and he mentioned solenoid .... I just walked over to the dealers a little while ago and picked up some stuff out of the car ... checked to see if it brakes were still locked ... I was able to drive it around their lot but I could tell it was still dragging ... so we'll see what they say tomorrow.

1KULSOL · « **Reply #5 on:** February 22, 2009, 12:58:36 PM »

Quote from: Critterman on February 22, 2009, 11:56:44 AM

even slamming them on should not have caused that, what did the trooper have to say?
Slottet rotors? could the pad have gotten jammed in a slot?
Did you talk to dave or randy?

yup .. I have slotted rotors ... not jammed in slot ... haven't talked to Dave or Randy ... thought maybe they'd be checking the forum today ... but I might try them later though.

Jackknife · « **Reply #6 on:** February 22, 2009, 02:30:40 PM »

Mike, sometimes a rubber brake line will collapse and prevent a return flow of fluid out of the caliper. Releasing the bleed tap will correct.

Then replace with braided hose.

Other things to check are sticking pistons in the caliper (perhaps as a result of Kerrville-style braking and heat build-up).

baconbits · « **Reply #7 on:** February 22, 2009, 02:47:40 PM »

"Other things to check are sticking pistons in the caliper (perhaps as a result of Kerrville-style braking and heat build-up". I'll buy that.. if you can drive it today and the front wheels aren't locked it sounds like the pistons my be a little tight (could also be vapourised brake fluid in the caliper if it got very very hot)..I has a similar problem on a motorcycle with after market brakes except I was doing around 80 when the wheel locked sliding me into a deep mud filled ditch...good thing for leathers and a closed face helmet..
Bacon

Divingsolo (formely Randy@DDM) · « **Reply #8 on:** February 22, 2009, 03:16:39 PM »

I've talked with Mike this afternoon. To me, it sounds like a master cylinder failure. things that led me to this conclusion

1. was not a crash stop of the type that wouldhave boiled brakes.
2. the back brakes did not lock up
3. BOTH front brakes did lock
4. the pedal did not return to the up position (big hint)
5. no abs light/failure
6. these are stock calipers with hawk pads and SP Performnce rotors, and i think Stainless braided lines
7. overnight, brakes released partially, but still drag.

To me it souds like the piston in the master cylinder jammed or has debris on the front channel. Or an ABS channel has locked up

baconbits · « **Reply #9 on:** February 22, 2009, 03:33:11 PM »

I'm so living in the seventies..antilock brakes dynamic computers..Geesh.. I think we all remember this from early last year
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has received around 40 complaints from owners of the Pontiac Solstice GXP and Saturn Sky Redline regarding the vehicle's braking performance. According to the owners, too much pedal effort is required to slow the vehicle down when the engine is cold. This may correlate with a TSB issued by General Motors back in December that advised dealers to recalibrate the braking control computer on both models. The system uses the stability control module's pump to increase hydraulic pressure when engine vacuum is low.

The investigation is in its preliminary stages, so no recall is in effect yet. However, NHTSA has one case of a crash involving one of the two models that could be attributed to the problem.

Jackknife · « **Reply #10 on:** February 22, 2009, 03:53:13 PM »

Upon reflection, I think Randy may be spot on.

My idea of hoses would make sense if the car pulled. Otherwise it's very unlikely both hoses would fail at the same time.

The issue with GXP brakes doesn't apply...Mike is supercharged.

Now Mike, have you been hitting the brakes with both feet again? Sometimes the S/C cars go so fast one might think two-foot braking is the only

way to stop!

LatinVenom · « **Reply #11 on:** February 22, 2009, 04:03:38 PM »

The statement by Baconbits ONLY applies to 2008 cars.

Critterman · « **Reply #12 on:** February 22, 2009, 05:01:24 PM »

Missed the brake pedal stays depressed

read the entire post

Good call Randy, Keep us in the loop, very interested in finding the cause.

spicy3480 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 22, 2009, 05:07:31 PM »

I asked my father who is a mechanic and he suggested the same thing as Randy. It sounded to him like a master cylinder failure also.

baconbits · « **Reply #14 on:** February 22, 2009, 07:16:13 PM »

Thanks LV I wasn't sure if it was 07 or 08.. my point is if your braking system is controlled by a computer any malfunctions could be from a myriad of problems..sensors, feedback circuits adaptive gain contollers and all the other parts that make up a computer based ABS system is usually far past the skills the average car owner has..I don't have the software to look into the computers on this car and not too many individuals do.. sure I can use a code checker and change the part that it says that is malfunctioning if it even throws a code.. but that may or may not fix the problem.. I guess if your brake pedal doesn't return.. a safe assumption would be master cylinder would good place to start.. hope the dealer has you up and running tomorrow... still living in the seventies..
Bacon

1KULSOL · « **Reply #15 on:** February 23, 2009, 07:52:29 PM »

Quote from: baconbits on February 22, 2009, 07:16:13 PM

Thanks LV I wasn't sure if it was 07 or 08.. my point is if your braking system is controlled by a computer any malfunctions could be from a myriad of problems..sensors, feedback circuits adaptive gain contollers and all the other parts that make up a computer based ABS system is usually far past the skills the average car owner has..I don't have the software to look into the computers on this car and not too many individuals do.. sure I can use a code checker and change the part that it says that is malfunctioning if it even throws a code.. but that may or may not fix the problem.. I guess if your brake pedal doesn't return.. a safe assumption would be master cylinder would good place to start.. hope the dealer has you up and running tomorrow... still living in the seventies..
Bacon

Well, I made it home about 3:45pm ... left Kerrville @ 10:30am ... now the GOOD news ..... it wasn't a "brake" problem per se .... what happened was my aftermarket XM receiver when installed over 2 years ago was sitting on the tray underneath the steering column and was pretty secure ... but over time it came loos e and when I hit my brakes this time the XM receiver came off the ledge and wedged itself behind the upper brake pedal ... so it appeared that the pedal was fully depressed and that I probably had a master cylinder problem ... Cecil Atkission GMC/Pontiac etc in Kerrville was great to me .... told me what they found ... asked me if I wanted them to secure it so that it didn't come loose again (HELL YES) .... they did check my brakes and bled them ... did a road check .... said they loved the supercharger and other goodies .... and had me on my way all for $132.80 ... I was well pleased with their friendliness and attitude toward their existing customers and to me ... someone just off the street. I did see an Orange vette while there .... but it was a little steep for me over $75k ... a Z06 .... now if they wanted to do an even swap

snaponbob · « **Reply #16 on:** February 23, 2009, 08:04:24 PM »

Although this self induced "failure" caused both

and

, it takes a REAL man to 'fess up to all of us. Which made all the more

because I've had those moments as well. If Toy4Two (a lurker from the Sol and Sky forums) saw this he would somehow state that Asian or European cars have better places to secure such add on components and thus American cars ARE junk.

Glad to hear that your dealership took good care of you.

Critterman · « **Reply #17 on:** February 23, 2009, 09:10:30 PM »

Glad to hear it was really nothing, and they took great care of you, Scary to think it could have been a real issue.

baconbits · « **Reply #18 on:** February 23, 2009, 11:42:03 PM »

Good to hear it was something easily fixable..
Bacon

KWhale · « **Reply #19 on:** February 24, 2009, 01:28:10 AM »

As Homer would say DOH!!! Thanks for posting the true story 1kulsol. The answer was good for a laugh, and a relatively cheap answer for you in the end. Sorry about the inconvenience it caused you, but you gotta admit this is a CLASSIC "mod gone wrong" It's all good now!!

2kwk4u · « **Reply #20 on:** February 24, 2009, 08:59:06 AM »

Awesome how they took care of you. Thanks for giving us all "closure" on the story.

snaponbob · « **Reply #21 on:** February 24, 2009, 09:12:10 AM »

Tonight on the FOX Network ---

MODS

GONE

WRONG !!!!!!!!!

Could make a good thread.

spicy3480 · « **Reply #22 on:** February 24, 2009, 01:48:03 PM »

Glad it's all taken care of...we all have those kinds of moments. I would have assumed there was a major issue also and done the same thing you did.

DeepBlueGXP · « **Reply #23 on:** February 24, 2009, 03:29:14 PM »

Glad to see it's fixed. It takes a real man to admit his mistakes. I'm glad only your pride and wallet felt the pain and not an accident.

LatinVenom · « **Reply #24 on:** February 24, 2009, 04:42:23 PM »

Glad everything turned out OK for you and it was not something major with the brakes.

News:

Author Topic: Brakes locked up (Read 11534 times)