| FAULT |
CAUSE |
CURE |
| Excessive brake pedal travel |
1. Brakes need adjusting or replacement. |
1. Adjust or renew brake shoes. |
| 2. Air in system. |
2. Bleed hydraulic system. |
| 3. Leaking or contaminated fluid. |
3. Bleed hydraulic system. |
| 4. Faulty master cylinder. |
4. Fit new master cylinder. |
| Brake fade |
1. Incorrect pad or lining material. |
1. Fit new pads or shoes. |
| 2. Old or contaminated fluid. |
2. Renew brake fluid. |
| 3. Excessive use of brakes or car overloaded. |
3. Check vehicle load. |
| Spongy brake pedal |
1. Air in hydraulic system. |
1. Bleed system. |
| 2. Shoes badly lined or distorted. |
2. Fit new pads or shoes. |
| 3. Faulty hydraulic cylinder. |
3. Check hydraulic circuit. |
| Brake pedal too hard |
1. Seized wheel cylinder or caliper piston. |
1. Replace seized component. |
| 2. Glazed friction material. |
2. Fit new shoes/pads. |
| 3. No clearance on master cylinder operating rod. |
3. Adjust push rod if possible. |
| Brake pedal requires pumping or pedal sinks to floor |
1. Brakes wrongly adjusted. |
1. Adjust brakes. |
| 2. Air in hydraulic system. |
2. Bleed system. |
| 3. Fluid leak from component or brake pipe. |
3. Check hydraulic circuit and replace parts as necessary. |
| 4. Loss of fluid from master cylinder. |
4. Check hydraulic circuit and replace parts as necessary. |
| 5. Seized caliper piston. |
5. Replace caliper. |
| Brakes grab when applied |
1. Contaminated friction material. |
1. Replace (don't clean) pads or shoes. |
| 2. Wrong linings fitted. |
2. Replace (don't clean) pads or shoes. |
| 3. Scored drums or discs. |
3. Fit new drum or disc. |
| 4. Rusty drums or discs. |
4. Clean or replace drums or discs. |
| Brake squeal |
1. Worn retaining pins (disc.) |
1. Fit new pins. |
| 2. Faulty damping shims or shoe retaining clips. |
2. Fit new shims or clips. |
| 3. Dust in drum. |
3. Remove dust from drums/shoe. |
| 4. Loose backplate or caliper. |
4. Tighten caliper or backplate. |
| 5. Linings contaminated with brake fluid or hub grease. |
5. Replace leaking cylinder and contaminated shoes or pads. |
| Brake judder |
1. Distorted discs or drums. |
1. Replace discs or drums. |
| 2. No clearance at master cylinder operating rod. |
2. Adjust rod if possible. |
| 3. Shoe tension springs either broken or weak. |
3. Replace tension springs. |
| 4. Wheel cylinder or caliper piston seizing. |
4. Fit new caliper or cylinder. |
| 5. Faulty self-adjusting mechanism. |
5. Check mechanism. |
| 6. Seized handbrake mechanism. |
6. Check handbrake operation. |
| Brake pull to one side |
1. Contaminated friction material on one side (grease, oil or brake fluid.) |
1. Replace shoes/pads in axle sets. |
| 2. Loose backplate. |
2. Tighten backplate. |
| 3. Seized cylinder. |
3. Replace seized cylinder. |
| 4. Faulty suspension or steering. |
4. Check suspension and steering. |
| Handbrake ineffective |
1. Worn rear shoes or pads. |
1. Fit new pads/shoes. |
| 2. Brakes require adjusting. |
2. Adjust brakes. |
| 3. Faulty handbrake linkage. |
3. Check linkage and operating mechanism. |
| 4. Cable or rod requires adjustment. |
4. Adjust cable or rod. |
| Servo (where fitted) late in operation |
1. Blocked filter. |
1. Clean or replace filter. |
| 2. Bad vacuum sealing or restricted air inlet. |
2. Tighten vacuum hose connections and check hoses. |
| Loss of servo action |
1. Air leak in servo -- vacuum low. |
1. Either overhaul servo or replace. |
| Loss of fluid (Servo only) |
1. Servo seal failure. |
1. Replace or overhaul servo. |
| 2. Scored servo bore. |
2. Replace or overhaul servo. |
| Loss of fluid -- general |
1. Wheel cylinder or caliper seal failure. |
1. Replace wheel cylinder/caliper. |
| 2. Damaged or corroded fluid pipes. |
2. Inspect and fit new pipes. |
