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2003 Jaguar X-Type

Question: No tension on brake pedal and no brakes

Question

Blackmagnet1, Jacksonville, FL, March 22, 2009, 13:45
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 Rookie

Replaced rear pads and driver side caliper (left side), bled breaking system to no avail. Cannot get pressure on the brakes. The parking brake works, but does not have very firm pressure. I have bled the system by connecting tubing to each valve, and watching the air leave the system. When that failed I loosened the valve and allowed the fluid to run freely to se if air was still in the system. There was still in the system and seems to have been purged. When I depress the brake pedal when the car is off, the pedal goes part way, then it hitches and goes to the floor. When the car is running the brake pedal goes to the floor, with little to no tension. I am beginning to believe that the mater cylinder is faulty. It was working prior to replacing the left side rear brake caliper (driver side).

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  • Answer #1

    patrick mannion from Greg Solow's Engine Room, March 22, 2009, 22:37
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     Master

    When replacing the brake pads many people make the mistake of screwing the brake caliper piston in or pushing the piston in with out opening the bleed screw. If you open the bleed screw and push in the piston the dirty brake fluid gets pushed out the bleed screw instead of being pushed back the lines and into the brake master cylinder.
    One thing to try. Take a pair of needle nose vise grips put a rubber hose over each jaw. Don't collapse the brake flexible hose but clamp the brake flex hose, DO NOT DRIVE THE CAR. Start the engine put your foot on the brake is the pedal, is the pedal better? IF not take another pair of vise grips prepared the same way and repeat, starting the car and pressing the brake pedal. It will eliminate a possible problem with the rear calipers. If the pedal is rock hard with both rear brake calipers "pinched off" your problem is in the rear calipers. Again don't drive the car its only a test.
    I will look at the Jaguar manual tomorrow and see if anything else comes to mind. I am anxious to find out what you find.

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    Visitor, August 17, 2010, 08:17

    I have the exact same problem, but the 1st step I took was to open the bleed valve before I started pad replacement. Assuming I still have a problem with dirt in the calipers, how do I flush the dirt out? Do I need to replace the calipers?

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