Car Help!

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I'm hoping somebody here knows about cars and can help me since so far no mechanic can.

Background: I have a 2003 Honda Civic LX. It is an automatic transmission with power brakes. I park it outside and it has been a cold winter (between -15 and 40.)

Okay, now for the problem: My brake pedal will randomly not depress. As in, I can stomp on it all I want but it is stuck and I cannot brake. The first time it happened it was -15 degrees outside. It was fine when I put it from park into reverse, but as soon as I let up to back out, I could not depress the pedal. It happened a couple of more times. Then it started happening not after I put into reverse, but after I put it into drive from reverse. Now there is a serious delay. I can drive for a couple of minutes and then it will happen. The last time it happened I was coming to the end of my street which is a downhill grade. I could not stop and if somebody had been coming down the other street they would have hit me. It is happening later and later, and in warmer and warmer temperatures. When it happens I keep pressing hard on the pedal, pumping. It will be completely stuck (even though I'm stomping on it) then will suddenly go down with no warning which of course brings me to a sudden stop.

I took it to one mechanic and they have never heard of it. Went to another mechanic who said there was probably condensation on the lines and give it time to warm up. Took it to the Honda dealer today and they said I might be pressing the pedal down before starting the car which is using up the vacuum power in the cylinder. This made sense until I had an epiphany tonight and realized that there is no way this is possible. On the mornings it has done this I have needed to scrape my car. When that happens I open the passenger side to put my stuff on the seat and grab my scraper. I reach over from the passenger side and turn on the car so I can run the defroster while I scrape. So there is no way I am pushing the brake pedal before turning on the car, and it is running for a couple of minutes before I drive.

So now I am well and truly flummoxed, and am more than a little afraid of driving my car. So far it has only happened first thing in the morning. As stated earlier, it is something that happens mostly in cold weather, but the last time it was close to 50, although there was still frost on my car. Has anybody heard of this or experienced this?

 

[JR6ooo4]

starting at the beginning:
it does have a proper level of brake fluid, correct?

It has been inspected to confirm that it is not a mechanical issue?


until you find and fix the problem,
have you tested the emergency brake lately, and are you familiar with using it? stay way back from regular traffic so you have time to stop. take side streets to help keep your speed slower.

 

[AnOtHeRdIsNeYfReAk]

I know absolutely nothing about cars, but my boyfriend is always listening to this show: http://www.cartalk.com/

You can call in and ask questions, but its probably easier to post it on their discussion board. Funny show though.

 

[bumcat]

Check this out, might help.

http://www.carcomplaints.com/Honda/Civic/2003/brakes/pulsating_brakes.shtml

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

In answer to previous questions:

It has been checked out by two separate mechanics. Everything that they can see looks fine. Brake pads are fine, the lines are good. There was a "master mechanic" at Honda yesterday and he was the one who told me about pushing the pedal in before starting the car would caust it. I wish I realized at the time that was an impossibility. They did state that if it was a problem with the master cylinder they wouldn't know because you can't see inside it. They also said cars with higher mileage (mine has 85,000) can have a problem in hot weather where the check valve leaks and the brake fluid goes around it. When that happens you can push the pedal down easily but nothing happens. Sort of hte opposite of my problem.

I was also told that my shocks are leaking oil. Nothing dangerous but I might not pass state inspection and it's $500 for new shocks. Does anybody know how much a new master cylinder is? I'm worried that may be my only course of action.

It's so frustrating. It's been an awesome car and I've had no problems with it until now. The area I go to school and teach in has no reliable form of transportation (two cabs and no busses, and the cabs are driven by 80 year old man) so I have to have a working car. There's no way around it.

 

[CookieDiva]

Now my DD's Accord is a '95 and could be made completely differently, but she was having troubles with her brakes.

In the end, after replacing a couple of other things, it WAS her master cylinder.

I wish that you would be able to check this because I know that I wouldn't be driving that car with the problems that you are having. (But you must know that I am a VERY Nervous Nelly about car problems and as soon as I think that there might be something wrong with my car, I am terrified to drive or ride in it until it has been fixed. I am always afraid that a tire is going to fall off or something ridiculous like that. )

 

[JR6ooo4]

the best way to find the price of replacing a master cylinder is to call the local shops. Try a dealer and a private shop. But get references from both if you can.

Times are tight for everyone. Maybe a private shop would let you pay the cost of parts this month and labor next month?

Mikeeee

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I took it to Sears and they told me they believe that there is a hole in the diaphram of the booster which is causing it to lose its vacuum power overnight which is then placing too much wear and tear on the master cylinder. It's almost $800 to replace both. I posted to the Car Talk forum somebody recommended and ws told that does not sound plausible, so it is back to Honda tomorrow. The plot thickens...