Brake is vital in your car safety it is very dangerous to drive when there is a problem with your car especially the brakes, several problems might occur in the braking system without proper maintenance and you will only know it when it affects the performance of your car. One of the problems that sometimes happen is when the brake pedal goes to the floor when depressed when braking application. This can be noticeable when you apply the brake lightly, the pedal will go straight down until it hits the floor. You are lucky if the car stops without hitting something.
Car trouble symptoms
When the driver slightly steps on the brake pedal, the pedal sinks to the floor.
The problem of the brake pedal that sinks to the floor even when the pedal is slightly pressed is an indication of a master cylinder fault. The reason is there is an internal leak that occurs within the master cylinder.
The Master cylinder consists of the primary and secondary piston which operates on the front or the rear brakes, both pistons are sealed with a part called the cup. When the cup is damage the brake fluid will leak that is why when the driver puts the foot on the pedal and slightly press, the pedal goes to flooring.
The master cylinder converts the motion of the brake pedal into hydraulic pressure. It consists of the reservoir tank, which contains the brake fluid, as well as the piston and cylinder, which generate the hydraulic pressure. There are two types of the master cylinder. The single master cylinder uses one piston to deliver hydraulic pressure to all four-wheel cylinders. The tandem master cylinder uses two pistons to deliver hydraulic pressure separately to the wheel cylinders of the front or rear wheels or the right front and left rear and the left front and right rear wheels. The tandem type master cylinder is used more commonly than the single type.
The tandem master cylinder has two independent hydraulic lines. If either of the lines fails to function, the other line is still capable of functioning.
Possible cause why brake pedal sinks to the floor
Internal leak on the master cylinderHow to fix brake pedal that sinks to the floor
To solve this kind of problem you have to bring the car to a reputable auto repair shop for checking and repair if necessary, probably the best thing that the auto mechanic to do is to replace the master cylinder. If you decide to replace the master cylinder you can buy at any repair shop replacement parts or buy a rebuilt one that is less expensive than a new one and will not cost you more.
Refer to your car service manual if you decide to do them yourself, In case fluid leakage due to piston cup wear occurred, overhaul the master cylinder by referring to the Service Manual. Be careful not to splash brake fluid on a painted area because it may cause damage to the paint. If the brake fluid is splashed on a painted area, immediately wash it away with water.
Never use mineral oil such as kerosene or gasoline while cleaning and assembling. Make sure that there are no foreign materials on the cylinder wall, piston, or cup seal. Be careful not to scratch the parts with a tool while assembling. Be careful not to drop any parts. If any part is dropped, replace it with a new one, do not neglect this problem, if this problem happens you take care at once to avoid a more serious problem that may result from this pedal problem.
Want more videos?
Subscribe to my channel!
Share with us what you think about this topic to provide another reader more information that this article should have covered.