Comments on: 4 Symptoms of a Bad Brake Booster (and Replacement Cost)

By: Jim

Jim — Sun, 13 Nov 2022 05:04:17 +0000

In reply to Sean. Most likely the brake calipers are getting stuck when you apply the brakes. When new pads are installed the piston inside the caliper gets corrosion and dirt on it and after the new pads are installed the piston is pushed back into the caliper along with the dirt and gets stuck against the new pads when stopping. You can check it by touching the metal rim that the tire is on and if it's really hot the caliper is stuck. Best thing is to replace both right and left calipers. You might be able to take it apart and clean it using some fire steel wool but it rarely works because the piston has bumps on it from corrosion. (the caliper contains a round piston that forces the pads against the brake rotor, the rotor is a round disc attached to the wheel hub. If you replaced the pads yourself replacing the calipers isn't that difficult. Good luck!

By: Sean

Sean — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 13:06:35 +0000

In reply to Brad. Are you saying the brakes lock without applying any brake pressure?

By: Brad

Brad — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 21:02:37 +0000

Replaced both front calipers and lines, drive about a mile and the front brakes lock, undrivable. Can release pressure with the pressure release valve. Booster issue?

By: Sean

Sean — Tue, 31 May 2022 15:34:21 +0000

In reply to oral.anders. Definitely could be the brake booster. I would get it checked out.

By: oral.anders

oral.anders — Sat, 28 May 2022 15:52:53 +0000

Mine if you have to stop in a hurry the pedal is hard but if you ease into it it will stop good

By: Sean

Sean — Mon, 16 May 2022 16:00:01 +0000

In reply to Julia Harris. Your brake booster only works when the car is on. Generally there will be a little vacuum left in the system, so you will have enough assist to depress the brake pedal once or twice before the pedal goes firm again. If your pedal is always stiff when the car is off, I would check the brake booster and make sure you don't have a leak in it, or any of the vacuum lines that feed it.

By: Julia Harris

Julia Harris — Mon, 16 May 2022 07:33:16 +0000

Hello,
My break pedal is very stiff when I start my car, but as soon as the engine is on it depresses. Could this be a sign of a faulty brake booster? This has started recently—previously the pedal would depress easily before I pushed the ignition button. This also seems to be a random occurrence but is happening more frequently. If I do not drive for a day or so it is so hard that it takes me multiple tries to start the car. I do not have any trouble breaking when I am driving though. I recently got the radiator replaced and wonder if maybe the brake booster was damaged somehow?

By: Sean

Sean — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 14:31:21 +0000

In reply to Whitney. Glad it helped you out!

By: Whitney

Whitney — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 00:36:16 +0000

Thank you for the education. I don’t know much about cars and this really helped me understand what seems to be happening with my vehicle. At least now I know what I should do next. Good info and very helpful.

By: Sean

Sean — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 17:27:31 +0000

In reply to Bendetta Parks. Thanks for the feedback, glad you liked it!