Urgent fiesta brake problem - Very upset girl needs some help :(

[twinkles]

Hello,

This is a bit long post, and being my first one.. i may aswell apologise before i start :)

I passed my driving test on the 2nd of June and wanted to get myself a little runabout, mainly for commuting to work.

I bought a ford fiesta (S) reg - 1998 from a private ad in my local free ads.

I took my partners cousin with me as hes a mechanic, we drove it about a little bit and all seemed well so we happily purchased the car about 3 weeks ago since then, it has been hellish.

When i was driving the car back from work, 2 days after i bought it, and my first commute - i noticed smoke coming from the car, i managed to get it home however, the brakes felt like they had seized (or locked down) and i couldn't get it above 25 MPH.

I spoke to my friend the mechanic, and he said it seemed like the brakes were binding, so the day after, with his lovely help he fitted new brake pads and discs (as these were smoking alot plus when he looked at them they was very worn, and almost like a wedge shape.

We drove it about, and all seemed well however, only when i was coming back from his (and trying to accelerate off a roundabout, the same thing happened where it felt like the brakes were seized, smoke again came from the car, and i was forced to pull over and wait a good 30 minutes.

A few days later, he manged to get hold of some calipers, as the problem seems to be from the front of the car only - he replaced these for me. We then went to the pub for some tea and on the way back my fella and I had to wait nearly 2 hours! by a roadside in the middle of nowhere, as the brakes were red hot and it wouldn't budge one bit.

The calipers were now replaced and again everything seemed ok, when the car goes from standing still - its fine but its when its been driving for a while (i have to go through Norwich city centre to get home so a lot of stopping/starting etc) that things seem to go wrong.

Its quite stressful for me, i dont know anything really about cars, and a few tears have been shed over this. I even had a master cylinder fitted yesterday, and we got a good 2 drives but again on the way back from work today.. the brakes seized. I called my fella and he managed to drive it to a car park where we have had to leave it, as the brakes were seized on again.

When i say seized on, its even to the point that with the handbrake off, the car won't budge/roll.

Its quite depressing, i am 24, its my first car and i didn't think it would be this much hassle.

Its a 1.25 zetec, and i feel at my wits end. The other thing is the flexi's are slightly worn - do you think this could be causing the problems?! Any help or guidance any one may have would be greatly appreciated.

I don't really know what else to do :(

Thanks People,

H

[Big Bob]

Seems like you've replaced everything but the hoses, could be they are perished and collapsing internally and holding pressure in the calipers. If you can get at the bleed nipple when the brake is stuck on try undoing one to see if there is pressure there and if that frees them off.

Have you been fitting new parts? Second hand parts could have the same fault as yours.

[twinkles]

Seems like you've replaced everything but the hoses, could be they are perished and collapsing internally and holding pressure in the calipers. If you can get at the bleed nipple when the brake is stuck on try undoing one to see if there is pressure there and if that frees them off.

Have you been fitting new parts? Second hand parts could have the same fault as yours.

Hi Bob,

Thanks for this - Think we are going to replace the hoses when we can now, I am so stressed out by this little blighter!

They have been new parts, apart from the calipers which were 2nd hand but they were in VGC, Hopefully the hose problem will sort him out - My poor car :o(

[ZeeJex]

Welcome to the forums twinkles.

Its unfortunate to read your list of horrors, Big Bob seems knows what hes talking about. But probably your best bet is to organise a second opinion from another mechanic. Things like this shouldnt happen to new drivers like yourself as driving can be a really fun experience. If the car is on its last legs maybe its worth considering cost of potential servicing/ repairs bills VS safety/ stress and peace of mind knowing the car will get from A to B.

Keep us updated.

[twinkles]

Hi,

Thanks for the feedback.

My partner took the day off work to sort it out - its really got a bit much for us..

anyway, he got some brake hoses?! for £15.00 each, took them to a local garage to fit them.

After much advice from people, this seemed like the only opition we had.

He had them fitted, and took the car out for a thrash, safe to say it was still binding. He dropped it back off at the garage and said that it was binding still, the bloke said to leave it with him and he'd look over it.

He took out the master cylinder, and said the rod was slightly rubbing on it. When he got the car up on the jacks (or whatever those things are called they rest cars on in garages - haha, i know, i have no idea what they are called!)

anyway, he said the wheels were still tightly bound, so he took them off, moved this rod and it freed them up - he didnt actually charge us for this.

We have since been for a drive and the brake seemed a hell of a lot looser - no sticking or nothing, but i am a bit nervy of driving it - knowing we have gone through this so much where it has been fine for a couple of days, then really really sh*t.

I am hoping this is it, its driven me to tears on more than one occasion! < wimp i know, but its been very fustrating :)

[twinkles]

thanks for the welcome zeejex too! :) :)