Hello... I hope someone out there can help solve my problem.


My son''s car is a ''98 Mercury Mystique. He was driving on the freeway last week until he smelled (and saw) smoke. He said the rt front wheel, hub, rotor, etc, were hot to the touch. Had the car towed home. I noticed the brake fluid was very low, but haven''t found where it was goine - yet. I figured it was the caliper, cause when I took it off, it wouldn''t compress. Once I disconnected the caliper it would compress??? while it was off, I had my son hit the brake - no fluid would come out of the exposed line!!! Is the Pressure Differential to blame? How do I reset it? Maybe the Master Cylinder?


Anybody got a clue??? Cause I''m just about out of them.


Thanks,


Bill

 

you''ll need to make sure there''s enough fluid in the reservoir to actually be able to pump any out of the exposed line. if no fluid came out when you disconnected it, there may be a blockage or pinched line along the way. if the caliper would compress after taking the line off, then it shouldn''t be the caliper that''s the issue. to be able to compress the caliper with the line connected, you have to open the reservoir to allow fluid to flow that way. from what I''m reading though, I would suspect a pinched brake line. if you can, trace the hard lines back to the master cylinder and make sure there''s no damage to them. you may also need to bench bleed the master cylinder on the car. It could be the proportioning valve in the master cylinder as well. if that''s the case, there is no reset, it either needs to be cleaned (something is clogging the system) or replaced (it''s broke). If the car has ABS, there could be a host of other issues that are best diagnosed by a trained mechanic. To check the idea of system issues other than damaged lines, fill the reservoir and bleed all of the other brakes on the car. if you get fluid from all the rest, then it''s an issue with the brake line to that one wheel. I would also check the wheel bearings on that wheel to make sure they weren''t damaged.

 

I had already filled up the reservoir yesterday. I''ll check it tonight when I get home. While I''m at it, I will try to bleed out the other wheels. The wheel bearings would be difficult to check as it is a front wheel drive and I don''t have the tools / experience doing them (I''ve done front wheel bearings on rear wheel drive vehicles though).


I''ll let you know what I find later tonight... Thanks for your comments and suggestions.


Bill

 

If the wheel bearing went at highway speeds, enough to smoke, then it could of melted the hose. The hose is actually a hose within a hose. I saw a hub bearing that went that actually warped the spindle. If the caliper is off than just put the tire back on and spin it. You''ll know if it is the bearing. And on the subject of resivoirs, a lowering fluid level is as actually normal as the pads wear out. If you refill it when it isn''t all the way empty it will overflow when you push the caliper pistons back. Just a thought. Good luck.