Brake booster - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

turbodiesel · #1 03-26-2004, 02:44 PM

I was driving today, and came up on a stop light, the brakes felt weak like brake fading and they were pulling to the right. After I stopped I smelled brakes burning or brake fluid burning. I kept driving and they got better at the next light and kept getting better. I got home checked the fluid and it is full all the way to the top, but it appears some leaked out, can't really tell from where but there is quite a bit of brake fluid dripping from down the master cylinder from the resivoir. Brakes feel ok now but I am wondering what happened?? Brakes dragging? Fluid boiled over?? Leaky master cylinder?

lrg · #2 03-26-2004, 03:12 PM

It sounds like the fluid boiled. You may have a sticking caliper that caused it to overheat then boil the fluid. It may be better now but it will likely happen again so I would check your calipers and be prepared to rebuild one or two. By the way, how old is your fluid? Older fluid will tend to have more moisture in it and boil more easily.

turbodiesel · #3 03-26-2004, 03:23 PM

Fluid looks brand new to me.. it's filled past the "max" mark. Previous owner just but on new front rotors and pads about 2,000 miles ago.

lrg · #4 03-26-2004, 03:34 PM

All the more reason it may be a sticking caliper since the new, thicker rotors and new pads will cause the pistons in the caliper to be pushed further back into the bore than they have been in a while. This may never happen again or it may happen again the next time you drive the car. Either way I'd want to check it out rather than take chances. Be alert to any tendancy of the car to pull to one side, assuming the front end is in otherwise good shape, that's a sure sign of a dragging caliper.