Brake Pedal goes to the floor when pushed

JOYCEROEGELEIN

MEMBER
2001 NISSAN MAXIMA
3.0L
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
170,000 MILES

Brake Pedal goes to the floor when pushed. Checked the master cylinder and found no leaking
in the lines or anywhere else leaking. After you push the pedal down and it goes to the floor and if you hold it down the car wants to die. Once you let up off it, it works fine. Its like it has a vacuum leak and I cant find a leak anywhere. Can you help me find out what is wrong. A friend told me that it could be leaking internally verses externally. And it could be leaking into the brake booster. Thank You for all of your help. Please call me at 865-455-5279. I dont have any money my daughter is a diabetic and I'm afraid shell get hurt in it with the pedal going to the floor.

2 Replies

CATAFINA

MECHANIC
167 POSTS

The master cylinder could be leaking internally recommend replacement also check the brake booster if its leaking

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Wednesday, October 21st, 2015 AT 6:07 PM

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,916 POSTS

If you're not losing brake fluid, it's not leaking into the power booster. Internal leaking is a real good suspect, especially since the brake pedal has been pushed to the floor, regardless of the cause. Crud and corrosion build up in the lower halves of the bores where the pistons don't normally travel. Pushing the pedal more than halfway to the floor runs the rubber lip seals over that crud and rips them. That results in a low or slowly-sinking brake pedal, and often that doesn't show up for two or three days.

Since you don't see leaks anywhere else, it's likely you just have a master cylinder failure.