Brakes locking up?

Tiny
LOSPINA
  • MEMBER
  • 2012 HYUNDAI GENESIS
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 92,500 MILES
My car has two major issues. The initial issue was that my car’s speed was not matching the RPMs. I would be driving on the highway going 65 MPH then out of nowhere the car would start to slow down no matter how hard I pressed the gas. This happened twice on different days but seemed to go away after pulling over and not driving the car for an hour or so. The second issue came a couple of days later where all my brakes started locking up and smoking. Not only was the car barely pushing forward but the second you let off the gas, it would come to a complete stop, I also noticed my brake lights stopped coming on when this occurred. A month before this started happening, I just had my front brake pads and my master cylinder replaced. After this started, we changed out the brake light switch because that’s the only relevant issue (on a very long list) the dealership diagnosed for me. The car is still acting up. I can’t drive it for more than a mile or so until it locks up. Please help. A mechanic friend of mine is suggesting we change out the whole ABS control module. Are there any other theories to solve this issue? Thank you!
Thursday, June 3rd, 2021 AT 9:31 PM

13 Replies

Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
If the brakes are locking up then that may account for both issues. So let's address that first and if it doesn't solve both then we can address the other.

When the brakes are locking up do you hear any buzzing or other noises?

This could be the ABS activating but I would like to get some other evidence to confirm it.

Here are some guides that will help with this:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-a-abs-controller

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/abs-wheel-speed-sensor-test

Let's run through this and go from there. Thanks
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Friday, June 4th, 2021 AT 7:46 AM
Tiny
LOSPINA
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Thank you for your reply. The only particular noise that the car makes when this problem occurs is something like an engine roar. No noises from the brakes. A mechanic just replaced my ABS system and proceeded to bleed the brakes. The results of this is now when I press on the brake pedal, it doesn’t catch like it supposed to. It goes all the way to the floor. He believes that the rest of the air in the lines needs to be suctioned out with a vacuum. But he still believes that we fixed the original problem of the brakes locking up by replacing the ABS system. Can’t really test it though at the current state my car is in.
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Tuesday, June 8th, 2021 AT 10:36 AM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
This sounds odd if he bled the brakes after he did this. Here is a guide that will help with this issue:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/brake-pedal-goes-to-the-floor

However, if the brakes go to the floor then there is a leak or air in the lines. Do you know if he bled both the ABS system and then the base brakes system?

If he did not bleed both in that order then that is the issue.
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Wednesday, June 9th, 2021 AT 7:46 PM
Tiny
LOSPINA
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
So I’m back with the same problem. My car worked for a few days after the ABS was changed but it then again starting locking up and smoking. Let me give you a quick list of everything that has been done. April 2021, the master cylinder and front brake pads were changed due to a soft pedal. A month later, car randomly stops accelerating appropriately and then is followed by the brakes locking up and getting hot, the TCS light comes on at this point. This was an inconsistent problem as the car worked sometimes and didn’t other times. The ABS system was then replaced and the car worked for about 5 days then the same issue occurred again. Then the front calipers were changed and the wheel speed sensors were checked, still not solving the issue. I’m this close to dumping the car. Please, any help is appreciated.
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Tuesday, June 29th, 2021 AT 7:18 PM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
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Let's go back to the original concern. You had a soft pedal and they replaced the master cylinder and then this issue started?

Did it ever happen prior to this?

I find it hard to think a master cylinder would cause this as your traction control light to come on unless this is just a result of the brakes locking up and it is seeing the wheels spinning at different rates.

Is it possible for you to get a video of this issue as that may help us get a better idea of possible causes but I would think we may have a master cylinder issue.
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Wednesday, June 30th, 2021 AT 7:05 PM
Tiny
LOSPINA
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
The original issue in April was that for several months prior, I was dealing with having to pump the brakes to get the car to stop. It was not something I needed to do every time I hit the brakes but it was occurring more frequently. The mechanic I saw suggested changing the master cylinder. We got the part from an auto store. He also changed the front brake pads. The car worked without any problems for about a month. Then the new issue started occurring with the acceleration acting funky and the brakes locking up. This was not a problem prior to the master cylinder being replaced. I do have some videos I can attach from May of this year when the new issue started happening. You will see in the video (hopefully the quality is okay) how the acceleration was lacking and if you turn up the volume, you can hear the engine roaring. Once this starts happening, the car eventually comes to a complete stop. If we try to push it to go by hitting the gas, the brakes eventually get very hot and start smoking.
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Thursday, July 1st, 2021 AT 8:03 AM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
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Okay. That is great. Let's confirm this is actually a brake locking issue. When you press on the gas and it is not moving, do the RPMs go up and the vehicle not move at all like it is in neutral? Or does the rear end squat down and feel like it is dragging? or the front end make groaning noises like the brakes are not releasing?

If the brakes are locked up and causing that much of a dramatic reaction of the vehicle not moving then I would expect you would have some major signs that they are locked.

Also, an easy way to prove this is lift the tires off the ground and press and release the brakes, then accelerate and see if they spin. Clearly you need to lift both drive wheels so it is safe.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/jack-up-and-lift-your-car-safely

Lastly I see that you mentioned the TCS control light is on but I did not understand it remained on solid. Have we checked for codes again to see what is causing that light to remain on?
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Thursday, July 1st, 2021 AT 7:31 PM
Tiny
AUSTIN110
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
I have the same issue with my 2013 Genesis. While driving brakes locking up and ESC light on. After 30-60 minutes the car will move. Had the master cylinder replaced and also replaced the ABS no luck.
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Monday, August 7th, 2023 AT 8:42 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 50,321 POSTS
This happens when the brake booster needs to be replaced because it is not retracting fully and holding the brake on. Please go over this guide and I have include instructions on how to fix it in the images below.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/a-comprehensive-guide-to-fixing-automotive-brakes-locking-up

Check out the images (below). Please let us know what happens.
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Monday, August 7th, 2023 AT 10:54 AM
Tiny
LOSPINA
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
AUSTIN110, while this issue with my car happened years ago, let me tell you what the final solution to my problem was: I had to change the master brake cylinder, again. Yes, the initial issue was my brakes were soft, so I went to O'Reilly auto parts, purchased a master brake cylinder for $100.00 and had it installed, car worked fine for about a month then all the bs started happening with my car not accelerating and the brakes locking up. After checking and changing everything possible; the brake pads, the wheel sensors, the ABS system, etc. A mechanic flippantly said to me "maybe you got a crappy master brake cylinder the first time, let's change it again." Found a Hyundai part from eBay, changed out the master brake cylinder again and low and behold, it solved the problem completely. This was 2 years ago, no issues since.
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Monday, August 7th, 2023 AT 11:24 AM
Tiny
AUSTIN110
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Thanks for the response. I am taking it back in tomorrow and will point that out. Plus, it may be the brake booster which they didn't replace when they put in the new master cylinder.
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Monday, August 7th, 2023 AT 3:44 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 50,321 POSTS
Nice work, defective parts are rough to say the least. Please let us know if it fixes the problem.
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Tuesday, August 8th, 2023 AT 10:20 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 50,321 POSTS
Anything?
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Monday, May 6th, 2024 AT 12:32 PM

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