Intermittent issue of the car pulling to the left when braking hard

Tiny
KIA071989
  • MEMBER
  • 2007 KIA SPORTAGE
  • 2.7L
  • V6
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 168,200 MILES
So, my car pulls to the left when I have to suddenly brake too hard. I've had it looked at several times. One shop said alignment. One shop said there's a caliper locked on my front right wheel. One shop said it's my electronic brake system module. I've had a new brake booster put in. Had it coded at AutoZone and said it was an implausible brake switch. Had that fixed the issue stopped. Yay. Well, it didn't stop. I've put so much time and money into just trying to make my car brake properly. The only things I've had fixed are a brake booster, and new ball joints on the front. Had the lines bled. It's intermittent and I don't know what the problem is. One shop said my brake locks on the left side which is why it pulls. My brake pedal is also really hard now. I notice this issue crops up usually when it's wet outside. Help? Any ideas? What's happening? I have no lights on except an intermittent check engine light which has nothing to do with brakes. Help?
Wednesday, April 13th, 2022 AT 2:24 PM

5 Replies

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 110,068 POSTS
Hi,

Usually, when you have a brake pull, it isn't because one wheel is locking up. Instead, it's mostly caused when one caliper isn't responding properly caused by frozen, corroded, or damaged caliper slides or a stuck or slow to react caliper piston.

Since it pulls left, the first thing I would be checking is the right front brake caliper to make sure it is engaging properly. Has anyone done this? Keep in mind, if you only have the left front working and the right side isn't responding, it's going to pull toward the side that is braking.

Take a look through this link and let me know if you are comfortable doing what is listed in it:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-pulls-right-or-left-when-driving-or-braking

Let me know.

Joe
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Wednesday, April 13th, 2022 AT 8:24 PM
Tiny
KIA071989
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Hello Joe. Thank you for responding. No, the calipers haven't been changed. I took it in for an alignment after my booster was changed out and they did say it was a stuck caliper on my right front tire but then started saying it's the shocks and my ball joints and the ABS system so I didn't get the repairs. But when I took it to get the brake switch fixed it stopped pulling so I thought that was the issue. I will have to take it in to get the calipers checked out.
I don't have the tool or experience to do a repair like that but I saved the link to get a better knowledge. I appreciate that.

Would that problem also cause a hard brake pedal? The pedal doesn't go down very far as it used to when I brake.
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Wednesday, April 13th, 2022 AT 9:21 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 110,068 POSTS
Hi,

No, that wouldn't cause a hard brake pedal. The brake booster is either bad or there is no vacuum to it. Is the engine running properly? Try this and let me know what happens.

With the engine off, pump the brake pedal about five times. On the fifth time, hold pressure on the pedal and start the engine.

Once the engine starts, the pedal should move a bit downward.

Let me know.

Joe
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Thursday, April 14th, 2022 AT 12:20 PM
Tiny
KIA071989
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Well, I would try that but now it's working again. The issue is intermittent. Something is malfunctioning and only working part time like it seizes up or something then corrects itself. Cars not pulling. Brake pedal goes down fine now. I do usually do that when I have this problem pumping the brakes but not with the engine off. Usually with the engine on and I hold it down for a few seconds. I'm thinking a caliper makes a lot of since. But with the pulling at times then it stops pulling on its own could that still be a caliper issue or something else?
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Thursday, April 14th, 2022 AT 2:25 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 110,068 POSTS
Hi,

An issue with a caliper is my first suspect. I have been wrong in the past and will be again in the future. LOL However, that is where I would start.

What really needs to be done is when it is pulling, each front wheel needs to be lifted off the ground and the brake operation needs to be inspected. If it pulls left, I feel the right side isn't working properly. That is a theory at this point but that is where I would start.

Let me know if you have other questions or if I can help in any way.

Take care,

Joe
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Thursday, April 14th, 2022 AT 7:23 PM

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