1995 Toyota Camry whats wrong

100,000 MILES • 4 CYL • 2WD • AUTOMATIC
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CHRIS123
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  • 1 POST
my car is a 95 toyota camry LE 100k miles and when the car is turned on and I press on the brake pedal it is HARD as a rock. When i put the car in gear drive or reverse the car doesnt move as if the brakes are being pushed down.Now if i do push on the gas when the car is in drive its as if my car is attached to a boat, and you can smell burning like metal or something. Please help me guys i need to know so when i walk into the repair shop i can say hay this is what it is,, so they dont tray riping me off

oh yeah and the brake light is on if that helps
thank you
Jan 20, 2009 at 7:56 AM
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RASMATAZ
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 75,988 POSTS
HARD BRAKE PEDAL:

Lack of power assist may be due to low engine vacuum, a leaky vacuum hose or a defective booster. Sometimes a faulty check valve will allow vacuum to bleed out of the booster causing a hard pedal when the brakes are applied. This condition can be diagnosed by starting the engine (to build vacuum), shutting it off, waiting four or five minutes, then trying the brakes to see if there is power assist. No assist means a new check valve is needed.

A quick way to check the vacuum booster is to pump the brake pedal several times with the engine off to bleed off any vacuum that may still be in the unit. Then hold your foot on the pedal and start the engine. If the booster is working, the amount of effort required to hold the pedal should drop and the pedal itself may depress slightly. If nothing happens and the vacuum connections to the booster unit are okay, a new booster is needed (the vacuum hose should be replaced, too).
Jan 20, 2009 at 8:00 AM
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