Diagnose Your Car's Problem

First, let's determine if this vehicle has a vacuum assisted power brake unit. Open the hood and locate the master cylinder. Refer to the vehicle's manual if you are having trouble. The power brake unit (whatever type) is located between the master cylinder and the firewall. A vacuum assisted unit will be a round plastic or metal canister, about 10" - 14" in diameter and about 4" - 7" deep. Is this what you found? If yes, you'll want to check the hose which connects the unit to the engine. Look for cracks or leaks and replace as necessary. If the hose looks OK or if this vehicle has a hydro-boost power brake unit (i.e. you did not identify a canister-type device as described above), seek the help of a qualified mechanic. Unfortunately, power brake units are "throw away" items and therefore when one goes bad, you'll probably have no choice but to replace it with a new one as opposed to having the unit rebuilt

Print