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89 4 runner locks up when DRIVING please help

Old 05-08-2013, 09:40 AM
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89 4 runner locks up when DRIVING please help

Hello all

My rig seems to lock up when driving...the break pedal starts to catch really high as if there is air in the break lines. the truck becomes lock will not move in neutral at all...It locks I wait 20min and its will drive about 1/2mile and LOCK up again what is this???

Please let me know what yall think?

not sure what is causing this...If I cant figure it out I'm pulling it to Ft.collins for Scotty C to fix it...

Your help is good
Old 05-08-2013, 11:11 AM
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You do not mention what transmission you have in your sig.

My guess is that you have a clog in your brake lines, probably close to or in the master cylinder. I had the same sort of thing happen to a friend's car once. In her case, the rubber lines to one of the front brakes had gone bad. Somehow, when they go bad on the inside they can start to act like a check valve, so no fluid can flow back to the master cylinder and the brakes stay locked.

I would pull off your calipers and see if you can push the pistons back in (with a c-clamp). If not, the rubber lines, or a clog elsewhere, are probably your problem.

It could also just be that your caliper itself is bad, by the way. Sometimes they lock up and the pistons will not retract. Jack up one side and then the other and see if you can turn the wheels by hand when they are lifted and the tranny is out of gear.

Last edited by Sturmcrow; 05-08-2013 at 11:13 AM.
Old 05-08-2013, 11:24 AM
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Yeah sounds like you have a dragging brake caliper.
Old 05-08-2013, 11:34 AM
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ok I will check the break lines... not sure what would cause this to happen...Thanks for your help...I went and bought another car 1987 volkswagon cabrolet good on gas and fast like a race car...400$ it was a steal...

Thanks for your help!
Old 05-20-2013, 10:50 AM
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any other ideas?

I heard U-Joints??? but was told U-joints will not lock the car up...T-Case??? Tranny??? Master cylider?
Old 05-20-2013, 12:04 PM
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wheel bearings. check your brakes first though
Old 05-20-2013, 07:10 PM
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Sounds like dragging brake boiling the brake fluid. Dragging brake causes massive heat, boiling (probably contaminated) brake fluid, which expands and causes the brake to grab even harder. This continues until it's un-driveable and sits long enough to cool off.


When this happens, I bet one of your wheels is massively hot (don't touch the rotor/drum directly!!!! You'll be able to feel the heat without touching anything, or on the rim). Inspect/clean/lubricate all components on that corner and see if that fixes it, otherwise rebuild or replace the caliper. Bleed the heck out of the system to get the contaminated fluid out.
Old 05-21-2013, 02:48 PM
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anyone have the pedal get very hard and all 4 brakes staying on? How do you see if the check valve in the master cylinder is failing? I was driving on the freeway and I thought I was loosing my motor, felt like driving into 120mph head wind. Smelled brakes and pulled over. All 4 wheels, rotors and drums were HOT, Didn't pull to one side or the other. If the master cylinder is failing could this be the issue or the booster?
Thanks!!
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