Chrysler Repair: loss of brakes, master brake cylinder, brake calipers

Question
Hi Roland i have a chrysler 300m and the abs light has been coming on and off and now it is stuck on and my brakes go right to the floor and it feels like i have no brakes at all i dont get a code when its hooked to the computer though would you know what it could be???

Answer
Hi Mellissa,
This sounds like a conventional loss of brake fluid situation. I would begin by checking the master brake cylinder (directly in front of the brake pedal location, but inside the engine compartment, right at the firewall).
Remove the cap to add brake fluid it it is lower than the full mark on the side or top surface of reservoir.
If you find the fluid to be low it could be that the master brake cylinder is leaking fluid around the rod which operates it. In that case you feel by touch a wet spot in the cabin underneath the place where the rod attached to the brake pedal goes into the firewall.
Or there could be a leak at one of the wheel brake calipers. Were that the case there would be signs of fluid on the inside sidewall of the tire where the leak is occuring. It is probably not the ABS itself but rather the rest of the system, the conventional part of it. The ABS is designed to allow the brakes to operate normally if the ABS part fails. But also look for signs of brake fluid on the ground/garage floor where you park the car just in case there is a leak in the brake lines that go from the ABS to the wheels. The leak is probably located directly above where you find the fluid.
It may be that the vacuum supply to the power brake unit is impaired by a loose clamp on either end of its hose. Look for that unit as part of the master brake cylinder in the engine compartment. It is the large can-like device right at the firewall and it has a hose attached to it. Check the clamps at both ends of that hose.
You should deal with this promptly for safety.
Roland