QuestionI own a 99' corolla CE. I have been having problems with my brakes. I originally got a diagnosis from a certified brakes and transmission specialist, saying that both my front and rear brakes needed replacement. Well I replaced both, front and rear brakes, and the master cylinder, 2 months later, I am experiencing the same symptom problems.
While the car is running, it will begin to feel forced, meaning that I have to press further down on the accelerator to get the car to move, and even then it will only keep moving at snail pace. Instantly as i release the accelerator, the car comes to a complete stop, #instead of idiling to a stop, before pressing the brake#; then when I attempt to press on the brake, the pedal is hard to press, it seems like it it jammed. When the brake pedal IS loose and I press on it I hear a grinding sound #like metal grinding on metal#. Can you help in telling me what it could possibly be that is wrong with my car? I am pretty sure it is a problem with the brakes, but what else can it be? I have changed everything with the brakes #except the parking brake#. What could it be. Please help. Thank you.
AnswerThank you for the in-depth description of your problem; it makes it a lot easier to diagnose.
It sounds like your parking brake is stuck, that is, it has not released from its braking position even after you released the lever. Do you know if your rear brakes are drums or discs?
If they are drums, then your parking brake and your regular brakes share many of the same components, with small exceptions. If it is disc brakes, then the parking brake is a drum brake assembly inside the disc rotor. You'll probably have to replace the brake shoes as well as repair whatever caused the shoes to jam.
Hope this helps.
Vince
