2005 CRD Severe Brake Drag

Postoak · **Posted:** Mon Sep 26, 2011 8:02 pm

The brakes hang on my CRD - enough that that it is a severe drag on the engine.

It generally happens with light brake use in stop and go traffic, and seem to occur more frequently in hot weather.

I have had it up on a lift when it occurs and all four wheels are affected.

I would suspect a brake caliper problem except for two things:

1 All four wheels are nearly locked

2 The fix is to lift upwards on the brake pedal

Ideas around what is causing the problem and the possible fix are very welcome !

Ajamant · **Posted:** Mon Sep 26, 2011 9:02 pm

Hmmmmm..... I've heard of the caliper bolts sticking, but if all 4 breaks r responding the same way I highly doubt all the caliper bolts have failed in the exact same manner. I'd be looking into the master cylinder, but that's just a guess.

geordi · **Posted:** Mon Sep 26, 2011 10:28 pm

Water contamination in the brake juice, low brake juice (less likely) or crap plugging the lines near the master cylinder. I'd say probably water contamination, you want to do a complete flush of the lines. Start with the rear passenger wheel and then the driver's rear, pass front, and finally driver front. Flush through the line until the fluid runs clear, and keep topping it off at the reservoir to keep the possibility of ANY air out of the system.

With the brakes working normally otherwise (but not releasing) the heat buildup in the calipers causes the water to boil and expand, which forces more pressure into the calipers and pulling up on the brake pedal might open the master cylinder back to the reservoir and release the pressure that way, which loosens the calipers.

Brake juice is actually supposed to be changed once a year... I know I don't do that, and I can't think of anyone I know that does either. Chances are, your original owner didn't either.

Postoak · **Posted:** Mon Sep 26, 2011 11:48 pm

I forgot to mention that I have replaced the Master Cylinder and the Power Booster - sorry about that.

I replace nearly all of the Brake Fluid when I did that - but I will try flushing the brake lines.

geordi · **Posted:** Tue Sep 27, 2011 1:03 am

Hmm. Well, then I'm stumped.

DOC4444 · **Posted:** Tue Sep 27, 2011 7:00 am

You replaced theMC and booster to address this problem or it appeared after?

DOC

DOC4444 · **Posted:** Tue Sep 27, 2011 8:00 am

If you can "pull back" on the brake pedal, things are not right. Brake pedals should always naturally return to the top of their travel by themselves. Either the linkage is binding (unlikely) or the MC is malfunctioning (most likely).

We had a front caliper lock up, but the pedal acted normal. I wonder if more than one caliper does not retract properly, the MC "hangs", not having enough force to overcome the drag and return to its normal position.
It is just is hard to imagine all 4 calipers developing retraction problems at the same time.

DOC

Postoak · **Posted:** Tue Sep 27, 2011 9:35 am

I replaced the MC and Power Booster to hopefully correct the problem, as I was stumped.

All four wheel are definately locked when it occurs.

The Brake pedal will pull up barelly just a 1/8 inch or so when this drag happens, and that will release them.

Also if I cut the engine, and depresses the pedal a few times to "use up" the Vaccum, the brakes will unlock also - that is why I replaced the Booster too.

Thank you all !

geordi · **Posted:** Tue Sep 27, 2011 2:17 pm

This may sound stupid, but from the "hearing hoofbeats = horses not zebras" file...

Is there a return spring on the pedal itself on our CRDs? An older car I had had one of those. Maybe the spring just needs to be replaced?

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue Sep 27, 2011 6:43 pm

I would be cheacking the vacuum source.I know the CRD's use some sort of pump or vacuum reverse being it's a diesel.SAAB's are well known for the same issues(even being a gas engine) and they have some vacuum pump/reserve part that fails and "locks" the brakes.

RENE · **Posted:** Tue Sep 27, 2011 7:29 pm

Looks like a brake pedal free play adjustment problem. There should always be some free play before the pedal actually pushes on the brake booster. Could be the brake switch too low, the push rod from the pedal to the booster too long. This problem would be worst when hot due to metal expansion.

Postoak · **Posted:** Wed Sep 28, 2011 11:53 pm

The pedal seems normal in all respects - it seems to have the right amount of Free Play - but that is just a guess on my part as I have no idea what the free play should be. I remember seeing those adjustments and specs in shop manuals over 30 years ago however.

My gut tells me something wrong with the vaccum booster - is there something that is suppose to release or bleed off the vaccum ?

I don't see an old style return spring on the pedal, but I have darn sure thought about adding one !

DOC4444 · **Posted:** Thu Sep 29, 2011 7:41 am

Have you tried driving with the vacuum line to the booster off? Be very careful if you try this because the CRD will barely stop without boost. However, that will tell you if the problem is the boost not releasing when it should.

DOC

Postoak · **Posted:** Thu Sep 29, 2011 10:45 am

Doc - that is a very good idea !

It would have to be on a long trip with a lot of stop and go - as the problem is very intermitant, and in a very low traffic area.

Radman · **Posted:** Thu Sep 29, 2011 12:30 pm

When I had a similar problem it turned out to be my front caliper that was seizing up. Only occasionally it would jam until one time it really got stuck and the truck started to shake vigorously on the highway and pull to one side. It got so hot that it burned all the rubber seals on the caliper.... replaced caliper and all is well now.
However you mention all 4 wheels lock up, so not sure if caliper issue.... If you jack up the car and spin the wheels when this occurs do all 4 wheels feel equally stuck? Or is there more resistance on one?

Postoak · **Posted:** Thu Sep 29, 2011 4:35 pm

Radman all of them seem equally stuck - I am a fairly robust guy, and I could barley move the wheel.

nissanfrontier · **Joined:** Tue Dec 22, 2009 4:09 pm **Posts:** 145

You need to do thorough brake bleed and toss on some new pads plus hardware. Grease with synthetic brake lube on back on pads,pins,slides. I found crud in brake lines like clear plastic 2 quarts of dot 3 solved this issue. Now is time to toss on some new rotors 2 there pretty inexpensive at advanceautoparts with 50percent off coupon floating around. My issue is now the hand brake needs adjustment and star wheel is in impossible spot to adj on ground.

RENE · **Posted:** Thu Sep 29, 2011 7:01 pm

If the brake drag goes away when pulling up on the brake pedal, the problem is there, forget the calipers , abs and other components.

GILCRD06 · **Posted:** Tue Oct 04, 2011 11:15 am

Good Day to All,
I've been following this site since October 2005 almost every evening and I did read the Noob guide. I owe a 2006 CRD Limited,stock ,except the GDE eco, Provent and replaced the fuel head. Been 6 years (almost) with no problem. I have done the brake maintenance 2 months ago ( replaced all rotors, pads, cleaned and creased slides and bolts,etc) everything worked fine til this saturday, I noticed the wheels where hot. I lifted the wheels off the ground one at the time and they where very hard to rotate, I just hit the brake pedal and that freed the wheels. Pull back and forth a few time in the driveway, lifted the wheels one at the time again and same problem and again if I press on the brake pedal lighthy the wheel is easy to rotate.
I stopped by a stealership yesterday to see if they ever heard of a problem like that or if they had any clues, the answer was they have to investigate ( and bring a blank pay check!).
I have read the technical manual for the brake system, and I have two interrogations, is it the
brake booster( I have further test to do) or the HCU for the ESP/ABS can cause the pressure
on all four wheels. The problem seem to be permanent.
Thanks for any advice or comment, any help would be well appreciated.
Gilles,

Radman · **Posted:** Wed Oct 05, 2011 12:00 pm

Hi Gilles,

What stealer did you go to? Where do you live in Montreal?

2005 CRD Severe Brake Drag

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