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Chrysler 300 brake issue #479533 09/25/09 06:01 PM 09/25/09 06:01 PM
Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 401 Norway G General 68 OP mopar
General 68 OP mopar G Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 401 Norway	I just got a Chrysler 300 with drum brakes. After sitting a couple of days the first times the brakes are used they are pretty much on or off. Then they go normal and work great. Also sometimes the brake light comes on and it feels like there is no power assistance to the brakes. After releasing the pedal it goes back to normal- the light goes off and the breakes works great again. Any ideas on where to start looking to fix these issues?

Re: Chrysler 300 brake issue [Re: General 68] #479534 09/25/09 08:42 PM 09/25/09 08:42 PM
Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,373 Rancho Cucamonga, CA D_C pro stock
D_C pro stock Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,373 Rancho Cucamonga, CA	Brake Fluid level in reservoir. Brake Master Cylinder - General condition. Proportioning/Safety Valve. Brake Hydraulic Slave-Cylinders (at the wheel.) Mechanical Brake Adjusters. Brake Shoes/Pads (worn beyond limits. Brake Drums - Beyond Wear Limits, Out-of-Round condition. Leaks at Fittings or Bleed Valves.

Re: Chrysler 300 brake issue [Re: D_C] #479535 09/26/09 03:56 AM 09/26/09 03:56 AM
Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 401 Norway G General 68 OP mopar
General 68 OP mopar G Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 401 Norway	Thanks. That's pretty much the whole system. The car is well mantained and only has 63k on it and the breakes work super other than the few times the light comes on and the pedal gets hard. The brakes grab hard and does not create any pull. The issue with the on.off feeling after sitting might be an easy fix. I just wanted to know if there is a certain spot in the system that often can cause this. I don't feel like taking the whole system apart so I was hoping you could lead me to where to start looking. Thanks

Re: Chrysler 300 brake issue [Re: General 68] #479536 09/26/09 11:08 AM 09/26/09 11:08 AM
Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,506 Az Crizila master
Crizila master Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,506 Az	Quote: I just got a Chrysler 300 with drum brakes. After sitting a couple of days the first times the brakes are used they are pretty much on or off. Then they go normal and work great. Also sometimes the brake light comes on and it feels like there is no power assistance to the brakes. After releasing the pedal it goes back to normal- the light goes off and the breakes works great again. Any ideas on where to start looking to fix these issues? Sounds like you may have several issues. First, assume you are referring to the brake warning light on the dash coming on? If so, that indicates you have a leak or air in the system some where. Look around ( lines / backing plates ) for brake fluid leaks. Second, you might have a booster problem - "on or off" "no assist". I'd change out the booster check valve first. Then possible the booster - assume the engine runs good and you have good vacuum to the check valve. Also, make sure the brake pedal is returning all the way to it's stop. You could have issues with the porportioning valve also, but I would put that on the "remote" list. Fastest 300

Re: Chrysler 300 brake issue [Re: Crizila] #479537 09/26/09 02:38 PM 09/26/09 02:38 PM
Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 401 Norway G General 68 OP mopar
General 68 OP mopar G Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 401 Norway	Thanks Crizila! I'll try to explain a little better. The issue with the brakes grabbing really hard is mostly gone at the time I get the car out of the driveway. No warning light when this happens. I think it only might be a case of dry parts binding a little as the car motly has been garaged the last years. The other more serious problem usually comes after a few miles of driving. I hit the brakes and the pedal gets firm but the brakes don't grab very much and the warning light comes on. After releasing the pedal and hitting it again the light goes off and the brakes work like normal again and usually do the rest of the trip. You say that the light only indicates air or a leak in the lines/system. Then we can stop looking at the booster, right?

Re: Chrysler 300 brake issue [Re: General 68] #479538 09/26/09 08:36 PM 09/26/09 08:36 PM
Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,506 Az Crizila master
Crizila master Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,506 Az	Quote: Thanks Crizila! I'll try to explain a little better. The issue with the brakes grabbing really hard is mostly gone at the time I get the car out of the driveway. No warning light when this happens. I think it only might be a case of dry parts binding a little as the car motly has been garaged the last years. The other more serious problem usually comes after a few miles of driving. I hit the brakes and the pedal gets firm but the brakes don't grab very much and the warning light comes on. After releasing the pedal and hitting it again the light goes off and the brakes work like normal again and usually do the rest of the trip. You say that the light only indicates air or a leak in the lines/system. Then we can stop looking at the booster, right? No, I said I thought you had several issues. The light comes on only when you have a pressure difference front to rear. This can be a leak or air (air is compressable )in the lines. When you hit the pedal again and the light goes off it's probably due to the fact that you built up enough pressure from the first application to center the valve and turn out the light. If no leaks, most likely you still have air trapped in a line somewhere. If the grabbing occurs after the car has sat for a week or more ( depending on humidity, etc ) you could be right. In the fleet business it was refered to a "lot rot" - where drums / rotors / shoes / pads would rust up. The "firm pedal but poor stopping action" is another problem. Could be a booster issue - or - If a car sits a lot, sometimes the shoes can get rust inpregnated from continually cleaning off the drums. Next thing that happens is they glaze and then they don't "bit" the drums very good, especially after they heat up. You might want to pull the drums and try sanding down the shoes with 80 grit paper and see if that helps. Fastest 300

Re: Chrysler 300 brake issue [Re: Crizila] #479539 04/27/10 03:11 PM 04/27/10 03:11 PM
Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 401 Norway G General 68 OP mopar
General 68 OP mopar G Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 401 Norway	Got the car out to look into the brake problem after winter storage. I ran the car to try describing the problem a little bit better. The brakes can work good for a while but then when braking warning light comes on an the car stops really slow. The pedal felles pretty much as normal. Where should I start searchin? Master cylinder? Internal leak? Ideas? Other than that the brakes grab hard and even. Only othe issue is that they bite supersharp after start up after sitting a day or two. Like ON/OFF.

Re: Chrysler 300 brake issue [Re: General 68] #479540 04/28/10 04:25 PM 04/28/10 04:25 PM
Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 401 Norway G General 68 OP mopar
General 68 OP mopar G Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 401 Norway	After some testing I'll try to explain it a little better. When this happens the warning light comes on an actually the brake pedal gets lower until the car brakes. The brakes also doesn't grab near as hard as usual. To me it seems like the front brakes quit working, like the brake fluid bypasses somewhere. Is this possible? Like bad master cylinder or maybe distributor valve? Looks like I have to start looking at the master but ut would be nice to hear your opinions. Thanks. Last edited by General 68; 04/28/10 04:25 PM.

Re: Chrysler 300 brake issue [Re: General 68] #479541 04/28/10 05:08 PM 04/28/10 05:08 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 32,928 Grand Prairie,Texas stumpy I Win
stumpy I Win Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 32,928 Grand Prairie,Texas	Try holding the brake padal down with gentle pressure. If it drops slowly that the master is most likely bad.

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