hello
i have a problem with my car that when i brake the car trys to steer to the left, and it is a bit of a problem, especially on the motorway as it can catch you off guard.
the car doesn't have abs or any fancy brake equipment, just a diagonally split system with discs and drums.
so far in my efforts to find the cause i've:
bled the brakes (in case there was air in one of the circuits)
checked the drums to make sure the handbrake cable wasn't affecting the self adjusting mechanism.
changed the tyres right to left, and vice versa - to see if uneven wear was a problem.
which now leaves me wondering what to do next....
i can't see anything wrong with the calipers at the front, and both seem to be wearing equally.
my worry now is that the front wishbone bushes are worn, which means that under braking the steering geometry is altered, and thus the problem....
any suggestions are very welcome, as i'm stuck for an answer, and i don't want to hand the car over to the dealer just yet.
thanks
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I would suggest a complete geometry check .Have you changed the fluid recently .I had the same problem on my sons car and chanching the fluid cured it
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a long time ago, my car went into the garage for all new brakes, but the idiot who did the work, forgot to put new brake pads on the drivers side, so the car had three new brakes, and the worn old one, so it was going to the right when i braked.
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Sorry Chris, if that were the case the car wold have pulled to the LEFT, unless of course you drive a left-hand drive Lada !!
Adam
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it was when i used to live in north carolina, a place called wake forest.
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oh you are joking, I used to live just outside Raleigh.
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the first house was in wake forest, but that was miles from anywhere, so we moved to raleigh, but that was in 1984. do you remember winn dixie, (i think thats the spelling)
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You mean the shopping place ?
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yes i do mean the shopping place, i think the street was called silverleaf place, i am not sure about the "place" but i am sure it was silverleaf.
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by the way silverleaf was not the place that had winn dixie, silverleaf was the street that i used to live on.
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Guys,
Really spooky. Do you know the Harley dealers in Raleigh? Come in from Chapel Hill, down Wade ave and a right into South Saunders St. (might be one way now so perhaps you can't turn right).
David
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we used to live near a road called "falls of neuse" but that was in 1982.
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I don't know if its still there.
Mate of mine, Joel, has got a Harley, he's a rabbit breeder, lives on Spring Valley Road (864-578-6466 if you want a rabbit) and is always complaining that he has to drive right across town now for a service.
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As this is a safety related issue - please take your car to your nearest dealer/MOT station and ask for a brake efficiency test. This will highlight the probelm if it is indeed a braking system fault.
This is a potentially lethal fault, please get it sorted ASAP.
Rgds
David
P.S. What car is it that you have Bob?
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it's a '97 fiesta. and perhaps i've over stated the severity of the brake pull. it's only noticable when you brake hard, and i doubt some people would even notice it unless they really had to stop in an emergency.
it had an mot quite recently, so hence the wonder about the bushes having worn, but yet weren't picked up upon.
David Lacey wrote:
>
> As this is a safety related issue - please take your car to
> your nearest dealer/MOT station and ask for a brake
> efficiency test. This will highlight the probelm if it is
> indeed a braking system fault.
> This is a potentially lethal fault, please get it sorted ASAP.
>
> Rgds
>
> David
>
> P.S. What car is it that you have Bob?
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the 1997 model fiesta had a recall, something about the brakes. i would make sure with the dealer that the problem was rectified. also for the details of the recall, go to parkers.co.uk and go into the owning catagory.
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Details on this site, not too far to travel.
Recalls
1995 (VIN SE): Brake lights may not work. 1995 diesel (VIN SY, SS, ST): Brake vacuum pump may not create enough vacuum for servo. 1996 (Fiesta and Courier van, 1996 model year; 47,500 cars): Check for faulty piston seal in hydraulic clutch master cylinder. Check for contamination of brake fluid and incorrect front brake hose routing. 1997 (5-door models built Oct '95-May '96): may have faulty rear door latches. Also TSB 107 concerning complaints about noisy alternator drive-belt of diesel model causing battery discharge. Modified parts to be fitted (was not always done). 1998 (July 1995-June 1996 build-67,000 cars): Possibility of brake failure due to front brake pipe chafing on bracket. Modified pipe and bracket to be fitted to both front brakes. (Repeat brake pipe recall announced on radio 12/2/98). Fiestas with ABS (Mar '98-Sep '98): Brake master cylinder may fail. Fiestas with passenger airbags built Aug '96-Feb '97: passenger airbag may go off while car is stationary.
David
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