What is the problem when I’m driving in a parking lot and my 98 Buick Century limited is stopping on breaks if on the gas ?
When I'm in a parking lot about to take off and my car make a sound as if I hit the breaks really hard and I don't have my foot on the break
My car has 132688 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hello. Thank you for writing in. When the vehicle struggles to accelerate or keep at a steady pace in a parking lot, are you turning at the time? If this is the case, the vehicle is struggling to assist you with steering, and it has nothing to do with the brakes at all. Without the assistance of power steering you can continue to steer, it just becomes very, very hard. This will feel as if the brakes are being applied. In this situation you will need to inspect the power steering pump and system. If you are not turning when this is happening, you may be facing a throttle issue or a brake issue. The brakes should not be applying by themselves, but they can feel like they are and its referred to as a sticking brake. The throttle can also rob the engine of airflow which will kill the engine and cause deceleration. The first step is to determine what is actually happening that is slowing down the car. From there you can diagnose what has failed causing your symptoms.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
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This can be due to a number of problems: a leak in a brake line, a loss of pressure within the master cylinder itself due to a failed seal, or air being introduced into the braking system. Your first reaction to encountering spongy brakes should be to rapidly pump the brake pedal with your foot.
If it`s not clean or transparent, then your brake fluid is dirty and needs changing. The reservoir should have a label that says, “full line.” If the brake liquid falls below that line, it`s a sign your need to change your brake fluid or top it off.
Moisture in the brake fluid can cause problems because it lowers the boiling point and it can cause corrosion in the braking system. Repairs can get expensive if bad fluid corrodes calipers, brake lines and parts in anti-lock brake system (ABS) controllers.
The most likely cause of a sinking pedal with no external leakage is a faulty brake master cylinder that`s leaking internally. Were the brakes hot, we might consider boiling fluid due to moisture contamination or friction material gassing.
A failing brake booster loses the ability to amplify the force from your foot, which translates to you having to use more effort when pressing the brake pedal. This lowered force on the master cylinder reduces hydraulic pressure in the brake fluid, making it harder to brake.
Air in the brake line(s) is the most common cause of a soft/spongy brake pedal. If air gets into the brake lines, it can prevent brake fluid from flowing properly, causing the brake pedal to feel spongy or soft. If the brakes are soft or spongy, this is a good time to change or flush the brake fluid.
Every hydraulic brake system should be bled and refilled with fresh fluid to remove moisture. A simple method to accomplish this without bleeding is to suck most of the fluid out of the master cylinder with a pump or kitchen meat basting utensil. Make sure you don`t expose the circuit to air when taking the fluid out.
The moisture may enter the system through the brake hoses, seals, master cylinder cover, etc. It is imperative that you keep the brake fluid container tightly sealed when not in use, as the fluid can become contaminated on the shelf. The braking system can absorb 2% of its volume in moisture in 12 months.
Once the fluid has reached 3% moisture, this boiling point has fallen to 140°C! This is referred to as the “wet” boiling point, as around 3% water is considered the safe limit for brake fluid, and it should be replaced if the water content gets any higher.
Yes master cylinders can fail without leakage, the clutch master cylinder has a piston inside and there are separate channels for hi-pressure line and return(low pressure) line and their location in the cylinder differs for manufacturers.
A failed master cylinder can cause a low or spongy brake pedal but generally does not make any noises. If however you hear a loud hissing sound when the brakes are applied, the power/vacuum brake booster may have a vacuum leak.
Use a screwdriver to press and hold the plunger in the rear of the master cylinder. The plunger should be very firm, if not immovable, past a few millimeters. If the plunger keeps moving in, this indicates a fault of at least one of the internal seals.
A failed master cylinder can cause a low or spongy brake pedal but generally does not make any noises. If however you hear a loud hissing sound when the brakes are applied, the power/vacuum brake booster may have a vacuum leak.
A bad master cylinder can cause your brakes to fail, which can be extremely dangerous. If you`re experiencing any brake problems, make sure to take your car to a mechanic right away to have it checked out or change the master cylinder yourself.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
What is the problem when I’m driving in a parking lot and my 98 Buick Century limited is stopping on breaks if on the gas ?
ANSWER : Hello. Thank you for writing in. When the vehicle struggles to accelerate or keep at a steady pace in a parking lot, are you turning at the time? If this is the case, the vehicle is struggling to assist you with steering, and it has nothing to do with the brakes at all. Without the assistance of power steering you can continue to steer, it just becomes very, very hard. This will feel as if the brakes are being applied. In this situation you will need to inspect the power steering pump and system. If you are not turning when this is happening, you may be facing a throttle issue or a brake issue. The brakes should not be applying by themselves, but they can feel like they are and its referred to as a sticking brake. The throttle can also rob the engine of airflow which will kill the engine and cause deceleration. The first step is to determine what is actually happening that is slowing down the car. From there you can diagnose what has failed causing your symptoms.
Vauxhall Astra CDTi 55 plate after driving the car for a while it will stop while i’m driving or not start up again after parking
ANSWER : There are many variables that come into play in a no-start situation, especially an intermittent one. Since you have already had some work done, we can rule those out. Since you are having to drive before the issue happens, I would suspect a module of some sort.
Modules are another term for computer. Much like your home computer, car computers don’t like heat, so once they become too hot, it stops working. Since your vehicle’s fuel and ignition systems are controlled by a module, it makes sense that it would turn off when the module overheats. Waiting a while allows it to cool off and work again.
If you need further assistance with your problem, I recommend having a certified mechanic from YourMechanic, come to your home or office to diagnose your car’s starting issue. From there, they will be able to make any of the needed repairs that your car needs.
Idle problems when stopped. Car stops running. 4WD and Check engine lights on and solid. Gas cap tightened to verify
ANSWER : What you are describing sounds like a dirty or faulty mass air flow sensor. The mass air flow sensor monitors air intake as it is mixed with fuel prior to being injected into the motor. This sensor relays vital information to the ECM which uses this to make adjustments to fuel supply to the motor. A dirty or faulty sensor can cause an imbalanced air/fuel load to be supplied to the motor which results in an over fueling or under fueling situation depending on the conditions. This type of inconsistent fuel supply to the motor may cause a hesitation, loss of power, a jerking reaction, potentially a bit of black exhaust smoke and typically a strong smell of fuel when this sensor is malfunctioning. I would suggest having a professional from Your Mechanic come to your home to diagnose and inspect your vehicle.
I am having problems with my car overheating when the AC is on and I’m not driving. No problem while driving. Help please!
ANSWER : Hi there. This might be an issue caused by two possible sources. First, it’s possible that your thermostat is not working correctly or opening later than it should. Second, it is also possible that you have an obstruction of coolant somewhere in the cooling system; perhaps in the heater core or air bubbles trapped in the system. Issues like this can be tricky to diagnose, so it might be a good idea to have a professional mobile mechanic come to your location and complete an overheating inspection; to help you isolate the issue.
Everything on the dashboard goes out while driving and there is a loss of power steering.
ANSWER : For the dashboard loosing everything every now and then would be a loose wire – typically a loose ground on the wiring harness or the wire to the chassis. For the power steering issue, either the electronic assist is shutting off too or the engine is stalling out causing the power steering to become hard. The brake system could have a combination valve that is sticking or a brake controller that has malfunctioned and is causing the brakes to stay applied. This is why you are smelling the rubber burnt smell. The brake pads are getting too hot and emitting a smell. Check all of the electronics in your dashboard for any loose or damaged wiring. Then check to see if the brake system is staying under pressure and see if the calipers are sticking or if the combination valve is not returning. If the calipers and combination valve are good, then the brake controller needs replaced or repaired. I suggest bleeding the brakes first for if there was any contaminated brake fluid in the system causing the parts to stick.
If you need further assistance with your brake system and electrical system, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.
Getting it into Park after driving & Getting it out of park to drive the car.
ANSWER : You should have the shift cable disconnected from the transmission to make sure the hard shift problem is in the shift cable or shifter assembly and not in the transmission. The most common cause is going to be in the shifter mechanism due to problems in the shifter. Have the shifter cable disconnected at both ends and check to make sure it moves free or it binds and shifter moves free. You may need to replace the shifter or shift cable and would need to be isolated to what one is cause.
What’s wrong with my manual Jeep if I’m driving at 5th gear but it sounds like I’m driving at 3rd or 4th?
ANSWER : Since the car is still new, the vehicle should be taken back to the dealer to be checked under warranty. You may need a repair or replacement of the engine assembly. The engine may have an imbalance causing the problem. There is a technical bulletin that may pertain to this vehicle and call for engine replacement. The TSB is 09-008-16 and is dated June 16, 2016.
When refilling gas tank, gas overflows before tank is full.
ANSWER : The most common cause of this type of problem is when the fuel filler neck’s inner tube comes off of the neck itself. You will need to have the filler neck removed to check to see if the inner tube was knocked off from someone trying to get fuel out of tank with a siphon hose and managed to knock the hose off. This causes the tank to not get filled properly and the inner hose can get caught in the fuel sender causing wrong readings.
If you’d like to get this fixed, consider YourMechanic, as a certified technician can help you service your fuel filler neck and ensure that your fuel gauge functions normally. Good luck.
