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This started to happen recently.

Drive for about 1 or 2 miles and both front bakes got very hot and jam on, after leaving the car to rest for an hour or so the brakes free up and work again. As a test, The next day I make the same journey and roughly and the same time/mileage it does the same thing.

So, I clean all the slides pins thoroughly (they came out easily, no rust), add new brake grease, clean all the hanger/pads slides/guides and add copper slip, all looks clean and moves freely.

I go on the same drive again, and they jam on again, however, on this journey I did stop twice to check the wheel temperatures, first stop, after 1 mile, all wheels cold, second stop, front wheels warm to the touch but not hot, rears cold, then drive about 1/4 of mile, and I can feel the the engine starting to strain a little, it's a manual, so I push the clutch in and the car coasts but it's definitely dragging a little, I drive about another 100 yards, apply the brakes, again push the clutch in and the brakes are dragging even more, so I pull over. After pulling over, if you then attempt to drive away you cannot as the brakes are locked on hard, if a wait an hour or so, they will release.

There is no sag in the brake pedal, and until this happens, the brakes are firm and work great.

The car has 315,000 miles on it, but works great other than this issue.

Brake pads have about 80% life left, and are wearing evenly.

I cannot see any leaks, but wouldn't leaks make the brakes feel spongy?

Many people say replace the brake switch, but I cannot see how this would make the brake jam on.

It's like something is allowing pressure to build up and then not releasing it.

Ok, I managed to get it jacked up after it had locked up, if I release the bleed nipple brake fluid squirts out, and then stops. The brake is then instantly released from the rotor.

Any help appreciated.

 
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Faulty abs perhaps?

 
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I guess that is a possibility. I've experienced ABS issues on other brands of vehicles before, usually random locking and unlocking of brakes when you are driving, but never locking up like this, and also making the brakes hot.

I'm leaning towards an imploding brake hose, has all the symptoms, but what throws me is that what are the chances of it happening on both sides at the same time. And, also, there seems to be some conjecture if even there is such a thing a imploding brake hose.

Imploding brake hose, essentially the hose de-laminates internally and acts like a one way valve.

Is there a way to bypass the ABS?

 
Rep Power: 222

Pull the abs fuse as a quick check, either brake hoses, or the front calipers are seized/sticking

 
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Thanks for the reply.

I will pull the ABS fuses and see what happens. The issue is repeatable, I have driven it 4 times now and it does this every time, I would guess after 12-16 brake pedals presses.

I have replace the brake pedal switch and rubber stop, so inexpensive, the switch tested fine, but on the new one the white plunger sticks out a little further. Google seems to turn up quite a few people saying that a faulty or miss adjusted brake switch can makes the brakes drag, I had a quick look at a wiring diagram for the ABS, interpreted the best I could, and I cannot see how this would interact with the hydraulics, having said that, one post I read said the brake switch does have some interaction with the ABS motor.

I think I will go ahead and replace the calipers and hoses anyway, the car has 315,500 miles on it, so not out of order to do it!

 
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Can any one confirm the brake bleed order for the 2003 Civic. I've found differences when looking online, I've seen:

• Rear passenger side wheel, followed by the rear wheel on the driver's side. Then, the front passenger side wheel and lastly the drivers side wheel
• Driver front, passenger front, passenger rear, driver rear
• Passenger front, driver rear, driver front, passenger rear

 
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Honestly it really doesn't matter, the top one is what I typically do. Start furthest from the master cylinder and work your way closer.
but it really doesn't make a difference

 
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Ok, thanks.

I replaced both front calipers and hoses, and it still does it. I can tell when it is about to go wrong, car gets slightly sluggish, and then I know that I have 1 or 2 presses left and then it will be locked.

The old caliper were full of crud, so no regrets in replacing them.

Onto the ABS.

 
Rep Power: 222

Hmm, did you notice anything when you were bleeding?

 
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No, seem to go fine.

I did notice this, I removed the old front passenger side caliper first, removed it from the hanger, then uncoupled the rubber hose from the fixed brake line, I was expecting some brake fluid to come out of the fixed line, but got about a drop or 2 and that was it. There was plenty in the caliper though, when I removed the old hose from the old caliper, it also had some black crud in it. I was expecting more fluid and a constant dripping, but it didn't happen.

When I came to do the drivers side, same process, after removing the old hose it did drip constantly, until I got fastened up, that was what I was expecting for the other side.

I have pulled the 2 ABS fuses, one inside the car, the other under the hood, so far, it seems to have fixed the issue.

 
Rep Power: 222

That line may be a problem, or the port it connects to

 
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I guess there is something wrong with the ABS module, not sure I will fix that, where I'm located, Oklahoma, there is no state testing, so no problem driving without it. The car is a run about, so rarely goes above 50mph. Only time I've really appreciated ABS is when driving in the wet.

I'll check a few other things over the next few days.

 
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Ok, the plot thickens.

ABS is now disabled, yet still the brakes are jamming up, both front wheels, just as before.

So what's left, master cylinder?

I've had a master cylinder fail on an Acura, but it didn't fail like this, with the Acura, the symptoms were when you had your foot on the brake at a stop light, after 10 or so seconds the pedal would go down further.

Can you get a failure mode in the master cylinder that would cause the brakes to jam on?

As a side note, before the issues starts, when I apply the brakes with my hands of the steering wheel, the car does not pull to one side or the other, so the braking power is evenly distributed.

 
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Is there a proportioning valve or just the abs module

 
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That is a good question, how can I tell?

 
Rep Power: 518

ANY recent work done, brakes or otherwise?

Does the pedal have the correct amount of free play?
If not, check
Brake light switch misadjusted?
Pedal pushrod misadjusted?


Also common: Contaminated brake fluid? (check the rubber seal around the cap for swelling)

 
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Ok, the cap rubber seal does look swollen, when In try to replace the cap I have to sort of stuff the seal it in there to get the cap back on, I guess this is not normal? Also, there is something odd on top of the fluid, looks like when you put water into oil, so not good.

Full flush I guess.

How much free play should be in the brake switch? I did replace it, and it seems right, but having a measurement to go by would be appreciated. I do have a 2001 Civic EX I assume I can compare to?
Is the procedure for flushing the brake system the same as bleeding therm? Accept you just do more of it? Or can you speed it up by open by opening multiple bleed nipples at the same time?

I do have a brake suction pump, got if from HF, it works ok but is not great.

 
Rep Power: 518

NO DO NOT FLUSH
EXTRACT the fluid from the reservoir if anything,
If you flush, the oil contamination will just ruin the rubber seals in everything it goes through.

Replace master cylinder (and reservoir). It is already ruined.

HOPE the contaminant has not reached the ABS pump and beyond. the oil contamination will just ruin the rubber seals in everything it goes through.

 
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Thanks for the tips, I'll replace the master cylinder, they are pretty inexpensive, and can't really trust the current one now as you mentioned.

I'm not sure if the contaminant is oil or water, even way it needs to come out, I'll use the pump or the turkey baster...oh, can't do that, Thanks Giving coming up!

 
Rep Power: 518

It sho ain't water. Water cannot swell rubber seals.

 
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I replaced the brake master cylinder, simple job, and I think it has fixed the issue, I have driven over 20 miles now, stopping now and again to check the temperature of the wheels and they are now cool most of the time. Car is getting more normal mpg now, the brakes must have been dragging as well.

I sucked all the fluid from the reservoir first, which included the contaminant, and the lower down I got the worse the fluid looked, after I got all the fluid out I was left with quite a lot of of dirt/flakes in the bottom of the reservoir, not good, it may well have been sucking into the ports and acting like a one way valve. On top of that, the seal on the piston showed signs of some sort of leak, it wasn't wet, and looked like how battery corrosion looks on a battery.

The brake pedal feel is the same as before, and the brakes work well, so far so good.

 
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Update - brake issue most definitely fixed now, 300-400 miles on it the new master cylinder and all is good.

Thank you all, especially ezone, his tip about the cap seal on the master cylinder was invaluable.