Pontiac - Torrent :: 2007 - After Driving About 10 Minutes Brake Pedal Gets Progressively Stiffer

I have been having a mysterious problem with my 2007 Pontiac Torrent that apparently no one, not even GM, can diagnose. I have done great research on this problem, and although there seems to be many many folks with Stabilitrak/Traction Control message issues, none seem to be having the same problem I am having.

Problem: After driving my car about 10 minutes, the brake pedal gets progressively stiffer and the car itself is “heavier” (no other way to describe it). If I continue driving, the car will begin to make a low roaring sound, which will get louder and louder if I continue driving. The car also at this point will lose acceleration and it is very difficult to make the car accelerate (that also makes the noise louder). A couple of times (luckily I was in my garage at home after driving), the car was stopped and when I tried to reverse, the car would not move at all.

When this problem first started (about 6 months ago), the Service Stabilitrak and Service Traction Control messages would come on, but I had a part replaced and that stopped (although the car was still having the same problem) until yesterday when those messages came on again. It has been four months since the messages stopped, yet the car was still having this problem during that time.

My remedy to this problem has been to pump the brakes each time I stop (I now take the highway instead of the interstate so that I can make enough stops to do this). I can go about 10 minutes before I have to stop, pump the brakes, and continue driving. This makes the stiffness in the brakes stop and keeps the car from making the noise and having the acceleration problems. The car runs fine as long as I do this.

During this six months, I have been to two different auto mechanics AND the local GMC dealer (at least four times). The parts that have been replaced are: right rear hub bearing assembly, EGR valve, rotors resurfaced, left rear caliper repaired, brake pressure modulator valve, and electronic brake control module. The dealership says they do not know what is causing this problem, and they claim they contacted the technicians at GM and they have never heard of this problem.

I feel this is a problem in the braking system. Something is getting hot the longer I drive and causing something to lock up the wheels, but not enough to stop the car entirely unless I continue driving. What stumps me is why does pumping the brakes work, and why are no service messages or warning lights coming on?

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Pontiac - Torrent :: 2006 - Fuel Pump Went Out

About two weeks ago my wife's 2006 Pontiac Torrent's fuel pump went out. We had it replaced (costly repair) and two weeks later the car doesn't start again. Cranks but does not turn over/ turn on, which is exactly what it was doing before we changed the fuel pump.

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Brakes - Pontiac - Sunfire :: 1997 - Squealing Noise Coming From Brake Pedal

After replacing my brake pads and shoes I am hearing a squealing noise coming from the area near my brake pedal. This noise sometimes becomes high pitched if I depress the brake too hard. I am also losing a little bit of brake fluid if I depress the pedal hard several times. The brakes themselves function fine and have no problem stopping. When I bled the brakes today some of the fluid was black. I figured it might be air in the system but after bleeding them it is still happening. I also replaced the bleeder screws.

1997 Pontiac Sunfire 2.4L uses DOT 3 brake fluid.

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Golf/GTI VI :: 2011 - Brake Stuck Feeling While Depressing The Pedal

I have a 2011 4 door and I drive it VERY LITTLE... I have a company truck so the car sits most of the time but when I get in it to drive on the weekends or whatever, sometimes when I hit the brakes it feels like they stick while depressing the pedal. Its nothing unsafe feeling just annoying and it forces me to kinda slam on the brakes. it seems to go away after I drive it a while, I have been attributing it to sitting so much but wanted to double check.

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Ford Excursion :: Brake Intermittent - Hard Pedal And Pulsing Feeling Randomly

I'm having an issue with my brakes. It was very intermittent, but seems to be happening a little more often lately. 99% of the time they work fine.

I'll try to describe. (vaguely) It will sometimes feel like the ABS is engaging, get a very hard pedal and some pulsing feeling. Sometimes just the pulsing without the hard pedal. It will happen at random times. Today it did it in the driveway going 5 MPH. No reason the ABS should think of kicking in.

I feel confident to rule out anything downstream at the wheels. I am leaning towards the master cylinder, but maybe that's wishful thinking. Afraid it also could be something sticking in the ABS which I assume is $$$.

Brake fluid is 18 months old with maybe 20k on it.

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Pontiac - Torrent :: 2008 - Lift Gate Won't Open

I just replaced the battery, and since then the electronic latch for the lift gate will no work. The only way I can get it opened is from the inside using the access hole and a screw driver. I have checked the fuse and it is good.

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Dodge - Dakota :: Pulsation In Brake Pedal And Sort Of Wobbly Feeling In Steering Wheel

I had a front brake job done on a 2002 Dodge Dakota pickup at 85000 miles. When I stepped on the brake, I felt pulsation in the pedal and a sort of wobbly feeling in the steering wheel. Also the brakes were making noises while driving. Classical sign of a warped rotor?! Long story short brand new rotors, brake pads and calipers, later the pulsation is mostly gone but the braking is still not smooth at one point while the tires are turning. Now i do have to older tires on the front but i just bought two brand new tires for the rear. Would it be wise to put the new tires on front to see if there might be some unevenness caused by the old tires before i take it back to the shop?

Also the feeling of the brakes catching on one point seems non existent or so minimal I can not be sure if the road surface interfering while driving slow of applying the brakes gently. But slowing down from higher speeds (above 40 mph) and using more then gentle braking ( not standing on the pedal with both feet) it is definitely there. Before the brake job braking caused the steering turning right. (sign of more braking action on the right - right?). Now with new stuff still pulls to the right but not as strongly. Should not this disappear with the brake job? Or get the new tires on front and see what gives?

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Pontiac - Torrent :: 2007 - Low Beam Headlights Have Been Working Intermittently

The low beam headlights on my 2007 Pontiac Torrent have been working intermittently for several months. Sometimes they will automatically turn on like they are supposed to, other times they will not and I will try to manually turn them on- sometimes it works, other times I have to use the high beams. I had the lever replaced, but it did not fix the problem. My boyfriend tried to track down the problem and removed the fuse panel completely from the car, didn't see anything that stood out, so he put the right back. After he put it back, the car would not start.

The radio works, the interior lights work, but when you try to turn it over nothing happens. At all. I towed it to the mechanic a week ago on Monday and they said that it smelled like burnt electrical under the hood, but could not pinpoint the problem. They have now had my car for a week and the latest update they have given me was the car will not communicate with their testing equipment, so they think it is the computer, but they are not sure. They said that they are trying to find a replacement computer.

Does this sound like a computer problem? And if so, should it have taken them an entire week to try to diagnose? I am trying to be patient, but it feels like a week is a long time to have a car in the shop and I am still without a definite diagnosis or any estimation on how much it is going to cost to fix my car. Should I try to take it somewhere else?

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Ford Brakes/Suspension :: 2000 2WD - Front Brake Scraping While Driving

2000 Explorer 2WD. I had tons of front end issues that I have been working through. So far I have done upper control arms, upper and lower ball joints, tie rod ends, got an alignment. The steering/suspension system is in good shape now.

Now the only thing left is a scraping/grinding sound coming from the driver's side brakes. I mostly hear it at low speeds (taking off from lights, etc).

When I was doing all of the other work, I observed that the rotor is in great shape, brake pads look great. I am wondering if it is a caliper issue, maybe the caliper isn't releasing enough or something. What to check?

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Pontiac - Torrent :: 2008 FWD - Clanking Noise When Turned Wheel Sharply Almost Like Gears Slipping

For a little while I have been noticing an odd noise from the front driver side tire. About a year ago on two different occasions I heard a sound when I turned the wheel somewhat sharply that sounded like a clacking noise almost like gears slipping. It only happened for a few seconds and stopped but has never done it other than those 2 times that I am aware of. This is my wifes everyday driver, so I don't always hear the noises.

Recently it started making a sound that to me sounded very similar to a wheel bearing going bad. I looked into it a little and drove it and decided to change it even though it didn't have all the "symptoms" of a wheel bearing (louder when turning away from that side, quieter when turning towards that side, play in the wheel). After replacing the hub assembly it didnt make the same noise, but made a different noise that was from the shield on the back side of the rotor rubbing against it. Took it for a drive thinking that I fixed it only to have it start doing it again. After listening closer it sounded like a metal rubbing against metal sound, sorta like a brake pad dragging on a grooved or rusty rotor. I inspected the rotor and all i saw as an issue was on the inner side of it there was a ring of rust on the inner and outer edges, and it was wearing the pad to have beveled edges. I replace the pads and rotor, and it still makes the sound.

I am down to two options that I can think of trying but do not want to really try either one because of the amount of money I have already put into it.

1) I have thought about replacing the brake caliper.
2) I have thought about replacing the CV Axle, BUT the boots are in excellent shape.

It doesn't make the noise all the time, and sometimes it is worse when turning to the right, and other times there is no change regardless of the direction you turn. When it does do it, it feels almost as if the car is dragging and pulls to the drivers side.

I am really at a loss here and don't want to keep narrowing it down because I have misdiagnosed the problem twice now, and was really confident in it being the wheel bearing.

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Pontiac :: 2005 - Brakes Sound Like There Is Air Leak When Push The Pedal

I recently had my rotors replaced and when I left the garage I noticed I had to press the brake farther than normal. A few days later, I have to press the brake pedal almost all the way to the floor. My brakes sound like there is an air leak when I push the pedal. Sometimes it stutters at the top of the push.

First question is what could it be? The second question is, could this have been caused by the rotor replacement? Seems awfully coincidental.

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Brakes - Pontiac - Grandam :: Creaking Noise When Brake?

So I know what brakes sound like when they're due for replacement...this is a different noise. It's more of a creaking noise, and I'm not sure if it's my brake lines or if I need brake fluid? How often should one change/replace brake fluid in a vehicle?

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Pontiac - Aztek :: Clicking / Slipping Brake - Pedal Depresses In A Jerky Manner

2003 Pontiac Aztek ... I'm a slow stopper. I like a rolling stop. Lately when I do that my breaks will make a clicking sound (around 6 clicks) only heard inside the car. I'd i let it click, then it's fine, if I press the brake down all the way before the clicks it depresses in a jerky manner. This problem has existed for awhile now. I now an the proud owner of new abs module, wiring harness, multiple wheel housing assys, new brakes, rotors... That may be it with the break system. We just checked and bled the break line for air. I'm tired of paying several mechanics and no results.

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Ford - Brakes - Escort :: 1996 - Grumbling Sound After Front Pad / Rotor Replacement

The shop replacing my front tires advised me to replace my front brakes and rotors soon. I'm not a huge car repair person, but I remembered my father-in-law saying brakes aren't that bad to work with. The car is the "college beater" I bought ten years ago and I'm trying to keep investments in it minimal. I told the shop I would do the brakes myself. So I spent the weekend with the Haynes manual fussing with overtorqued lug nuts, rusted on rotors, tightly wedged guide pins, and outer pads that didn't seem to have room (not the piston side). Got everything assembled, bled the caliper that was disconnected, and took it for a test drive.

I got about 30 feet from the driveway before pulling back in. The front of the car was making an grumble sound and had an odd vibration like a flat tire. This was with brakes engaged and not engaged. The car stopped fine, but I probably didn't get above 10 mph. Is this part of the "bedding/seating" process? I put in new (cheap) rotors and pads. This afternoon I'll check to ensure the pads are in properly and aren't dragging on the rotor and that I have the wheels properly centered. Car is a 96 Ford Escort 2 door hatchback.

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Golf/GTI VI :: Getting Scratching Feeling From Clutch Pedal

I am having a scratchy type feeling in my clutch pedal when i accelerate in 1st gear or R from Neutral. as im easing off the clutch and applying gas, there is a mild scratchy feeling coming from the clutch pedal. its more a feel and no noise. The car is brand new with 600km, its a 6 spd gti. I just want to see if its normal or whether i should get it looked at.

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Thunderbird :: 1996 - No Brake Pedal - 4 Brakes Bled?

My 96 thunderbird had a rear caliper shot. I changed the caliper, the rotor, and the brake pads then bled all the brakes. The three I didn't touch bled perfectly when someone in the car pressed the brake, I let fluid flow, then tightened the nut. The wheel with all the new parts I get zero fluid out of. I removed the brake line completely and pumped the brakes and still no fluid. It has no pedal and three of the four brakes have been bled. My only guess is there is air in the line but why wouldn't any fluid come out if I continually pump the brake pedal with only that one line open?

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Ford Brakes/Suspension :: Brake Pedal Goes All The Way To The Floor

My dad is having problems with his truck, brake pedal goes all the way to the floor even after bleeding all the brakes and the master cylinder. The wheel cylinder didn't have clips in it and he fixed it and it hasnt changed. What do we do? Its a 1993 f150 4.9l.....

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Ford Brakes/Suspension :: Brake Pedal Goes To The Floor

I did a complete rebuild of my brake system in April. Drums, shoes, wheel cylinders, springs, hoses, pads, rotors, calipers, master cylinder, proportioner valve and flushed all the lines and refilled with synthetic fluid. I have made five trips from Southern California to Idaho hauling home furnishings, one trip to Oregon and one trip to Northern California since overhauling the brakes with everything working great. Now something strange is happening. The brake pedal goes to the floor with very little resistance. It isn't spongy like there is air in the lines. It just goes to the floor if you push it all the way down.

The truck stops ok but it is really scary with the pedal going down like that. You can feel when the rear brakes come on because there is a little resistance in the pedal when they come on. You can actually lock the rear brakes up and skid the rear tires. If you push the pedal down further the front brakes start coming on and if you push all the way to the floor the truck will nosedive and you will get planted in the windshield.

I wonder if the aftermarket Bronco Graveyard proportioner valve is blowing all the pressure to the rear wheels because it won't do it if you take the vacuum off of the vacuum booster. You have full pedal when the booster is deactivated and all the wheels operate normally with the exception of having to plant both feet on the pedal to stop it.

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Ford Brakes/Suspension :: 2006 F250 - Rattling After Doing Brakes / Emergency Brake And Rear Wheel Bearings

Before I get started... My truck is a 2006 F-250 Super Duty XLT 6-speed 4x4 with a Limited Slip.

I just got finished with a big job on my truck. New pads all the way around, turned rotors, new emergency brake shoes, hardware, and backing plate as well as replaced the rear wheel bearings both inner and outer as well as the axle o-ring and inner seal. Also, took off the rear pumpkin cover painted it and put fresh fluid in, went with Mobil 1 75W140 LS.

Took it for a drive and the brakes work great. Followed the directions for breaking in the emergency brake which worked fine.

Now the problem is I'm getting rattling from possibly all of the wheels. Definitely from the front driver and at least one of the rear wheels. It was so dark I didn't get a chance to look at it I just pulled it back in driveway.

I'll start looking at things tomorrow but, any common mistakes or things I should check first?

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