My brakes don't work [fixed]

[Ryannn]

Hi all, I have a problem on my daily and I'm hoping you guys can help. It's a modern but I guess the fundimentals of brakes are all the same?

It's a 2004 S-Type

Sometimes the brake pedal will travel as normal, then go hard, and sometimes it will only travel a fraction before going hard. In both occasions, the car takes ages to stop, scarily long.

I've done what I've been told is a servo test. Hold your foot on the brake and start the car and the pedal should move.... but in my case, it doesn't.

Does any one have experience they can share? The car has a servo and a vacuum pump, it's also a diesel, if that matters.

Thanks!

[taurus]

Start by checking for anything obvious between the VAC pump and the servo, after that you're going to need to check for vacuum from the pump, if that's good then look into the servo. It's most likely a fracture in the vacuum pipe.

[Dez]

a dead vac pump is most likely. id ascertain the vac pump is working first, then check the lines to the servo and the 1 way valve, then look at the servo itself.

[froggy]

There are vac lines that run towards the radiator on the n/s I think they are something to do with a vac reservoir for the turbo actuator . I've found splits in the pipe work there on one a while back . Have a Google to see if there is a diagram of the vac system

[Ryannn]

I took the pipe from the vac pump out of the servo today and with the engine running, there's plenty of suck at the end of the pipe.

Took the servo off and it looks in good condition but has some of that ominous breakers pen on it so it could be of an unknown age! Lol

Looks like it could be the culprit!

EDIT: Changed the servo, problem solved!!