FL1 Sudden total brake failure

landyhaze · Feb 2, 2017

While driving to work this morning, I went to use the brakes about 5 miles into my Journey, and the pedal went right to the floor. Total brake failure, no warning. Luckily I managed to stop using the handbrake, and luckily I was wearing dark brown trousers. Now I have a little red exclamation mark light on the dash. I think someone at LR didn't do the FMEA on the master cylinder properly. The FL1 is on the naughty step - anyone else had this happen?

-Hazel

Nodge68 · Feb 2, 2017

It's low on brake fluid. You have a bad leak. Probably from a pipe fracturing. You need to get the solid pipes checked, replaced. Look where they are routed down the bulkhead, just as they turn under the floor. There's a plastic clip holding them to the body. This is a bad point where the can pipes rust unseen. They get wet at this point and clip keeps them from drying out.

The other rust point is at the back where the pipe goes to the rear wheel cylinder.

landyhaze · Feb 2, 2017

Hi Nodge,
Well, the light only came on after the scary moment, and I had all the brake lines replaced last year. I think you are on the right track though, since if I pump the brake pedal a lot and suddenly press it to the floor, there is a tiny, tiny bit of brake action right at the very bottom, which seems to pull the vehicle to the right. I always thought dual circuit brakes were supposed to still work if a single pipe fractures? I guess not with the FL1.

Nodge68 · Feb 2, 2017

Duel circuit brakes are more effective than single circuit brakes if there is a leak. However the brake pedal will still go to the floor in the event of rapid fluid loss. It does sound like a pipe failure. Maybe one of the new pipes has cracked?
You're out of brake fluid though, so it's gone somewhere.

dave21478 · Feb 2, 2017

Also, check a rear wheel cylinder hasnt failed - failed seals....shoes come adrift and piston popped out etc. There will be fluid down the rear of the backplate and dripping onto the wheel and tyre if so.

GrumpyGel · Feb 2, 2017

This hasn't been reported for a while, but a couple of years ago there were a couple of people reporting sudden total brake failure. I seem to remember someone was piling down a motorway in France - went to brake for a toll booth and nothing!

These instances were a failure in the rear brakes. IIRC all it was was the silly little locator pin rusting out and taking all the brakes with it. I'll see if I can find the threads.

Arctic2 · Feb 2, 2017

One of the flex hoses may have a split or hole in it check those to, the whole system needs checking asap.

Andy_J · Feb 2, 2017

Had brake failure twice, once was a front to rear brake pipe at the rear flexi hose and once was a wheel cylinder. In both cases the pedal went to the floor, but the dual circuit brakes did stop the Freelander, but felt like it took 3 times the distance to stop

landyhaze · Feb 5, 2017

Turns out it was a rear wheel cylinder went fubar, and of course the fluid made the hand brake a bit useless on one side.

FL1 Sudden total brake failure

landyhaze

Active Member

Nodge68

Well-Known Member

landyhaze

Active Member

Nodge68

Well-Known Member

dave21478

Active Member

GrumpyGel

Well-Known Member

Arctic2

Well-Known Member

Andy_J

Active Member

landyhaze

Active Member

Similar threads