Intermittant brake problem Down hill and pants handbrake!

Intermittent brake problem Down hill and pants handbrake!
Hi sorry to start with a question but you help would be much appreciated. Got td4 Freelander has intermittent brake problem only happens down hill but doesn't have to be steep. Brake pedal feels harder than usual and slower to brake but does stop. Also handbrake is pants! Any help or suggestions bear in mind I'm a girl and know nothing about cars so use simple language and can anyone recommend a good mechanic in north Wales!

Hand brake is usually excellent so I would guess that yours just needs to be serviced.
Strip & check shoes, drums, adjusters and also that the cables are ok (cheap replacement cables are not as good as OE items). I checked the brakes on my wife's 2006 TD4 the other week and they just needed cleaning, all components were in great condition and with the build-up of brake dust removed all was effective & quiet again.

With regards to the foot brake could be any number of things. Check the servo assistance is working ok (sit with foot on brake-pedal with engine off and then when you start the engine you should feel the pedal go down slightly) but other than that, as above a brake service is probably called for. Check the pads & discs and bleed the fluid, all very much DIY unless you really don't want to get involved in which case any competant garage can do it (doesn't have to be a LR specialist).

thanks for your reply, other half is going to have a look at weekend but frankly hes useless so it may end up at the garage in jan! it had new brake fluid, front discs and pads and also rear drums (some of this lingo may be wrong!) about four months ago so I daftly thought there wasnt much else that could go wrong!!!

Widgety said:

thanks for your reply, other half is going to have a look at weekend but frankly hes useless so it may end up at the garage in jan! it had new brake fluid, front discs and pads and also rear drums (some of this lingo may be wrong!) about four months ago so I daftly thought there wasnt much else that could go wrong!!!

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In that case then I would be suspecting that a brake servo pipe has come adrift or perhaps has worn a hole by rubbing against something.

Handbrake is most likely just needing adjustment after the linings have settled in.

Good luck.

Oh, and :welcome2: to LandyZone by the way.

Singvogel.