Brake failure after being rear-ended

[Johnzh]

I had a 99 Honda Odessey and recently got a high impact rear-ended crash by a SUV. Immediately after the crash, it appears that the brake failed completely (no response after being pushed to the floor). A few days later, the brake became normal in a low speed test. Can any expert explain this? If there is a reason, how can a test re-construct the failure and prove it? Thanks!

 

[GregLocock]

It doesn't sound very likely. The only way I can think of would be if the vehicle has a brake proportioning valve that has a load sensor that somehow got jammed in the crash. Even then that would justs end a higher than usual propoertion of the brake efoort to one axle or the other.

Operator error is far more likely.



Cheers

Greg Locock

 

[notnats]

How about this:

The impact pushed one or more of the brake calipers back into the cylinder leaving a gap between the pad and rotor. The first (few) brake application(s) brought the pad back up to the rotor and then subsequent applications were normal.


Jeff

 

[NormPeterson]

ABS-related? Dump valve stuck open by the impact?

Norm

 

[sacem1]

How about thinking that the collision made the car jump in some strange way and that the system got air from the brake fluid deposit instead of liquid then your pedal goes to the floor after a period of rest and/or pumping that small amount of air is purged from the system and you've got brakes again.
Might be a possibility just wondering, what do you think?

SACEM1