Honda question, Brakes.

Not my car, I haven't looked at it yet. This is for a friend.

99 Honda Accord. Two weeks ago while driving, front end started vibrating. When stopped, front pads and rotors were smoking, blue and hot. He replaced rotors and pads. No problems until today when it did the exact same thing. Not one side, both sides are dragging.

Not a problem I've ever come across. What's wrong? Master? Hoses? I can't imagine two calipers failing at the same time so I almost has to be something common to the front brakes.

I'm not familiar with that car, but it could be the push rod going into the master cylinder. Check for up-travel when you get to the car. I just had a big margarita on an empty stomach, so I might not be thinking very clearly.

Does the car have ABS?

Did someone top up the brake master cylinder with a petroleum product instead of brake fluid??

Were the brakes bled when new pads and rotors were installed?

Something is not releasing the pressure. Most likely a master cylinder problem.

To me that sounds like the caliper's sliding pins are seized. I would get a couple of re manufactured calipers or rebuild the existing ones.

Both sides sorta rules out hoses and maybe sliders(I'd check though), residual valve (wherever it may be) acting up?

could be something as simple as rusted up/gummed up sliders on both of the calipers

Drive it until rotors are hot again.

I'm assuming the wheels will be hard to spin, if so this is perfect to do this test:

Pull the wheel(if needed) and crack the bleeder.

If fluid shoots out under pressure, its a master or brake hose holding pressure on the caliper. A secondary thing to check is to see if the wheel/rotor spin freely now.

If it just dribbled out like normal, probably seized caliper. Check the rotor now, if the caliper was indeed seized, it still won't turn(though it may once it cools down).

This all assumes the pads and caliper slides move freely of course.

Also I'm about 95% sure that car has a cross split brake system. Left front and right rear are same circuit, right front and left rear are same circuit. You can verify this by holding your foot on the brake, have someone crack the LF bleeder, keep holding while they go around and see which wheels can spin. If the left front and right rear spins, then its indeed a cross system and pretty unlikely its the master. COULD still be ABS module but still highly unlikely. If the left front and right front spin, its normal F/R split and could well be the master.

In reply to flatlander937:

Good idea. He will be trying that tomorrow. I'll let you know what he finds.

In reply to Toyman01:

Read my post one more time, added more stuff to check while he's at it.

In reply to flatlander937:

Got it. I couldn't find any info on if it was a f/r or x split system. I'll pass that info on as well.