Brake failure

Hi there I have a problem with my freelander (R reg 1.8) a couple of months ago while manouvering to park brake pedal went down to floor, got out checked all wheels and under engine for brake fluid loss, couldnt find anything got back in car and brakes where fine. Just put it down to having big walking boots on and had pressed wrong pedal!! Any way driving home from work this morning and same thing happened again, put foot on brake pedal and no brakes had to drive home carefully using gears to slow down. When I got home checked all wheels, wheel cylinders, brake lines, servo, fluid reservoir and still no fluid loss. drove car again and brakes fine. Any ides guys? Think it may be servo/master cylinder but why no fluid loss? I have always had the hydraulic hissing noise behind dash on drivers side ever since I have had the car (10 years) the one that comes on when you start car and stops when you put your foot on the brake and have always assumed this is normal as its never give me any problems mot's servicing etc.
I have noticed recently that my drivers side rear brake is binding as sometimes its hot and smelly when I get out of car, have tried to take a look but cant get the brub srews out that hold the drum on ac they are all chewed up, any thoughts on getting these out would also be of great help and could this be causing me to have the intermittent brake failure. Thanks.

I'd be suspecting the master cylinder. They can do strange things and be intermittent, had one once where the brakes seemed spot on. Until you braked really gently then the pedal just sank to the floor! Also check for brake fluid in the servo.
As for the screws in the drum tap them round with a hammer and punch or drill them out, they aren't critical as the wheel holds them on anyway.

if you just drill the tops of the screws then get a pair of pliers and they will come out it is the top of the screw that "welds" it self to the hub I can not think what you problem is though only one thing came to thought is it air in you system as Deisle do says check servo is it excaping into there

Teddy / diesel thanks for your comments, thats a big help, will sort rear drum out know. With regards to master cylinder am I right in assuming the master cylinder is the item under the reservoir and the servo is the larger round 'flying saucer' shaped thing on its side bolted to bulk head? Can I check if its leaking into servo with out dismantling it? If it was leaking into the servo would there be fluid loss in reservoir as this hasn't gone down at all? thanks

rob123 said:

Teddy / diesel thanks for your comments, thats a big help, will sort rear drum out know. With regards to master cylinder am I right in assuming the master cylinder is the item under the reservoir and the servo is the larger round 'flying saucer' shaped thing on its side bolted to bulk head? Can I check if its leaking into servo with out dismantling it? If it was leaking into the servo would there be fluid loss in reservoir as this hasn't gone down at all? thanks

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You should see fluid loss! But you can remove the master and usually poke something soft and flexible down to see if it's wet in the bottom! The fluid can damage the servo that's why it's important

I once had that problem years ago with no brakes,The reason was the car had a back axle with leaf springs,One of the leaves broke and the axle moved back putting the handbrake on slightly this then boiled the brake fluid hence no brakes.
I was approaching a very busy roundabout at the time.
When it cools down brakes ok.

my bmw had a sticking back brake, like above it boils fluid, no fluid loss but no brakes till cool, pedal went to floor, if its ok when cold but not after getting hot i would say it is that, as you say brake binding

I have had the same problem yesterday a soft pedal and left rear binding sticking on, and i spotted a thread that sudgested deep water heavy rain and cheap shoes causes this and it was hammering it down yesterday and puddles/flods were a good 2ft deep..

my threead here:
http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f9/soft-pedal-pass-side-rear-brake-stuck-197098.html

thread i found here
http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f31/freelander-rear-brakes-sticking-35123.html

He's not complaining about sticking brakes. And unlikely to be boiling fluid as its when he's parking it not general driving! You would have noticed it when coming to a stop b4 parking not when parking! Plus does nobody change brake fluid? I've had binding brakes and never boiled the fluid. Servicing, it's amazing, stops you dying!

i change the brake fluid or have it chaged by some one else when it is due which is 36,000 or 3 years but I think it could be left for 60,000

Most manufacturers state two years! Mileage not so important as its length of time it has to absorb moisture and lower the boiling point!

I changed mine recently as I was relacing all the brake pipes. 9 years and at the time about 110000 miles. Must have caught it just in time as they never boiled.