Lost brakes on the way home!

[mazzerman]

Hello
Just had a frightening experience on my way home from a long trip up north.
I got to within five miles from home and i could smell a burning brake pad type smell in the vehicle, and looked in the mirror and saw smoke at the back. I was doin about sixty on the M5 so decided to slow down, but when i pressed the brake pedal it went to the floor. YIKES.
Needless to say i was very careful and made it home (just)
When i looked at the back there was smoke pouring from the nearside brake drum and the back plate had the paint burnt off it at the top edge and there appeared to be a small amount of brake fluid on the tyre.
I checked the resevoir and it doesnt look very low, but its dark so havent had chance to have a good look yet, will check it all over tomorrow in daylight.
Anyone any ideas what could be the problem or what i should be looking for?
Thanks in advance.
Mazzerman

[exmee46]

At a guess, your brake shoes have jammed on (I assume you didnt leave the handbrake on) on that side. The resulting heat, besides stripping the paint on the backplate probably fried the seals in the cylinder and possibly boiled the brake fluid which might have given the spongy pedal feeling. However, if you did in fact lose fluid from the heat damaged wheel cylinder, on split circuit brake systems, if one circuit fails, the pedal usually goes a fair way down before the other comes into play.

It may feel OK when cold but please DON'T drive it until you've had the brakes checked out and properly repaired.

You are a lucky guy - and so are all the folks you didn't hit!!

Cheers

Kev