I have a 2003 dodge caravan, bought it.from my mom and dad 2 years ago. Has now about 280,000miles on it. last week the front driver side brake started sqeaking, and just a slight grinding noise here and there when stopping. We planned to replace the front brakes the following saturday.Brakes worked the whole week, just dealt with the annoying sqeak. Out of the 2years almost 3 years we have had it, we have NEVER had any problems with the brakes at all, haven't had to change them either. The very day we go to get the brake pads,(a week after sqeaking started) we come to a stop sign and pedal seems like it goes to the floor, but the van stopped at stop sign, the 2nd stop sign we approached, decided to do a couple pumps to stop before hand (in case we weren't able to stop.) Well this time, it didn't stop at stop sign on time, rolled about a foot or two past it. Checked brake fluid, it wasn't low, had plenty, no leaks or anything.At other stops signs we would do a pumpming motion to stop ahead of time, it would stop on a couple of the pumping motions, but by the 3rd or 4th pump while coming to stop there was no tension feeling,would just go straight to the floorboard.. it's like the brakes work every 3rd or 4th time pumping. Almost like it pretty much picks and chooses when they want to work lol what could be wrong? i dont have much money. (im lucky enough to have someone to do the work for me, since i cant afford to take it to a shop.) been told it could be possibly dirt or air in line? Been told to bleed them after brake pads are replaced. but will that help? need to figure out asap.
This is mine and my 5 year old sons only transportation anywhere.
They worked perfectly fine (minus the anoying sqeak) with no problems stopping the day before this happened to us.