Ok i wanted to see if you guys and girls could help me with it. Here is my problem I was getting into my car and started to drive down the street and i turned a corner and my back right brake locked up and brought my car to a stop. By the way the temp. was very cold like 27F. What is the most probable cause of this? and can I fix it? (I don't want to be raped by a tow company for them to tow my car to a brake center). I think it might be a freeze in the brake line (is there an easy way to unfreeze it so i can take my car to a brake place to have the line fixed/repaired?)

Also I checked my braking fluid under the engine and it was between the the min. and max. point.

EDIT: The year is in the title but it is a 1998 ES

Here is a picture:

 

It sounds to me as though it could be a bad hose but more likely a frozen caliper. sound like the piston may have stuck in the out position. you also forgot to mention what year and model.

 

Thanks for the help thump186, Is their an easy way I can see if the caliper or piston is frozen? ( i know where the caliper is but where is the piston located?)

I just put that info in the main post.

Year: 1998
Model: ES

 

ok I'm geussing from your response that you have disc brakes all the way around. The piston that I was refering to is part of the caliper it is where the pad attaches on the inside. It use the hydraulic pressure from the brake sytem to push on the inboard pad producing the stopping force.

 

my stratus has drum brakes in the back (brake that is locked up). Is there a way to unfreeze the piston or caliper?

 

ok its a drum brake system. then there is no caliper it uses a small cylinder to push out on the shoes. You may be able to back off on the adjuster a bit to free up the wheel long enough to get it to a shop. Is it leaking any fluid out from behind the drum?

 

No it is not leaking any fluid that i can tell. I think I will try to back off the adjuster alittle bit. Do you have any tips on how the best way to do it?

By the way thank you so so so so much for your help thump186!!!