My citroen dispatch van (1.9D, 05 plate, 56k on the clock) has just had the clutch replaced at a dealership garage, it turned into more complicated job when 3 of the 7 captive bolts had to be replaced when they dropped the subframe, (apparently they were spinning rather than coming out) some welding had to be done. After getting the keys back I drove the van out of the car park and having done that had to drive it back in because of a crunching feel to the clutch and a squeaking noise. Repaired in fifteen minutes, something to do with a bracket. drove van away, this time after getting home, I found hydraulic fluid dripping from the vicinity of the nearside front wheel. The following day at the garage, I was told it was unrelated to the work done, but upon inspection the mechanic found it was a connection to the ABS pump weeping. Removal of wheel arch necessary, tightened connection and problem seems to have gone. Now the problem I need help with! Having driven the van home I noticed that it wouldn't accelerate easily, and in neutral, with momentum down a slight incline, it ground to a halt after about thirty yards. Burning smell coming from nearside wheel plus smoke/dust coming out of wheel. Van returned to garage today and after being told it was the brake caliper, unrelated to any work done, the mechanic spent two hours fixing the problem, including bleeding the brakes. The van seemed fine after that for about 8 miles, then I began experiencing the same problem. The van struggling to accelerated easily, in neutral freewheeling lasting only a short distance and then quickly halting. This time though, burning smell strong on the driver's side, plus some burning smell from nearside front. I called the garage, I was told it was the master cylinder. I'm taking it in day after tomorrow, it's costing me £180-00p, which is on top of the £550-00p clutch replacement & subframe work. I'm struggling to see how the brake problem is entirely coincidental but would like help to see the solution. Please help!

Dale C., August 2009

cant get fluid from reservire to servo to bleed brakes any ideas please ,citroen van

tam, June 2013

Hi i have just done a clutch replacement on my own peugeot expert (56), everything went smooth as a babies bum, although having difficulty in bleeding brakes and clutch!. the brakes havnt even been removed!. Can easy bleed system damage the servo?, pushing 1.5 bar of pressure through?.

me, February 2013

stripped brake pads from van because of squeaking brakes.cleaned them and replaced.Brakes worse than ever took it to quick fit they said it is the master cylinder,why when we have only cleaned the pads and replaced any ideas

ed, July 2012

hi their am have'n the same problem brakes binding on and brakes not working but had all this work done at a cost of 1400 pounds and now for sevo

jamie, October 2010

Hi I am a mechanic and had a van in with same problem after fitting a caliper. I replaced the servo which is not a nice job at all and its fine now. Must be a common problem!!

anthony, July 2010

Changed the servo and drives like new! at last.

Gavey, May 2010

did you solve your brake fault as i have a van doing the same and i think it is the servo
thanks

phil p, December 2009

id say so yes.

me, September 2009

I'm now having the same problem. All started when I had new brake pads fitted. There is clearance on the brake pedal push rod so it's not that and the off-side calliper have been replaced. Could it possibly be the servo too?

Laura, September 2009

i have a van at my work the very same change master cylinder b/pipe flexy and caliper now doing the servo what i found was if you loosened the masters cyl 1/4 inch the brakes free and you hear vacum escapeing fitting servo on monday

colin, August 2009

could try a citroen specialist and tell them all about this. main dealers would know about this but it would be expensive but thats why it costs more.

me, August 2009

I have got the same problem! Could you tell me where did you have the servo fitted thanks

Gavey, August 2009

glad i could help. glad its getting sorted.

me, August 2009

Van servo fitted and so far no further problems. Your comments about the difficulties with fitting these servos are absolutely spot on. They even had the problem you mentioned with the left-hand right-hand drive repair instructions. In the end they billed me £350-00p after discussing the repeated mis-diagnosis, 3-4 hrs labour at £50/hr and £165-00p for the servo. Other labour was disregarded due to the problems mentioned. Thanks for all your comments, been absolutely spot on and really helpful.

Dale C., August 2009

there has been quite a few problems with these servos. they are really awkward to replace and it involves a lot of stripping down. (at least they are honest about something) problem is sometimes the instructions refer to left hand drive so dont help much! hope you get it fixed soon.

me, August 2009

if servo is at fault [there is only a spring and diaphragm in there]which i dont think it is,it may be vacuum pump creating too much vacuum [but i dont know how] the garage needs to check that there is slight clearance on brake pedal pushrod when brake pedal released,if not pressure will start to build up with every press of pedal eventually causing brakes to bind,

k, August 2009

Thank you for your comment me. I took the van in this morning, by the time I reached the garage (8 miles or so, I live out of the way) the brakes were hard underfoot and abnormal braking feel, the van feels like it has the brakes on without touching the pedal, plus bad burning smell coming from both front wheels. Popped in later to be told that, having stripped it down, the mechanic now believes it is the servo. In his words, "the servo released all the pressure" when they were getting to the master cylinder. Part ordered but on narrival they found they couldn't work out how to get the thing off because of there being a plate in the way (or something...) apparently the citroen dispatch differs slightly in this regard from the peugeot experts they are used to working on. They are currently waiting for repair method instructions to arrive from Peugot HQ. So the van's sitting in the garage as I type! Thanks again for all your help. Hope the update casts a little light on my mechanical problem.

Dale C., August 2009

id probably go somewhere else. although some garages are reluctant to fix someone elses mess ups. if master cylinder is replaced it will be quite shiny looking. check under brake fluid resivoir and look at master cylinder before and after. the brake pipe unions connected to it may be marked by spanners tightening them up.

me, August 2009

thank you for your comments k & me. If the master cylinder wouldn't cause just one of the brakes to bind, then tomorrow's work will be a waste of more time. Maybe I should cancel and take to another garage? If the master cylinder is removed, would it be obvious to tell by looking at the one that's being replaced? Thanks again for your help. Dale C.

Dale C., August 2009

maybe brake system pressurising-could be pedal return spring broken or have they bent calliper fitting bracket or fixings when they knocked off bottom ball joint? causing brake to bind.could have kinked a brake pipe whilst repairs to subframe were carried out ! i dont think master cyl will be your problem-it wouldn't cause just one brake to bind!!!may have had "mole grips" on flexible brake hose causing internal damage to it.

k, August 2009

cowboys?????? sounds like inexperience has broken your van. how many more things have they done wrong you dont know about yet? cant see how brakes have gone wrong after clutch repair, but i think you have a brake servo problem not master cylinder. still, let them carry on..............

me, August 2009