Bumpy brakes

[caburke2]

I am flat towing a Jeep Compass. It has been fine most of the 7,000 miles we have traveled. Yesterday, I had pulled over to check the Brake Buddy and had to stay on the rumble strips for a little bit while trying to get back on the road. After that, when I got off at my exit my lane had an arrow that was made of white bumps. The brakes started to act up. As long as I was driving everything was fine, but when I applied the brakes it felt like I was going over those rumble strips. I took the brake buddy out of the Jeep while my husband signed in to the park, but when I went to my site it was still doing it only when I apply the brakes. I don't know what is going on, but I am concerned driving, still have a way to go?
Any ideas?

[marjoa]

Originally Posted by caburke2

Any ideas?

When was the last time you had your brake fluid serviced? Condensation (which is water) building up in brake fluid over time is very common, and the cause of many brake failures, squishy brakes or brakes not operating properly. A full brake fluid flush is something you should do every couple of years. If you have condensation in your lines, it could be that when you ran over those speed bumps, that harsh—rumbling & vibration action—may have stirred up or shook up that condensation within the brake lines and caused bubbles in the fluid, therefore when you apply the brakes now there is a void in the line pressure to the ABS system and its causing that chattering noise or feeling.

Now that you are parked in a —rest—position, those bubbles MAY settle down but they may not either.

Also crawl under the chassis and just check and be sure all brake lines are tight and you don't see any leaks of fluid anywhere.

Then try this...when you leave your site and before your hook up the toad, find a place where you can back up fairly quickly and then jam on the brakes. Do this 2 or 3 times. That may help. Then hook up the toad, get on the road and see what happens.

If you haven't had a full brake system flush in the past 2 yrs. I'd definitely put that on the list to do soon regardless.

My 2 cents.