It sounds like you have a dragging brake. Don't go anywhere near brake parts with oil or any kind of petroleum product. That can turn a minor problem into one that will cost more to fix than the car is worth.
Stop on a slight incline, shift to neutral, release the brake, and see if the car creeps downhill on its own. You can also feel next to each front wheel to see if one is hot after driving at highways speed for a few miles. If the car doesn't creep downhill on its own, put a block about a foot downhill of one of the tires, then loosen the steel lines at the master cylinder. Hopefully the brakes will not release by doing that. If they do we have to discuss contaminated brake fluid. That will be an expensive repair.
Next, crawl underneath and open the bleeder screw on the caliper. If one wheel was getting hot, that's the one to open. If that lets the brake release suspect that rubber flex hose is constricted. If it still doesn't release, suspect the caliper is sticking. Both should be replaced at the same time to maintain balanced braking.
May 2, 2013 at 2:38 PM
