With starting too much thread drift, can anyone answer this question? I thought that the introduction of dual circuit brakes (in the 60s/70s?) was supposed to provide redundancy in case of brake failure in modern cars, so improving the safety of the design. (I certainly remember a master brake failure in my mother's Renault 12 in the early 70s removing just about all of the braking capability. But we still drove it the dealer - I guess using the handbrake - it was only a few miles). If the failure of the master cylinder is a single point of failure in both supposedly redundant brake circuits, isn't that a significant weakness in the design? Dual circuit brakes do provide some level of braking if a single wheel cylinder fails and fluid is lost from one of the brake circuits of course, but it is a bit disappointing if there is not full redundancy.
Does a modern master cylinder have dual pistons and keep the two brake circuits completely independent, thus providing redundancy? Or, can the seals in the master cylinder fail in such a way there is a total loss of braking capability ?
Just curious......
Dave Blue 4/4 1969, Green +4 1953, (different) Green +8 1977
