Odd "whooshing" sound when brakes not applied

[AT ONE SIR]

When everything is off inside, I can hear a whooshing sound when the brake pedal is not pressed. Once I touch the brakes, the whooshing goes away. It's almost like that sound you hear in your house when someone in an upstairs or downstairs bathroom is using the water and you hear water moving through the pipes.

When I pump the brakes, this is occasionally accompanied by a soft banging like sound from what sounds like under the automatic gear selector. Almost like a solenoid or relay sound, but banging against the the gear selector. The brakes themselves do squeak a bit at first, but then get perfectly silent after the first stop.

What could this odd sound be, and should I be worried? The car drives, stops and runs perfectly fine otherwise.

[Burnsside42]

Wooshing sound is likely the booster leaking - meaning it's coming due for replacement.

As for the "click" sound - you are right - it's the solenoid for the shifter release. This is normal.

[AT ONE SIR]

Thanks Burnside I'll have to look into the brake booster piece and see if it's a DIY thing. I certainly hope so.

[Burnsside42]

Your generation is FAR easier then the 2002-2009 generation. It's tricky but not impossible for a DIY-er. I have done dozens of them and can do one like yours with hand tools in about 1 hours 30 minutes. Air tools a little less. The newer cars have the ABS module in the way so you have to remove brake lines and bleed the system out after - those are like 2-3 hours sometimes.

[AT ONE SIR]

Thanks again. I'm in the middle of a big project so it's not something I can get to for a few weeks. Any idea as to parts cost and if there is a walkthrough anywhere?

[Burnsside42]

eeuroparts and rockauto both sell the ATE Brake Booster which is OEM. They are a few hundred dollars - but much less then the Saab one re-boxed. As to a walkthrough - no idea. Figure a first time of about 3 hours. There is a clip which holds the booster onto the brake pedal which is always a pita sometimes and you don't want to lose it.