Malibu - Vacuum "leak", vacuum leak, pep

I, too, have a "vacuum leak" in my 2000 Malibu. The breaks are also acting strange. I am no longer using my automatic breaks, I am now having to use my manual breaks (pressing very hard, to the floor, to get the car to stop). I have wiggled pipes, wires, etc. to see a crack or something disconnected. Everything seems to be intact. Where do I go from here?

Answer
    You have more than a vacuum leak, and should stop driving the car until you resolve this issue.  Have you checked the level of fluid in the master cylinder?  If it is low, try topping it off.  Then, pump the brakes a few dozen times until the pedal comes back up.  If that doesn't do it, then it sounds like the master cylinder may be bad.  Because you could throw expensive parts at the car all day without fixing it, I would take it to a pro, not Pep Boys or a tire store, and get them to fix it.  If it seems like they are trying to get too much from you to fix it, take it somewhere else for another estimate.  If they are real pros, they won't be offended any more than a doctor would (although that doesn't always pan out, does it?).  But please stop driving it other than to the garage, 'cause it's dangerous.
Car Repair Talk's forum.