Yesterday evening on my way home from work I was passing through a construction zone. We all had to slow down, I was going about 20mph but I was on the brakes when thud I hit some kind of deep grate in the road. After that my brakes were soft, meaning the pedal almost has to travel to the floor before they engage. Now I have had this happen before about a year ago on my to work but the road conditions were wet and I was accelerating out from behind a tanker truck from a stop light. The tires spun and I was in a bit in a drift but nothing crazy. After that when I went to stop, to my surprise no brakes... but as it turned out I just needed to press harder and they engaged, much like my current situation. After a few pumps at the stop light it they didn't return. I got to work parked and at the end of the day got back into the car the brakes were fine. Now in my current case the brakes are still soft even after waiting over night. This is a 2011, any thoughts?
Brake pedal is soft after hitting bump in road
1 - 20 of 22 Posts
Don,
Thanks for the reply. I stepped outside and checked the level and it seems fine. Haven't checked the color though. When I get home I will take a look at the color and the look at the calipers themselves. I would think if I had leak, overnight something would have puddled right? Also the brakes work fine and there's no noise they just don't engage until I am close to the floor. If I had a leak would the performance degrade pretty rapidly? Juust going to keep my distance a speed down on my way home, yupp I am about to be that slow guy everyone's pissed at haha.
Thanks for the reply. I stepped outside and checked the level and it seems fine. Haven't checked the color though. When I get home I will take a look at the color and the look at the calipers themselves. I would think if I had leak, overnight something would have puddled right? Also the brakes work fine and there's no noise they just don't engage until I am close to the floor. If I had a leak would the performance degrade pretty rapidly? Juust going to keep my distance a speed down on my way home, yupp I am about to be that slow guy everyone's pissed at haha.
Hey fellas I just checked the master cylinder and there's no leak. Nothing visible near the calipers either and the fluid level is at max fill. I'm blown as to what this is.
As I was leaving work I decided to slam on the brakes from 25mph. The car stopped on a dime, no abs kicked in though but I also didn't drag the tires either. I still had to depress the pedal almost all the way down to the floor though. No lights on the dashboard or error codes lurking.
How do I check the wheel bearing? Would there be any other symptom of it was loose?
Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
As I was leaving work I decided to slam on the brakes from 25mph. The car stopped on a dime, no abs kicked in though but I also didn't drag the tires either. I still had to depress the pedal almost all the way down to the floor though. No lights on the dashboard or error codes lurking.
How do I check the wheel bearing? Would there be any other symptom of it was loose?
Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
Joined
·
1,430 Posts
would be good to know if the pedal will pump up after the first push to floor...? Could be needing bleed...
Good point. Yes the pedal returns and if I pump the brakes while the car is off the pedal is stiff until I turn the car on. Does that help?
If I needed a bleed would a larger than normal bump in the road set that off though?
Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
If I needed a bleed would a larger than normal bump in the road set that off though?
Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
Joined
·
7,376 Posts
You may have had air air bubble hiding in the ABS (usually caused by bleeding the brakes but not the ABS) when you hit that big bump the bubble went on a little trip throughout the rest of the brake lines seeking out the highest point which is usually in the rear brake lines (this is why you are supposed to have the rear sitting 5" higher than the front when you bleed the brakes)..... so long story short, do the least invasive &cheapest thing first: have the brakes and ABS bled.
Joined
·
7,376 Posts
No, if you have a decent code reader that can do the ABS you can do it at home. A Foxwell NT630 (about $110- sometimes cheaper on E-Bay) works perfectly fine, and can read lots of other codes too, and it is cheaper than going to the dealer..
Did a flush today didn't fix it. Ended up replacing the master cylinder and that was the problem. Now my brake light is on but no code can be found with a scanner. Brakes work great and ABS kicked in fine for my high-speed hard brake test. Any idea why the brake light on the dashboard would illuminate after a master cylinder replacement?
Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
Shyte, that would be a negative. So you're thinking I could have something going on with the ABS now?
Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
Joined
·
7,376 Posts
There is a float in the master that pics up low fluid level (one in the windshield washer tank too, but a different style) Try the old reliable "disconnect the battery" trick and let it sit 10 min or more... Somebody else on the forum had an issue with the light and it turned out to be the adjustment of the brake light switch (on the brake pedal arm).
Turns out that the switch is self adjusting and has to be replaced when something drastic changes --like your pedal no longer going to the floor:
Turns out that the switch is self adjusting and has to be replaced when something drastic changes --like your pedal no longer going to the floor:
Joined
·
1,430 Posts
Glad youre fixed...But hard to understand how the Thud, hitting something on road, had any effect of the master cyl...? Coincidence..?
Joined
·
7,376 Posts
Exactly..that is why no one suggested that was the problem..I've never heard a a big whump killing a master cylinder, but there is a first for everything.
Truly bizarre. Was super busy today so I wasn't able to disconnect the battery yet so I'm just rolling around with the brake light on the dashboard. By the way extremely bright while driving at night
Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
If a battery disconnect doesn't work you need a more advanced scanner/code reader. Most run of the mill readers will reset most codes but some ABS codes and HVAC codes are harder to access.
Some dealerships will do it free, some will want an hours labor, try a Firestone or major repair shop that may have a Snap-on scanner.
Good luck, let us know how you come out.
Some dealerships will do it free, some will want an hours labor, try a Firestone or major repair shop that may have a Snap-on scanner.
Good luck, let us know how you come out.
1 - 20 of 22 Posts
