Passat (B6) :: Very Soft Brake Pedal, Sinks To The Floor
May 10, 2007
My B6 purchased exactly three weeks ago has had a soft brake pedal since day one. By "soft," I mean that when parked with the engine running and applying moderate pedal pressure, the brake pedal provides some resistance but sinks to the floor. If I pump it up a few times, it temporarily gets much firmer, but eventually sinks to the floor again after a few seconds. Now the car so far has never failed to actually stop, and it can get into the ABS. But during an abrupt (okay...panic) stop last week, it did go to the floor while the car was still moving. That's when I decided that was enough and took it back to be serviced.
My expectation was that there was just a small amount of air in a line somewhere, and that they could bleed the system and fix it. That was my experience with my B5: it was very sensitive to the least little bit of air, and if it wasn't thoroughly bled after brake service the pedal often got mushy and could find the floor. But bleeding them always get the pedal back to normal. So the service advisor said that he "had the service manager drive [my car] and compare it to a new Passat [on the lot] and talked to "Quality Tech. Manager to confirm." And the confirmation was that my brake system is "working as designed." In short, they say the brakes are working properly and there is nothing to fix. So I have now picked up the car and it still does the same thing.
Now I can (and will) bleed the brakes on my own over the weekend. But I would like feedback from others as to whether or not their brake pedals regularly see the floor. I just can't see this being the way any hydraulic brake system should work..
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A friend brought me a car with the issue that the brake pedal sinks to the floor when braking. She said it was never low on fluid so I replaced the master cylinder and bled all of the lines with a friend pumping the pedal. The pedal would still sink to the floor. I tried vacuum bleeding the brakes and found that the front left consistently had large bubbles.
I Teflon taped the fitting on the calliper and the bleed screw which improved the problem but didn't fix it. I then replaced the calliper. The front left calliper still won't bleed and the brake pedal still goes to the floor. When I bleed it the regular way, the fluid comes out of the bleeder like it bled nicely. Neither of the rubber hoses that connect to the calliper have any visible damage. I had a friend pump the brakes while looking at the hoses and their is no bulge or swelling in them. Could the ABS need to be bled?
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M friend with his 98 gmc. When stopping the breaks are normal until getting slow then the abs motor comes on and the break pedal sinks to the floor. The truck stops but the abs motor runs constant until you release the pedal. This is happening on dry roads. What is there to check before condemning the abs module?
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I have a problem about which the mechanics I have asked are baffled: In cool, cloudy or sunny weather, my brakes and break-pedal pressure are fine (the mechanics have said I have good fluid, brakes, etc.--they can find nothing wrong--and, of course, it never has a problem when they test-drive my car). However, when the weather warms up and it's a bright, sunny day, my brake pedal loses pressure and slowly sinks to the floor--a dangerous thing at intersections. There's slight pressure if I pump the pedal constantly while at a light; but, without pumping, the pedal immediately sinks to the floor.
This is a real problem, because this problem always occurs right when mechanics are not near or not open for business--and none I've talked to have ever heard of such a problem. The bright, hot sun's affect seems to be key, because if it's 80 degrees outside and cloudy, I don't have the issue--but, then again, I don't usually run the air conditioner if it's cloudy. As such, I'm not positive; but, this may be tied to when I turn on the air conditioner--as though the two share the same vacuum system.
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I have a 2000 Grand Prix 3.8 with 65,000 miles. Bought the car new for the wife to drive. The front brake lines rusted out. My wife has a friend who is a backyard mechanic. She had him replace the front brake lines, from the abs block to each front wheel. Well she finally told me that the brake pedal is not right. I went out and sure enough with pressure on the pedal it goes to an inch off the floor. I bled all for lines at each caliper, no change in pedal. I bled almost a full bottle of fluid. You can pump the pedal for 10 minutes and no change in the pedal. I don't think it is air in the line. I changed the pads and rotors on all four corners last fall. The brake pedal was normal then.
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Here's the short of it. 3rd time in a year the brakes on my 2005 SF (177K miles, 2.7L) have gone out.
The brake pedal is very soft and goes to the floor before braking occurs. Typical signs of a bad master cylinder.
The first time was a year ago. I bought a re-manufactured master cylinder, change it and bled the brakes. Worked like a champ and lasted 10 months.
To months ago same exact symptoms. I assume it was a bad re-man part. It's under warranty, not big deal. I do warranty exchange, bleed system, brakes return. All is good.
Less then 3 weeks later, brakes gone, same symptoms! This time I spend the difference and get a brand new OEM cylinder with reservoir. Replace, bleed, problem fixed. Brakes go out in less than a week.
I'm not leaking anywhere. Reservoir is to corect level. ABS light is NOT on. No chattering in brakes. Braking is smooth both when power brakes work and when not. No visible damage to calipers. I'm 99% sure there is no air in the system, but I'm going to try bleeding again. I have not put it up on a lift to yet to check all the lines.
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yesterday i gave the 02 diesel a treat, 3 new calipers 4 new rotors, and semimetalic pads. the reason for only 3 calipers is the driver side was just replaced 2 months ago after it locked the wheel up on me. both rears were seized so i only had front brakes, and the passenger side front was leaking.
anyway, all new parts and the pedal is fantastic, besides the truck stopping again. this afternoon on the way home from the shop i stopped at a red light. breaks are rock solid. then all of a sudden, the pedal slowly sinks to the floor. but the brakes still hold. i get home and test them. again, pedal slowly sinks to the floor, but they hold. i am thinking still some air in the system, and park hte truck, with the intention of bleeding them again tomorrow.
i get out and see fluid all over the driveway. great. something in the front of the axle is leaking. the frame is drenched. whatever it is, is in front of the frame, on the engine side. what is in there, the ABS unit?
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We have a 2005 Toyota Camry, had it since 30K miles/2008, now has 94K miles. Since we have owned it, the brake pedal feel has not been great, kind of mushy. It is the way this generation Camry's are. It gets driven mostly on fwy, so not much brake use. At 92K miles I changed the front pads and rotors, pads still had 30% left on them. The rotors were somewhat warped. Brake fluid has been gravity flushed every 2 years since 2008, last one in 2012.
Now, the problem is when wife drives it, twice at a lengthy red light, she has noted that the brake pedal "almost" sinks. It did not go to the floor, but the level went lower. The car did not move during this events. With the newer ABS brake systems, on all my three cars, after a full stop, I can push the pedal down further, almost close to the floor. The Camry is the same way, just with a baseline of mushy pedals. My wife only drives one of the other ones (Dodge Caravan,)and has not complained about that one.
The brake fluid level is solid/steady, no leaks at the wheels either.
Now looking at whats involved, seems I can change the master cylinder myself. The question is do I need to? I don't mind paying a mechanic to do a diagnostic too, just not sure what they are going to do. I believe, just as a defensive measure, they will go ahead and change the MC (which then I might as well do it myself). I could also continue to drive it, but don't want to be stupid here.
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The pedal used to go right down to the floor and would barely stop the car from a crawl, in response I have bled the brake lines to all calipers, and checked the hydro booster fluid level, and with only slight improvement the pedal almost hits the floor.
I am thinking the brake master cylinder is shot. The pedal becomes solid after about 15 pumps when off, and holds pressure, when on it takes several pumps to build any sort of pressure and cannot be built up to the solid point, and looses pressure quickly when just holding the pedal down.
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I have a Hyundai Santa Fe 2005 2.7L 4WD ABS.
The problem is that the Brakes pedal is so soft, that it goes to the floor, and doesn't brake at all in first pedaling. I am able to apply brakes after pumping the pedal thrice in continuation and then when it builds up some pressure, then it brakes and I'm able to stop the car. Once, I take the foot out of the pedal, it goes bad again. Once, again if I have to apply brakes, I have to do 3-4 times pedaling.
The brakes are stopping the car fine when they get applied in 3rd or 4th pedaling and when pressure is built up. Its the pressure not getting built up or maintained in the first go.
What has been done by the mechanics to solve this:
1. Master Cylinder has been replaced with a new one. (This has been done twice)
2. Brake Pads have been changed.
3. Brake fluid has been replaced and is upto the brim in cylinder reservoir.
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In the first instance of this problem, my brake pedal was stuck to the floor. By pumping it a few times, it gradually released and rose to the proper level. Brakes then seemed to work fine for a couple of weeks, until I reversed out of a parking space, but could not brake the car when I shifted into drive. I pushed the brake pedal to the floor, but could not stop until I ran over two large boulders that, stopped the car short of a big tree.
My mechanic doesn't know exactly what went wrong, but is replacing the brake cylinder. I fervently hope that fixes the problem! What could it be?
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I own a stock 2010 golf with 22k miles on it. There seems to be a problem with brake feel. Brake pedal feels way too soft and there is way too much pedal travel for brakes to engage. Car won't start decelerating until pedal is pushed nearly 1/2 of its total travel length. However there seems no problem with stopping the car. On hard braking car stops well (with ABS). Another problem is brake feel isn't linear.
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Got Elantra GT 6 month ago. Good car, but it seems I have a very common problem of Elantras - lost of brakes. My car has TCS, but no ABS. It started 4 month ago. Car is fine for several weeks, but then within two days brake pedal getting from bad to worse. My mechanic already replaced master cylinder and right rear caliper. Did not work. Yesterday it was third time when I almost (very soft pedal) lost brakes. Today in Hyundai dealer service they bled the brakes and said "that they hope it will work". Their mechanic found air in both (left and right) rear brake lines. So, my question if I have a leak in, say, left line will it propagate to the right line? I am asking because I do not know the hydraulic schema of the brakes and want to collect as much info as possible.
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I have a 2001 Dodge Durang. 105k miles.
Brake pedal is real soft goes pretty far down (close to floor) before brakes kick in.
Check front disc pads and rear shoe pads, both look good. Fluid level is good. Bleed brake lines.
Pump brakes up when car is off, pedal is real firm till I turn car on an push on brake pedal right to the floor.
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I have an 07 v6 SE with 220k on the clock. Recently switched out my rear pads with no problem, but still had a small shake under braking - so tonight we pulled the front wheels off and switched the front pads and rotors out - did an oil change while it was there.
On it's first test drive - there's something wrong. The brake pedal travels all the way to the floor and is SUPER soft. It still stops. If I mash the pedal, the car will come to a sharp stop - testing on some sandy roads, the front brakes are definitely working - but the front pedal travel is WAY more than it was prior to the pad/rotor maintenance.
We ran out of light, so tomorrow we're going to get some new fluids and flush the system in case we got air in it.
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Purchased new 2012 Ford F350 to haul slide in camper. When I step on the brakes they go 3/4 of the way down. If I pump again, they go 1/4 of the way down (normal). Brought this to Ford dealer, they test drove the vehicle and admitted I had a problem with the brakes. They told Ford and Ford faxed a letter stating they are aware of this issue and there is nothing they can do about it. Stated this is a "soft braking pedal problem" with some of the 2011 and 2012 Ford trucks.
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I have a 2005 Santa Fe 2.7 V6.
For over a month I have had a soft brake pedal. For those that may not know what that is, I push my brake pedal down 3/4 of the way, and I'll finally feel the brakes catch; however, I cannot stop quickly. I have had to use the Sports Mode to slow down my car many times.
I brought it to my local mechanic and he has done the following:
1) he thought it might have been the master cylinder, so he replaced it. he checked the old master cylinder and found nothing wrong.
2) bled the brake system a couple of times, but it still came back
3) brought my car to the local dealer to drain the ABS system. The problem still came back.
I waited over an hour as the dealership's service department checked out the car. Someone finally came to me and said they checked the lines and they are not leaking, so it has to be the master cylinder. I told the guy that it's a brand new cylinder, and when the mechanic looked at the old one, he said there was nothing wrong with it. All he could say was it's not the lines, it's the cylinder. If I had the problem before & after the master cylinder was replaced, & nothing was wrong with the original master cylinder, how is it the master cylinder?
I called my local mechanic on my way home from the dealership and told him what happened. He said he was going to do some research, mentioned something about replacing something with the ABS and he would call me today.
I searched the forums for brake issues and saw something about cracked ABS rings. Could that be an issue? Could it be something else?
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Soft Pedal. 2004 Santa Fe, front wheel drive 4cyl, 2.4l
When I first owned this Santa Fe the brake pedal was high and had lots of stopping power, over the last few years I noticed the pedal was getting lower. I have replaced everything needed thus far including pads, rotors and everything has recently been serviced front/rear/emergency brake/ calipers and still a soft pedal. Had the guys in our recon shop replace master cylinder and bleed the lines a few times with a full week in between bleeding to ensure there was no air in the lines. The mechanics are stumped but I'm wondering if we missed something...... I still can stop no problem but there is no grab in brakes until pedal is half way down to the floor or worse.
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I got the attached warning today on my 2010 LS600. The pedal felt a little soft after the warning. It kept popping off and on, dinging every 30-40 seconds.
I checked the brake fluid, it was full. Car has 36k
I had it towed in to Lexus and they couldn't get the warning to come back up.
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I recently purchased a 2014 Prius with the package 5 trim. I'm completely loving the car, but noticed when stepping on the brake pedal I hear a soft "swoosh" noise from under the dash. Almost like a short vacuum or sucking sound. The car has 500 miles, and I don't recall hearing that noise initially.
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I just joined as I bought my '97 F-150 5.4 4X4 about 3 months ago. The dealer gave me a 6 month warranty but hasn't honored it at all and I've had one problem after another. That's another story though but right now I'm just trying to fix the important issues. The problem at hand are my brakes.
I was noticing a couple days ago (maybe I never noticed it that much as it was a new vehicle to me) that when I apply the brakes it sounds like a bicycle pump and the pedal travels nearly all the way down. It doesn't hit the firewall but I'd probably guess it has 3 more inches or less until it bottoms out. The hissing only occurs as the pedal travels and stops when the brake pedal isn't moving.
Now I'm not sure if the hissing sound is normal as I replaced the brake booster (from the junkyard though) and the new one still hisses when I apply brakes. The brakes seem to work okay, could be more sensitive it's just the pedal feels soft until it almost bottoms out like I stated before and the the brakes grab a little bit harder. What could it be?
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