Brake pedal being pushed all the way down?

[Syringer]

I noticed something weird when driving yesterday..and that's while braking I would stop, my brakes would be at their usual position, but then it would gradually push in all the way down so that it wouldn't go in any further. Releasing it slightly to the point where it normally stops the car would cause it to move, and only when I push it into this "new" position would it completely stop.

What's up with this? Car is a '94 Integra.

 

The master cylinder is on the way out, replace it.

 

[Zenmervolt]

I agree with Roger.

ZV

 

[Syringer]

How much is this?

 

Does the said vehicle have ABS ?

 

[Syringer]

It did, until it died a while ago..the ABS lights are continuously on.

 

You are not going to be happy, figure anywhere from $500 to $900, if you go to the dealer, you are looking at $1,200 to $1400.

Replace the master cyclinder yourself and have the system professionally bled at the dealer, this will cost $250.


(This assumes that there is nothing wrong with the ABS block, ECM or any of it's sensors)

 

[Angrymarshmello]

Originally posted by: Roger
You are not going to be happy, figure anywhere from $500 to $900, if you go to the dealer, you are looking at $1,200 to $1400.

Replace the master cyclinder yourself and have the system professionally bled at the dealer, this will cost $250.


(This assumes that there is nothing wrong with the ABS block, ECM or any of it's sensors)

(Newb question) How is a car "professionally" bled at the dealer? My dad and I have done it at home, is there a machine that guarantees all the air is out of the lines or something similar?

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Roger
You are not going to be happy, figure anywhere from $500 to $900, if you go to the dealer, you are looking at $1,200 to $1400.

Replace the master cyclinder yourself and have the system professionally bled at the dealer, this will cost $250.


(This assumes that there is nothing wrong with the ABS block, ECM or any of it's sensors)

Well, he can leave the ABS disabled and still have fully-functional brakes. No good reason to repair the ABS IMO.

ZV

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Angrymarshmello

Originally posted by: Roger
You are not going to be happy, figure anywhere from $500 to $900, if you go to the dealer, you are looking at $1,200 to $1400.

Replace the master cyclinder yourself and have the system professionally bled at the dealer, this will cost $250.


(This assumes that there is nothing wrong with the ABS block, ECM or any of it's sensors)

(Newb question) How is a car "professionally" bled at the dealer? My dad and I have done it at home, is there a machine that guarantees all the air is out of the lines or something similar?

Most dealers/repair shops will have a power bleeder, which is much more effective than traditional bleeding methods.

ZV

 

[Angrymarshmello]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: Angrymarshmello

Originally posted by: Roger
You are not going to be happy, figure anywhere from $500 to $900, if you go to the dealer, you are looking at $1,200 to $1400.

Replace the master cyclinder yourself and have the system professionally bled at the dealer, this will cost $250.


(This assumes that there is nothing wrong with the ABS block, ECM or any of it's sensors)

(Newb question) How is a car "professionally" bled at the dealer? My dad and I have done it at home, is there a machine that guarantees all the air is out of the lines or something similar?

Most dealers/repair shops will have a power bleeder, which is much more effective than traditional bleeding methods.

ZV

Awesome, did not know that. In our old shop class they never mentioned anything about power bleeders,which I thought was odd considering they had practically every machine known to man for cars.

 

Not only do they power bleed the system, but you need a Mastertech programmer to actuate the solenoids in the ABS block to bleed the air out, if this tool is not used, you will never get the air out of the system.

 

[Monel Funkawitz]

It isn't a "power bleeder", it is a device that attaches to the ABS pump so you can bleed the system. Normal bleeding is ok, until the ABS pump sees air, then it causes problems.

 

Power bleeder

Mastertech diagnostic tool

You need both of these to properly bleed a brake system with ABS.

Trust me on this one, I repair these systems on a daily basis.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Monel Funkawitz
It isn't a "power bleeder", it is a device that attaches to the ABS pump so you can bleed the system. Normal bleeding is ok, until the ABS pump sees air, then it causes problems.

From the little I've read, ABS brakes can be bled in the normal fashion, but it takes forever. It's not so much a necessity as it is a huge time-saver. It could seriously take a couple weeks of bleeding and testing to bleed the system with the normal method.

ZV

 

[Imported]

Err, the brake master cylinder and brake booster will cost at most $200. I actually have a spare in my garage from a '94 GS-R.. It shouldn't be too hard to install it yourself either; just make sure you use a flare nut wrench when taking out the brake lines or else you'll strip the nuts.

 

[NogginBoink]

Originally posted by: Syringer
How much is this?

Whatever it costs, it will be far cheaper than an automobile accident. Car repairs and days in the hospital (or worse, a funeral home) are going to be far worse than the repair costs.

 

[thomsbrain]

Originally posted by: Roger
The master cylinder is on the way out, replace it.

same thing happened to me a few months ago. it was the master cylinder.

 

[Syringer]

What are the consequences of not fixing it?

I'm moving away for college in about a week, and won't be driving my car for a few months..

 

[KEV1N]

Originally posted by: Syringer
What are the consequences of not fixing it?

I'm moving away for college in about a week, and won't be driving my car for a few months..

My master cylinder died after driving through the mountains up CA 101 North from the Sacramento area to the CA/OR border. It was really scary driving back through the mountains, needless to say. By the time I was back in town, the brakes were basically useless. I had to use the E-brake tos top. Please don't drive it again unless you're driving to get it fixed.

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: Syringer
What are the consequences of not fixing it?

I'm moving away for college in about a week, and won't be driving my car for a few months..

You will be entirely dependent on Sir Isaac Newton to change the velocity of the car.

 

What are the consequences of not fixing it?

I'm moving away for college in about a week, and won't be driving my car for a few months..

Death

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Syringer
What are the consequences of not fixing it?

I'm moving away for college in about a week, and won't be driving my car for a few months..

The consequences are that you'll have to stick your feet out the door and drag them in order to make the car stop. This is an immediate problem and it needs to be fixed NOW.

ZV

 

[m2kewl]

Originally posted by: Syringer
What are the consequences of not fixing it?

I'm moving away for college in about a week, and won't be driving my car for a few months..

/first in line to present syringer with a Darwin trophy

 

[TechnoKid]

From what i understand, the normal braking operation is seperate from the ABS portion, meaning the ABS parts of the brakes do not interact with the normal braking operation unless the ABS senors and what not engage the system.

In ABS cars, the ABS modulator acts as the proportioning valve for the brakes. When I got the brakes flushed on my 94 civic sedan ABS, they just replaced the fluid in the normal brake lines. The ABS system has to be bled at the dealer, or if i had a helms, I could do it my self (just requires some jumping of some wires to make the ABS pump engage).

The bad thing about only getting the brakes bled and not the ABS system as well is if and when the ABS engages in the future, the "old" fluid in the ABS system will contaminate the fresh fluid.

Oh, and if the pedal goes to the floor, you could have a leak or air anwhere in the braking system. This could mean that since the ABS light has been on, you brake fluid could have been low and you introduced air into the system because the master cylinder went dry. The ABS light will come on if there is a malfuction in the ABS system, or if your brake fluid is low in the master cylinder.

Go to Importecparts to get a new master cylinder (much cheaper than dealer). You prob don't need a new booster.