sleddineinar
VIP Member
I got good deal on a 2000 Dodge Stratus, the brakes were spongy so I bled the system. The fluid looks good, the previous owner said the fluid was new. After bleeding and bleeding all wheels, the brakes are still spongy, and on Sunday the wife was going shopping when the brakes gave out. When I went to pick it up the brakes were working again, (still spongy, but working) She said they were completely gone. What should I look at next? Master Cyl? or could it be something in the ABS? I know this not a Dodge forum, but I trust you guys.
Had a similar issue on a 92 Accord where the brake pedal would slowly creep to the floor and then you'd have to pump it to bring it back. Turned out to be the master cylinder I believe.
Not an auto mechanic, but I've worked on vehicles that had similar issues in the past and that sounds like a master cylinder issue to me. In a perfect world if it's an ABS issue you'd have a code. Got a scanner??
sleddineinar
VIP Member
I have a scanner and no code.
Yes, as was said I would check the MC. It sounds like the fluid may be squeezing by a seal.
sleddineinar
VIP Member
SO today I take said car to work, since my wife blocked in my truck with her Jeep. Dammit if the brakes aren't just fine. Seriously. The first time I hit the brakes, they are rock solid, almost hit my head on the windshield. All the way to work too (12 miles). Must have been an air bubble in MC that dislodged finally and came out. I'm glad it's working great now, but WTH!
sleddineinar said:
I'd suggest you're not through with this issue yet. Often times a leaking master cylinder will act differently depending on the effort exerted on the pedal. IOW - I'd guess your wife doesn't stab the brake like perhaps you do.
A slow, light pressure doesn't ballon a leaking MC piston seal like a fast, hard application does so the pedal drop may be dependent on who's doing the pushing.
Try going out to the car, start it up and slowly apply the brake several times. If the pedal is hard, slowly release the pressure and re-apply slightly and slowly and see if it doesn't go to the floor.
I've driven a few cars with leaking MCs and when the pedal went to the floor I'd re-apply the brake in a quick motion to get the car stopped.
The most common description of a leaking MC is - "I was stopped at a light and the pedal went to the floor". What happens is that when the car comes to a stop the driver releases the pressure on the pedal which relaxes the seal cup in front of the piston and fluid leaks past.
Kind of like a mini-ball round in a rifled musket - pressure from the explosion helps to seal the round to the bore. Same with the seal cup of a MC, fluid pressure pushes the seal against the bore.
Is there any fluid at the base of the MC where it bolts to the booster? That's usually where the fluid ends up but even if there isn't, you may still have an internal leaker.
Any air in the system will not disappear and a leaking MC is very often intermittent because of the description above.
She probably won't drive it until you do something other than implying she's wrong by telling her they work fine for you.
Just trying to keep mama happy.
LMAO! SO TRUE....snomofo said:
sleddineinar
VIP Member
Well, I'll keep an eye on it. But she drove it today and I drove it today. Both of us are like, WTH. I asked her what she thought and she said it feels just like the brakes should feel, nothing spongy at all. I certainly thought I was going to changing the master cyl, but the brakes seem fine now.