Thursday, October 6, 2011

Change brake pads and now brakes dont work?

I just changed the front brake pads on my 2001 mercury cougar and I also turn my routers. I pump my brakes and then I went to test drive the car. I have to press the brake pedal all the way down to brake. Its brakes really soft and slow.



Before changing them the car use to brake good but it was jumpy. Could it be that the lines have air? I didnt do anything to the lines and so I dont think it would be air.



What can it be?
Change brake pads and now brakes dont work?
Like everyone else said, check for leaks, bleed the system.



Another thing you might check, did you get any grease, oil or anything else slippery on the rotors or pads when you installed the brakes? If you did, you'll need to take them apart and use solvent to clean the disks and install new pads.



If no lines were disconnected then they shouldn't need to be bled. I would look at the work you did on the pads and figure out if anything is slipping or if the caliper slides are somehow jammed.
Change brake pads and now brakes dont work?
mechanic time... but I wouldn't drive there.
got air on the lines. flush brake system/bleed.
Changing the front brake pads shouldnt cause air to get into the system.



But it does sound like you have either air in the system or a leaking component within the system.



Any fluid under the vehicle?
you got air in the line.
either



A. u chewed up the disks because u took too long to change the old brake pads and it needs replacement disks.



b. u didnt bleed the brake fluid. bleed them by disconnecting the break line and pumping the brake very hard for a good 5 to 10 secs.



c. u didnt properly connect the brakeline but i dont think thats the case... but if it is ur still leaking the break fluid... also check u have enough brake fluid to begin with
Start again bleed your brakes completely starting from the furtherest away from your

master cl, then working closer to the cl doing the last one,but when bleeding each wheel

it takes aprox 6 to 8 pumps on the brake peedle,untill all the very small air bubbles are out

they are so small can hardly see with naked eye,do the same all four wheels, keeping the

resavour on master cllinder high as you are doing it, and tightening the bleed valve s on cylinder

tight when the brake peedle is on the floor,in down position, you will need a couple of pints fluid before you start.
was fluid level at max all the time or did you have to add fluid did you open bleeder valve at all. you should bleed them
it never hurts to try to bleed it.

could be bad brake master cylinder

you gotta be careful you could damage the secondary piston in the master cylinder