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Spongy brakes

Dre

Elite Explorer
Joined
May 30, 1999
Messages
4,878
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52
City, State
Chicago
Year, Model & Trim Level
2015 FPIU
Brakes feel a bit light on my 2006 Mounty. Seems that I have to press the brake pedal early and pretty hard to stop the truck. Nothing ever done to justify air in the system. Could that be brake booster? ABS pump? No lights, no codes.

Any ideas?
 



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This type of thing is super hard to diagnose over the internet because "feel" is so subjective, but I'll do my best...
First test, If you are coasting along and press the brakes down to a certain point so you start slowing down, but not too quickly, and hold them (dont press further or let up) does it feel like the truck keeps slowing down at the same rate, or does it kinda slow less and less? If it kinda slows less and less, that probably the master cylinder.
Second test. Get going and then lightly press the brakes, the press a little more, then a little more, then a little more, etc. Each time you press a little more, you should start slowing down at a slightly higher rate. If you can go quite a ways ("quite a ways being highly subjective") with no change in how quickly you are slowing down, this is whats typically describes as "spongy" brakes, and is probably caused by air in the system, but could also be a brake hose going bad.
As for how the air got in there, it doesn't necessarily have to have come from the outside as air. Brake fluid absorbs water easily. In a sealed system it shouldn't be an issue, but every time you open the reservoir to add fluid, you are exposing it to the air, and over years of this if you dont bleed the brakes often enough, you can get enough water in the system to boil when the brakes heat up, which creates air bubbles....

I would start by bleeding the brakes. Get a big bottle of brake fluid and fill the reservoir all the way, start at the right rear tire and bleed till you see fresh clear fluid, the do the same on the left rear, right front, then left front. Keep on eye on the reservoir, if you let it get too low it will stuck in air, then you have a even bigger problem....
 






I just had the exact problem. Ended up being a bad front caliper. Only one was working and the pad was worn down. I had a lifetime warrant on the pads and calipers, so that worked out well.
 






We shall see. Went to the dealer to see about the TSB - unless you say that these are the symptoms they don't wanna talk about it. Going in Tuesday for service. Supposedly it's a power bleed and software upgrade. I'm pretty sure I'll have them replace brake fluid at the same time and see what they say afterwords. Even if it's not gonna help they will most likely give me a list of items that are bad. Hope for the best.
 






I too have just experienced the spongy brakes issue. I was feeling it for about a week now and decided to redo my brakes. Replaced the front and rear pads, resurfaced all 4 rotors and replaced the master cylinder, didn't fix the problem. Now, a few days after the brake job while i'm driving home form work the ABS light comes on and the RSC light as well, freaked me out for a bit due to the alarming siren that the car puts off when the RSC light is on.
So after checking the system thoroughly I have no leaks anywhere. Not sure what to do next, any help in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.
I also had it read for codes and it came up right rear speed sensor bad, which ill replace this weekend.
 






I did take it to the dealer - after inspection it was determined by them that it needs all new rotors and pads all the way around... they would not perform brake fluid flush (which I asked for) and software flash as that, in their opinion would not fix the problem.

Quote to replace rotors and pads - $900.00

well, I'll do the brakes and see what happens then.
 






I've learned to live with it after throwing away money on pads rotors and fluid change. I highly suspect my problem is the brake booster, but it hasn't gotten any worse since I bought the truck 5 years ago and every mechanic that has looked at it says everything is fine so we just let it be
 






I understand but compared to my Jeep GC these brakes really suck. I'm scared when I let my wife drive the truck. Will do the brakes and take it back. Will see what they say.
 






I did take it to the dealer - after inspection it was determined by them that it needs all new rotors and pads all the way around... they would not perform brake fluid flush (which I asked for) and software flash as that, in their opinion would not fix the problem.

Quote to replace rotors and pads - $900.00

well, I'll do the brakes and see what happens then.

This is a cash grab of the largest order. Pads and rotors on these are break time. I'd go to a different dealer. I have also seen it happen where they will "tell" you that is what the problem is, and sell you that, but also do the other stuff, to make it look like they were right....but since they folded it into the other part of the job, it never shows up on the bill...but you paid for it all anyways.

It's also worth noting that in my years of experience working on cars, (some of it at a Ford dealer) swapping pads never fixed a spongy brake concern, unless your brake pads were made of Squeezable Velveeta.

Tim
 






and that was the case... I've been told that worn pads and "bad" rotors are really my problem here.

well, that's life
 






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