1999 Dodge Caravan Logo
Posted on Feb 03, 2013
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Brake pedal goes to the floor only when engine is running.

Just changed front brakes. The brakes won't tighten up when van is running, feels like i have no brakes.

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Thomas Perkins

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  • Dodge Master 15,088 Answers
  • Posted on Feb 03, 2013
Thomas Perkins
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Joined: Feb 12, 2010
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Hi Alicia,how is your brake fluid?Usually just changing front brake shoes requires no bleeding since the brake line was not open,how were your brakes before you changed the pads,if fluid is low,maybe back wheel cylinders are leaking.Front calibers could be bad,or even master cylinder,need more info.

5 Related Answers

Anonymous

  • 91 Answers
  • Posted on Mar 28, 2009

SOURCE: brake pedal goes to the floor after you make your

there is either a leak in one of the lines or you have air in the brake lines. start by bleeding your brakes lines and checking you fluid. then see if you notice a leak in which case fix it then bleed that line and you should be good. if not then it could be a bad master cylinder that would be the next step. also if you had your rotors cut down below spec then the pedal could go to the floor and not have much stopping power. same could go for very bad pads. but from what you explained it sounds like a leak

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Anonymous

  • 158 Answers
  • Posted on Apr 07, 2009

SOURCE: Can't find port to bleed front brakes 1995 Dodge Caravan

should be a bleeder screw on each caliper, unless, they were broken off in a previous attempt? They have to be there

Anonymous

  • 139 Answers
  • Posted on Apr 09, 2009

SOURCE: bleeding brakes

always bleed front driver side first, front right,left back
right back.
make sure you always have oil in the master

robert wales

  • 4977 Answers
  • Posted on Mar 08, 2011

SOURCE: 1999 DODGE Dakota abs & brake light are on and

sounds as if there might be a brake fluid leak somewhere in the system.check the master cylinder to see if the brake fluid is low or almost empty,if the fluid is up then it could be a master cylinder that has an internal leak(meaning the fluid is leaking past the internal seals but not leaking out of the cylinder).it also can be a problem with the abs hydraulic control module leaking.you should have the abs system checked for any codes in that system which may help find the problem quicker,if you don`t find any problem with the other suggestions

Jonah Oneal

  • 14092 Answers
  • Posted on Jul 12, 2011

SOURCE: Have a 1993 dodge Caravan SE. Purchased it from a

IF YOUR BRAKE PEDAL HOLDS WHEN YOU PUMP BRAKES WITH ENGINE OFF.START ENGINE WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL.THE BRAKE PEDAL SHOULD DROP A LITTLE HOLD.IF BRAKE GOES TO FLOOR POWER. POWER BRAKE BOOSTER FAULTY.MAKE SURE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER IS GETTING VACUUM. IF POWER BRAKE BOOSTER OKAY. I SAY YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM. VECHICLE SET UP FOR ABS BRAKE UNIT HAS TO BE REPLACE WITH ABS BRAKE UNIT.YOU CANT CHANGE A ABS BRAKE SYSTEM TO NON ABS BRAKE UNLESS YOU CHANGE MASTERCYLINDER TO THE NON ABS MASTERCYLINDER THE BRAKE LINES SET UP GOING HAVE TO BE CHANGED SAME AS THE NON ABS BRAKE SYSTEM, YOU NEED COMBINATION VALVE IT HAS METERING VALVE CONTROLS FRONT BRAKES AND PROPORTIONING VALVE CONTROLS REAR BRAKES, AND A BRAKE WARNING SWITCH ALSO BUILT IN THE COMBINATION VALVE. YOU NEED TO FIND SAME VECHICLE WITH NON ABS BRAKES LOOK AT BRAKE LINES ROUTING FROM MASTER CYLINDER TO COMBINATION VALVE TO FRONT AND REAR BRAKES. IT WOULD BEEN CHEAPER TO FIX THE ABS BRAKE UNIT THAN TRY TO DO CHANGE OVER BECAUSE ABS BRAKES SYSTEM SET UP DIFFERENT THAN NON ABS BRAKES SYSTEM THAT WHY YOU HAVING BRAKE PROBLEM.CHANGING ABS BRAKE SYSTEM TO NON ABS BRAKE SYSTEM WOULD BE LIKE TRYING TO PUT A 4 BARRELL CARBURETOR ON A CORVETTE WITH A 364 CU INCH ENGINE FUEL INJECTION ENGINE.

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Related Questions:

0helpful
1answer

Brake pedal goes to floor when engine running but is fine when engine off

bleed the brakes again starting at the longest line at the rear and work forward . The indication is still air in the lines.
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I have a 03 ford taurus the break pedal gose to the floor after changing the rear breaks and the front pads and after changing the master cylinder? what else could b the problem

You've done major work and now you'll need to completely bleed air out of the system, to get the fluid to go all the way through. You may also need to adjust the rear brake shoes.

First, bleed the Master cylinder to get fluid through it. This should have been done before installation. Loosen the lines at the M. Cylinder and fill up the reservior with brake fluid. Pump the brake pedal slowly with the cover on the M. Cylinder to prevent fluid from splashing out. Once you've got fluid coming through the M.Cylinder, tighten the brake lines at the M. Cylinder.

Bleeding the brakes is a 2 person operation. You always bleed the brake the farthest from the master cylinder, then the next, the next, and finally the drivers front brake which is the closest to the M. Cylinder.

If you are unfamiliar with this process, you need to remember that you can't let the brake fluid get low in the M. Cylinder, or you have to start all over when air gets back into the lines.

When one person pumps the brakes, after several pumps hold the pedal down as far as it will go and keep pressing to the floor as the other person loosens the bleeder valve. Don't let off of the pedal before tightening the bleeder valve. Then repeat until all of the air is gone.
Teamwork and communication. Both of my wives were able to assist me in bleeding brakes.

You will have to add fluid and repeat this process until you have a firm pedal.

One man bleeder valves work if used properly, but who tells you what is happening at the other end while you're pressing the pedal?

Good luck.
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1999 buick century brake pedal goes to floor-put new master cylinder on and blead both brake lines and master cylinder and pedal still goes to floor

Sounds like you may have a hydraulic leak somewhere. Check the rear wheel cylinders and front brake hoses going to the calipers.
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Have a 1993 dodge Caravan SE. Purchased it from a man which converted it from ABS to hydraulics. I didn't know it had brake problems till i got it running. He put on a 3 outlet 2 inlet proportional...

if something goes wrong with abs the brake system it reverts back to standard system!! If you can pump brake pedal up and hold it and start engine and it drops thats normal.You say low pedal if you go 15mph on road and check where pedal is when brakes apply.Power brakes will push aLMost to floor while stopped but while moveing you`ll almost go to slide or will go into slide if pedal is pushed to floor.Get on some gravel at 10 mph and hit brakes to a complete stop get out and check to see if all 4 tires slid or 2 front or only 2 rear. this will get you closer to problem good luck.
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My brake peddel is spongee-soft, and goes to the floor if i prees hard?

when you push pedal hard & pedal goes to floor does brake light come on?
assuming brake fluid leval is ok & didnt run empty have you checked for a leak?
pulling all wheels & inspecting brakes,cylinders, calipers,& lines for leaks.
does the pedal pump up & feel ok with engine running?if so there is air in the system
if it does'nt change the way the pedal feels & no leaks are found & brake linings are ok & adjusted
properly than your master cylinder is leaking internally & needs to be replaced
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I just changed front brake pads & rotors on my 2006 Chev HHR. I used a large c-clamp to gently push the piston back into the caliper. No problems at all until I tested the brakes. Now the pedal goes...

You have to bleed the entire system,all 4 corners,
with the engine running

There is NO pumping up to do

You don't pump when driving do you?
That does absolutely nothing

Without the engine on you have no brakes
& it feels harder.

The question is --- I didn't hear you say you opened
the system up,but you had brakes & now you don't

So you put the problem in there

Got anything to add to what you did?
0helpful
1answer

I have installed new front and back brakes,new calipers,brake lines,and now thanks to bad advice a new master cylinder and my pedal still goes to the floor.we have bled the lines many times and tried to...

Have the engine running & bleed the brakes again

Have someone in the vehicle slowly push the brake
pedal,never pump.

When you are driving, do you pump your brakes,NO

Pushing the brake pedal only moves the piston in the
brake cylinder about 1",that is all
That amount of movement will build up to 2,000 lbs
of pressure. So no pumping,does nothing

As the person is pushing the pedal down,someone
else opens & then closes the bleeder valves while the
pedal is still going down.

Then you wait on the person in the car to start over.
Real simple.

Assuming you paid for all that work,why do you have
issues that you didn't have before.

Don't want to discuss what the pros do,but we have
a thousand people on this site every day with problems
that they shouldn't have and are lighter in the wallet
1helpful
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How to bleed the brakes on a1999 chevrolet venture van instaslled new brake pads on front tired to bleed brake pedal all the way up when van not running - goes to floor when van is running

Start with brake in the rear that is the farthest away from the master cylinder ( if your master cylinder is on drivers side start with passenger rear,pump up brake pedal until hard have someone else open bleeder valve until air or fluid squirts out,while holding brake pressure even if goes to the floor dont release pedal until bleeder valve is tightened or you will **** air back into the line,do this several times making sure you get a full stream of brake fluid and no air,continue to other rear wheel and then proceed to front wheel furthest from master cylinderand then final wheel. if you still don't have brakes change master cylinder and bleed all brakes again.
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Brake pedal goes to the floor only when engine is running. Pedal is perfect with engine off.

your power brake booster is blown out
the seal has a leak in it
run the truck for 3 minutes and shut it off. with the windows up listen carefully while you gently apply the brakes
listen for a hissing sound of air leaking.
the sound of these leaking is a very soft sound
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1993 Ford AWD Aerostar Van. When the engine is

Sounds like the front calipers are not fully retracting properly. Check the front caliper operation while a friend pumps the brake pedal, the rubber lines could also be cracked and allowing air into the lines. Check brake fluid level.
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